There are 70 towns in Bergen County NJ, more municipalities than any other county in New Jersey. They include 56 boroughs, 9 townships, 3 cities (Englewood, Garfield and Hackensack) and 2 villages (Ridgefield Park and Ridgewood). Hackensack is the county seat and the largest municipality, with 46,030 residents in the 2020 Census, while Teterboro, home to Teterboro Airport, is among the smallest in the state with only a few dozen residents. Bergen County as a whole had 955,732 residents in 2020, making it New Jersey’s most populous county. It sits in the northeastern corner of the state, across the Hudson River from Manhattan and the Bronx and linked by the George Washington Bridge. Its towns range from dense, walkable communities such as Fort Lee, Cliffside Park and Palisades Park to leafy suburbs such as Ridgewood, Tenafly and Franklin Lakes and wooded areas near the New York border such as Mahwah.
Key Takeaways
- Number of towns: 70, the most of any NJ county.
- Types: 56 boroughs, 9 townships, 3 cities and 2 villages.
- County seat: Hackensack, also the largest town.
- Population: 955,732 in 2020, the most in New Jersey.
- Smallest: Teterboro, with only a few dozen residents.
- Largest area: Mahwah, at about 26 square miles.
- Sunday note: Bergen County blue laws close most retail on Sundays.
Details come from U.S. Census Bureau data, Bergen County government information and published references, reviewed before publication.
Towns in Bergen County NJ at a Glance
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Municipalities | 70 |
| Boroughs | 56 |
| Townships | 9 |
| Cities | 3 (Englewood, Garfield, Hackensack) |
| Villages | 2 (Ridgefield Park, Ridgewood) |
| County seat | Hackensack |
| 2020 population | 955,732 |
| Area | About 246 square miles |
Full List of Towns in Bergen County NJ
Here are all 70 municipalities in Bergen County, in alphabetical order.
| A to F | G to N | O to R | S to W |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allendale | Garfield | Oakland | Saddle Brook |
| Alpine | Glen Rock | Old Tappan | Saddle River |
| Bergenfield | Hackensack | Oradell | South Hackensack |
| Bogota | Harrington Park | Palisades Park | Teaneck |
| Carlstadt | Hasbrouck Heights | Paramus | Tenafly |
| Cliffside Park | Haworth | Park Ridge | Teterboro |
| Closter | Hillsdale | Ramsey | Upper Saddle River |
| Cresskill | Ho-Ho-Kus | Ridgefield | Waldwick |
| Demarest | Leonia | Ridgefield Park | Wallington |
| Dumont | Little Ferry | Ridgewood | Washington Township |
| East Rutherford | Lodi | River Edge | Westwood |
| Edgewater | Lyndhurst | River Vale | Wood-Ridge |
| Elmwood Park | Mahwah | Rochelle Park | Woodcliff Lake |
| Emerson | Maywood | Rockleigh | Wyckoff |
| Englewood | Midland Park | Rutherford | |
| Englewood Cliffs | Montvale | ||
| Fair Lawn | Moonachie | ||
| Fairview | New Milford | ||
| Fort Lee | North Arlington | ||
| Franklin Lakes | Northvale | ||
| Norwood |
Cities, Villages and Townships
New Jersey has several forms of municipal government, and the labels “city,” “borough,” “township” and “village” describe the legal form of government rather than the size of a place. Most Bergen County towns are boroughs, a form that was especially popular in the late 1800s, when many small communities broke away from larger townships.
| Type | Bergen County examples |
|---|---|
| Cities | Englewood, Garfield, Hackensack |
| Villages | Ridgefield Park, Ridgewood |
| Townships | Lyndhurst, Mahwah, River Vale, Rochelle Park, Saddle Brook, South Hackensack, Teaneck, Washington Township, Wyckoff |
| Boroughs | The remaining 56 towns, from Allendale to Woodcliff Lake |
Largest and Smallest Towns
Hackensack is the most populous town in Bergen County, with 46,030 residents in the 2020 Census. Other large towns include Teaneck, Fort Lee, Fair Lawn and Garfield. At the other end of the scale, Teterboro is one of the least populated municipalities in New Jersey, since most of its land is taken up by Teterboro Airport and industrial buildings, and Rockleigh is also very small. By land area, Mahwah is the largest town, covering about 26 square miles in the county’s northwest corner.
Towns in Bergen County NJ by Area
| Area | Towns | Known for |
|---|---|---|
| Palisades and Hudson River | Fort Lee, Edgewater, Cliffside Park, Englewood Cliffs | Manhattan views, high-rises, George Washington Bridge |
| Northern Valley | Tenafly, Closter, Cresskill, Demarest, Norwood | Top-rated schools, leafy suburbs |
| Pascack Valley | Westwood, Hillsdale, Park Ridge, Montvale, Woodcliff Lake | Small downtowns and train stations |
| Northwest Bergen | Ridgewood, Wyckoff, Franklin Lakes, Mahwah, Ramsey | Larger homes, parks and trails |
| Central Bergen | Hackensack, Paramus, Teaneck, River Edge | County government, shopping, hospitals |
| South Bergen | Rutherford, Lyndhurst, East Rutherford, Carlstadt | Meadowlands, MetLife Stadium, American Dream |
Living in Bergen County
Bergen County is one of the wealthiest counties in the country and one of the most popular places to live in New Jersey, thanks to its schools, parks and short commutes to New York City. Many towns have NJ Transit rail stations on the Pascack Valley, Bergen County or Main lines, and dozens of bus routes run to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Manhattan. The trade-off is cost: home prices and property taxes are among the highest in the state.
