January 11th, 2023
Best Places to Live in Westfield
If you are moving to Westfield, NJ, you need to consider moving to one of these five great neighborhoods in Westfield!
Westfield, NJ, is a great place to live. Known for its top-rated schooling, beautiful park areas, charming downtown, and safe neighborhoods full of various housing options, this is a sought-after area to live in. With a population of 30,754, residents here enjoy a suburban feel with affluent neighborhoods full of families and young professionals searching for a better quality of life with low crime but larger housing with easy transportation to Newark and New York.
This stunning area of New Jersey is known for its high-income residents who live a life of luxury and want to ensure their children get an excellent education. Located southwest of Newark and just outside of National forestland, this town is a fantastic place to live for those that want the piece and quiet of a smaller town but easy access to some of the country's largest cities.
Whether you want to join one of the country clubs and enjoy your weekends out on the course or spend some time gazing at local art and grabbing a drink and some food at some of the excellent restaurants and bars, Westfield has something for everyone to enjoy. Before you move to Westfield, NJ, please keep reading to learn more about the different neighborhoods and what each one offers.
Check out these top places to live in Westfield!
Wychwood Manor
Wychwood Manor is located in the northeastern part of Westfield. It is known for its classic homes featuring traditional columns and porches, slate roofs, and renovated interiors intermixed with new, modern architecture for those who choose to build from the ground up. Residents in this neighborhood enjoy the beautiful outdoors, with trees lining the streets and Echo Lake Park and Fairview Cemetery bookending the neighborhood borders offering tons of space and outdoor activities.
Wychwood is known as a wealthy neighborhood with a community feel. Many of its residents are part of the Echo Lake Country Club nearby, playing golf on the weekends and enjoying events together throughout the year. The median home value in Wychwood Manor is around $1 million, with a significant variance depending on whether you want to renovate one of the older homes with classic charm or build a new modern home on a new plot of land. No matter the design you are looking for, there is something for everyone in this neighborhood. Check out some of the local's favorites in Wychwood below!
Local Favorites
- Echo Lake Park - This park, located in the northwest part of town, has 6,200 acres with tons of space for recreational sports, picnics, scenic walks, and much more. Families and individuals come with their dogs to enjoy the many trails and dog parks, fish and go pedal boating in the lake and enjoy the great outdoors.
- Publick House - A warm and welcoming gastropub serving Irish and American plates paired with craft brews, wine, and cocktails.
- Fairview Cemetery & Arboretum - Not everyone would think that having a cemetery in your neighborhood would add beauty to it. Still, Fairview Cemetery boasts beautiful gardens, tree-lined ponds, and walking paths over rolling hills to please the eye. This beautiful area on the east side of town adds natural beauty and symbolizes the town's history.
The Gardens
This small neighborhood in the northwest part of town below Wychwood is one of the most picturesque areas to live in and is a very sought-after area. This is a great place to live, close to downtown with multiple attractions, dining options, and bars but still having natural beauty surrounding the homes with birch trees along the windy streets and many parks nearby.
The homes in this neighborhood stand out, with large, manicured lots boasting stunning landscaping surrounding classic colonial homes. The median home value in the Gardens is around $949k, with many families living in these large homes. The Gardens is a fantastic place to raise a family because of its large homes, its closeness to downtown, and great outdoor spaces. It also has top-rated school districts and Franklin Elementary School and Roosevelt Intermediate School, located right outside the neighborhood.
Check out some of the local favorites in the Gardens neighborhood below!
Local Favorites
- Mindowaskin Park - A great place to escape and clear your mind with a beautiful gazebo, large pond, playground, and large lawns. Commonly used as a wedding photo location or a place for families to enjoy a picnic and recreational games/sports.
- Miller-Cory House Museum - First built in 1740, the house that this museum now calls home was adopted by the National Register of Historic Places in 1972 and still stands today. Visitors can enjoy weekend programs and museum tours to learn more about American History and be immersed in what living in this area used to look like.
- Daimatsu Japanese Sushi Bar - This relaxed Japanese restaurant offers sushi rolls, teriyaki, udon, and more in a calm and charming environment.
Stoneleigh Park
Listed as one of the National Historic Places in 1988, Stoneleigh Park has a pleasant neighborhood charm with early twentieth-century design. This neighborhood initially consisted of only 30 single-family homes situated along a long looped drive surrounded by trees and beautiful landscaping. Some of those homes are still standing, with some individuals choosing to renovate the interior while maintaining the Clonial-Revival style exterior. In contrast, others have been built around the same single-family home size. The homes in this area are a spectacle of their own, with long staircases or paths to the front door leading to sometimes double patios to enjoy the air during the warmer seasons. While others utilize bricking and large windows to add character to the home, no matter what you are looking for, this neighborhood has individuality expressed in each house.
Most people here are upper-middle class, many of which have chosen to move out of the New York City area to have more space to raise a family in a charming but spacious home. The median home value in Stoneleigh Park is around $899k, with variance depending upon renovation and landscaping options and many other aspects of home ownership. The neighborhood was designed to appreciate the natural beauty of the forest land and serene location while conveniently close to the downtown area. Surrounded by schools and home to the town high school, this is a beautiful area to raise a family with easy transportation to an excellent education and many parks and other things to do. Check out some of the local favorites!
