Located on a ridge in northern-central New Jersey, Berkeley Heights is a commuter town of New York City in the New York metropolitan area, nestled within the Raritan Valley region and also bordering both Morris and Somerset counties in the Passaic Valley region.

On November 6, 1951, the name of the township was changed to Berkeley Heights, based on the results of a referendum held that day.

[27] The Lenape Native Americans were known to inhabit the region, including the area now known as Berkeley Heights, dating back to the 1524 voyage of Giovanni da Verrazzano to what is now Lower New York Bay.

It included homes for workers and their families, dormitories, orchards, a post office and a general store with a second floor church.

Deserted Village is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is undergoing restoration by the Union County Parks Department.

[29] Deserted Village, in the Watchung Reservation, is open daily for unguided walking tours during daylight hours.

The origin of the township's name has never been fully established, but is believed to have been taken from an area of town that was referred to by this moniker, which itself was assumed to be derived from Lord John Berkeley, who was co-proprietor of New Jersey from 1664 to 1674.

Until 1941, when the American Telephone and Telegraph Company built the AT&T Bell Laboratories research facility in the township, it was a sleepy farming and resort community.

[18] Berkeley Heights is host to a traditional religious procession and feast carried out by members of Our Lady of Mt.

It remained in operation until 1963, and remnants of the site are located adjacent to Governor Livingston High School.

[38] Another early Berkeley Heights community of note is the 67-acre (270,000 m2) Free Acres, established in 1910 by Bolton Hall, a New York entrepreneur and reformer who believed in the idea of Henry George, the economist, of single taxation, under which residents pay tax to the community, which, in turn, pays a lump sum to the municipality.

[39][40][41] Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Benders Corners, Glenside Park, Stony Hill and Union Village.

A memorial to the victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks adjoins a wooded area alongside Park Avenue, just southwest of downtown.

[64] In 2003, Summit Medical Group signed a lease[65] to build its main campus on the site of the former D&B Corporation headquarters located on Diamond Hill Road.

[66] Musical groups from Berkeley Heights include the alternative rock band, BEDlight for BlueEYES.

[71] As of 2025[update], the Mayor of Berkeley Heights is Democrat Angie D. Devanney, whose term of office ends on December 31, 2026.

[80][81][82] For the 119th United States Congress, New Jersey's 7th congressional district is represented by Thomas Kean Jr. (R, Westfield).

[84] For the 2024-2025 session, the 21st legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Jon Bramnick (R, Westfield) and in the General Assembly by Michele Matsikoudis (R, New Providence) and Nancy Munoz (R, Summit).

[86] As of 2025[update], Union County's County Commissioners are: Rebecca Williams (D, Plainfield, 2025),[87] Joesph Bodek (D, Linden, 2026),[88] James E. Baker Jr. (D, Rahway, 2027),[89] Michele Delisfort (D, Union Township, 2026),[90] Sergio Granados (D, Elizabeth, 2025),[91] Bette Jane Kowalski (D, Cranford, 2025),[92] Vice Chair Lourdes M. Leon (D, Elizabeth, 2026),[93] Alexander Mirabella (D, Fanwood, 2027)[94] and Chair Kimberly Palmieri-Mouded (D, Westfield, 2027).

[95][96] Constitutional officers elected on a countywide basis are: Clerk Joanne Rajoppi (D, Union Township, 2025),[97][98] Sheriff Peter Corvelli (D, Kenilworth, 2026)[99][100] and Surrogate Christopher E. Hudak (D, Clark, 2027).

[103] Among the township's 2010 Census population, 68.8% (vs. 53.3% in Union County) were registered to vote, including 94.2% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 70.6% countywide).

[132][133] Governor Livingston provides programs for deaf, hard of hearing and cognitively-impaired students in the district and those who are enrolled from all over north-central New Jersey who attend on a tuition basis.

[138] The most significant highway serving Berkeley Heights is Interstate 78, which runs from New York City to Pennsylvania.

Berkeley Heights is also in close proximity of the Summit station, which provides frequent commuter rail service to New York City.

Freight rail transportation had been provided by Norfolk Southern via off-peak use of New Jersey Transit's Gladstone Branch line until a final run on November 7, 2008, after 126 years of service.

The Berkeley Heights plant of Reheis Chemical located on Snyder Avenue was the last freight customer on the Gladstone Branch, receiving shipments of hydrochloric acid.

[141] Newark Liberty International Airport is approximately 18 miles (29 km) east of Berkeley Heights.

The all-volunteer Rescue Squad provides emergency medical services to the township seven days per week.

As of April 2019, the squad had 60 riding members including college and high school students of which 32 are certified EMTs.

[147] In addition to fire suppression, the department has members trained to respond to technical rescue and hazardous materials releases.