Netcong's housing stock is dense and predominantly older, reflecting its late-nineteenth-century origins as a canal and railroad town. The borough's compact footprint contains a mix of single-family homes, many from the early twentieth century, along with multifamily and apartment options near the downtown and Route 46. Homes sit on small lots, and the overall density is high for the highlands region. The borough's modest scale and its rail access make it an accessible option within Morris County, with housing character rooted in its working, transit-oriented history rather than large-lot suburban development.

Netcong is a small, walkable borough whose neighborhoods cluster around Main Street, U.S. Route 46, and the downtown station. Lake Musconetcong forms the borough's western edge, with residential streets stepping back from the water and the adjacent Stanhope borough sharing the lakeshore. The compact grid of older homes gives the borough a unified, historic character, while the surrounding highlands landscape keeps Netcong distinct from the larger suburban towns to the east. This tight, lake-and-rail centered layout is central to the borough's identity.

Netcong's lifestyle blends lakeside recreation with small-town practicality. The borough's downtown, centered on Main Street and U.S. Route 46, holds local shops, restaurants, and the NJ Transit station, giving residents a walkable core with direct rail access. Lake Musconetcong brings boating and fishing into everyday life, while nearby Lake Hopatcong expands the water-based options. Community life revolves around the elementary school, churches, and borough events. The result is a compact, family-oriented setting in the northern New Jersey highlands, convenient to commuter rail and the region's lakes while retaining an unhurried, close-knit feel.

Netcong is served by the Netcong School District, which operates Netcong Elementary School for students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. The district is small and community-centered, and it participates in New Jersey's Interdistrict Public School Choice program. For high school, students attend Lenape Valley Regional High School, a regional district serving Netcong along with several Sussex County municipalities. This structure gives Netcong families a neighborhood school experience through middle school and a broader regional high school for secondary grades.

Netcong's transit access is a defining asset. The borough's NJ Transit station, located downtown at Main Street and U.S. Route 46, is served by the Morristown Line and the Montclair-Boonton Line, offering rail service toward New York and northern New Jersey. U.S. Route 46 runs directly through the borough, and nearby Interstate 80 provides highway access to the wider region. This combination of a walkable downtown station and major road connections makes Netcong a practical base for commuters across Morris, Sussex, and the New York metro area.

Lake Musconetcong is the heart of recreation in Netcong, offering boating, fishing, and a shared lakeshore with neighboring Stanhope. Just east, Lake Hopatcong — New Jersey's largest lake — expands the options with sailing, water sports, and lakeside dining, while Hopatcong State Park provides swimming, beaches, and picnic grounds. The Musconetcong River, a designated waterway, supports fishing and paddling in the surrounding valley. This combination of a local lake, a major regional lake, and river access makes Netcong a genuine outdoor recreation base in the northern highlands.