Allendale, NJ Real Estate Guide for Buyers, Sellers & Renters

Allendale is a borough of 6,848 residents (2020 Census) in northwest Bergen County, covering about 3.1 square miles between Ramsey, Saddle River, Waldwick, Wyckoff and Mahwah. It was a railroad town from the start. The Erie ran its first train through in October 1848, and the depot took its name from Joseph Warner Allen, the engineer who surveyed the route. Residents voted 100 to 11 to form the borough in 1894. Today Allendale pairs a station-side business district with two large outdoor spaces that few towns its size can match. Here's what you should know.

Why People Choose Allendale

Open space sets Allendale apart. The Celery Farm is a 107-acre freshwater wetland preserve, open every day from dawn to dusk, with footpaths and three observation platforms. Volunteers from the Fyke Nature Association maintain its paths and nesting boxes. Crestwood Lake, which the borough bought in 1971 after more than four decades of private ownership, is now home to the borough's swim club and has hosted a free summer concert series.

History is close at hand too. Franklin Turnpike was chartered as a toll road in 1806, and the John Fell House still stands on it. Between about 1910 and 1930, the blocks of West Allendale Avenue near the station turned from homes into shops, creating the business district that is still there today.

Getting Around: Commuting from Allendale

• Train: Allendale station, at West Allendale Avenue and Orchard Street, is served by NJ Transit's Main/Bergen County Line, with trains to Hoboken Terminal. Port Jervis Line trains stop here too, and the current Port Jervis timetable (effective August 30, 2026) lists Allendale, with connections at Secaucus Junction for New York Penn Station.
• Station parking: The borough runs three commuter lots: one at Main and East streets and two at West Allendale Avenue and Myrtle Avenue. The largest Myrtle Avenue lot offers daily or permit parking. All lots are free on evenings and weekends, and overnight parking is banned from 3 to 5 a.m.
• Car: Franklin Turnpike, Crescent Avenue and West Allendale Avenue are the main county roads. Route 17 runs just east of town, I-287 is reached through Mahwah, and the Garden State Parkway through Paramus.

Neighborhoods and Housing Types

The borough describes itself as essentially fully developed, with very little vacant land left. Its 2026 housing plan, based on Census Bureau survey data, counts about 2,505 homes:

• Single-family detached homes: About 70% of the housing stock. The Census Bureau estimates that roughly four in five occupied homes are owner-occupied, so this is mainly an ownership market.
• Attached homes: About 8% of homes are single-family attached, such as townhouses.
• Apartment and condo buildings: Nearly a fifth of homes are in buildings with 10 or more units, which is a large share for a borough of this size.
• Two-family homes and small multi-unit buildings: Rare. Buildings with two to four units make up only about 2% of the stock.
• Inclusionary developments: These include Crescent Commons, Garden Homes/Whitney and Allendale Brook (Carriage Court and Trotters Lane), each with deed-restricted affordable units.

The borough approved an amended Housing Element and Fair Share Plan on February 26, 2026, after reaching a fourth-round agreement with Fair Share Housing Center. It will meet most of its obligation by extending existing affordable deed restrictions. It also expanded the Allendale Corporate Center overlay at 90 Boroline Road to about 15 acres, allowing up to 26 units per acre. Across town, any new project with five or more multifamily or attached units must set aside a share of affordable units.

Buying a Home in Allendale

Lot, layout, condition and distance to the station usually drive the decision here. A few things we help you check:

• Older-home inspections: Farmland here has been subdivided into building lots since the 1860s, so home ages vary widely. Plan a thorough inspection and ask for the permit history.
• Drainage and flood risk: The borough has said it is reviewing local flooding issues with its engineer and planner. For any property near a brook or low ground, we check FEMA flood maps and flood insurance costs before you make an offer.
• Attached homes and condos: We review association fees, reserves, rules and any planned assessments.
• Multi-unit homes: Two-to-four unit properties don't come up often here. When one does, an FHA loan lets you buy it with a low down payment as long as you live in one of the units.
• Property taxes: Taxes are a major part of any New Jersey budget. We pull the current tax figure for every home you're considering.

Need financing? We can connect you with a lender for pre-approval before you start touring.

Selling Your Allendale Home

Allendale sellers can point to a train station with Main Line and Port Jervis Line service, a borough-owned lake club and a 107-acre nature preserve. In a fully built-out borough, pricing has to reflect the specific lot, condition and location. We'll prepare a free comparative market analysis using recent sales of homes like yours, then market your home across the MLS and every major online channel.

Renting and Investing in Allendale

With few small multi-unit buildings, Allendale's rental supply comes mostly from its larger apartment buildings, attached homes and single-family rentals. Investors should watch the Boroline Road overlay, where higher density is now allowed. We help investors estimate realistic rents, taxes, insurance and repair costs, and we help landlords price, market and screen tenants.

Local Landmarks and Amenities

• The Celery Farm, a 107-acre wetland preserve with entrances on Franklin Turnpike and Green Way
• Crestwood Lake, the borough-owned swim club and summer concert venue
• John Fell House, 475 Franklin Turnpike, built in the 1760s and listed on the State and National Registers of Historic Places.
• Lee Memorial Library, the borough's public library
• West Allendale Avenue business district near the station
• Borough Hall, 500 West Crescent Avenue
• Public schools: Allendale School District (Hillside Elementary School and Brookside School) and Northern Highlands Regional High School

Nearby Town Guides

Comparing Allendale with nearby towns? Read our guides to Ramsey, Saddle River, Ho-Ho-Kus and Waldwick, or browse all of our North Jersey town guides.

Talk to a Local Broker

The Thompson Realty Group is a licensed New Jersey real estate brokerage based at 20 MacArthur Ave in Garfield, serving buyers, sellers, renters and investors across Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Passaic and Union counties. Whether you're a first-time FHA buyer, a cash investor, or a homeowner wondering what your place is worth, we'll give you straight answers about Allendale.

Call or text 201-928-5562 or book a free 15-minute consultation. You can also search every active New Jersey listing on our website.

Information on this page is provided for general guidance and is believed accurate as of October 2026. Programs, ordinances, taxes and transit schedules change, so please verify details for any specific property. Equal Housing Opportunity.