[28] The Skulski Art Gallery of the Polish Cultural Foundation of neighboring Clark has exhibited Linden-based artists.

Polish-American grocery specialty shop Pulaski Meats takes up nearly a city block.

[41][42] The east side of Linden is located along the Arthur Kill, a navigable strait which plays an important role in bulk cargo transportation in the Port of New York and New Jersey.

Together with Elizabeth, Linden is home to the Bayway Refinery, a Phillips 66 refining facility that helps supply petroleum-based products to the New York/New Jersey area, producing approximately 230,000 barrels per day (37,000 m3/d), making it the second-largest on the East Coast of the United States and one of the country's 25 largest facilities.

[50] By early 2008 most of the plant has been torn down for redevelopment by Duke Realty Corporation, which purchased the 100 acres (40 ha) site for $76.5 million.

[54] Congregation Anshe Chesed is a Modern Orthodox synagogue in the Sunnyside section that was founded in 1914.

[54] An eruv links the Sunnyside section of Linden to Roselle, Warinanco Park, the Jewish Educational Center of Elizabeth, and Hillside.

[6][74][75] As of 2024[update], the Mayor of Linden is Democrat Derek Armstead, whose term of office ends December 31, 2026.

[3] Members of the City Council are:[76][77][78][79][80][81] In June 2022, Christine Ann Hudak was appointed to fill the 10th Ward seat that had become vacant following the resignation of Gretchen M. Hickey.

[93][80] The 8th Ward seat expiring in December 2020 became vacant in January 2019 when Michele Yamakaitis took office as Council President.

The Democratic municipal committee chose Paul Coates to fill the vacancy, but Mayor Derek Armstead sought to keep the seat vacant until the November 2019 general election.

After a legal battle waged by the Linden Democratic municipal committee and its chairman Nicholas Scutari, a Superior Court judge ruled in May 2019 that Coates should be immediately seated to the council to serve until the November general election.

[94] In the November 2019 voting, Garret Blaine was elected to serve the balance of the term of office.

[95] In November 2015, the City Council selected Ralph Strano from a list of three candidates nominated by the Democratic municipal committee to fill the Seventh Ward seat expiring in December 2016 that had been held by Mike Minarchenko until his resignation from office the previous month; Strano served on an interim basis until the November 2016 general election,[96] when he was elected to serve the balance of the term of office.

[98] Rhashonna Cosby-Hurling became the first African American female elected to the City Council when she took office in 2011 to represent the Fifth Ward.

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

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

[107] For the 2024-2025 session, the 22nd legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Nicholas Scutari (D, Linden) and in the General Assembly by Linda S. Carter (D, Plainfield) and James J. Kennedy (D, Rahway).

[109] As of 2025[update], Union County's County Commissioners are: Rebecca Williams (D, Plainfield, 2025),[110] Joesph Bodek (D, Linden, 2026),[111] James E. Baker Jr. (D, Rahway, 2027),[112] Michele Delisfort (D, Union Township, 2026),[113] Sergio Granados (D, Elizabeth, 2025),[114] Bette Jane Kowalski (D, Cranford, 2025),[115] Vice Chair Lourdes M. Leon (D, Elizabeth, 2026),[116] Alexander Mirabella (D, Fanwood, 2027)[117] and Chair Kimberly Palmieri-Mouded (D, Westfield, 2027).

[118][119] Constitutional officers elected on a countywide basis are: Clerk Joanne Rajoppi (D, Union Township, 2025),[120][121] Sheriff Peter Corvelli (D, Kenilworth, 2026)[122][123] and Surrogate Christopher E. Hudak (D, Clark, 2027).

[126] Among the city's 2010 Census population, 53.1% (vs. 53.3% in Union County) were registered to vote, including 67.9% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 70.6% countywide).

[157] Saints Mary and Elizabeth Academy was a Catholic school serving students in Pre-K through 8th grade that operated under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark until its closure at the end of the 2013–2014 school year due to declining enrollment.

[162] Local public transportation is provided by NJ Transit with bus service to Elizabeth, Perth Amboy and Newark.

Trains travel northbound to Newark Penn Station, Secaucus Junction and New York Penn Station, and southbound towards the Trenton Transit Center, with connections available at those locations[165][166] Linden Airport is a small general aviation facility and reliever airport located on the eastern side of the city along U.S. Route 1/9.

The airport was constructed for the United States Navy in 1942 for use in development and testing of the Grumman F4F Wildcat and was taken over by the City of Linden after World War II.