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

Tenafly is a Bergen County borough of about 15,400 residents as of the 2020 Census. It began as a railroad commuter suburb in the 1800s, and that history still shows in its restored 1870s station, its compact downtown and its older housing stock. Here's what to know before you buy, sell, rent or invest in Tenafly.

Why People Choose Tenafly

Open space is a big part of Tenafly's appeal. The borough counts roughly 424 acres of municipal parks, open space and civic grounds. The largest piece sits on the East Hill, where the Lost Brook Preserve and the Tenafly Nature Center together cover about 382 acres with more than seven miles of trails. Along the western side of Route 9W, a 200-foot-deep strip of about 34 acres runs the full length of the borough.

The downtown is the other draw. The Central Business District around Washington Street, West Railroad Avenue and the Piermont Road corridor holds shops, restaurants and services within a short walk of the old station. In 2022 the borough completed a Downtown Revitalization Plan with planners and retail consultants. Its priorities include upgrades along the Piermont corridor, new downtown design guidelines and zoning changes, mobility improvements on Riveredge Road and open-street events on Washington Street.

Getting Around: Commuting from Tenafly

• Bus: NJ Transit Route 166 runs along Engle Street to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan. The borough also lists Rockland Coaches commuter service to the Port Authority, and some of those routes have been cut back since 2020, so we always confirm current schedules.
• Car: U.S. Route 9W, County Route 501 and the Palisades Interstate Parkway all pass through Tenafly. The Parkway has no exits inside the borough; the closest are Exit 1 in Englewood Cliffs and Exit 2 in Alpine.
• Ferry: The borough also points commuters to the Hudson River ferries at Port Imperial and Edgewater.
• Rail: Passenger trains on the Northern Branch stopped serving Tenafly in 1966, and the line now carries freight. In a 2010 non-binding referendum, Tenafly voters rejected bringing Hudson-Bergen Light Rail stations into town, and NJ Transit's extension plans have ended in Englewood since 2013.

Neighborhoods and Housing Types

Tenafly's housing is mostly single-family. According to the borough's 2023 Master Plan Reexamination Report, single-family detached homes make up about three-quarters of all housing units. The rest mixes attached homes, two-family homes and apartment buildings; buildings with 20 or more units have grown fastest since 2000. The same report notes that about 60 percent of the borough's buildings went up before 1960, and the housing stock grew only slightly from 2010 to 2021.

• Single-family homes: Detached homes are the core of the market. Much of this stock is decades old, and some older houses have been torn down and replaced with new construction.
• Two-family homes: The borough's R-7.5 zoning district still lists two-family dwellings as a permitted use, though they make up a small share of the housing.
• Apartments and mixed-use buildings: The borough has studied a parking ordinance designed to encourage more upper-story apartments downtown. In 2025, a developer secured financing to turn the former Tenafly Cinema site on West Railroad Avenue into a mixed-use building with 18 rental units, three of them affordable, plus ground-floor retail.

Buying a Home in Tenafly

A few things we help Tenafly buyers check:

• Older-home inspections: Plan for a thorough inspection covering the roof, heating system, electrical, plumbing, foundation and any oil tank history.
• Tree and lot rules: The borough has flagged concern over extensive tree removal on residential properties. If you plan to expand or rebuild, we'll point you to the zoning and permit rules before you commit.
• Flood risk: The borough's planning documents identify bank stabilization along the Tenakill Brook and culvert repairs in the downtown, where flooding has recurred. We check FEMA flood maps and insurance needs for any property near a waterway.
• FHA and two-family homes: If you find a two-to-four family property, an FHA loan can let you buy with a low down payment as long as you live in one of the units.
• Property taxes: Taxes are a major line in any New Jersey budget. We pull the current tax figure for every home you're considering.

We can also connect you with a lender so you're pre-approved before you start touring.

Selling Your Tenafly Home

Because inventory is limited and the housing stock changes slowly, pricing a Tenafly home well depends on close comparisons: lot size, condition, updates and location within the borough all move value. We'll prepare a free comparative market analysis based on recent sales of homes like yours, then market your property across the MLS and every major online channel.

Renting and Investing in Tenafly

Renter-occupied homes are a minority of Tenafly's housing, so the apartments, two-family units and single-family rentals that come up are worth moving on quickly. We help renters find options that fit their commute and budget, and we help landlords price, market and screen tenants. For investors, we'll work through realistic rents, taxes, insurance and repair needs on any property so the numbers hold up before you buy.

Local Landmarks and Amenities

• Tenafly Nature Center and Lost Brook Preserve on the East Hill
• Roosevelt Common on Riveredge Road, about 10 acres with a pond, walking paths, play areas, a skate park and tennis courts, plus the Theodore Roosevelt Monument, listed on the National Register of Historic Places
• The Tenafly Railroad Station, designed by Daniel Topping Atwood in the 1870s, restored by the borough and listed on the National Register; the building now houses a restaurant
• The Elizabeth Cady Stanton House on Highwood Avenue, a National Register-listed private home
• Tenafly Public Library at the Municipal Complex, 100 Riveredge Road
• The downtown business district along Washington Street and West Railroad Avenue
• Public schools: Tenafly Public Schools, including Tenafly Middle School and Tenafly High School

Nearby Town Guides

Comparing Tenafly with nearby towns? Read our guides to Cresskill, Englewood, Bergenfield and Englewood Cliffs, 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 Tenafly.

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.