Looking for an urban suburb with a strong community? Teaneck might be the place for you

So, you're considering making the move to Teaneck?

Located in the eastern portion of Bergen County, some may consider Teaneck to be a congested and boring bedroom community with overpriced housing, a lack of entertainment and a distant community of residents.

But with its blend of tranquil suburban living and urban conveniences, highly diverse population of residents, community-oriented attitude, abundance of local businesses and variety of housing options — most of which are single-family properties — Teaneck might just be misunderstood but those in other North Jersey towns.

Is the perception of Teaneck — an overcrowded and overdeveloped town with expensive housing and little entertainment — the reality? Don't worry, we've got you covered. Here's your guide to deciding whether Teaneck is right for you.

The draw of Teaneck

Perception: Because Teaneck has so many residents, it probably doesn't have much to offer besides overpriced housing and public transportation. Plus, it's probably hard getting to know other people in the community.

Reality: While it is a large town, Teaneck is a down-to-earth suburb with urban conveniences, a diverse population of residents and an abundance of ways to get involved in the local community.

Located about 14 miles from Midtown Manhattan, Teaneck is a dense but down-to-earth Bergen County suburb. Despite being the county's second most populous town — home to more than 40,000 people — Teaneck is known for fostering a strong sense of community amongst its highly diverse population of residents, and preserving the character of the town.

"One of the major benefits of Teaneck is it really is suburban living. It's not the city kind of development like they're doing in other nearby towns, where you're really getting a lot more high density development," said Jennifer Glass, vice president of the Teaneck Chamber of Commerce. "Teaneck is doing a little bit of high density development, but it still, for the most part, has a suburban feel. A lot of focus has been put on making sure that kind of character does not disappear."

Teaneck, which is split horizontally by Route 4, spans across 6.24 square miles and borders eight other Bergen County towns. This includes River Edge, Hackensack, New Milford, Bergenfield, Englewood, Leonia, Ridgefield Park and Bogota.

While Teaneck is considered to be a North Jersey suburb — and offers the tranquil and laid back living that typically comes with them — Zeevyah Benoff of V&N Realty Group said she'd describe Teaneck as being more of a town because it offers more urban features, specifically walkability.

"I would say it's more of a town than suburb being that there's sidewalks and people walk, whether it's on Cedar Lane or Queen Anne Road. Kids will be walking around and my kids walk around all the time," said Benoff, who has lived in Teaneck since she was 10. "When we moved from the city, that was the reason my parents picked Teaneck. We were coming from Greenwich Village, where we were used to walking around and being independent as children."

This was echoed by Chondra Young, who has also lived in Teaneck since she was a child and is heavily involved in the community through advocacy. She said Teaneck has a group called Safe Streets, which is focused on improving the town's walkability by ensuring that the lighting and functionality of public walkways is at its best.

Beyond this, Glass said that one of Teaneck's biggest claims to fame is how it prides itself on welcoming people from a diverse range of backgrounds. This refers to everything from the race, religion and economic aspect of the town's residents.

"I feel like there are a lot of towns that are very homogeneous, where all the houses cost the same and everybody has a similar type of background and jobs. And Teaneck is not like that at all," Benoff said.

With this, Teaneck is also known to have played a key role in events like the Civil Rights Movement. The town became the first in the nation to voluntarily desegregate its schools in 1964, marking a significant milestone across the country and in Teaneck's dedication to diversity and inclusivity.

Young said that Teaneck is also dedicated to ensuring that the town offers a community-oriented atmosphere for all who live there. While it is known to be primarily a bedroom community — with many residents commuting to New York City or other North Jersey towns for work — residents are devoted to getting involved and getting to know their neighbors.

"Teaneck is welcoming, diverse and definitely community-driven, which is something that really has a stronghold for me," she said. "It's a really tight-knit community. You walk down the street or you walk around the corner and you see someone you know."

As for amenities, Teaneck is home to Stop & Shop, as well as specialized food markets like Cedar Market, Glatt Express Supermarket, Better Meat & Produce, Ed's Market, Happy Fruit Market and more. There are also different shopping centers in Teaneck like T-State Plaza and Glenpointe Centre.

