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

Maplewood is an Essex County township of just under four square miles on the eastern slope of South Mountain, with 25,684 residents in the 2020 Census. It has its own NJ Transit station on the Morris and Essex Lines, a walkable village center built up around that station, and a housing stock that is mostly older single-family homes, with a meaningful share of two-family and multi-family buildings mixed in.

Why People Choose Maplewood

For many buyers the starting point is the train. The railroad has run through what is now Maplewood since the 1830s, and the village center grew up around the station on Dunnell Road. Shops, restaurants and the main library on Baker Street all sit within a short walk of the platform, next to Memorial Park.

The second draw is the housing itself. According to the township's housing element, roughly seven in ten homes in Maplewood were built before 1950, and the township's historic preservation plan describes much of that stock as single-family homes from the 1920s and 1930s in a range of revival styles. That appeals to buyers who want original architectural detail.

Maplewood also has two commercial districts, each with its own special improvement district: the Maplewood Village Alliance around the station area and the Springfield Avenue Partnership along the Springfield Avenue corridor.

Getting Around: Commuting from Maplewood

• Train: Maplewood station, at Dunnell Road and Maplewood Avenue, is served by NJ Transit's Morristown Line and Gladstone Branch. Trains run to New York Penn Station and to Hoboken Terminal, with stops at Newark Broad Street and Secaucus Junction along the way.
• Township jitney: Maplewood runs a weekday jitney between neighborhoods and the train station during morning and evening peak hours. Passes are issued through the township with proof of residency.
• Bus: NJ Transit's 25 local and 375 express run along Springfield Avenue to Newark Penn Station. The 107 express to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown runs on weekdays from neighboring South Orange.
• Car: Springfield Avenue is State Route 124. The Garden State Parkway and Interstate 78 are both close by.

Neighborhoods and Housing Types

Maplewood's downtown is known locally as "the Village" or Maplewood Center. The Hilton section, along Springfield Avenue, has its own branch library. Beyond those two areas, it makes more sense to think about Maplewood by housing type:

• Single-family homes: About 70 percent of the township's housing units, according to the housing element, and most of the land is zoned for single-family use. Expect a large share of pre-war, revival-style houses.
• Two-family homes: About 13 percent of units. The township's zoning includes two-family residential districts.
• Multi-family buildings: About 16 percent of units, ranging from smaller apartment buildings to complexes of 20 or more units.
• Newer construction: The township has adopted redevelopment plans along Springfield Avenue, and part of one redevelopment area has been built out with multi-family housing.

Buying a Home in Maplewood

Most Maplewood purchases involve an older home. Here is what we help buyers check:

• Two-to-four family homes and FHA: An FHA loan lets you buy a two-to-four family home with a low down payment as long as you live in one of the units. Rent from the other unit can help carry the mortgage.
• Older-home inspections: With so much pre-1950 housing, a thorough inspection of the roof, heating system, electrical service, plumbing and foundation is essential.
• Historic landmarks: Maplewood has a Historic Preservation Commission, and the township has designated individual historic landmarks by ordinance. If a home you like is on that list, exterior changes may need commission review. We check before you make an offer.
• Flood zones: The East Branch of the Rahway River runs through Maplewood, and the township's housing element notes that some land lies within the 100-year flood plain. We check flood maps and insurance needs for any property near the river or its brooks.
• 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 Maplewood Home

Train access, the village center and the pre-war housing stock all give Maplewood sellers plenty to market. Pricing still depends on the specifics: a renovated colonial near the station, a two-family on a commercial corridor and an unrenovated older home each draw a different buyer. We'll prepare a free comparative market analysis using recent sales of homes like yours, and market your home across the MLS and every major online channel.

Renting and Investing in Maplewood

Census figures show most Maplewood homes are owner-occupied, so the rental market is concentrated in two-family homes, apartment buildings and newer redevelopment projects. We help renters find units that fit their commute and budget, and we help landlords price, market and screen tenants.

Investors should know the rules before they buy. Maplewood has a rent control ordinance, overseen by the township's Rent Leveling Board, that generally applies to buildings with three or more rental units. Buildings with fewer than three units, and owner-occupied buildings with three or fewer units, are exempt. We'll go through rent control status, realistic rents, taxes, insurance and condition with you so the numbers work from day one.

Local Landmarks and Amenities

• Memorial Park, beside the train station, originally designed by the Olmsted Brothers firm
• South Mountain Reservation, an Essex County park of about 2,110 acres partly within Maplewood, with hiking trails, carriage roads and the Washington Rock lookout
• Durand-Hedden House, a designated township landmark now run as a museum, with grounds set aside as a passive park
• The historic Maplewood station house on Dunnell Road, completed in 1902
• The main township library on Baker Street, plus the Hilton Branch on Springfield Avenue
• Maplecrest Park, DeHart Park and Milo S. Borden Park
• Shops and restaurants in Maplewood Village and along Springfield Avenue
• Public schools: South Orange-Maplewood School District, including Columbia High School

Nearby Town Guides

Comparing Maplewood with nearby towns? Read our guides to South Orange, Millburn and Irvington, 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 Maplewood.

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.