[20] Garwood was incorporated as a borough on March 19, 1903, from portions of Cranford and Westfield Town.

[21] According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 0.65 square miles (1.68 km2), all of which was land.

[1][2] The borough is roughly bisected by the tracks of NJ Transit's Raritan Valley Line, originally built as part of the Jersey Central railroad.

[31] As of the 2000 United States census[15] there were 4,153 people, 1,731 households, and 1,125 families residing in the borough.

[6] The borough form of government used by Garwood is a "weak mayor / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie.

The mayor can veto ordinances subject to an override by a two-thirds majority vote of the council.

[33][34] As of 2025[update], the mayor of Garwood is Democrat Jen Blumenstock, whose term of office ends December 31, 2026.

Petruzzelli had been appointed to fill the seat that had originally been held by Heather Loffredo until she stepped down from office in September 2022.

[39] In January 2019, the borough council selected Russell Graham from a list of three candidates nominated by the Democratic municipal committee to fill the seat expiring in December 2020 that became vacant when Sara Todisco took office as mayor.

[43][44][45] For the 119th United States Congress, New Jersey's 10th congressional district is represented by LaMonica McIver (D, Newark).

[47] 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).

[49] As of 2025[update], Union County's County Commissioners are: Rebecca Williams (D, Plainfield, 2025),[50] Joesph Bodek (D, Linden, 2026),[51] James E. Baker Jr. (D, Rahway, 2027),[52] Michele Delisfort (D, Union Township, 2026),[53] Sergio Granados (D, Elizabeth, 2025),[54] Bette Jane Kowalski (D, Cranford, 2025),[55] Vice Chair Lourdes M. Leon (D, Elizabeth, 2026),[56] Alexander Mirabella (D, Fanwood, 2027)[57] and Chair Kimberly Palmieri-Mouded (D, Westfield, 2027).

[58][59] Constitutional officers elected on a countywide basis are: Clerk Joanne Rajoppi (D, Union Township, 2025),[60][61] Sheriff Peter Corvelli (D, Kenilworth, 2026)[62][63] and Surrogate Christopher E. Hudak (D, Clark, 2027).

[66] Among the borough's 2010 Census population, 63.5% (vs. 53.3% in Union County) were registered to vote, including 78.7% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 70.6% countywide).

Drivers and EMTs on the squad also answer calls for mutual aid when an ambulance is needed in other towns where one is not available.

[86] Route 28 is the main highway through Garwood, connecting east to Cranford and west to Westfield.

Route 59, which borders Cranford to the east, has been described as the shortest four-lane paved highway in the United States.

It was built in the late 1920s, numbered Route 22 at the time and was originally planned to run from Fairfield Township to Rahway, but was never completed.

[87] The Garwood station offers limited NJ Transit rail service on the Raritan Valley Line.