Town guide · Union County
Living in Plainfield, NJ
Plainfield is the Queen City, a city of about six square miles on the southwestern edge of Union County with two train stations and a downtown built around the railroad. Its Victorian, Colonial Revival, Shingle style and Tudor homes fill several of the city's ten historic districts.
- County
- Union
- Population
- About 54,600 (2020 census)
- Size
- About 6 square miles
- Setting
- Historic city with a railroad downtown and residential historic districts
- Main roads
- Route 28, with U.S. Route 22, Interstate 78 and Interstate 287 nearby
First things first
Plainfield, North Plainfield and South Plainfield
Plainfield is a city in Union County. North Plainfield, its neighbor to the north, is a separate borough in Somerset County, and South Plainfield is a separate borough in Middlesex County. Each has its own government, taxes and services.
North Plainfield uses the 07060, 07062 and 07063 ZIP codes, the same ones Plainfield uses, so a Plainfield mailing address does not always mean a home is in the city. We confirm the municipality and block and lot on every property.
Neighborhoods
A city of historic districts
The area was settled in 1684, and Plainfield became a city in 1869. The Queen City nickname grew out of an 1886 promotional slogan that called Plainfield the Colorado of the East.
- Van Wyck Brooks: The largest historic district, with more than 150 properties and many brick Victorian homes with old stables and carriage barns.
- Crescent Area: A planned residential area from the 1870s with Italianate and Second Empire Victorian homes.
- Netherwood Heights: An early planned suburb near the Netherwood station, with streets that follow the hills, late Victorian estates and 1920s Tudor Revival homes.
- Sleepy Hollow: A section of homes on winding roads on the northeast side of the city, built mostly in the first half of the 20th century.
- Hillside Avenue and Broadway: Residential historic districts with Colonial Revival and Shingle style homes from around 1900.
- West End: The western part of the city, home to Green Brook Park.
Homes
What you will find
- Historic houses: Victorian, Queen Anne, Colonial Revival, Shingle style and Tudor homes, many from the late 1800s and early 1900s.
- Downtown near the station: The North Avenue Commercial historic district, a seven block area around the Plainfield station, has buildings from 1850 to 1890.
Worth knowing: Plainfield has ten historic districts. For homes inside them, any demolition, addition or change to the exterior that can be seen from the street, including windows, doors, porches, siding and fences, needs a Certificate of Appropriateness from the city's Historic Preservation Commission. Painting, ordinary repairs and interior work do not. We check a home's district status early so buyers know the rules before they plan any work.
Property taxes
What taxes look like in Plainfield
- 2.460%2025 effective tax rate, as a share of market value
- $9,7552025 average residential tax bill
A home worth $400,000 on today's market would pay roughly $9,840 a year at Plainfield'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
Route 28 is the main road through Plainfield, connecting Somerville and Elizabeth. U.S. Route 22, Interstate 78 and Interstate 287 are reached through neighboring towns. The city has two stations on NJ Transit's Raritan Valley Line: Plainfield station downtown at North Avenue and the smaller Netherwood station on South Avenue. Most trains run to Newark Penn Station, with a limited number of off peak direct trains to New York Penn Station. NJ Transit buses 113 and 114 run to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York, routes 59, 65 and 66 run to Newark, and routes 819 and 822 provide local service.
Places worth knowing
Parks, landmarks and open space
- Cedar Brook Park: A 78 acre Union County park designed by the Olmsted Brothers, home to a formal Shakespeare Garden maintained by the Plainfield Garden Club.
- Green Brook Park: A 100 acre Olmsted Brothers designed county park along the Green Brook in the West End, with woods, a playground and a pastoral stretch along Park Drive.
- Drake House Museum: A 1746 farmhouse at 602 West Front Street, used by George Washington during the Battle of Short Hills in 1777 and run by the Historical Society of Plainfield.
- Plainfield station: The downtown station, built for the Central Railroad of New Jersey in 1902 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Common questions
Questions people ask us about Plainfield
What are property taxes in Plainfield, NJ?
Plainfield City's 2025 effective tax rate is 2.460 percent of market value, and the average residential tax bill is $9,755, according to the New Jersey Division of Taxation. Actual bills depend on each home's assessment.
Is Plainfield the same as North Plainfield?
No. Plainfield is a city in Union County, and North Plainfield is a separate borough in Somerset County with its own government and taxes. They share ZIP codes, so the mailing address alone does not tell you which town a home is in.
Does Plainfield have a train station?
Yes, two. Plainfield station downtown and Netherwood station are both on NJ Transit's Raritan Valley Line. Most trains run to Newark Penn Station, where riders can transfer for New York, and a limited number of off peak trains run directly to New York Penn Station.
Do I need approval to renovate a house in a Plainfield historic district?
Often, yes. Exterior work visible from the street, such as replacing windows, doors, porches or siding, needs a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Historic Preservation Commission. Painting, ordinary repairs and interior changes do not.
Why is Plainfield called the Queen City?
The nickname grew out of an 1886 promotional slogan that called Plainfield the Colorado of the East. It was later shortened to echo Denver's nickname, Queen City of the Plains.
Buying or selling in Plainfield?
Historic homes need a local read
In Plainfield, the district, the architecture and the commission's rules all shape a sale. We check your home's district status early and explain what it means for buyers and for you.
Call or text either of us directly.