Town guide · Middlesex County
Living in Woodbridge, NJ
Woodbridge is New Jersey's oldest original township and one of its busiest crossroads, where the Garden State Parkway meets the New Jersey Turnpike. It is not one town so much as ten named communities, from Colonia and Iselin in the north to Port Reading and Sewaren on the Arthur Kill and Keasbey on the Raritan River.
- County
- Middlesex
- Population
- About 103,600 (2020 census)
- Size
- About 24.6 square miles, including about 1.4 square miles of water
- Setting
- Suburban neighborhoods, a historic downtown, and industrial waterfront on the Arthur Kill and Raritan River
- Main roads
- Garden State Parkway (Exits 127 through 132), New Jersey Turnpike (Exit 11), Route 1, Route 9, Route 27, Route 35 and Route 440
First things first
One township, many addresses
Woodbridge Township is one municipality, but almost nobody writes Woodbridge on an envelope unless they live in the center of town. Iselin, Colonia, Avenel, Fords, Port Reading, Sewaren, Hopelawn, Keasbey, Menlo Park Terrace and Woodbridge proper are all sections of the township, each counted by the Census Bureau as its own community, and most have their own post office and ZIP code.
A few addresses are easy to misread. Hopelawn homes share the 08861 ZIP code with Perth Amboy, and Menlo Park Terrace uses 08840, the Metuchen ZIP code, even though both sections are in Woodbridge. Menlo Park Terrace also borders, and takes its name from, the Menlo Park neighborhood in Edison. When we price or search for a home, we always confirm the actual municipality, because that decides the tax rate and town services.
Neighborhoods
Ten communities under one government
Woodbridge was settled in 1664 and received a royal charter from King Charles II in 1669. Today the township is a patchwork of sections, and people almost always answer "where do you live" with the section name. All of them share one mayor, one council and one property tax rate.
- Woodbridge proper: The center of the township, with Main Street, Route 35 (Amboy Avenue) running through the middle, and the Woodbridge train station on Pearl Street. ZIP code 07095.
- Iselin: The northwest part of the township, between the Parkway and Route 27, with Oak Tree Road running through it toward Edison. The Metropark station is in Iselin. ZIP code 08830.
- Colonia: The northwest corner of the township, along the Clark and Rahway lines, and home to Merrill Park on the Rahway River. ZIP code 07067.
- Avenel: North of Woodbridge proper, founded in 1901 and once known as Demarest on the Hill, with its own station on the North Jersey Coast Line. ZIP code 07001.
- Fords: The southwest part of the township, once called Fords Corner, crossed by Route 1 and the Turnpike. ZIP code 08863.
- Port Reading and Sewaren: The waterfront sections on the Arthur Kill, facing Staten Island. Port Reading was built by the Reading Railroad as a coal port. Sewaren is home to the PSE&G Sewaren Generating Station. ZIP codes 07064 and 07077.
- Hopelawn and Keasbey: Small sections in the south of the township near Perth Amboy. Keasbey runs down to the Raritan River and is home to large warehouse and distribution sites. ZIP codes 08861 and 08832.
- Menlo Park Terrace: A small section on the northwest side of Route 1, near Parkway Exit 130 and the Edison line. ZIP code 08840.
Homes
What you will find
- Single family homes: On neighborhood streets in every section of the township, many of them on land that was built up through the 20th century.
- Apartments near the train stations: Newer apartment and mixed use buildings have gone up near the Woodbridge, Avenel and Metropark stations, including a 232 unit building next to Woodbridge station on Green Street.
- Condos and townhouses: Attached homes with association rules and monthly fees, found in several sections of the township.
- Homes near the waterfront and rivers: Older neighborhoods along the Woodbridge River, Arthur Kill and Raritan River sit low, close to tidal marsh.
Worth knowing: Parts of Woodbridge flood. The Woodbridge River is tidal for most of its length, and Superstorm Sandy left a 12 foot high water mark. Since Sandy the township has used the state Blue Acres program to buy out about 170 flood prone homes, many in the Watson Crampton neighborhood, and those lots must stay open space. We check the flood zone and flood history on every Woodbridge home before pricing it, and for condos and townhouses we read the association documents early.
Property taxes
What taxes look like in Woodbridge
- 2.234%2025 effective tax rate, as a share of market value
- $9,5972025 average residential tax bill
A home worth $450,000 on today's market would pay roughly $10,053 a year at Woodbridge'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 Garden State Parkway runs through the township with Exits 127 through 132, including Exit 127 for Route 9 and Route 440 toward the Outerbridge Crossing, Exit 129 for the New Jersey Turnpike, and Exit 131 for Route 27 in Iselin. Turnpike Exit 11 is in Woodbridge, and the New Jersey Turnpike Authority is headquartered here. Route 1, Route 9, Route 27, Route 35 and Route 440 all cross the township. There are three train stations. Metropark in Iselin is on NJ Transit's Northeast Corridor Line and is also served by Amtrak, including Acela and Northeast Regional trains. Woodbridge and Avenel stations are on the North Jersey Coast Line. Most daily shopping is along Route 1 and Route 9, including the Woodbridge Center mall.
Places worth knowing
Parks, landmarks and open space
- Merrill Park: A 182 acre Middlesex County park in Colonia on the Rahway River, with ballfields, tennis and basketball courts, picnic groves and a playground.
- Ernest L. Oros Wildlife Preserve: A township nature preserve at the headwaters of the Woodbridge River, with hiking trails, a butterfly garden and herons and egrets in the restored marsh.
- Middlesex Greenway: A 3.5 mile paved rail trail on the old Lehigh Valley Railroad line, running from Woodbridge through Edison to Metuchen.
- Parker Press Park: Named for James Parker, who set up New Jersey's first permanent printing press in Woodbridge in 1751, and home to a yearly Civil War living history weekend.
- Barron Arts Center: The township's arts center on Rahway Avenue, housed in the 1877 Barron Library building, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Common questions
Questions people ask us about Woodbridge
What are property taxes in Woodbridge, NJ?
Woodbridge Township's 2025 effective tax rate is 2.234 percent of market value, and the average residential tax bill is $9,597, according to the New Jersey Division of Taxation. Actual bills depend on each home's assessment.
Are Iselin, Colonia and Avenel part of Woodbridge?
Yes. Iselin, Colonia, Avenel, Fords, Port Reading, Sewaren, Hopelawn, Keasbey and Menlo Park Terrace are all sections of Woodbridge Township, along with Woodbridge proper. They have their own ZIP codes and post offices, but they share one township government and one property tax rate.
What train stations are in Woodbridge Township?
There are three. Metropark in Iselin is on NJ Transit's Northeast Corridor Line and is also an Amtrak stop. Woodbridge and Avenel stations are on NJ Transit's North Jersey Coast Line.
Is Woodbridge the oldest township in New Jersey?
Woodbridge is considered the oldest original township in New Jersey. It was settled in 1664 and received a royal charter from King Charles II on June 1, 1669. It was later incorporated as a township in 1798.
Does Woodbridge flood?
Some low lying areas do, especially along the tidal Woodbridge River and the waterfront in Port Reading and Sewaren. After Superstorm Sandy the township bought out about 170 flood prone homes through the state Blue Acres program and turned the land into open space. Flood risk varies street by street, so it is worth checking the flood zone on any home.
Nearby towns
Towns that border Woodbridge
Buying or selling in Woodbridge?
Every section of Woodbridge is its own market
A home in Colonia, one near Metropark and one near the Sewaren waterfront are three different stories. We look at the section, the street and the flood map before we talk about price and options.
Call or text either of us directly.