Looking for a busy hub with lots of natural amenities? Westwood might be the place for you

So, you're considering making the move to Westwood?

Given its location in Bergen County, some might think of Westwood as just another overpriced North Jersey community that is home to elite suburbanites with NIMBY attitudes.

But with a diverse range of housing options and a community-based atmosphere — along with all of the same amenities as pricey neighborhoods like Ridgewood and Tenafly — Westwood might be more of an attainable destination than you think.

Is the perception of Westwood — a pricey suburban town with a busy business district — the reality? Don't worry, we've got you covered. Here's your guide to deciding whether Westwood is right for you.

The draw of Westwood

Perception: Westwood is an upscale Bergen County suburb with new, modern homes and little to offer outside of its vibrant downtown area.

Reality: Known as the "Hub of the Pascack Valley," Westwood is a down-to-earth, yet busy and bustling, suburb with a close-knit community and many amenities.

"Westwood doesn't need to be fundamentally transformed. It needs to be essentially preserved," Westwood Mayor Raymond Arroyo said. "It provides options and attainable choices for living in a 'small town' in Bergen County, which continues to be — perhaps now more than ever — a much needed alternative to big city life."

Located about 25 miles from Manhattan, Westwood is a 2.3-square-mile Bergen County suburb that combines a bustling downtown area with quiet residential neighborhoods and an abundance of ponds, brooks and parks. The borough has come to be known as the "Hub of the Pascack Valley," as it is the most populated of eight Bergen County municipalities that make up the region.

In Westwood's downtown area, there's an endless list of beloved local businesses, like Bergen County Camera, Conrad's Confectionary, Five Dimes Brewery, Westwood Cinemas, 1950 Originals and more. And beyond this busy shopping district, the borough's residential neighborhoods are lined with homes and apartment buildings of all shapes, sizes and styles.

As for other amenities, Westwood is home to one of the just three Trader Joe's available in Bergen County, and the borough has Hackensack Meridian Pascack Valley Medical Center — a full-service, acute-care community hospital — within its borders.

"It's corny, but in a good way," said Karen Foote, a nearly 10-year resident of Westwood and the owner of Moon Magic in Hillsdale, when asked to describe the borough.

Originally from Paramus, Foote said her family moved to Westwood for her husband's job after living in South Jersey for 12 years. She said they moved to Westwood because they were able to find a home that fit their requirements, but they've grown to love how community-driven and accessible the borough is.

"We like that there are apartments and townhouses and it’s really multi-level economically. That was a draw for us, and the fact that it’s accessible and that we could walk downtown without having to get in our car," Foote said. "Those were the perks that we recognized once we were here. We were like wow, this is everything we said we wanted, but we just happened to land here."

In addition to being a popular spot for young professionals, commuters and new families, Arroyo said the borough is home to many fourth and fifth generation families.

Westwood real estate

Perception: Westwood is primarily made up of updated, modern homes with hefty price tags that are similar to other Bergen County towns, like Ridgewood and Ho-Ho-Kus.

Realty: Westwood has a good mix of traditional and modern homes available. And while properties in the borough can be pricey, there are more affordable options available.

With a variety of housing styles available, ranging from colonials and split-levels to ranches and Cape Cods, Westwood's diverse inventory allows the borough to maintain more affordable home prices than other Bergen County communities. While this doesn't mean that there aren't pricey properties in the area, it is also not uncommon to see a home listed for a more attainable price.

"Compared to surrounding towns, the median home price in Westwood is still affordable for many buyers, where a lot of Bergen County has become unaffordable," said Max Stokes, a partner of the Fox & Stokes team at Compass Real Estate. "It lends itself nicely on the affordability index, where first-time buyers can get into a nice town that's centrally located in the county."

The median listing price for a home in Westwood is about $983,472, but the prices of homes on the market as of mid-June vary greatly. You can look to pay anywhere from $499,000 for a three-bedroom, two-bathroom colonial home on 3rd Avenue, to as much as $1.099 million for a four-bedroom, three-bathroom home with more than an acre of land on Lafayette Avenue.

