Town guide · Mercer County
Living in Hopewell, NJ
Hopewell is two towns. Hopewell Borough is a small village on Broad Street, and Hopewell Township is nearly 59 square miles of farms, woods, river road and neighborhoods wrapped around it. Together they hold Washington Crossing State Park, Baldpate Mountain and some of the most preserved land in Mercer County.
- County
- Mercer
- Population
- About 1,900 in the borough and 17,500 in the township (2020 census)
- Size
- About 0.7 square miles in the borough and about 59 square miles in the township
- Setting
- A village center in the borough; farms, woods, the Sourland Mountain foothills and neighborhoods in the township
- Main roads
- Interstate 295 (Exits 72 and 73), Route 31, Route 29 along the Delaware, and County Routes 518, 546, 569 and 579
First things first
Hopewell Borough vs. Hopewell Township
Hopewell Borough and Hopewell Township are separate municipalities with separate governments and separate property tax rates. The borough was carved out of the township in 1891, and the township still surrounds it completely. The township also surrounds Pennington, a third separate borough.
Mailing addresses do not follow the town lines. Hopewell Township homes can carry a Hopewell, Pennington, Titusville or Lambertville address depending on the road, and the ZIP codes are shared with the boroughs and neighboring towns. We confirm the municipality and the block and lot on every property, because that decides the tax rate, the services and the rules that apply.
Neighborhoods
A village and the countryside around it
Hopewell Township dates to 1700 and was chartered in 1755, long before Mercer County existed. The borough grew up around Broad Street. The township is a patchwork of old crossroads villages, farms and later neighborhoods.
- Hopewell Borough: The village along Broad Street (County Route 518), about seven tenths of a square mile, with older homes on walkable streets.
- Titusville and Washington Crossing: Communities in the southwestern part of the township along the Delaware River, Route 29 and the canal.
- Pleasant Valley: A rural valley whose 1,565 acre historic district, listed on the National Register in 1991, extends into West Amwell Township.
- Planned neighborhoods: Brandon Farms, Hopewell Hunt and Elm Ridge are the larger subdivisions.
- Other named places: Older crossroads names include Glenmoore, Harbourton, Marshalls Corner, Mount Rose, Stoutsburg, Woodsville and Bear Tavern.
Homes
What you will find
- Village homes: Older houses on the borough's streets around Broad Street.
- Farms and country properties: Homes on larger lots, farmhouses and preserved farmland across the township, which counts more than 3,200 acres of preserved farmland.
- Planned subdivisions: Newer neighborhoods such as Brandon Farms, Hopewell Hunt and Elm Ridge. Some have an association with its own rules and fees.
- River area homes: Homes near the Delaware River and the canal in Titusville and Washington Crossing, where flood maps matter.
Worth knowing: Many Hopewell Township homes run on a private well and a septic system. New Jersey requires the well water to be tested when a home with a private well is sold, and the township requires an independent septic inspection report, filed with the health department, for every sale. Homes near the Delaware River should also be checked against current FEMA flood maps, and preserved farmland carries deed restrictions. We sort all of this out at the start of a listing, not the week before closing.
Property taxes
What taxes look like in Hopewell
- 2.545%Hopewell Borough: 2025 effective tax rate, as a share of market value
- $14,284Hopewell Borough: 2025 average residential tax bill
- 2.343%Hopewell Township: 2025 effective tax rate, as a share of market value
- $14,873Hopewell Township: 2025 average residential tax bill
A home worth $550,000 on today's market would pay roughly $13,998 a year at Hopewell Borough's 2025 effective rate. A home worth $650,000 on today's market would pay roughly $15,230 a year at Hopewell Township'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
Interstate 295 crosses the southern part of the township, with Exit 72 at Route 31 and Exit 73 at Scotch Road, and continues across the Scudder Falls Bridge into Pennsylvania. Route 31 is the main north and south road, and Route 29 follows the Delaware River and the Delaware and Raritan Canal through the southwestern part of the township. County Route 518 runs through Hopewell Borough as Broad Street. There is no passenger train today. The old Hopewell station closed to passengers in 1982, and the nearest rail is the SEPTA West Trenton Line at West Trenton in Ewing. NJ Transit bus 624 connects the township with Trenton. Most daily shopping is along Route 31 and in the neighboring towns.
Places worth knowing
Parks, landmarks and open space
- Washington Crossing State Park: About 3,575 acres in Mercer and Hunterdon counties marking where Washington's army crossed the Delaware in 1776.
- Baldpate Mountain and the Ted Stiles Preserve: The highest point in the township at about 480 feet, with the township's largest forest and about seven miles of trails.
- Howell Living History Farm: A 130 acre Mercer County farm museum just north of Titusville that shows farm life around 1900.
- Lawrence Hopewell Trail: A multiuse trail loop through Hopewell and Lawrence townships, with access from Mercer Meadows.
Common questions
Questions people ask us about Hopewell
What are property taxes in Hopewell, NJ?
Hopewell Borough's 2025 effective tax rate is 2.545 percent of market value, and the average residential tax bill is $14,284; Hopewell Township's 2025 effective tax rate is 2.343 percent of market value, and the average residential tax bill is $14,873, according to the New Jersey Division of Taxation. Actual bills depend on each home's assessment.
Is Hopewell Borough the same as Hopewell Township?
No. Hopewell Borough, the village along Broad Street, was created from part of the township in 1891. The township still surrounds it, and each has its own government and tax rate.
Is Pennington part of Hopewell?
No. Pennington is a separate borough that Hopewell Township also surrounds. Some township homes use a Pennington mailing address, but they pay Hopewell Township taxes.
Do Hopewell Township homes have well water and septic?
Many do. The township notes that many residents get drinking water from a private well, and New Jersey requires well testing when such a home is sold. Hopewell Township also requires an independent septic inspection report, filed with the health department, for every sale.
Is there a train station in Hopewell?
Not for passengers today. Passenger service at the historic Hopewell station ended in 1982. The nearest rail is the SEPTA West Trenton Line at West Trenton in Ewing, and a long proposed NJ Transit West Trenton Line would bring back passenger trains with stops in Hopewell, but it has not been funded.
Nearby towns
Towns that border Hopewell
Buying or selling in Hopewell?
Wells, septic and preserved land, handled early
In Hopewell Township, the well test and the septic report are part of almost every sale, and preserved farmland comes with deed restrictions. We get those pieces moving early and give you a plain read on value and your options.
Call or text either of us directly.