Bloomfield offers a blend of suburban and city lifestyles near Newark
Bloomfield is a Newark suburb known for its growing downtown, suburban homes and convenient transit access to Newark and New York City. “In Bloomfield, we’re just really down-to-earth, everyday people, and we have a tight-knit community,” says Pina Pagliuca, a real estate agent with eXp Realty who’s lived in Bloomfield for over 20 years. “I would choose Bloomfield again if I could. There’s a lot of things for kids, so it attracts a lot of families, and for singles, we have a great downtown.” The northern half of Bloomfield has a mostly suburban feel, with single-family homes near parks and sports fields. The southern half is home to Bloomfield’s downtown, where apartments and condos are more common. The Garden State Parkway passes through the area, and commuter train stations and the Newark Light Rail offer convenient options for traveling 8 miles to Newark and 18 miles to New York City.
Diverse housing options include single- and multi-family colonials
“In the real estate world, we're known as the new Montclair,” Pagliuca says. “We have the best of both worlds: We're right next door, and it’s a lot more affordable.” The median sale price here is around $590,000, higher than the national median of roughly $410,000 and lower than Montclair’s median of $1.3 million. Colonial, split-level and Cape Cod single-family homes here sit close together along sidewalk-lined streets, with space for a small yard and paved driveway. Houses in the park-like Brookdale and Oakview neighborhoods are shaded by mature trees, and Broughton Avenue ’s cul-de-sacs give it a suburban feel. Multi-family homes, townhouses and condos are more common in Bloomfield’s southern, more renter-friendly neighborhoods like Silver Lake . Some homes are at risk of flooding; homeowners should check flood maps to determine if they’ll have to buy flood insurance.
Public schools earn As and Bs
Kids can attend schools in the Bloomfield School District, which earns a B-plus from Niche. They can attend one of eight elementary schools, including the A-minus-rated Oak View Elementary, which is a 2008 National Blue Ribbon School. Kids then continue to the B-minus-rated Bloomfield Middle and the B-plus-rated Bloomfield High, where high schoolers can join over 50 clubs, including the Special String Ensemble, Chemistry Club and LitMag. Bloomfield College of Montclair State University is a four-year college here that’s known for its game design and nursing programs.
Locally owned restaurants downtown and on Broad Street
Downtown Bloomfield is centered around the six points intersection near Watsessing Park. This walkable area features a variety of stores and locally owned restaurants, including classic diners like State Street Grill and contemporary hangouts like Varitage Brew Works. At the weekly Dinner Under the Stars event each summer, restaurants bring their tables outside where there’s live music. Party Under the Stars is a similar event that embraces al fresco dining but brings in a DJ for a more high-energy evening. More dining options are on Broad Street, including the longtime staple Gencarelli’s Bakery, which has served Italian desserts since 1975, and Holstein’s, where the final scene of The Sopranos was filmed. National retailers like Marshalls and Aldi are in Silver Lake, and grocery stores like ShopRite and East West Foodmart are found throughout the community.
Area parks offer playgrounds, green spaces and events
The over 120-acre Brookdale Park is the largest in Bloomfield and features a playground, tennis courts and a dog park. The park’s rose garden and pollinator garden bloom throughout the summer, and the Bloomfield Archers club hosts weekly shoots and regular tournaments at the archery field. The Essex County Free Summer Music Series has regular free concerts in the park. Bloomfield’s annual Independence Day Celebration, which has fireworks and live music, takes place at Foley Field, a sports complex with football and soccer fields. “We have great sports in Bloomfield,” Pagliuca says. “Soccer is huge here.” The 36-mile Lenape Trail, which connects parks throughout Essex County, passes through Brookdale Park and Clark’s Pond, a 12-acre park surrounding a fishing pond. The 69-acre Watsessing Park is another popular community gathering space that’s known for its playground and spray park.
Car and transit routes to Newark and New York City
The Garden State Parkway, a north-south route that spans the length of New Jersey, passes through Bloomfield. Drivers can take it to Interstate 280 or to state Route 3 to get to New York City, an 18-mile drive that can take over 40 minutes, depending on traffic. New Jersey Transit’s commuter train stops at the Bloomfield and Watsessing stations on its way to Penn Station in New York City, a trip that takes roughly 30 minutes. The Newark Light Rail’s Grove Street station has routes to downtown Newark, located about 8 miles away, that take about 20 minutes. NJ Transit buses stop throughout the community. Some of Bloomfield’s roads are bike-friendly, and sidewalks are common throughout the area. Bloomfield Presbyterian Church on the Green and Brookdale Reformed Church have served the community since the late 1700s. Hackensack Meridian Mountainside Medical Center and Clara Maass Medical Center are within 2 miles, and Newark Liberty International Airport is a 14-mile trip.
Written By
Annie Franklin
