Town guide · Union County
Living in Fanwood, NJ
Fanwood is a small Union County borough of about 1.3 square miles that grew up around its train station. The 1874 station still stands at the center of the Fanwood Park Historic District, a neighborhood of curving streets laid out around the railroad.
- County
- Union
- Population
- About 7,800 (2020 census)
- Size
- About 1.3 square miles
- Setting
- Suburban borough around a Raritan Valley Line station
- Main roads
- Route 28 (South Avenue), North Avenue and Martine Avenue toward U.S. Route 22
First things first
Fanwood and Scotch Plains are separate towns
Fanwood is surrounded by Scotch Plains on every side except the southwest, where it meets Plainfield, and the two are often mentioned together. They are separate municipalities with separate governments and separate property tax rates.
The history explains the overlap. In 1878 a Fanwood Township was created from parts of Plainfield and Westfield townships. In 1895 the area around the train station broke away as the Borough of Fanwood, and the remaining township is what is now Scotch Plains. We always confirm which municipality a home is in, because that decides the taxes and town services.
Neighborhoods
A borough built around the railroad
The railroad reached this area in 1837. When the line was moved to ease its grade, a new Fanwood station opened in 1874, and a land company developed Fanwood Park around it with curving streets. Two stories explain the name: one says it honors the author Fannie Wood, and another says the Central Railroad of New Jersey president named it for his wife, Frances, known as Fanny.
- Fanwood Park Historic District: About 52 acres along North Avenue and North Martine Avenue, with 57 contributing buildings, listed on the National Register in 2004.
- Robinson's Branch: The Robinson's Branch of the Rahway River flows through the borough toward the Clark Reservoir.
Homes
What you will find
- Single family homes: Residential streets make up most of the borough, many within walking distance of the station.
- Historic homes: Houses in the Fanwood Park Historic District, developed around the station after 1874, including the 1894 Urner Gibbs House.
Worth knowing: Homes inside the Fanwood Park Historic District are part of a National Register listing. Before anyone plans exterior changes, we confirm whether a home sits inside the district boundaries and check with the borough on any local review that applies. Homes near the Robinson's Branch should also be checked against the flood maps.
Property taxes
What taxes look like in Fanwood
- 2.249%2025 effective tax rate, as a share of market value
- $14,7592025 average residential tax bill
A home worth $650,000 on today's market would pay roughly $14,618 a year at Fanwood'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
Fanwood station on North Avenue is on NJ Transit's Raritan Valley Line, with trains to Newark Penn Station and weekday rush hour trains that run straight through to New York Penn Station. NJ Transit bus 113 runs to the Port Authority Bus Terminal, and bus 822 provides local service. Route 28, called South Avenue here, runs through the borough, and Martine Avenue connects north to U.S. Route 22. Newark Liberty International Airport is about 25 minutes east.
Places worth knowing
Parks, landmarks and open space
- Fanwood station: A Carpenter Gothic station built in 1874, with an 1897 shelter, listed on the National Register of Historic Places and still in daily use.
- Fanwood Park Historic District: A 52 acre historic neighborhood of curving streets along North Avenue and North Martine Avenue.
- La Grande Park: A borough park with a recreation building, an open air pavilion with picnic tables and athletic fields.
- Forest Road Park: A borough park with a recreation building and fields for baseball, softball and soccer.
- Fanwood Nature Center: A borough nature center where the Fanwood Environmental Commission holds programs.
Common questions
Questions people ask us about Fanwood
What are property taxes in Fanwood, NJ?
Fanwood Borough's 2025 effective tax rate is 2.249 percent of market value, and the average residential tax bill is $14,759, according to the New Jersey Division of Taxation. Actual bills depend on each home's assessment.
Is Fanwood part of Scotch Plains?
No. Fanwood is its own borough, with its own government and tax rate. It was formed in 1895 from the old Fanwood Township, and the rest of that township is now Scotch Plains, which surrounds Fanwood on most sides.
Is there a train from Fanwood to New York?
Yes. Fanwood station is on NJ Transit's Raritan Valley Line. Weekday rush hour trains run directly to New York Penn Station, and at other times riders change at Newark Penn Station. NJ Transit bus 113 also runs to the Port Authority Bus Terminal.
How did Fanwood get its name?
There are two accounts. One says the borough was named for the author Fannie Wood. Another says John Taylor Johnston, president of the Central Railroad of New Jersey, named it for his wife, Frances, known as Fanny.
What is the Fanwood Park Historic District?
It is a 52 acre neighborhood along North Avenue and North Martine Avenue that grew up around the 1874 train station. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004 and includes 57 contributing buildings, the station among them.
Nearby towns
Towns that border Fanwood
Buying or selling in Fanwood?
Inside the district or just outside it
Fanwood is small, and buyers notice both the walk to the station and the historic district line. We check where your home stands on each and explain what that means for your sale.
Call or text either of us directly.