For renters, Stokes said there are several options throughout Westwood, include a few new rental buildings located in close proximity to the downtown area. This includes 35 Jefferson, a 28-unit building that Stokes said resembles the upscale rental units available in areas like Hoboken and Jersey City.

"It's really on trend with what a lot of young people coming from Hoboken and Jersey City, looking for a more suburban area that still has a robust downtown area, are looking for," he said.

Other rental buildings in Westwood include Coventry Square, a 103-unit building on Charles Street; Westwood Hills, a 210-unit building on Sutton Place; The Madison, a 56-unit building on Madison Avenue; and Highlands at Westwood, a 214-unit development on Cenrose Circle.

Overall, you can expect to pay anywhere from $1,700 for a one-bedroom apartment — though there are occasionally units for cheaper — to $4,000 for a three-bedroom, three-bathroom house, as of mid-June.

Activities in Westwood

Perception: Besides visiting the stores in Westwood's downtown area, the borough doesn't have much to do within its borders for residents.

Realty: In addition to visiting businesses in Westwood's downtown area, the borough hosts an abundance of events throughout the year and there are several public amenities available.

If you're looking for something to do in Westwood, you can almost always count on there being some sort of event in Veteran's Memorial Park. Also referred as "Vet's Park" and "the hub of the hub" by Arroyo, the park is home to events like Arts in the Park, Crafts in the Park, group yoga and more. Veteran's Memorial Park is home to Westwood's Summer Concert Series and Summer Movies in the Park during the summer months, and the borough's annual Home for the Holidays celebration — which includes a parade, Menorah lighting, tree lighting and live music — during the winter months.

"We need more parking for the ever growing attendance at more and more events in the park," Arroyo said. "It's a good problem to have."

Other parks in Westwood include Brookside Park, Gritman Park, Hegeman Park, Jake Voorhis Park and Meadowbrook Park. Westwood is also home to the Overbrook Bird Sanctuary, where you could look for different species of birds along the brook off Westwood Avenue.

There is also the Westwood Public Library, which has been open since 1919 and serves about 10,000 users both in-person and online each month, Arroyo said, with a large selection of books, audiobooks, movies and more. Throughout the year, the library holds special programs like ASL practice, aromatherapy workshops, their Lifelong Learning Lecture Series in partnership with Ramapo College, knitting and crocheting clubs, matinee movies for adults and book clubs.

You can also catch a movie at Westwood Cinemas. Originally opened in 1928 as Pascack Theatres, the venue was restored in 1996 by its current owner and still holds onto original features, such as marquee lights and neon lighting.

Commute from Westwood

Perception: Westwood offers an easy commute for those who work in New York City and neighboring North Jersey towns

Reality: Centrally located in Bergen County, Westwood has several traveling options available with convenient commuting times.

Because Westwood is situated in the middle of Bergen County and is about 25 miles from New York City, residents have access to several different methods of transportation that all offer favorable commuting times.

For train service, Westwood Train Station is situated in the middle of the borough's downtown area at the intersection of Broadway and Westwood Avenue. This train station is serviced by the Pascack Valley NJ Transit line, which runs to Secaucus Junction — where you can transfer trains to New York Penn Station — and Hoboken seven days a week. The trip from here to New York City takes about an hour, and a month worth of rides will cost up to $312 if you have to commute regularly.

Plus, the Westwood Train Station was constructed in 1932 and maintains the original architecture of Graham King, the lead architect of the Erie Railroad, so you'll get to experience a little piece of history during every commute.

For those who prefer to take the bus, NJ Transit bus route 165 runs through Westwood and travels to Port Authority in Manhattan. While the monthly commuting cost will ring in less than the train at $224, the ride can take anywhere from an hour to an hour and a half, depending on the time of day. And as a fun fact, Westwood is home to a garage for NJ Transit buses.

And for those who'd rather just drive themselves, Westwood is less than 10 minutes from the Garden State Parkway, depending on where you live in the borough, as well as about 10 minutes from Route 17 and about 15 minutes from Route 4.