Local Favorites
- Rake and Hoe Garden Park - This park serves as a location for the Rake and Hoe Garden Club, where individuals can join and be educated on horticulture, floral design, nature, and wildlife. Adding some floral color to the neighborhood and having a fun, vintage-looking playground for children to enjoy, this is an excellent spot in Stoneleigh.
- 1958 Cuban Cuisine - Slightly North of the Stoneleigh neighborhood, this warm BYO family-owned Cuban restaurant serves delicious dishes inside a traditional spot with Cuban art on the walls, making you feel like you have been transported to the Island itself.
- Westfield Station Cafe - Just outside the downtown area and North of Stoneleigh, this cafe serves warm and comforting breakfast/lunch food with generous portions and friendly staff.
Dudley Park
Resembling other neighborhoods in Westfield, Dudley Park contains many historic homes featuring both colonial and victorian designs and all being of relatively the same size, age, and style. But, unlike the other historic neighborhoods, Kimbell Avenue inside Dudley Park is the town's only officially recognized Historic District. Many homes were built in the 1860s, and many original designs remain.
Although many homes have stayed the same in this neighborhood, the vibe has changed. What used to be a very snobby neighborhood full of executives and civic leaders has changed as the area has become more diverse, with individuals of different backgrounds and jobs. Located in the southwest part of Westfield and surrounding Roosevelt Intermediate School, many families have gravitated to this area for a better quality of life and education.
The median home value in Dudley Park is around $955k with variance depending upon how much the upkeep will be on some of these older homes and any renovations. But, being so close to great public schools, the downtown area full of shops and restaurants, and the main highway for easy transportation, this is a great area to live if you want the historic charm Westfield offers. Check out some of the local favorites in this neighborhood below!
Local Favorites
- Yestercades - Don't know what to do on a rainy day? This fun and exciting arcade will bring you back in time with a beautiful mix of older retro-style games and some newer ones to test your luck and skill.
- 16 Prospect Wine Bar - This fun and quirky wine bar offer a fun getaway with live jazz playing in the front of the restaurant while you enjoy delicious wine paired with American-Italian dishes. A great way to have a relaxed night out or try some new dishes and wines!
- Westfield Memorial Park - This park contains five different memorials to honor those who have lost their lives either serving this country or through terrible acts such as 9/11. The park has the Westfield Spanish-American War Memorial, Westfield Korean War Memorial, Westfield Vietnam War Memorial, Westfield WWI Memorial, and the Westfield 9/11 Memorial. This is a beautiful part of town to honor those we lost and reflect on America's history while surrounded by beautiful sculptures and landscaping the park offers.
Brightwood
If you want to live in the part of town where you are surrounded by nature but also the convenience of many stores, restaurants, schools, and activities, Brightwood is for you. Located on the very west side of Westfield, this neighborhood is known for its beautiful natural areas, such as the multiple parks, golf course, and fishing ponds, but also its stunning homes. The houses in Brightwood are a mix of some of the colonial-style homes seen in other neighborhoods closer to the downtown area and newer modern builds that have been popping up over the years due to the demand of individuals wanting to move here.
The median home value in Brightwood is around $850k, making it a more affordable neighborhood but still a lovely area to live in. Many families enjoy living here due to the fun outdoor activities outside their front door. On the weekends, you will see groups of adults enjoying a day out on the golf course or a pleasant stroll in the park, dads teaching their sons how to fish in the pond, or children playing on the playgrounds surrounded by beautiful trees and walking trails. This neighborhood is an excellent oasis while also being located within a fantastic school district and Franklin Elementary within the community itself. Check out some of the local favorites in Brightwood below!
Local Favorites
- Brightwood Park - This sizeable 44-acre park features 1.6 miles of nature trails, a fishing pond, picnic tables, and large fields for the whole family to enjoy.
- Scotch Hills Golf Course - First opened in 1920, this 9-hole course features 2,247 yards of golf from the longest tees for a par 33. Join the country club and enjoy the amenities, events, and tournaments!
- Northside Kitchen Tex Mex - This neighborhood sandwich shop has a warm and comfortable environment with fantastic Mexican food and other lunch options!
Best Neighborhoods in Westfield, NJ - Final Thoughts
If you want to live in a town where you can be immersed in nature and near top-rated school districts, lovely eateries and bars, country clubs with golf courses, quick and accessible public transportation, and stunning colonial homes, Westfield, New Jersey, is for you. With the ease of knowing, you can get to Newark or New York in under two hours while living on larger plots with beautiful winding roads lined with trees and safe neighborhoods; this is a great place to live.
Are you or someone you may know moving to Westfield? If so, please contact us here so we can connect you with one of our Realty Specialists to help you find your new home! No matter your budget, size, or location, we can work with you to find the perfect fit for you or the whole family.
Check out our other local area guides, including moving to New Jersey, the best places to live in New Jersey, moving to Jersey City, moving to Hoboken, and moving to Princeton!
Ryan Fitzgerald
Hi there! My name is Ryan Fitzgerald, and I am a REALTOR®. My goal is to help you learn more about real estate through our Real Estate Blog! Hopefully, you enjoyed the above blog post and it found a way to provide help or value to you. When you're ready to buy or sell a home of your own let us know here. Please feel free to join the conversation by dropping us a comment below.