Town guide · Union County
Living in Scotch Plains, NJ
Scotch Plains is a township of about nine square miles, settled in 1684 by Scottish settlers and full of Revolutionary War landmarks. Its north side reaches into the Watchung Reservation and Route 22, while its south side grew up after World War II as farms gave way to neighborhoods.
- County
- Union
- Population
- About 25,000 (2020 census)
- Size
- About 9 square miles
- Setting
- Suburban township with a historic village center and parkland to the north
- Main roads
- U.S. Route 22, Route 28, Park Avenue, Martine Avenue and Raritan Road
Neighborhoods
A colonial crossroads that kept its landmarks
Scottish settlers arrived in 1684, and the name is said to come from George Scott, one of their leaders. The township was first incorporated in 1878 as Fanwood Township. Part of it split off as Fanwood Borough in 1895, and the rest was renamed Scotch Plains in 1917. Fanwood is a separate borough today with its own government and taxes.
In the old center of town, the 1737 Stage House, once a tavern and stagecoach stop, stands across from the Osborn Cannonball House. Front Street, Park Avenue, Martine Avenue, Raritan Road and Westfield Road all follow old horse and wagon trails. After World War II, housing developments replaced farmland, most heavily on the south side.
- North side: The part of town along Route 22, bordering the Watchung Reservation.
- South side: Neighborhoods built after World War II on former farmland.
- Older place names: Alton, Goodmans, Graceland, Two Bridges and Willow Grove are localities within or partly within the township.
Homes
What you will find
- Postwar single family homes: The neighborhoods that replaced farms after World War II, especially on the south side.
- Historic houses: A handful of colonial era buildings survive, including the Frazee House on Raritan Road, listed on the state and national historic registers.
- Homes near parkland: Streets on the north side close to the Watchung Reservation.
Worth knowing: Scotch Plains and Fanwood are separate municipalities with different tax rates, and the train station that serves the township is in Fanwood. We confirm the municipality and block and lot on every property. Robinson's Branch of the Rahway River also flows through the township, so we check the FEMA flood map for any home near the brook.
Property taxes
What taxes look like in Scotch Plains
- 2.137%2025 effective tax rate, as a share of market value
- $15,8182025 average residential tax bill
A home worth $750,000 on today's market would pay roughly $16,028 a year at Scotch Plains'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 22 runs across the north side of the township, and Route 28 passes briefly through the center. Interstate 78, Interstate 287 and the Garden State Parkway are reached through neighboring towns. NJ Transit's Raritan Valley Line runs through the township, and the closest station is Fanwood, at South Avenue and Martine Avenue. NJ Transit buses 112, 113, 114 and 117 run to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York, and routes 59, 65 and 66 run to Newark.
Places worth knowing
Parks, landmarks and open space
- Watchung Reservation: A about 2,000 acre Union County reservation on the north side of the township, with trails, ponds, stables and a nature center.
- Ash Brook Golf Course: A Union County course on Raritan Road, opened in 1953, with 18 holes and a pitch and putt course.
- Scotch Hills Golf Course: A municipal course on the grounds of the former Shady Rest Golf and Country Club, founded in 1921.
- Osborn Cannonball House Museum: A Front Street house struck by a stray cannonball during the Battle of Short Hills in 1777, now a museum run by the Historical Society of Scotch Plains and Fanwood.
- Frazee House: A colonial house at 1451 Raritan Road, listed on the state and national historic registers, tied to a well known local story about Lord Cornwallis and a loaf of bread.
Common questions
Questions people ask us about Scotch Plains
What are property taxes in Scotch Plains, NJ?
Scotch Plains Township's 2025 effective tax rate is 2.137 percent of market value, and the average residential tax bill is $15,818, according to the New Jersey Division of Taxation. Actual bills depend on each home's assessment.
Are Scotch Plains and Fanwood the same town?
No. They were once one township, but Fanwood became its own borough in 1895, and the remaining township was renamed Scotch Plains in 1917. Today they are separate municipalities with their own governments and property tax rates.
Is there a train station in Scotch Plains?
The Raritan Valley Line runs through the township, but the station is in neighboring Fanwood, at South Avenue and Martine Avenue. The original station, about a quarter mile north, was called Scotch Plains before the line was moved and the station was renamed Fanwood.
Is the Watchung Reservation in Scotch Plains?
Partly. The about 2,000 acre Union County reservation lies on the north side of Scotch Plains and also reaches into Mountainside, Berkeley Heights, Springfield and Summit.
How did Scotch Plains get its name?
The name is said to come from George Scott, a leader of the Scottish settlers who arrived in 1684. The township itself was called Fanwood Township until a 1917 referendum renamed it Scotch Plains.
Nearby towns
Towns that border Scotch Plains
Buying or selling in Scotch Plains?
North side or south side
Scotch Plains has colonial landmarks, postwar streets on former farmland and homes near the reservation. We confirm your home is in Scotch Plains and not Fanwood, see which kind it is, and walk you through each option.
Call or text either of us directly.