Bloomfield, NJ Real Estate Guide: Buy, Sell & Rent

Bloomfield is an Essex County township of about 53,000 residents as of the 2020 Census, set between Newark, Montclair, Glen Ridge and Belleville. It has two NJ Transit train stations, the end of the Newark Light Rail line, a Garden State Parkway corridor and two large Essex County parks. Here's what to know before you buy, sell, rent or invest in Bloomfield.

Why People Choose Bloomfield

Transit is the big draw. Bloomfield combines commuter rail, light rail and frequent bus service to Newark and the airport.

The town also has a real center. Downtown Bloomfield grew up around Six Points, where Bloomfield Avenue meets Broad Street, Glenwood Avenue and Washington Street. It's part of the Bloomfield Center Special Improvement District, and the township's redevelopment plan for the area aims to make it a walkable transit village close to the Bloomfield train station. Nearby is the Green, a historic open space that served as a militia training ground and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Bloomfield Green Historic District.

Bloomfield also has history you can still see. It separated from Newark in 1812. The Morris Canal once ran through town, and the Oakes woolen mill, for years the township's largest industry, made cloth for Union uniforms during the Civil War.

Getting Around: Commuting from Bloomfield

• Train: NJ Transit's Montclair-Boonton Line stops at two stations in Bloomfield: Bloomfield station downtown and Watsessing Avenue station in the southern part of town. Many weekday trains run Midtown Direct through Secaucus Junction to New York Penn Station, and others go to Hoboken. Check NJ Transit's current schedules for your trip.
• Light rail: Grove Street station in Bloomfield is the end of the Newark Light Rail line, with a park-and-ride lot nearby and service into Newark.
• Bus: NJ Transit's Go Bus 28 runs along Bloomfield Avenue from Bloomfield station to Newark Liberty International Airport. It stops at Grove Street and Branch Brook Park along the way. Other NJ Transit local routes also serve the township.
• Car: The Garden State Parkway runs through Bloomfield, and Bloomfield Avenue connects to Newark and the towns to the west.

Neighborhoods and Housing Types

The township's Housing Element shows that about two-thirds of its homes were built before 1960. Its sections include Bloomfield Center downtown, Brookdale to the north near Brookdale Park, and Watsessing to the south near Watsessing Park and its train station.

Here's the housing mix:

• Single-family homes: About 42 percent of the township's housing is detached single-family homes.
• Two-to-four family homes: About 27 percent of homes are in two-, three- and four-unit buildings.
• Apartment buildings: Nearly one in five homes is in a building with 20 or more units.
• Newer construction: Most new housing over the past decade has been multifamily, and much of it is in redevelopment projects near the train stations.

Buying a Home in Bloomfield

With so many two-to-four family homes, a multi-family is a natural first purchase in Bloomfield. If you're using an FHA loan, you can buy a two-to-four family home with a low down payment as long as you live in one of the units, and rent from the other units can help cover the mortgage.

Before you make an offer, we help you check:

• Older-home inspections: With most of the housing built before 1960, look closely at the roof, heating system, electrical service, plumbing, foundation, sewer line and any older oil tank.
• Multi-family details: Legal unit count, certificates of occupancy, separate utilities and any existing leases.
• Flood risk: Bloomfield sits low compared with the towns around it. The township's own stormwater study puts about 7 percent of its land in FEMA flood zones, and its planning documents note flooding along the Second River, Third River, Wigwam Brook and Toney's Brook in heavy rain. We check flood maps and insurance needs for every home.
• Property taxes: We pull the current tax figure for every home you're considering so your budget reflects the real carrying cost.

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

Selling Your Bloomfield Home

Bloomfield sellers have several buyer pools: commuters who want to be near a train station, owner-occupants looking for a two-family, and investors looking for income property. A single-family near Brookdale Park, a two-family near Watsessing station and a downtown multi-family each compete in a different market, so pricing has to fit the property. We'll prepare a free comparative market analysis based on recent sales of homes like yours, then market your home across the MLS and every major online channel.

Renting and Investing in Bloomfield

Bloomfield is split almost evenly between owners and renters, and the township reports about 48 percent of its occupied homes are rentals. We help renters find the right unit and help landlords price, market and screen.

Investors need to know the rent rules. Bloomfield has a rent control ordinance, overseen by its Rent Leveling Board, that limits annual rent increases in properties with six or more rental units unless an exemption applies. The township has been updating the ordinance and the board, so check the current rules before you buy a larger building. For two-to-four family homes, we'll help you look at realistic rents, taxes, insurance, flood exposure and condition so the numbers work from day one.

Local Landmarks and Amenities

• Brookdale Park, a 121-acre Essex County park on the Montclair border, with a formal rose garden, a running track, tennis and pickleball courts and a dog park
• Watsessing Park, a 69-acre Olmsted-designed Essex County park shared with East Orange, with athletic fields and a bandstand
• Lion Gate Park, a former 18-acre industrial site the township turned into recreation space with wetlands for flood storage
• The Green and the Bloomfield Green Historic District
• Downtown Bloomfield Center and the Six Points intersection
• Bloomfield College of Montclair State University, on Franklin Street
• Public schools: Bloomfield Public Schools, including Bloomfield High School

Nearby Town Guides

Comparing Bloomfield with nearby towns? Read our guides to Belleville, Nutley, Glen Ridge and Montclair, 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 Bloomfield.

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.