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

Orange is an Essex County city of about 2.2 square miles, officially named the City of Orange Township. The 2020 Census counted 34,447 residents. It's often confused with its neighbors, but East Orange, West Orange and South Orange are separate municipalities that split off from Orange in the 1860s. Orange itself has two NJ Transit train stations, Interstate 280 running straight through it, and a wave of new apartment construction around both stations. Here's what you should know before you buy, sell, rent or invest in Orange.

Why People Choose Orange

Transit is the headline. Orange has two stations on the Morris & Essex Lines, and the city has built much of its planning around them. NJDOT designated the area around Orange Station a Transit Village, which supports compact, mixed-use development within walking distance of the train, and the City Council later adopted the Main Street Redevelopment and Rehabilitation Plan to guide new building along the downtown corridor.

Orange also has deep industrial roots. It was long a center of hat manufacturing, and former factory buildings in the area known as the Valley, near Highland Avenue Station, have been converted to condominiums, apartments and artists' spaces as part of the ValleyArts revitalization effort.

Getting Around: Commuting from Orange

• Train: NJ Transit's Morris & Essex Lines stop at Orange Station (Lincoln Avenue and Essex Street) and Highland Avenue Station (Scotland Road and Highland Avenue). Trains run east to New York Penn Station and Hoboken Terminal. Orange Station has NJ Transit and municipal parking lots, both mostly permit-based, so check availability before you count on a space.
• Bus: NJ Transit local routes connect Orange with Newark, including the 41, which runs from Orange along Park Avenue to Newark Penn Station, and the 44.
• Car: Interstate 280 runs below grade through the city, with Exit 11 serving the Day Street, Essex Avenue and Center Street area. The Garden State Parkway connects to I-280 just east in East Orange, and Central Avenue (County Route 508) crosses town.

Neighborhoods and Housing Types

Orange is organized into four wards (North, East, South and West), and its housing ranges from older detached homes to brand-new rental buildings:

• Around Orange Station and Main Street: The focus of the city's redevelopment. Recent and planned projects include APEX Orange Crossing on Reock Street, a mixed-use building at 50–55 South Essex Avenue, the large Essex & Crane development, and the Linc32 and Linc52 rental and condominium buildings next to the station.
• The Valley: A roughly 40-block area shared with West Orange, near Highland Avenue Station. Converted hat-factory buildings here include condominiums and live/work space, and new apartment buildings have been added nearby, including one on Scotland Road close to the station.
• Two-to-four family homes: A common housing type in older, denser cities like Orange, and a frequent first purchase for buyers who want rental income from the other units.
• Single-family homes: Older detached houses in a variety of styles appear throughout the city.

Buying a Home in Orange

Here's what we help buyers check in Orange:

• FHA and multi-family: If you're buying with an FHA loan, you can purchase a two-to-four family property with a low down payment, as long as you live in one of the units.
• Rent control: Orange has a rent control ordinance (Chapter 166 of the city code), overseen by a Rent Leveling Board. Buildings of three units or fewer, and four-family houses where the owner lives in one unit, are exempt. If you're buying a larger building, we review its rent history and registration status before you make an offer.
• Older-home inspections: Much of the housing stock is decades old. Plan on a thorough inspection of the roof, structure, electrical, plumbing and heating system.
• Condo associations: In newer buildings and loft conversions, we review monthly fees, reserves and any pending assessments.
• Parking: Commuter lots near the stations are largely permit-based. We confirm what off-street parking comes with each property.
• 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 Orange Home

With new apartments opening near both train stations, more people are getting to know Orange, and many of them will eventually look to buy. A two-family near Highland Avenue, a detached single-family home and a condo near Orange Station each compete for a different buyer, so pricing has to reflect the property type, unit count and distance to the train. We prepare a free comparative market analysis based on recent sales of homes like yours, then market your property across every MLS and online channel.

Renting and Investing in Orange

Renters can choose between new buildings near the stations and units in two-to-four family homes across the city. For investors, rent control is a key part of the math: a building's size and owner-occupancy determine whether the ordinance applies, and the city also has rental property registration and licensing requirements for both single-family and multi-family rentals. We help investors run realistic numbers on taxes, insurance, condition and allowable rents before they buy, and we help landlords price, market and screen tenants for their units.

Local Landmarks and Amenities

• Monte Irvin Orange Park, a roughly 48-acre Essex County park between Central Avenue and Center and Harrison Streets, designed by the Olmsted Brothers, with athletic fields, walking paths, a playground and free summer concerts
• Orange Free Public Library building, 348 Main Street, designed by McKim, Mead & White and opened in 1901 (National Register of Historic Places)
• Orange Memorial Hospital Historic District, listed on the State and National Registers of Historic Places
• ValleyArts district near Highland Avenue Station, with converted hat-factory buildings and arts spaces
• Orange Station and Highland Avenue Station on NJ Transit's Morris & Essex Lines
• Public schools: Orange Public Schools, including Orange High School

Nearby Town Guides

Comparing Orange with nearby towns? Read our guides to East Orange, West Orange, South Orange 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 Orange.

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.