The Town FilesGarwood, New Jersey
Borough in Union County · population 4,454 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $533,300
- Household income
- $110,670
- Jan low / Jul high
- 25° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 26 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 19
- Median age
- 42.3
Garwood is a borough of 4,454 people in Union County, New Jersey. The median home is worth $533,300, above the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). It ranks more vibrant than 99% of New Jersey towns, better transit than 99% of New Jersey towns, more walkable than 92% of New Jersey towns.
How Garwood ranks
Percentile among New Jersey towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New Jersey towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Garwood is worth $533,300, above the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). Homes cost about 4.8 times the median household income of $110,670, which is more affordable than 22% of New Jersey towns. Median rent is $1,753 a month. 54.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Garwood | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $533,300 | $435,600 |
| Median rent | $1,753 | $1,774 |
| Median household income | $110,670 | $111,891 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.8× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 54.4% | 80.8% |
| Median year built | 1953 | 1969 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Garwood
| People | Garwood | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.3 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.4% | 18.3% |
| Under 18 | 18.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 45.2% | 44.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.9% | 5.7% |
| Veterans | 3.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 19.1% | — |
| Work from home | 17.1% | 16.3% |
| Average commute | 29.6 min | 30.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.8% | 94.6% |
Weather in Garwood
July highs average 85.9°F and January lows 25.1°F. About 50.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 26.3 inches of snow (typical New Jersey town: 24.5 in). Expect about 28 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 111 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Garwood since 1950, compared with 9 for the typical New Jersey town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on October 31, 2019 about 8.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on October 31, 2019.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 43 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on May 28, 2019.
Severe weather in Union County since 1996
Union County has been included in 30 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 5, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4614: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| September 2, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3573: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| March 25, 2020 | Biological | DR-4488: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3451: Covid-19 |
| March 14, 2016 | Severe Storm | DR-4264: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Jobs and pay in Union County
Union County had 229,010 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $84,322 a year. Unemployment was 4.7% in 2023; in Garwood itself the ACS puts it at 7.1%.
Public schools in Garwood
1 public school with 350 students, about 11.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln | PK-8 | 350 | 11.7 |
Towns near Garwood
- Westfield, NJ1.1 mi · 31,032 people · home $953,400
- Cranford, NJ1.1 mi · 23,847 people · home $660,100
- Clark, NJ2.3 mi · 15,544 people · home $609,600
- Kenilworth, NJ2.6 mi · 8,427 people · home $522,200
- Mountainside, NJ2.8 mi · 7,020 people · home $810,300
- Scotch Plains, NJ2.9 mi · 24,968 people · home $718,200
- Roselle Park, NJ3.1 mi · 13,967 people · home $443,200
- Springfield, NJ3.3 mi · 17,178 people · home $636,600
Garwood questions
Is Garwood, New Jersey a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Garwood scores better for retirees than 90% of New Jersey towns and quieter than 21%. 20.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.3).
How much does a house cost in Garwood?
The median owner-occupied home in Garwood is valued at $533,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $110,670, so homes cost about 4.8 times income. Median rent is $1,753 a month.
What is the weather like in Garwood?
July highs average 85.9°F and January lows 25.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 50.4 inches of precipitation a year and 26.3 inches of snow.
Does Garwood get tornadoes?
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Garwood since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on October 31, 2019. The typical New Jersey town has had 9.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)