Teaneck also houses the Metropolitan Campus for Fairleigh Dickinson University — a private, four-year institution known for having strong academic programs and a global-oriented campus life — and Holy Name Medical Center, a not-for-profit healthcare facility.

Teaneck real estate

Perception: Teaneck is just another Bergen County town with expensive housing due to new construction properties and luxury rental buildings.

Reality: While Teaneck can be just as expensive as any other North Jersey town, it still has housing available at a variety of price points. The town is also primarily home to single-family properties, but does have a selection of rentals available.

The generally high cost of housing in Teaneck is consistent with what can be seen throughout much of the region, but the town does have an array of more affordable options available.

Overall, Teaneck is primarily broken up into five sections: Country Club, Phelps Park, North of Cedar, South of Cedar and West Englewood. These areas — which all predominantly offer single-family properties — typically have a mix of housing available, rather than there being certain styles and prices in certain sections, Benoff said.

"Pricing for single-family homes could start around $500,000 and then you can go up to $5 million," she said. "Teaneck is unique in that you can have a $500,000 house next to a $1 million house. It's not really that you're just going to be on a street with all million dollar homes. There's obviously sections that are more expensive, but there's no area that has just one type of house."

While there is newer construction homes available throughout the town, Teaneck is known for its vast selection of well-preserved historic homes. This consists mostly of Tudor and Dutch Colonial properties, but there are a variety of styles.

The median listing price of a home in Teaneck is currently about $688,500, according to Realtor.com. As of the beginning of March, you can look to pay anywhere from $104,999 for a one-bedroom, two-bathroom condo on Elm Ave. to as much as $1.495 million for a five-bedroom, three-bathroom home on Somerset Road.

While Benoff said that Teaneck is more of a homebuyer town, there is still a good selection of apartment buildings available for renters. And she said that a bulk of those apartments are located off of Queen Anne Road.

This includes Avalon Teaneck, a 248-unit rental development on Windsor Road; One500, a 228-unit apartment complex on Teaneck Road; and River Commons, a townhouse-style community with 19 units. There is also The Marq, which recently opened its first building on Alfred Avenue with 256 rentals and is set to include a second adjacent building with 248 additional units.

Other rental communities in Teaneck are Teaneck Square, Willow Gardens, The Gabriel and Parkview II Commons. There are also occasionally opportunities to rent single-family homes in Teaneck, but that is not typically common.

At the beginning of March, you can expect to pay anywhere from $1,795 per month for a one-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment on State Street to $6,500 per month for a five-bedroom, three-bathroom single-family home on Hickory Street.

Activities in Teaneck

Perception: While Teaneck is a fairly large town, there doesn't seem like there's a lot of attractions for residents.

Reality: Teaneck might not be booming with major attractions, but it is still home to beloved local businesses, an abundance of public parks, entertainment options and community events, among other things.

Between shopping at local businesses, catching a movie, dining at a highly-rated restaurant or attending a community event, Teaneck has a variety of things for residents to do.

For those who are into history, you can explore the Teaneck Historic Burial Ground on Pomander Walk Road near the Hackensack River. The site was originally a burial plot for Native Americans, but later became part of the Zabriskie Farm — as seen through the historic Zabriskie Kipp Camus house nearby — and served as a burial plot for slaves in the area.

As for other attractions, Teaneck is one of the few remaining North Jersey towns with a downtown movie theater. Teaneck Cinemas was originally opened as a single-screen movie house in 1937 known as Teaneck Theatres, but was revamped and reopened in 2013. Today, Teaneck Cinemas offers showings of new film releases in an art-deco-inspired venue.

Teaneck is also home to more than 20 different parks and green spaces. This includes Votee Park — a 40-acre property with walking trails, playgrounds, sports fields, an amphitheater and a public pool — as well as the Teaneck Creek Conservancy, which features miles of walking trails and art installations across its 46 acres. Teaneck is also home to a portion of Overpeck County Park, including Overpeck Golf Course.

While currently closed for renovations, the Teaneck Public Library is expected to reopen in late 2025 and soon offer its long list of public resources. The library — which first opened in 1927 with 650 books — is now home to more than 100,000 items including books, audiobooks, games and movies. It also typically hosts a a variety of clubs, workshops and special events for both children and adults.

