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

Norwood is a Northern Valley borough in Bergen County with 5,641 residents as of the 2020 Census and about 2.8 square miles of land. It became its own borough in 1905, splitting off from the old Harrington Township, and its name comes from an early description of the area as the "North Woods." Today Norwood is largely an owner-occupied, single-family town with a commuter bus to Midtown, a townhouse zone, light industrial and laboratory districts, and a federally funded bridge project underway. Here's what buyers, sellers, renters and investors should know about Norwood.

Why People Choose Norwood

Norwood appeals to buyers who want a small borough with a one-seat bus ride into Manhattan. It is mostly residential, and Census estimates show that roughly 79 percent of occupied homes are owner-occupied. Its zoning code also sets aside business, light industrial and laboratory-administrative zones, so the borough has a local commercial and employment base and isn't purely a bedroom community.

Borough government is run from Borough Hall at 455 Broadway. The borough hosts its annual Norwood Day celebration, keeps a community events calendar, and takes field-use applications for its athletic fields. It also offers a bench engraving program and supports The WholeSum Pantry, a local food pantry. An Environmental Commission and a stormwater management program round out the borough's local services.

Getting Around: Commuting from Norwood

• Bus to Manhattan: Rockland Coaches routes 20 and 20T stop in Norwood on their way to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown. The routes start in Rockland County and run south through Northvale, Norwood, Harrington Park, Closter, Demarest, Cresskill, Tenafly, Englewood, Leonia and Palisades Park.
• Rail: Norwood has no passenger rail station. Passenger service on the old Northern Branch line ended in 1966, and the line now carries light freight traffic up to neighboring Northvale. Most commuters take the bus or drive.
• Roads: Bergen County Routes 501 and 505 both pass through the borough. They link Norwood with neighboring Northern Valley towns.

Neighborhoods and Housing Types

Norwood is primarily a single-family town, but its zoning code, Chapter 233 of the Borough Code, provides for several other kinds of housing:

• Single-family homes: Most of the borough's housing, spread across its residential zones.
• Townhouses: A Planned Residential Townhouse Development (TH) Zone allows attached townhouse communities.
• Affordable housing: The code includes a Mount Laurel Zone, an Affordable Housing Overlay Zoning District, and a special overlay zone within the light industrial district. These zones shape where new income-restricted housing can be built. The borough also has its own Affordable Housing office.
• Rentals: Rental options are limited and include apartments, townhouses and single-family homes offered for lease.

Before you buy or sell near a zone boundary, we can check the borough's official zoning map and planning and zoning board agendas for any pending applications.

Buying a Home in Norwood

Because most homes in Norwood are single-family, buyers usually compare lot size, layout, age and condition. We help you check:

• Older-home inspections: Ask for the home's age and its renovation and permit history. Then plan an inspection that covers the roof, electrical, plumbing, heating and drainage. Norwood's Construction and Code Enforcement office handles permits, so we can confirm whether past work was permitted.
• Floodplain and stormwater: Norwood has a Floodplain Management ordinance (Chapter 131) and a stormwater management program. For any home you're considering, we review FEMA flood maps and flood insurance needs before you make an offer.
• Townhouse associations: For townhouses, we review monthly fees, reserves, rules and any planned special assessments. If you're using an FHA loan, we confirm the community qualifies.
• Affordable units: Income-restricted homes have resale and eligibility rules. We help you understand them before you apply.
• Property taxes: 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 Norwood Home

A Norwood listing has clear selling points: a direct bus to Midtown, a borough PreK-8 school, and a small-town setting with a local business and industrial base nearby. Pricing depends on the specifics: lot size, condition, updates and location. We'll prepare a free comparative market analysis from recent comparable sales. Then we'll market your home on the MLS and every major online channel, including to buyers already searching the Northern Valley.

Renting and Investing in Norwood

With most homes owner-occupied, Norwood's rental supply is limited, so renters should be ready to act when a home or apartment becomes available. Investors should watch the borough's townhouse and affordable housing zones, which shape where new housing can go, and local infrastructure work such as the Broad Street Bridge project, which has federal funding listed in the New Jersey Department of Transportation's Statewide Transportation Improvement Program. We can help you estimate realistic rents, taxes, insurance and maintenance before you buy. For landlords, we help price, market and screen tenants.

Local Landmarks and Amenities

• Norwood Borough Hall, 455 Broadway
• Norwood Day, the borough's annual community celebration
• Borough athletic fields, available by field-use application
• The WholeSum Pantry, the community food pantry
• Northern Valley Rotary Club
• Broad Street Bridge Project
• Rockland Coaches bus service to the Port Authority Bus Terminal
• Public schools: Norwood Public School District (Norwood Public School, 177 Summit Street, PreK through grade 8) and the Northern Valley Regional High School District (Northern Valley Regional High School at Old Tappan)

Nearby Town Guides

Comparing Norwood with nearby towns? Read our guides to Northvale, Closter, Harrington Park and Old Tappan, 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 Norwood.

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.