Cedar Grove, NJ Real Estate Guide: Buy, Sell & Rent

Cedar Grove is a township of about 4.4 square miles in northern Essex County, with 12,980 residents counted in the 2020 Census. Route 23 runs straight through the middle of town, and two Essex County reservations, Mills and Hilltop, cover ridgeline land on its edges. The township's zoning is built almost entirely around one-family homes, and according to the Census Bureau about 84 percent of its housing units are owner-occupied. Here's what you should know before you buy, sell, rent or invest in Cedar Grove.

Why People Choose Cedar Grove

Cedar Grove's appeal starts with its open space. Mills Reservation, a 157-acre county park that Cedar Grove shares with Montclair, has four main trails and a cliff that looks out on the New York skyline. Hilltop Reservation, a 284-acre county preserve shared with North Caldwell and Verona, protects a ridgeline with hiking trails, a wildlife refuge and a dog park.

The town also has a long local history. It began in 1892 as the Township of Verona, carved out of Caldwell Township, and took the name Cedar Grove in 1908 after Verona borough split off. The Canfield-Morgan farmstead on Pompton Avenue, with buildings dating to 1845, is now Morgan's Farm, a museum of agricultural technology and early 20th-century life set inside a 14-acre township park.

Getting Around: Commuting from Cedar Grove

• Car: Route 23 (Pompton Avenue) bisects the township and links to I-80, U.S. Route 46, I-280, Route 3 and the Garden State Parkway.
• Bus: NJ Transit Route 11 runs along Pompton Avenue and Bloomfield Avenue between Willowbrook Mall and Newark.
• Train: Cedar Grove has no rail station of its own. The closest is Little Falls station, just over the line in Little Falls Township, on NJ Transit's Montclair-Boonton Line, with rush-hour service toward Hoboken and New York Penn Station.

We'll map drive and transit times to your workplace for any Cedar Grove home you're considering.

Neighborhoods and Housing Types

Single-family homes make up most of Cedar Grove's housing, and the zoning code shows why. The township's residential zones run from the large-lot R-5A and R-40 districts down to the smaller-lot R-10 and R-8 districts, and every one of them is a one-family zone. Lot size and setback rules differ from zone to zone, so two homes a few blocks apart can come with very different expansion possibilities.

• One-family homes: The core of the market, in seven residential zones of different lot sizes.
• Multifamily housing: The code includes an MF Multifamily zone and additional multifamily zones tied to the township's fair-share housing obligations, including an inclusionary overlay. These zones are where apartment and attached-home development is permitted.
• Two-to-four-family homes: The zoning code has no two-family district, so these properties are uncommon. If you find one, we'll confirm its legal use with the township before you make an offer.
• Commercial zones: Retail shopping, office and office/warehouse districts make up the township's nonresidential land.

Buying a Home in Cedar Grove

Most buyers in Cedar Grove are shopping for a single-family home, so the key questions are about the lot, the zone and the land around it. Here's what we help buyers check:

• Zoning and lot size: If you plan an addition, a pool or a larger renovation, we'll look up the property's zone and the limits it sets before you commit.
• Flood zones: The Peckman River runs through Cedar Grove on its way to the Passaic River, and the U.S. Geological Survey has published flood inundation maps covering the stretch through Verona, Cedar Grove and Little Falls. The township also enforces a Flood Damage Prevention chapter that sets building elevation rules in flood hazard areas. We check FEMA maps and insurance needs up front.
• Two-to-four-family purchases: If you do find a legal multi-unit property and you're using an FHA loan, you can buy it with a low down payment as long as you live in one of the units.
• Home inspections: Look closely at the roof, electrical, heating and drainage, and ask how any past additions were permitted.
• Property taxes: We pull the current tax figure for every home you're considering so you can budget accurately.

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

Selling Your Cedar Grove Home

Because most of the town is one-family housing, buyers compare Cedar Grove homes closely on lot size, condition, updates and location within the township. A home in a large-lot zone and one in a smaller-lot zone compete in different price ranges, and flood zone status can shape buyer questions too. We prepare a free comparative market analysis from recent sales of homes like yours, then market your home across every MLS and online channel.

Renting and Investing in Cedar Grove

Cedar Grove's rental market is small but regulated. Chapter 208 of the township code, Rental Property, includes a rent control article administered by a Rent Leveling Board, a registration and licensing article that covers both multifamily and single-family rentals, and separate rules for short-term rentals. Landlords should register and confirm which rules apply before leasing, and investors should factor rent control into any multifamily numbers.

For renters, options include units in multifamily buildings as well as single-family homes offered for rent. We help renters find units that fit their budget and commute, and we help landlords price, market and screen tenants. For investors, we run realistic numbers on taxes, insurance, maintenance, flood exposure and allowable rent before you buy.

Local Landmarks and Amenities

• Mills Reservation, an Essex County park with trails and a New York skyline overlook
• Hilltop Reservation, an Essex County preserve with ridgeline trails, a wildlife refuge and a dog park
• Morgan's Farm and the Canfield-Morgan House, listed on the National Register of Historic Places
• Cedar Grove Community Pool, run by the township
• Cedar Grove Town Hall, 525 Pompton Avenue
• Public schools: Cedar Grove Public Schools, including Cedar Grove High School

Nearby Town Guides

Comparing Cedar Grove with nearby towns? Read our guides to Verona, Montclair, Little Falls and North Caldwell, 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 Cedar Grove.

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.