As for shopping, Teaneck is known for its selection of small local businesses rather than for having an abundance of chain stores. Glass said the town has six business districts that each off their own style of businesses, meaning there's something available for everyone.

Cedar Lane, which acts as Teaneck's main downtown area, is the busiest of them all. This 125-year old shopping district is home to about 175 businesses — many of which are family owned — and is currently the focus of revitalization efforts by the Cedar Lane Management Group.

"There's definitely the value of having smaller businesses and having the ability to find those unique things while keeping the shopping local in Teaneck," Glass said. "We all go to the mall and we all shop on Amazon, but we really encourage everyone to shop local and support the local businesses."

Among these local businesses are spots like A&S Comics, Brier rose Books, Companion Pet Food Supply, J&J Pharmacy and Carly'z Craze, to name just a few. There are also several beloved specialty bakeries like Butterflake Bakeshop, Krisota's Cake Shop, Patis Bakery and Athens Bakery, as well as cafes like Lazy Bean Cafe, COFFEECOL, Ramyun Lab and Cafe DeMi.

And to match its diverse population of residents, Teaneck is also home to a booming dining scene with an array from different cultures. You can dine at places like Amarone Ristorante, Estihana, Zula, Yalla Teaneck, Bridge Turkish and Mediterranean Grill, Asante's Restaurant, Etc. Steakhouse, La Cucina Di Nava and Mocha Bleu.

To highlight these and the town's many other restaurants, the Rotary Club of Teaneck hosts their annual Taste of Teaneck event each spring. Here, residents and non-residents of Teaneck are invited to try items the town's eateries and bakeries, enjoy music from live performers and participate in a Tricky Tray.

"We have some of the best restaurants in the area located in Teaneck," Glass said. "It is a huge draw for the restaurants and the community in general, where everybody comes out. It's held at the Marriott at Glenpointe, and people get to come out and experience our restaurants. They get to see what the food is all about."

As for other specific events to attend, there's the Teaneck International Film Festival — an event that has presented feature-length films, documentaries and shorts from a variety of cultures since 2006 — and Race Amity Day, an annual community gathering to celebrate the community's diversity through special programming, musical performances, games and food.

Glass said there's also the Meet the Township, which is held each year by the Teaneck Chamber of Commerce. She said the event, usually held in the spring, offers residents the opportunity to meet the town's department heads and get to know how the town's departments operate.

Other public events held in Teaneck throughout the year include visits from Santa on a firetruck, a Thanksgiving food drive, the Teaneck Community Cleanup Day, the Teaneck Spring Fair, Teaneck Day and the town's annual Fourth of July fireworks display.

Commute from Teaneck

Perception: Without a train station, it must be difficult to commute to New York City and other North Jersey towns from Teaneck unless you're going to drive.

Reality: There are several NJ Transit bus routes that run throughout Teaneck on a regular basis that offers a convenient commute to those traveling to New York City and other North Jersey towns.

Unfortunately for those that prefer to travel by train, Teaneck does not have a train station available for commuters — the closest options for train service are the two stations at Anderson Street and Essex Street in Hackensack. But there are multiple bus routes that run throughout the town, as well as several nearby highways, that all still provide a convenient commute for Teaneck residents.

NJ Transit bus routes 157, 165R, 167, 167Q, 167T, 168, 171, 175, 177 and 178 all run through Teaneck and travel to Port Authority in Manhattan. Routes 157, 165R, 167Q, 167T and 177 are all express buses that run during peak commuting hours on weekdays, while the other routes operate regularly on weekdays and weekends. The commute on these bus routes to Midtown Manhattan can take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the time of day and what route you take, and the monthly commuting cost will total $170 when purchasing an unlimited monthly pass.

"The proximity to New York City and the ease of the commute is a big thing," Young said. "It can take anywhere between 30 to 40 minutes. I commuted to New York when I used to work in New York, so I do appreciate that ease of a commute."

And for those that prefer to drive, Route 4, Route 80 and the New Jersey Turnpike all run directly through a portion of Teaneck. Route 46, Route 17 and the Garden State Parkway are all also within a 10 to 20 minute drive of the town.

Teaneck schools

Perception: Because Bergen County is typically considered to have some of the best public school systems in New Jersey, Teaneck must have a highly-rated school system.

