Hawthorne, NJ 184 Apartments for Rent

Hawthorne is the New Jersey borough that fought against allowing a 24/7 Wal-Mart from being opened in this small community, and actually won.

Hawthorne is a borough that was once a part of the historic, but now-gone, Manchester Township. The borough has seen a nearly constant expansion in population since its incorporation in 1898, and predictive models don't seem to think that this growth will end anytime soon. Fortunately for those who don't want the place any more crowded, it's unlikely that Hawthorne will again experience anything like the 131% population explosion that happened during the Roaring Twenties.

Moving to Hawthorne

Hawthorne is a very popular place both for homeowners and for those looking for places to rent. The borough is densely populated but, unlike many places throughout America, this population isn't from cheap housing. In reality, the borough is really just popular. No joke. Just visit there for a week and, if you don't like it, get your head checked out. The borough has a violent crime rate nearly seven times lower than the rest of New Jersey so this, in conjunction with the rest of Hawthorne's benefits, means it's a popular area and one that you better come prepared to if you're hoping to live here.

When to start looking

It's probably a good idea to start looking for places in Hawthorne at least two months in advance. While this preemptive apartment search in Hawthorne means that some of the places you look at will be taken a few weeks later, you'll get a good feel for the market and what to look for in specific areas. The truth of the matter, though, is that finding a place in Hawthorne can take some time. Over a third of the borough's residents are renters and, because Hawthorne is a relatively small area, there aren't always a multitude of places to go around. Long story short: get off your butt and start looking!

When to make the move

Fortunately, Hawthorne is about 40 minutes north of New York City, which means that the borough won't be hit too hard by those passing through to visit the city during vacation season. What you might want to watch out for, however, is the weather. There's around 4 inches of rain nearly every month in the area, so there's really no getting around moving when it's potentially wet outside. To avoid turning a wet day into a freezing and iced over day moving into one of the borough's awesome apartment homes, you might want to avoid the winter months. The average low temperature during parts of the winter can drop below 20 degrees, and we don't care how hardcore or manly (or womanly) you are, 20 degrees will slow down the move.

What to bring along

Because of the proximity to New York City combined with the insanely low crime rate, landlords can be as picky as they want when choosing their next tenants. This means you should show up to the interview ready and willing to put down the security deposit and first month's rent. Sadly, though, you have to convince the landlord that you're worth it before this even comes into play. Show up with a credit and background check along with references from former landlords. A credit and background check are likely to be performed anyway, but if you handle this part, a landlord might be more likely to offer you an apartment. Yeah, it sounds like a bunch of work. If you don't want to deal with it, stop crowding up the good borough!

Hawthorne Neighborhoods

You're absolutely going to love Hawthorne, and we're not just saying that because we do. There are a variety of features in the borough that make it a step above numerous other cities, towns, and boroughs in The Garden State. The greatest part, perhaps, is that these little bits of awesomeness aren't condensed to just one area. Despite where you live in the borough, you will have a few claims to fame. Not really fame, but there are cool places. Stay focused.

Northeast Hawthorne: This small portion of Hawthorne that lies to the east of Highway 208 is highly residential. Pet lovers will love that the Hawthorne Animal Hospital is here and, if you like going out without a pet, you can still enjoy nature at Gypsy Pond Park.

Goffle Hill Road: This area is adjacent to Goffle Brook Park and, if viewing a bunch of greenery isn't your thing, Arnold's Pond is nearby with some great fishing. If you're looking for great rental properties, check this area out on Google Earth and drool over all those backyard swimming pools.

Borough Center: This is where streets start to get numbers instead of names. Though there's a ton of houses to choose from, there's also several specialty shops. You might not recognize all their names, but take a ride along 5th or Utter Avenues to see some great businesses.

Wagaraw Road: There's almost too much in this southern area of Hawthorne to even discuss but, just for you, we'll try. You're adjacent to the Passaic River, and you have several parks throughout the area you can frequent. Plus, the Hawthorne train station is here, so you can hop on a rail to almost anywhere your heart can imagine. Until the rail ends, obviously.

Living in Hawthorne

Hawthorne has a rich history and committed people. The neighborhoods are obviously awesome, and each has great things to offer. These sporadic little places scattered throughout neighborhoods definitely aren't all that's beneficial about living in this borough. Don't take our word for it, just look at the following perks. OK, that's still essentially taking our word for it, but we wouldn't lie to you!

Committed Neighbors

When Wal-Mart decided to open its first New Jersey franchise in Hawthorne, the borough's residents thought the 24/7 model may invite crime to the area, so they fought against it. This led to Wal-Mart, the biggest company in the world, not opening. That's right: your neighbors took down Wal-Mart. As long as you're not Wal-Mart, you should definitely start seeking out property rentals in Hawthorne.

Big Apple Style

As mentioned, you're only about a 40-minute drive to New York City. No one wants to drive in New York City, however, so fortunately there's a train from Hawthorne to The Big Apple, which also only takes about 40 minutes.

Fighting for History

You already know your neighbors are hardcore, but just because you missed out on the "Stop Wal-Mart" movement doesn't mean you can't make a difference. Heck, go join the Volunteer Railroaders Association and save some historic railroad sites. That should be fun!