Town guide · Union County
Living in Linden, NJ
Linden is a city of about 11 square miles on the Arthur Kill. It has its own NJ Transit station with direct trains to New York, quick access to the Turnpike and Interstate 278, and an industrial east side that holds the Bayway Refinery and Linden Airport.
- County
- Union
- Population
- About 43,700 (2020 census)
- Size
- About 11.4 square miles
- Setting
- Residential neighborhoods, a rail station area and an industrial waterfront on the Arthur Kill
- Main roads
- New Jersey Turnpike, Interstate 278, U.S. Route 1 and 9 and Route 27
Neighborhoods
A city of old place names
Linden was formed as a township in 1861 from parts of Elizabeth, Rahway and Union Township. In 1925 Linden Township and Linden Borough were replaced by the City of Linden. In 1865 a New York restaurateur named Ferdinand Blancke bought land around the station and named the area Linden.
- Sunnyside: The residential area west of St. Georges Avenue, named for the former Sunnyfield Golf Club.
- Wheatsheaf: Named for the old Wheatsheaf Inn, near where the railroad set up its first stop. The station itself was first called Wheat Sheaf.
- Other named areas: Older place names still on the map include Bayway, Grasselli, Morses Mill, Tremley, Vreeland Mills and Warners.
Homes
What you will find
- Residential neighborhoods: About 16,500 homes across the city's named sections, including Sunnyside west of St. Georges Avenue.
- Industrial east side: The eastern part of the city holds the Bayway Refinery, Linden Airport and land along the Arthur Kill, along with the former General Motors plant site, which closed in 2005.
Worth knowing: Linden has a Rent Leveling Board, so before anyone buys a rental property here we confirm whether its units fall under the city's rent rules. In 2025 the city also adopted zoning limits on using basements for bedrooms, kitchens and bathrooms, so we check how any finished basement was permitted. And because heavy industry and the airport sit on the east side, we look at what is near each address, along with the FEMA flood map.
Property taxes
What taxes look like in Linden
- 2.037%2025 effective tax rate, as a share of market value
- $9,8322025 average residential tax bill
A home worth $500,000 on today's market would pay roughly $10,185 a year at Linden'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 New Jersey Turnpike runs through the eastern part of Linden, and the nearest interchange is Exit 13 for Interstate 278. Linden is the western end of Interstate 278, which continues into New York City. U.S. Route 1 and 9 and Route 27 are the main local roads, and the Garden State Parkway runs just west of the city line. Linden station, at the Wood Avenue overpass, is served by NJ Transit's Northeast Corridor and North Jersey Coast lines with direct trains to New York Penn Station. NJ Transit buses 112 and 115 run to the Port Authority Bus Terminal, the 48 runs to Elizabeth, the 94 to Newark, and the 56 and 57 provide local Union County service.
Places worth knowing
Parks, landmarks and open space
- Hawk Rise Sanctuary: A 95 acre bird sanctuary on the Rahway River, built on a former landfill and opened in 2012, with a boardwalk, trails and a river overlook.
- John Russell Wheeler Park: A city park with a spray park that opened in 2019, replacing a pool that dated to 1931.
- Memorial Park: A city park between Wood Avenue and Lower Road, home to the Linden Skatepark.
- Linden Airport: A general aviation airport on the city's east side, built for the U.S. Navy in 1942.
Common questions
Questions people ask us about Linden
What are property taxes in Linden, NJ?
Linden City's 2025 effective tax rate is 2.037 percent of market value, and the average residential tax bill is $9,832, according to the New Jersey Division of Taxation. Actual bills depend on each home's assessment.
Does Linden have a train station?
Yes. Linden station, at the Wood Avenue overpass, is on NJ Transit's Northeast Corridor and North Jersey Coast lines, with direct trains to New York Penn Station. The station has two parking lots, one along the Trenton bound platform and one behind the station house.
Is Linden a city or a township?
Linden is a city. It began as Linden Township in 1861, and in 1925 the township and the separate Linden Borough were replaced by the City of Linden.
Does Linden have rent control?
Linden has a Rent Leveling Board that handles the city's rent control matters. Anyone buying or selling a rental property in Linden should confirm whether the units are covered before closing.
What is Hawk Rise Sanctuary?
Hawk Rise is a 95 acre bird sanctuary on the banks of the Rahway River, created on a former landfill by the City of Linden, the state DEP and New Jersey Audubon. It opened in 2012 with a boardwalk and walking trails.
Nearby towns
Towns that border Linden
Buying or selling in Linden?
Linden sells block by block
Distance to the station, what sits near the house, how the basement was permitted and whether the rent rules apply all matter in Linden. We sort through those details with you before we talk about price.
Call or text either of us directly.