About Berkeley Heights
Nestled in the Watchung Mountains, Berkeley Heights is a commuter’s dream - it has a close-knit community feel yet is just 28 miles from New York City. Ranked #6 in “Best Places to Live-America’s Top 50 Small Towns” report CNN/Money Magazine in 2013, Berkeley Heights continues to be ranked as one of the best small towns and safest place to live and raise a family in New Jersey.
In close proximity to many major highways and major airports, Berkeley Heights has direct rail and bus access to Manhattan, yet is just a quick car-ride away from beautiful hiking trails, mountain views, wineries, farms, popular Jersey Shore destinations, and even Philadelphia.
Berkeley Heights abounds with community pride and charm. It’s an ideal sized town - just over 4,000 households with a vibrant, close-knit, active population. There’s always something going on in town - no matter who you are – adults, families, teens, small children, and our active senior community, too. The town is known for its decades-old annual traditions and community celebrations that draw crowds from surrounding towns - the Annual Feast of Mt. Carmel in July, the Summer Street Fair, summer concerts in the park, and the Annual Winter Walk in early December - just to name a few. Other favorite events include our annual PBA Fishing Derby, Halloween Trunk-or-Treat, “Police Santa,” Lunar New Year celebration, and charity 5K.
Our new Municipal Complex, which opened in December 2020, combined our Town Hall municipal offices, Police Department, Recreation Department and Public Library, and now offers ample public meeting spaces, as well as space for our vibrant senior community to gather.
Our schools in Berkeley Heights are top notch. Berkeley Heights is consistently rated as one of the best school systems in New Jersey, with just over 2,500 students across all six schools – four elementary schools, one middle school and one high school. A special feature of the Berkley Heights school system is the Mary Kay McMillin Early Childhood Center, which brings together the entire town’s kindergarten and first-grade students.
Berkeley Heights has spacious parks and outstanding recreational programs for all ages. From Pee-Wee Tee-Ball and ball hockey, to a robust Baseball, Softball, Soccer, Basketball, Football, Fencing, Cheer, and Swimming program, as well as the ever-popular “Playground Camp” and summer teen programs, there are sports programs for all kids. In addition, the Recreation Department offers after-school activities such as Chess, cooking, robotics, creative movement and Lego Club. There is a wide variety of adult programs available too, including painting and exercise class for our seniors, as well as the ever popular table tennis for our middle schoolers. And we can't forget the wildly popular Playground Camp and Teen Scene Summer camp for our kids. So much opportunity for anyone to grow athletically and academically!
Berkeley Heights also has a vibrant downtown. There are over 20 restaurants to find your next favorite dining spot, a place to catch up with friends, celebrate milestones and so much more – Thai, Argentinian, Italian, Indian, Korean, Chinese, Jewish Deli, Japanese, Portuguese cuisines are available, to name a few. Diversity is so much of what makes Berkeley Heights a special town.
Our quaint shopping downtown offers an array of local mom-and-mom shops and services - florists, chiropractors, wellness centers, hair salons, car-repair shops, garden centers, print shops, and more. And there are plenty of grocery stores, pharmacies, banking options and other day-to-day services you always need.
Our town has always been a special place, and we have a rich history. Saw mills and sarsaparilla manufacturers produced products for eighteenth century consumers. And in the seventeenth century, this agricultural community sent brave residents to fight for freedom in the American Revolution. Berkeley Heights is home to the Littel-Lord Farmstead, a pastoral site reminiscent of Union County's agricultural past. It was built around 1760 and added to the National Register of Historic Places on March 7, 1979. It currently serves as the home and public museum of the Berkeley Heights Historical Society. Berkeley Heights nurtured the invention of the transistor, solar cell, and laser at Bell Labs Murray Hill. Early in the twentieth century, the town spawned a supportive, environmentally conscious community called Free Acres, still home to thriving families today.
We are proud of Berkeley Heights. We are proud of its diversity, persistence of excellence, neighborhood friendships, and vision for the future.