Storybook charm in Hawthorne, NJ
Located in North Jersey’s Passaic County, the borough of Hawthorne brings together the tranquility of suburban living and the convenience of an easy commute to employment and retail centers. Here, residents will find themselves living just a stone’s throw away from the shopping mecca of Paramus and due west from New York City’s northern limits. Nearly 20,000 people call this commuter hub home, and, while quick access to New York is one of Hawthorne’s greatest strengths, Hawthorne possesses its own unique charms. Named for the author Nathaniel Hawthorne, this borough brings out its own storybook charms with its tree-lined streets and the natural splendor of its prominent Goffle Brook Park.
Getting outdoors at Goffle Brook
Hawthorne stands out among its neighboring locales for its wealth of nature, much of which is concentrated along Goffle Brook. “Goffle Brook Park lets you catch a view of quiet, serene scenes, where you can hear birds, insects and the brook passing through the park,” says Realtor Corey Jones of Coldwell Banker. “It’s the biggest park in Hawthorne, and it’s a vital portion of the community because of its playgrounds, athletic fields and walking trails.” This park has everything from a dog run and walking paths to a playground and sports grounds, ensuring that visitors can enjoy the park solo, with family or even with pets. Hawthorne also has several other community athletic fields, including Wagaraw Field, Franklin Field and Veterans Field.
Old-school shopping on Main Street
Hawthorne, as one of the many boroughs created amid North Jersey’s “boroughitis” phenomenon of the 1890s, has a distinctly early-20th-century feel to it. Not only are most of its houses of prewar stock, but its several retail corridors elicit classic smalltown vibes with their low-rise shops and restaurants, many of which sit beside 1920s homes. Hawthorne has a SuperFresh supermarket specializing in Latin American foods, while, just around the corner in Fair Lawn, a ShopRite offers a more comprehensive array of grocery items. Hawthorne’s streets are home to several mom-and-pop shops, including several bakeries, bagel shops, a diner and plenty of eateries and bars varying from Asian fusion restaurants to traditional Italian venues.
Year-round community events
Hawthorne’s smalltown character is reflected in its abundance of community events. Residents gather for summer concerts at the bandshell next to the community pool, while autumn sees the borough host pony rides and a petting zoo. Holidays are also a big deal: Hawthorne puts on a “Howl-o-ween” dog costume contest and a Santa parade with a toy drive. At the Louis Bay 2nd Library, locals can check out books or participate in activities, including story times for children, a knitting group and bridge club. The library also hosts a farmers’ market in its parking lot from late June to late October.
Vintage housing in Hawthorne
“Hawthorne has had a quietly, but solidly performing market,” Jones says. “It’s not a huge town in terms of location, but the neighborhood setting makes it appealing.” Hawthorne, unlike the heavily urbanized Paterson to the south, is marked by thickly foliated streets, with trees shading sidewalks and houses built in the early 20th century. Colonials, Cape Cods and multi-family dwellings flank Hawthorne’s grid-patterned lanes, and some houses offer views of the Manhattan skyline. Homes can vary in price from $400,000 to $700,000, with hilltop homes filling out the upper tier of Hawthorne’s diverse and regionally competitive housing market.
Educational options
Students can attend Hawthorne Public Schools, which receives a B-minus rating from Niche. Hawthorne High School, home of the Bears, has a strong tradition of athletics, varying football and basketball to golf and bowling. This school also counts the music legend Debbie Harry, class of 1963, among its alumni. For families who want to send their children to private school, the interdenominational Hawthorne Christian Academy educates students from preschool through 12th grade, while the St. Anthony School gives students a Catholic, creativity-oriented education from kindergarten through 8th Grade.
A direct drive into New York
Apart from its suburban quiet and its natural beauty, Hawthorne’s greatest strength is its proximity to New York. “We are directly west of the northern edge of New York City and the George Washington Bridge, and the 208 brings you off of Route 4 right here into Hawthorne,” Jones says. “We are certainly right at that ‘hour edge’ of the commute into New York City, and the local train station gives you that benefit of having an easy commute to get in and out of New York City.” Midtown Manhattan sits just 22 miles away, and the local train station and nearby highways offer commuters an easy, hour-long commute into the Big Apple.
Public safety
Hawthorne is served by the Hawthorne Police Department, which reported 4 violent crimes and 156 property crimes in 2022, according to the FBI. Hawthorne’s minuscule violent crime rate of .21 per 1,000 residents is a mere fraction of the state average of 2.03 and the national median of 4, while its property crime rate of 8.11 per 1,000 is also well below the New Jersey rate of 14.17 and the national median of 20. The department offers a Citizens Police Academy to help foster a more vigilant and involved citizenry, while also offering free child seat checkups to help families keep safe while driving.
Photography Contributed By
Sean Madden
