Town guide · Union County
Living in Clark, NJ
Clark is a compact Union County township on the Garden State Parkway, named for Abraham Clark, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. The Rahway River and the Robinson's Branch Reservoir, the largest body of water in the county, run through it, and county parkland lines both.
- County
- Union
- Population
- About 15,500 (2020 census)
- Size
- About 4.5 square miles
- Setting
- Suburban, with county parkland along the Rahway River and the reservoir
- Main roads
- Garden State Parkway (Exit 135), Central Avenue, Raritan Road, Westfield Avenue and the Clark Circle
Neighborhoods
Old place names in a small township
Clark was the 5th Ward of Rahway before the state incorporated it as its own township in 1864. Two houses in the township date to the late 1600s. Clark grew fast after World War II, and its population nearly tripled between 1950 and 1960.
- Madison Hill: The area around Madison Hill Road, home of the Dr. William Robinson Plantation house from about 1690.
- Picton: Once the site of a Lehigh Valley Railroad passenger station.
- Other named areas: Older place names in the township include Ashbrook, Florence Mills and Lenox.
Homes
What you will find
- Single family homes: Most of the township is residential neighborhoods that filled in as the population grew quickly after World War II.
- Homes near water and parkland: Streets near the Rahway River, the Clark Reservoir and Oak Ridge Park border county open space.
- Historic houses: A handful of very old homes survive, including two 17th century houses.
Worth knowing: The Rahway River and its Robinson's Branch run through Clark, and the river basin has a long history of flooding in Union County. Homes near the river, the reservoir or a brook get a closer look. We pull the FEMA flood map and ask about flood insurance and past water before pricing a home or writing an offer.
Property taxes
What taxes look like in Clark
- 1.899%2025 effective tax rate, as a share of market value
- $11,9512025 average residential tax bill
A home worth $650,000 on today's market would pay roughly $12,344 a year at Clark's 2025 effective rate. Your actual bill depends on your assessment, so we pull the real tax record for any home you are considering.
Source: New Jersey Division of Taxation, 2025 general and effective tax rates. Rates are set each year.
Getting around
Roads and commuting
The Garden State Parkway runs through Clark, with Exit 135 at the Clark Circle, where Central Avenue, Brant Avenue and Valley Road meet. Raritan Road and Westfield Avenue are other main local roads. There is no train station in Clark. The nearest is Rahway station on NJ Transit, about two miles from the center of town. NJ Transit bus 112 runs to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York, with a stop in downtown Elizabeth. Newark Liberty International Airport is about 11 miles away.
Places worth knowing
Parks, landmarks and open space
- Oak Ridge Park: A 90 acre Union County park on the Edison line, converted in 2009 from an 18 hole golf course, with the county's first public archery range.
- Rahway River Park: A Union County park along the Rahway River, shared with the city of Rahway.
- Clark Reservoir: The Robinson's Branch Reservoir, built in 1907 and the largest body of water in Union County, which the county is restoring for public recreation.
- Dr. William Robinson Plantation: A house built around 1690 on Madison Hill Road, listed on the National Register and run as a local museum.
- Homestead Farm at Oak Ridge: A colonial era farmstead inside Oak Ridge Park, listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Common questions
Questions people ask us about Clark
What are property taxes in Clark, NJ?
Clark Township's 2025 effective tax rate is 1.899 percent of market value, and the average residential tax bill is $11,951, according to the New Jersey Division of Taxation. Actual bills depend on each home's assessment.
Is there a train station in Clark, NJ?
No. The nearest station is Rahway on NJ Transit, about two miles from the center of Clark. NJ Transit bus 112 runs from Clark to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York.
What is the Clark Reservoir?
It is the Robinson's Branch Reservoir, built in 1907 on a branch of the Rahway River and the largest body of water in Union County. It no longer supplies drinking water. Union County bought it in 2008 to preserve it as open space and is working to restore it for recreation.
What is the Clark Circle?
The Clark Circle is where Central Avenue, Brant Avenue and Valley Road meet at Exit 135 of the Garden State Parkway. Traffic lights control it.
Who is Clark, NJ named after?
The township is named for Abraham Clark, a New Jersey signer of the Declaration of Independence. Clark was incorporated as its own township in 1864 from part of Rahway.
Nearby towns
Towns that border Clark
Buying or selling in Clark?
Near the river or the reservoir?
Clark homes near the Rahway River and the reservoir need a closer look than the rest. We compare your home with real nearby sales and talk through every option, including whether selling now makes sense.
Call or text either of us directly.