Reality: Teaneck Public Schools often receives mixed reviews in terms of its quality, but it is generally considered to be a decent school system in North Jersey.

With eight schools within its district, Teaneck Public Schools serves nearly 4,000 students. The system is considered to be the 17th most diverse school district in New Jersey in Niche's 2025 rankings, and many students test well above the state level in math and reading, according to U.S. News and World Report.

There are two schools in the district that provide preschool programs for children ages three and four: Theodora Smiley Lacey School — which also hosts kindergarten students — and Bryant Elementary School. Teaneck Public School also partners with Teaneck Early Learning Center and Bergen Day School for their preschool program.

Other preschool programs in Teaneck outside of the school district are available at Rhymes & Reasons, The Ivy School, Blocks & Bridges, Gan Rina, Children's Playhouse School, Teaneck Chabad Preschool and Montessori Learning Center.

Teaneck Public Schools also has three K-4 schools, including Whittier Elementary School, Hawthorne Elementary School and Lowell Elementary School. There is also Benjamin Franklin Middle School and Thomas Jefferson Middle School for students in fifth through eighth grade, and Teaneck High School for ninth through 12th grade students.

"I was involved in the Parent Teacher Organization and I've been president of many of our schools, so I do have a sense of what is being offered," Young said. "We have strong academic programs and we have lots of extracurricular activities, so there's something for everyone here."

The Teaneck social scene

Perception: There isn't much people to do in Teaneck besides exploring its green spaces and shopping at local businesses.

Reality: While Teaneck doesn't have tons of nightlife options, there's plenty of community organizations, recreational clubs and places of worship where residents can go to be social.

While Teaneck is a fairly lowkey town, there's still plenty of options available to be social. This includes spots for a night out, community organizations, recreational clubs, places of worship and more.

In terms of nightlife, Teaneck doesn't necessarily have a ton of spots to choose from. But there are still beloved locations like Brvsh Cul7ur3 — a 49-seat jazz club serving up music, drinks and dinner on Cedar Lane — and Pub 178, a cozy Irish bar with a selection of beers, fine whiskies and classic Irish fare. There's also Debonair Music Hall, an intimate live music venue with a large craft beer menu and a variety of upscale finger foods.

And for community organizations and programs, you can start with the Richard Rodda Center. This nearly 51,000-square-foot facility — which is home to Teaneck's Recreation Department — opened in 1998 and features two full-sized basketball gyms, a dance studio and ten rooms for rent. It offers youth programs like arts and crafts, ballet, painting and sports, as well as adult programs like watercolor painting, pottery, yoga, Zumba and open gym spots.

The Richard Rodda Center is also home to the Sunshine Garden Learning Center, a full-day Montessori-based program for children ages 3 and 4, and a six-week summer camp program known as Camp Kookooskoos.

Other community organizations in Teaneck include the Teaneck Community Chorus, Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, Teaneck Camera Club, Ethical Culture Society of Bergen County and Teaneck Women United.

Young said there is also the Teaneck Race Amity group, where she said residents of all backgrounds come together to talk about what's going on in the world and work to promote unity between different races and cultures. Young also highlighted the Garden Club of Teaneck, which has programs available all throughout the week.

"There's so many organizations in Teaneck that you can find something that resonates with you," Young said. "Whether you want to get involved civically, whether you just want to have fun, whether you want to volunteer and help with the food pantries — depending on the level of involvement that you want, we have it."

There are also many different places of worship in Teaneck. This includes St Anastasia Roman Catholic Church, First Baptist Church of Teaneck, East Bergen Christian Church, Teaneck Presbyterian Church, Jewish Center of Teaneck, Congregation Bnai Yeshurun, Temple Emeth, Darul Islah and Nida-UI Islam Center, among others.

So move right in to Teaneck: A diverse and down-to-earth suburb that offers urban conveniences, an abundance of green spaces, a strong sense of community and an array of beloved local businesses.

Maddie McGay is the real estate reporter for NorthJersey.com and The Record, covering all things worth celebrating about living in North Jersey. Find her on Instagram @maddiemcgay, on X @maddiemcgayy, and sign up for her North Jersey Living newsletter. Do you have a tip, trend or terrific house she should know about? Email her at MMcGay@gannett.com.