[21] thimb|left|Frank M. Leo Associates Building in downtown Bloomfield The earliest settlers of the area were the Lenape Native Americans.

From the 1690s to about the 1720s, much of the northern and eastern land was sold to descendants of New Netherland colonists who had settled Acquackanonk, and the remainder mostly to English families.

Speertown (now Upper Montclair), Stone House Plains (now Brookdale), and Second River (now Belleville and Nutley) were essentially Dutch and Jersey Dutch-speaking, while Cranetown, Watsessing, and the Morris Neighborhood (now North Center) were predominantly English.

[22] No significant engagements occurred in Bloomfield, although the locale was on the Continental Army's retreat route after the Battle of Long Island; British and American troops conducted foraging operations; and General George Washington is believed to have visited at least two residences.

[27] At the time, the Presbyterian parish's namesake was governor of New Jersey and had recently been appointed brigadier general for service in the looming War of 1812.

[28][29][30] At the time it was incorporated, the township covered 20.52 sq mi (53.1 km2) (almost four times its current area of 5.3 sq mi (14 km2)) and included several municipalities which were formed from portions of Bloomfield during the course of the nineteenth century, including Belleville (created on April 8, 1839), Montclair (April 15, 1868), Woodside Township (March 24, 1869) and Glen Ridge (February 13, 1895).

[35][36][37][38][39] In the 20th century, GE, Westinghouse and Schering built major facilities, and among others, the Charms Candy Company was started and grew.

In the decades after the war, the township's industrial base steadily shut down with stricter environmental regulations, rising labor costs, and growing competition.

These influences, as well as construction of the Garden State Parkway, further drove urban decay and related population turnover and stagnation through the latter part of the 20th century.

In the early 21st century, redevelopment of blighted and underutilized properties has further shifted Bloomfield towards being a primarily residential municipality.

[42] Watsessing and Ampere North are CDPs in the southern part of the township that were first listed prior to the 2020 census.

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Halycon.

[6][72] Bloomfield's charter retains most of the characteristics of the Town form, with additional powers delegated to an administrator.

[73] As of 2025[update], the Mayor of Bloomfield is Democrat Jenny Mundell, who was elected to fill the balance of the term of office ending December 31, 2025.

Members of the Bloomfield Township Council are Sarah Cruz (D, 2026; Third Ward), Wartyna "Nina" Davis (D, 2025; at-large), Rosalee Gonzalez (D, 2026; First Ward, appointed to serve an unexpired term), Nicholas Joanow (D, 2026; Second Ward), Widney Polynice (D, 2025; at-large, appointed to serve an unexpired term) and Monica Charris Tabares (D, 2025; at-large, elected to serve an unexpired term).

Both will serve on an interim based until the November 2025 general election, when voters will choose candidates to fill the balance of the terms of office.

[76] In January 2018, the Township Council selected Richard Rockwell from a list of three candidates nominated by the Democratic municipal committee to fill the at-large seat expiring in December 2019 that had been vacated the previous month by Carlos Pomares who resigned from office to serve on the Essex County Board of Chosen Freeholders.

[83] The Township Council selected Jenny Mundell to fill the vacant First Ward seat expiring in December 2017 that had been held by Elias N. Chalet until he resigned from office after being charged with accepting $15,000 in bribes in exchange for making sure that the township would proceed with the acquisition of a commercial property.

[93][94] Prior to the 2010 Census, Bloomfield had been part of the 8th Congressional District, a change made by the New Jersey Redistricting Commission that took effect in January 2013, based on the results of the November 2012 general elections.

[95] For the 119th United States Congress, New Jersey's 11th congressional district is represented by Mikie Sherrill (D, Montclair).

[97] For the 2024-2025 session, the 34th legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Britnee Timberlake (D, East Orange) and in the General Assembly by Carmen Morales (D, Belleville) and Michael Venezia (D, Bloomfield).

As of 2025[update], the County Executive is Joseph N. DiVincenzo Jr. (D, Roseland), whose four-year term of office ends December 31, 2026.

[100] Essex County's Commissioners are: Robert Mercado (D, District 1 – Newark's North and East Wards, parts of Central and West Wards; Newark, 2026),[101] A'Dorian Murray-Thomas (D, District 2 – Irvington, Maplewood and parts of Newark's South and West Wards; Newark, 2026),[102] Vice President Tyshammie L. Cooper (D, District 3 - Newark: West and Central Wards; East Orange, Orange and South Orange; East Orange, 2026),[103] Leonard M. Luciano (D, District 4 – Caldwell, Cedar Grove, Essex Fells, Fairfield, Livingston, Millburn, North Caldwell, Roseland, Verona, West Caldwell and West Orange; West Caldwell, 2026),[104] President Carlos M. Pomares (D, District 5 – Belleville, Bloomfield, Glen Ridge, Montclair and Nutley; Bloomfield, 2026),[105] Brendan W. Gill (D, at large; Montclair, 2026),[106] Romaine Graham (D, at large; Irvington, 2026),[107] Wayne Richardson (D, at large; Newark, 2026),[108] Patricia Sebold (D, at-large; Livingston, 2026).

[150] Saint Thomas the Apostle Parish School, which serves grades K–8, is operated under the supervision of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark.

The Rowe Street station was served by the Boonton Line until September 2002, when it was closed as part of the addition of Midtown Direct service to the township.

Freight service was discontinued in 2010 by Norfolk Southern with the loss of the last remaining shipper Hartz Mountain.

[168] In October 2009, the Go Bus 28 route was introduced, offering service nearly all day from Bloomfield Train Station to Newark Liberty International Airport.

In 1942, the Westinghouse Lamp Plant in Bloomfield produced the majority of uranium metal used in the Chicago Pile-1, the world's first self-sustaining chain reaction which was a critical early phase of the Manhattan Project to create the first atomic bomb.

[173] On January 29, 2023, at 3 a.m. a person in a ski mask threw a lit Molotov cocktail at Temple Ner Tamid, in an apparent attempt to burn down the synagogue that was unsuccessful, with no damage done to the building.

[174] On February 1, a 26-year-old man was arrested and charged with one federal count of "attempted use of fire to damage a building", which could result in 20 years in jail and a fine of up to $250,000 if he is convicted of the crime.