Town guide · Union County
Living in Rahway, NJ
Rahway is a small city of about four square miles on the Rahway River, with a downtown built around its train station and a historic theater. Trains on two NJ Transit lines stop here, and the Parkway and Turnpike are each about two miles away.
- County
- Union
- Population
- About 29,600 (2020 census)
- Size
- About 4 square miles
- Setting
- Small city with a downtown, older residential streets and the Rahway River
- Main roads
- U.S. Route 1 and 9, Route 27, Route 35, with the Parkway and Turnpike about two miles away
Neighborhoods
An old river town
Rahway has been settled since the 1600s and became a city in 1858. Tradition says it was named for a local Lenape chief, and for a time the area was called Spanktown. The Battle of Spanktown was fought here in January 1777.
In the 1700s the settlement was made up of Upper Rahway, Bridge Town, Leesville and Milton, and you will still see those names on streets and landmarks. The Rahway River enters from Clark, picks up Robinsons Branch and the South Branch inside the city, and leaves at the Linden and Woodbridge line.
- Downtown: The area around the train station and the Union County Performing Arts Center, where the city has encouraged new housing since the late 1990s.
- Inman Heights and North Rahway: Locality names still used for areas in and around the city.
- Milton and Leesville: Two of the city's original 18th century settlements, remembered today in Milton Avenue, Milton Lake and Leesville Avenue.
Homes
What you will find
- Older single family homes: On the residential streets that spread out from downtown and the river.
- Newer housing downtown: Since the late 1990s the city has approved hundreds of new market rate housing units as part of its downtown revitalization near the station.
- Homes near the river: Streets along the Rahway River and its branches, some of which sit in mapped flood hazard areas.
Worth knowing: Parts of Rahway sit in flood hazard areas along the Rahway River. The city was hit hard by flooding from Hurricane Floyd in 1999 and Hurricane Ida in 2021, and the state's Blue Acres program has made buyout offers to owners in repeatedly flooded areas. Before you make or accept an offer, we check the FEMA flood map and ask about the home's flood history and insurance.
Property taxes
What taxes look like in Rahway
- 2.542%2025 effective tax rate, as a share of market value
- $10,4352025 average residential tax bill
A home worth $400,000 on today's market would pay roughly $10,168 a year at Rahway'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
U.S. Route 1 and 9, Route 27 (St. Georges Avenue) and Route 35 all run through Rahway, and the Garden State Parkway and New Jersey Turnpike each lie about two miles outside the city. The Rahway station on Milton Avenue is served by NJ Transit's Northeast Corridor Line and North Jersey Coast Line, with a typical trip to New York Penn Station of about 38 minutes. NJ Transit bus 115 runs to the Port Authority Bus Terminal, and the 48 runs to Elizabeth and Perth Amboy. Newark Liberty International Airport is about 10 miles away.
Places worth knowing
Parks, landmarks and open space
- Rahway River Park: A Union County park shared with Clark, laid out by the Olmsted Brothers firm, with the Walter E. Ulrich Memorial Pool, a track, ball fields, tennis courts and picnic groves.
- Union County Performing Arts Center: The restored 1928 Rahway Theatre on Irving Street, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with its original Wurlitzer pipe organ.
- Merchants and Drovers Tavern: A historic tavern on St. Georges Avenue, listed on the National Register in 1978 and now a museum.
- Milton Lake Park: A small lake park at Midwood Drive and Madison Avenue, popular for fishing.
Common questions
Questions people ask us about Rahway
What are property taxes in Rahway, NJ?
Rahway City's 2025 effective tax rate is 2.542 percent of market value, and the average residential tax bill is $10,435, according to the New Jersey Division of Taxation. Actual bills depend on each home's assessment.
Is there a train station in Rahway?
Yes. The Rahway station on Milton Avenue is served by NJ Transit's Northeast Corridor Line and North Jersey Coast Line. A typical trip to New York Penn Station takes about 38 minutes, and the station has parking.
Does Rahway flood?
Some parts do. Homes along the Rahway River and its branches have flooded in major storms, including Hurricane Floyd in 1999 and Hurricane Ida in 2021. The city posts flood hazard information and links to the FEMA flood maps, where you can check any address.
How far is Rahway from the Parkway and the Turnpike?
Both are about two miles outside the city limits. Inside the city, U.S. Route 1 and 9, Route 27 and Route 35 are the main roads.
What is the Union County Performing Arts Center?
It is the restored Rahway Theatre, opened in 1928 on Irving Street downtown. The building is on the National Register of Historic Places and still has its original Wurlitzer pipe organ. A second, smaller venue called the Hamilton Stage is part of the same campus.
Nearby towns
Towns that border Rahway
Buying or selling in Rahway?
Know the street before you buy
In Rahway, a few blocks can separate a home near the station from one near the river. We check the flood map and the home's water history first, then go over your options with you.
Call or text either of us directly.