- Commuting: NJ Transit trains and buses to Manhattan and Hoboken.
- Shopping: Paramus malls along Route 4 and Route 17, closed on Sundays.
- Parks: Palisades Interstate Park, Van Saun County Park and Ramapo Valley County Reservation.
- Dining: Korean food in Palisades Park and Fort Lee, and downtown restaurants in Ridgewood and Englewood.
Bergen County Blue Laws
Bergen County is the last county in New Jersey that still enforces Sunday closing laws, which keep most clothing, furniture and appliance stores closed on Sundays. Paramus has an even stricter local ordinance. Supermarkets, pharmacies, restaurants and entertainment stay open.
Because many Bergen County towns share similar names, such as Englewood and Englewood Cliffs, Saddle River and Upper Saddle River, and Hackensack and South Hackensack, double-check the town name on forms, deliveries and tax records.
Towns in Bergen County NJ With Train Service
Many towns in Bergen County NJ are popular with commuters because they have NJ Transit rail stations, which connect to Hoboken and, with a transfer at Secaucus Junction, to New York Penn Station.
| NJ Transit line | Bergen County towns with stations |
|---|---|
| Pascack Valley Line | Hackensack, River Edge, Oradell, Emerson, Westwood, Hillsdale, Woodcliff Lake, Park Ridge, Montvale and others |
| Bergen County Line | Rutherford, Garfield, Glen Rock, Radburn section of Fair Lawn and others |
| Main Line | Lyndhurst, Ridgewood, Ho-Ho-Kus, Waldwick, Allendale, Ramsey, Mahwah and others |
Towns along the Hudson River, such as Fort Lee, Edgewater and Cliffside Park, rely mostly on buses to Manhattan and on ferries from Edgewater, while the George Washington Bridge connects drivers to Upper Manhattan.
How to Choose Among Towns in Bergen County NJ
When comparing towns in Bergen County NJ, most people weigh commute time, school quality, property taxes and home prices. Northern Valley and Pascack Valley towns are known for strong schools and quiet neighborhoods, while Palisades towns offer high-rise living and Manhattan views. Southern Bergen towns near the Meadowlands tend to have more affordable homes and easy highway access. Visiting on a weekday morning and a weekend evening gives a realistic sense of traffic, parking and downtown activity before you decide.
Property taxes vary widely from town to town, even between neighbors, because each municipality and school district sets its own budget. Checking a town’s recent tax rate and school rankings is one of the most important steps when comparing towns in Bergen County NJ.
Bergen County also has a strong network of county parks, libraries and community colleges shared by all its towns. Bergen Community College in Paramus, the county’s park system and the Bergen County Zoo in Van Saun County Park are resources residents of any of the 70 towns can use, which is one reason many families look at towns in Bergen County NJ first when moving to North Jersey.
More NJ Guides
Find the county for any town in our NJ towns by county guide, see phone codes across the state in our NJ area codes guide and find things to do across the state in our things to do in NJ guide. Find more in our Living in NJ section or on the homepage.
Frequently Asked Questions About Towns in Bergen County NJ
How many towns are in Bergen County NJ?
70, the most of any county in New Jersey.
What is the county seat of Bergen County?
Hackensack.
What is the largest town in Bergen County?
Hackensack, with 46,030 residents in the 2020 Census.
What is the smallest town in Bergen County?
Teterboro, which has only a few dozen residents.
What are the cities in Bergen County?
Englewood, Garfield and Hackensack.
What are the villages in Bergen County?
Ridgefield Park and Ridgewood.
What is the population of Bergen County?
955,732 in the 2020 Census, the most of any NJ county.
Are stores open on Sunday in Bergen County?
Most retail stores close under the county blue laws, but supermarkets, pharmacies and restaurants stay open.
Which Bergen County towns have train stations?
Many do, including Hackensack, Ridgewood, Rutherford, Westwood, Ramsey and Mahwah, on NJ Transit’s Pascack Valley, Bergen County and Main lines.
What is the largest town in Bergen County by area?
Mahwah, which covers about 26 square miles in the northwest corner of the county.
The Bottom Line
Bergen County has 70 towns, the most of any New Jersey county: 56 boroughs, 9 townships, 3 cities and 2 villages. Hackensack is the county seat and largest town, Teterboro is among the smallest in the state, and the county’s 955,732 residents make it New Jersey’s most populous.
