Bergen County Seat on the River
Welcome to Hackensack, Bergen County's seat and a diverse northern New Jersey city on the Hackensack River, anchored by a major medical center, a university campus, and a revitalizing downtown.
Hackensack sits on the Hackensack River in northeastern New Jersey, about a dozen miles west of Manhattan, and serves as the county seat of Bergen County. It is the county's most populous municipality, with roughly 46,000 residents, and one of the region's most ethnically diverse cities. Its location places it inside the New York metropolitan area's dense commuter belt, within easy reach of both Manhattan and the shopping and employment corridors of Paramus and the Meadowlands. The city's identity has long been tied to two institutions: county government and health care. As the county seat, Hackensack hosts the Bergen County government and courthouse complex, while Hackensack University Medical Center, the flagship of the Hackensack Meridian Health network, stands among the state's largest and best-known hospitals and is a dominant local employer. Fairleigh Dickinson University's Metropolitan Campus straddles the river between Hackensack and Teaneck, adding a higher-education presence that brings students and faculty into the city. Hackensack's built environment is compact and varied. A residential high-rise district runs along Prospect Avenue, anchored by apartment buildings convenient to the hospital, while single-family neighborhoods of mid-century colonials, Capes, and larger homes spread across the rest of the city. Downtown Main Street, once Bergen County's dominant retail corridor, has rebounded through a wave of redevelopment, mixing longtime businesses with new restaurants, apartments, and the Hackensack Performing Arts Center. The city's diversity is a defining trait, reflected in its restaurants, markets, and houses of worship, and it draws both long-time residents and newcomers seeking an urban feel with commuter convenience. NJ Transit rail and bus service connects Hackensack directly to New York Penn Station and midtown, and major highways such as Route 4, Route 17, and Interstate 80 frame the city. For households wanting city amenities, a major medical center, and a short commute without Manhattan prices, Hackensack is a practical, increasingly amenity-rich choice in northern New Jersey.
Hackensack is the county seat of Bergen County, New Jersey, located in the northeastern part of the state on the Hackensack River. It is the county's most populous municipality and sits roughly a dozen miles west of Manhattan.
Hackensack is served by Hackensack Public Schools, a pre-K through 12th grade district that operates elementary schools, a middle school, and Hackensack High School. The city also hosts part of Fairleigh Dickinson University's Metropolitan Campus along the Hackensack River.
Hackensack is about 12 miles west of midtown Manhattan. NJ Transit's Pascack Valley Line provides rail service to New York Penn Station via Secaucus Junction, and numerous bus routes run directly into the city, making it a practical base for commuters.
Hackensack University Medical Center, the flagship of the Hackensack Meridian Health network, is the city's defining employer. Government functions tied to the Bergen County seat, Fairleigh Dickinson University, and downtown retail and services also anchor the local economy.
Hackensack includes a residential high-rise district along Prospect Avenue, established single-family neighborhoods, and areas of larger homes near Summit Avenue. Downtown Main Street has undergone revitalization, adding restaurants, arts venues, and mixed-use development alongside the Hackensack Performing Arts Center.
City Guide
Hackensack's housing stock is unusually varied for a city its size. A mile-long residential high-rise district along Prospect Avenue supplies rental and condo apartment living near the hospital, while much of the rest of the city consists of established single-family homes, many built in the mid-20th century. Streets near Summit Avenue feature larger, more substantial houses, and other blocks hold colonials, Capes, and multi-family homes in a tight urban grid. The city has undergone a development wave, with new residential and mixed-use construction joining older stock, particularly downtown. This range means buyers can consider a modest single-family starter, a larger older home, a condominium, or a rental apartment, often at price points below Manhattan-facing commuter towns just to the east.
Hackensack's neighborhoods sit close together, blending residential and commercial uses. The Prospect Avenue corridor is the city's high-rise spine, a roughly mile-long stretch of apartment buildings convenient to Hackensack University Medical Center. The Fairmount section and other single-family blocks offer tree-lined streets and older suburban-scale homes, while the Summit Avenue area is known for larger residences. Downtown Hackensack runs along Main Street, where a revived retail and dining scene meets government buildings and the performing arts center. Along the Hackensack River, Foschini Park and the university's riverside campus add green, institutional anchors. The overall pattern is a compact, walkable city where different housing types and neighborhoods exist side by side.
Hackensack offers an urban-suburban mix with a distinctly diverse character. Downtown Main Street pairs longtime local businesses with an expanding set of restaurants, cafes, and bars reflecting the city's many communities, from Latin American and Mediterranean to soul food and Asian cuisine. The Hackensack Performing Arts Center anchors a growing arts presence, while the city's compact street grid keeps much of daily life walkable. The medical center and university bring an institutional energy, and the city's diversity shows up in its food, houses of worship, and community events. Residents can step from a single-family block into a dense commercial corridor within minutes, and Manhattan is a short train or bus ride away. That combination of urban convenience, cultural variety, and commuter access defines the Hackensack lifestyle.
Hackensack Public Schools serve students from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade, operating several elementary schools, a middle school, and Hackensack High School. The district reflects the city's diversity and includes magnet and specialized programming alongside its neighborhood schools. Families also choose among private and parochial options in the surrounding Bergen County area. Higher education is anchored by Fairleigh Dickinson University, whose Metropolitan Campus extends into Hackensack along the river, offering undergraduate and graduate programs with direct access to New York-area career opportunities. Bergen Community College and other regional institutions further expand the educational landscape within a short drive.
Hackensack is well connected by road and rail. NJ Transit's Pascack Valley Line stops in the city and reaches New York Penn Station via a transfer at Secaucus Junction, while numerous NJ Transit bus routes run directly into midtown Manhattan. Route 4 and Route 17 carry local and regional traffic, and Interstate 80 sits just to the north, linking to the George Washington Bridge and the wider interstate network. The city's compact layout and multiple transit options make it one of Bergen County's more convenient commuter bases, with Manhattan reachable in well under an hour door-to-door. For drivers, the nearby Garden State Parkway and New Jersey Turnpike extend access across the state and toward the Shore.
Foschini Park, a roughly 30-acre riverside green in downtown Hackensack, anchors the city's outdoor recreation with ballfields, open space, and river access, while Johnson Park offers additional fields and playgrounds that the city has been improving. The Hackensack River itself supports kayaking and riverside walking, with the Hackensack Riverkeeper advocating for its continued revitalization. Indoors, the Hackensack Performing Arts Center hosts theater, music, and community events, and the city's parks host seasonal programs and sports leagues. For broader recreation, the Meadowlands, Overpeck County Park, and the larger Bergen County park system lie a short drive away, while Manhattan's cultural amenities are a train ride from downtown.
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