Westwood schools

Perception: Because Westwood is home to many families and is located in wealthy Bergen County, the borough must have a good school system.

Reality: Like many other districts in Bergen County, the Westwood Regional School District is highly-rated school system.

The Westwood Regional School District serves about 2,800 students in total from both Westwood and the Township of Washington. There are four K-5 elementary schools in the district: Berkeley Elementary School and Brookside Elementary School in Westwood, and Jessie F. George Elementary School and Washington Elementary School in the Township of Washington.

Westwood Regional Middle School is for students in sixth through eighth grade, and Westwood High School serves students in ninth through 12th grade.

While the Westwood Regional School District does not have a preschool, there are several early childhood learning and daycare centers available. The Westwood Recreation Department offers a preschool program held at the Westwood Community Center. There are also Appletree Preschool, Bell's Little Learners, Carousal Early Learning Center, Lightbridge Academy and Zion Lutheran School.

Overall, the Westwood Regional School District is considered an above average school system in the area. Many students here — between the district's elementary schools, middle school and high school — test well above the state level in math, reading and science proficiency.

The Westwood social scene

Perception: Westwood may have places to gather in its downtown area, but the borough doesn't offer many community organizations for residents.

Reality: Westwood offers residents a variety of ways to be social between bars, community organizations and places of worship.

For a night, or even a day, out in Westwood, you can stop by Five Dimes Brewery. Officially opened in 2022 and named after the five-and-dime store that was previously located on the site, the brewery features industrial-style rooms, wood tables and bars, a stone fireplace and a pet-friendly rooftop space. Other casual places to hang out in Westwood include P.J. Finnegan's and The Tavern at The Iron Horse.

For a more formal way to meet others in the community, you can opt to join one of Westwood's community organizations. This could include the Westwood Heritage Society, which aims to explore, preserve and share the borough's history. Meetings are held on the first Wednesday of each month.

There is also Celebrate Westwood, a volunteer organization that works to create opportunities for arts, community building and civic pride events to increase the interaction between residents and local businesses. Or you can join the Friends of the Westwood Library, a volunteer organization that supports the borough's public library through book sales and fundraisers.

Arroyo also said there is a Senior Advisory Committee that focuses on making different activities and programs available to the borough's senior population, including things like pickleball, armchair yoga, art classes and cooking classes.

"Two resident history teachers, a husband and wife, have also recently started a company that visits senior living facilities offering intellectual enrichment with presentations in Asian, European and American history," he said.

Events and activities are also often held at the Westwood Community Center, which contacts two large multipurpose rooms, a full court gymnasium, a full working kitchen, a meeting room that seats up to 16 people and the Recreation Department offices.

And speaking of the Recreation Department, there are four youth athletic leagues that the department manages, including two basketball leagues, wrestling and field hockey. In addition to this, there are several local youth athletic leagues available that the Recreation Department partners with, including football, soccer, roller hockey, cheerleading, track and field, baseball, softball and lacrosse.

Westwood is also home to the Pascack Valley Swim Club, which offers two pools, a water slide, giant umbrellas, a playground and picnic area across three acres of woodland. While anyone can join the swim club, you are required to purchase an annual membership for access to its amenities.

There are also several different places of worship in Westwood, including Parkside Community Church, Westwood United Methodist Church, Central Unitarian Church, Grace Episcopal Church and Zion Lutheran Church.

"Our success is found in measured, thoughtful consideration of what is right for us and what doesn't work for us. We don't chase every shiny new object," Arroyo said. "It may sound like a cliché, but it's not because it's true: The people who've made Westwood the unique place that it is are the best part of it."

So move right in to Westwood: A charming hub that combines a bustling business district, diverse housing options and an abundance of green spaces.

Maddie McGay is the real estate reporter for NorthJersey.com and The Record, covering all things worth celebrating about living in North Jersey. Find her on Instagram @maddiemcgay, on X @maddiemcgayy, and sign up for her North Jersey Living newsletter. Do you have a tip, trend or terrific house she should know about? Email her at MMcGay@gannett.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Looking for Westwood houses for sale? What to know about life here