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

Hillsdale is a Pascack Valley borough in northern Bergen County with 10,143 residents as of the 2020 Census, spread over a little less than three square miles. It began as Hillsdale Township in 1898, carved out of Washington Township, and became a borough in 1923. The town grew up around the railroad. The first train reached Hillsdale in March 1870, and its historic station at Broadway and Hillsdale Avenue is still in service. Here's what buyers, sellers, renters and investors should know about Hillsdale.

Why People Choose Hillsdale

Hillsdale Avenue, the borough's main east-west road, ties the town together. Borough Hall (380 Hillsdale Avenue), the Hillsdale Free Public Library (509 Hillsdale Avenue) and the station's commuter lots are all on or just off it. The library, which began in a storefront at Hillsdale Avenue and Winkler Way, marks its 90th year in 2026.

Recreation is the other draw. The borough runs the Stonybrook Swim Club, a 12-acre summer club on Cedar Lane on the eastern edge of town. Beechwood Park on Hillsdale Avenue has a bandshell, first built in 1961, that hosts summer concerts. Across the street, Hillsdale Memorial Park has ball fields and basketball courts.

Getting Around: Commuting from Hillsdale

• Train: Hillsdale station, at Broadway and Hillsdale Avenue, is on NJ Transit's Pascack Valley Line between Westwood and Woodcliff Lake. Trains run to Hoboken Terminal, and riders bound for New York Penn Station transfer at Secaucus Junction. Station parking is in four borough-run lots, mostly by permit, plus a small daily-fee lot at Washington Avenue and Broadway.
• Car: Kinderkamack Road (County Route 503) runs through the borough, and Broadway, Pascack Road and Wierimus Road are the other main routes. The Garden State Parkway crosses Hillsdale but has no interchange inside the borough. Drivers use Exit 168 in neighboring Washington Township.

Neighborhoods and Housing Types

Land speculators began laying out Hillsdale subdivisions in the 1800s, betting on the coming railroad. Today the zoning code includes four residential districts (R-1 through R-4), a townhouse complex district, a multifamily overlay and two mixed-use districts. The main options:

• Owner-occupied homes: Census Bureau estimates show more than nine in ten occupied homes are lived in by their owners, so this is largely an ownership market.
• Townhouses: More are planned. The borough's affordable housing plan includes 18 townhomes at 100–101 West Street, four of them affordable stacked flats.
• The Piermont: A 256-unit rental community on Patterson Street, about a half-mile from the station, built on the site of a former waste transfer station. It offers studios, one- and two-bedroom apartments and townhome-style units. Leasing began in early 2026, with first move-ins scheduled for April.

More changes are coming. In December 2025, the council approved an affordable housing settlement with Fair Share Housing Center. It raises allowable density at the former Bank of America site and on the rest of the Patterson Street Redevelopment Zone, and it requires a 20% affordable set-aside in new developments of five or more units. We follow these changes for clients buying or selling near downtown.

Buying a Home in Hillsdale

Buyers here usually compare lot, layout, condition and distance to the station. A few things we help you check:

• Flood risk: Pascack Brook has overflowed its banks in heavy storms, including Memorial Day weekend 2022. Hillsdale has also taken part in the state's Blue Acres buyout program on several streets. For any home near the brook, we check FEMA flood maps, elevation and flood insurance costs before you make an offer.
• Older-home inspections: For an older home, plan a thorough inspection covering roof, electrical, plumbing, heating and drainage, and ask for the home's permit history.
• Townhouse associations: For attached homes, we review association fees, reserves, rules and any planned assessments.
• Multi-unit homes: If a two-to-four unit property comes up, 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 Hillsdale Home

Hillsdale sellers can point to a historic station with direct trains to Hoboken, a borough swim club and a reservoir at the edge of town. Value still depends on lot size, condition, distance to the train and flood exposure. 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 Hillsdale

The Piermont, which opened in 2026 within walking distance of the train, adds rental choice to a borough that is mostly owner-occupied. Investors should watch the Patterson Street zone and the borough's new affordable set-aside rules. We help investors estimate realistic rents, taxes, insurance and repairs, and we help landlords price, market and screen tenants.

Local Landmarks and Amenities

• Hillsdale station, a Second Empire and Stick/Eastlake-style depot listed on the National Register of Historic Places
• Garret Durie House, 156 Ell Road, an 18th-century stone house listed on the National Register as one of the Stone Houses of Bergen County
• Hillsdale Community Center at 137 Patterson Street, which opened in April 2026 with meeting rooms, a kitchen and a recreation department office
• Stonybrook Swim Club, 183 Cedar Lane
• Beechwood Park and its bandshell, and Hillsdale Memorial Park, on Hillsdale Avenue
• Hillsdale Free Public Library, 509 Hillsdale Avenue
• Part of the Woodcliff Lake Reservoir, at the borough's southeast end
• Public schools: Hillsdale Public Schools (Meadowbrook School, Ann Blanche Smith School and George G. White Middle School) and the Pascack Valley Regional High School District, including Pascack Valley High School

Nearby Town Guides

Comparing Hillsdale with nearby towns? Read our guides to Westwood, Woodcliff Lake, River Vale and Washington Township, 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 Hillsdale.

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.