Get details on everything from neighborhoods, schools and the local housing market to the area's hotspots, best restaurants, shopping
and recreation.
Each packet is prepared by a real estate professional who lives, works and is active in the local Fanwood community.
Population: 7,115 Once a summer vacation spot for well-to-do city dwellers, Fanwood borough has evolved into an attractive suburban community and a "great place to raise kids". The borough was originally settled by vacationers who were attracted to the area by its "wide open space and clean air". The 1.3 square-mile borough was carved out of the Township of Fanwood in 1895. To make the commute to the city easier, the early developers placed the railroad station in the center of the borough, ensuring that it was no farther than a half mile from any part of town.
The borough owes its name to the railroad. The first president of the railroad named the train station Fanwood in honor of Fanny Wood, the daughter of a railroad official and an author who wrote articles highlighting the beauty of the Central Jersey region. The original railroad station, a stone Victorian structure, stands today as testimony to the borough's beginnings. It serves as Fanwood's community center where many meetings are held. Fanwood is still an important commuter town, and many residents use the train to get to their jobs in Newark and New York City. The train ride to NYC is approximately 45 minutes.
There is not much room for new residential or commercial development in the borough. In 1988, The borough applied to the Coalition of Affordable Housing to be classified as a fully-developed town in order to reduce its low-and-moderate income housing needs from 87 to zero. Fanwood grew like mad during the 50s and 60s and as of June, 1996 there were 7,115 residents.
