Town guide · Union County
Living in New Providence, NJ
New Providence is a borough of under four square miles above the Passaic River, with two NJ Transit stations on the Gladstone Branch and the Bell Labs campus in Murray Hill. Salt Brook winds through the middle of town, lined with borough parks.
- County
- Union
- Population
- About 13,700 (2020 census)
- Size
- About 3.7 square miles
- Setting
- Suburban borough with parkland along Salt Brook and the Passaic River
- Main roads
- Springfield Avenue (County Route 512), with Interstate 78 Exits 43 and 44 in neighboring Berkeley Heights
First things first
New Providence, Murray Hill and Berkeley Heights
New Providence Borough broke away from New Providence Township in 1899. The township kept the old name for decades before renaming itself Berkeley Heights in the early 1950s, so older deeds and maps that say New Providence Township are talking about today's Berkeley Heights.
Murray Hill is not a separate town. It is an unincorporated community split between New Providence and Berkeley Heights, and both share the 07974 ZIP code. A Murray Hill address can be in either municipality, so we always confirm which one, because that decides the tax rate and town services.
Neighborhoods
Sections of the borough
The area was settled in 1720 and was first called Turkey, for the wild turkeys found there. It was renamed New Providence after the church balcony collapsed in 1759 without serious injury, which residents took as a sign of divine providence.
- Murray Hill: The section shared with Berkeley Heights, home to Nokia Bell Labs, where the transistor was demonstrated in 1947, and to the historic Murray Hill train station.
- Tall Oaks, Johnsons Bridge and West Summit: Older place names still used for parts of the borough. The Tall Oaks name also appears in neighboring Summit, along the shared border.
Homes
What you will find
- Suburban homes: About 5,500 homes on residential streets spread across the borough's sections.
- Homes near the train: Two stations, New Providence and Murray Hill, put many streets within reach of the Gladstone Branch.
Worth knowing: The Passaic River forms the borough's northern border and Salt Brook winds through the center of town, so we check the FEMA flood map for every address. And because Murray Hill straddles two towns, we confirm the municipality and block and lot on every home before we price it.
Property taxes
What taxes look like in New Providence
- 2.049%2025 effective tax rate, as a share of market value
- $16,2312025 average residential tax bill
A home worth $800,000 on today's market would pay roughly $16,392 a year at New Providence'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
No state, U.S. or Interstate highway runs directly through New Providence. Springfield Avenue (County Route 512) is the main road through town. Interstate 78 Exit 43 and the eastbound Exit 44, both in neighboring Berkeley Heights, are signed for New Providence. NJ Transit's Gladstone Branch of the Morris and Essex Lines stops at New Providence station on Old Springfield Avenue and at Murray Hill station on Foley Place, with trains to Hoboken and to New York Penn Station. Lakeland Bus Lines runs weekday rush hour buses from Springfield Avenue to the Port Authority Bus Terminal, and NJ Transit's 986 route provides local bus service.
Places worth knowing
Parks, landmarks and open space
- Salt Brook parks: Borough parks along Salt Brook include Veterans Memorial Park on South Street, Lions Park on Livingston Avenue and Clearwater Park near the end of Central Avenue.
- Oakwood Park: A borough park named for Mayor John W. Oakwood.
- Salt Box Museum: An 18th century farmhouse at 1350 Springfield Avenue, run by the New Providence Historical Society.
- Murray Hill station: A Queen Anne style station house built in 1890 by the Lackawanna Railroad, listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Common questions
Questions people ask us about New Providence
What are property taxes in New Providence, NJ?
New Providence Borough's 2025 effective tax rate is 2.049 percent of market value, and the average residential tax bill is $16,231, according to the New Jersey Division of Taxation. Actual bills depend on each home's assessment.
Is Murray Hill part of New Providence?
Partly. Murray Hill is an unincorporated community split between New Providence and Berkeley Heights, and both use the 07974 ZIP code. A Murray Hill address can be in either town, so it is worth confirming the municipality before buying.
Does New Providence have a train station?
It has two. New Providence station and Murray Hill station are both on NJ Transit's Gladstone Branch, with trains to Hoboken and to New York Penn Station.
How did New Providence get its name?
The settlement was first called Turkey, for the wild turkeys in the area. After the church balcony collapsed in 1759 without serious injury, residents saw it as divine providence and renamed the town New Providence.
Is Bell Labs in New Providence?
Nokia Bell Labs is in Murray Hill, much of which lies in New Providence. Researchers there are credited with the transistor, the laser and radio astronomy, and nine Nobel Prizes have been awarded for work done at the facility.
Nearby towns
Towns that border New Providence
Buying or selling in New Providence?
Two stations, one honest number
Distance to the train, which side of the Murray Hill line, how close to Salt Brook: those details set the price of a New Providence home. We will show you our reasoning on each one.
Call or text either of us directly.