Formerly a bedroom suburb in the New York metropolitan area, it has become the urban center of 10 closely allied municipalities, with diversified industries, including printing and the manufacture of chemicals, clothing, electronic equipment, and vehicular parts.

In 1886, in an effort to publicize the climate, local newspaper publisher Thomas W. Morrison began to use the slogan "Colorado of the East" to promote Plainfield.

[39] Plainfield's history as a place to call home for the 19th and 20th century wealthy has led to a significant and preserved suburban architectural legacy.

An influx of Wall Street money led to the creation of what was called Millionaires' Row after the opening of the railway in the 19th century.

[40] There are numerous sites, including homes, parks, and districts in the city that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

From the tree-lines neighborhoods, it can be seen that the lot sizes vary, but the stateliness and distinction of each house is evident, whether a stately Queen Anne mansion or gingerbread cottage.

A Plainfield police officer was killed, about fifty people were injured, and several hundred thousand dollars of property was damaged by looting and arson.

[43] This civil unrest caused a massive white flight, characterized by the percentage of Black residents rising from 40% in 1970 to 60% a decade later.

Residents of nearby Union, Middlesex and Somerset counties would drive to shop and explore the business districts of Plainfield.

Other than during the holidays, peak shopping times Plainfield were Thursday nights and Saturday, when Front Street and the areas around it bustled.

Manufacturers of heavy goods included Chelsea Fan Corp., Mack Truck and National Starch and Chemical Corp. Plainfield Iron and Metal maintained a large scrapyard in the West End.

[2][3] Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the city include Netherwood.

Plainfield has a humid continental climate, characterized by brisk to cold winters and hot, muggy summers.

[72] In May 2018, Governor Phil Murphy signed a law that reinstated the program in these five cities and extended the expiration date in other zones.

[74] Events such as the Christmas Tree Lighting, the Queen City 5k, Fire Safety Fair, and Mayor's Wellness Walk take place in the Downtown each year.

Calvary Baptist Church began in 1897 among a group of Black congregants from Mount Olive, and celebrated its 120th anniversary in 2017 with a series of events.

[88][89][90] Nearby, Shiloh Baptist Church was founded in 1908, also by Mount Olive congregants, and offers many faith-based events to the community, including its Jazz for Jesus program.

[21] In his book Insurrection, Isaiah Tremaine, a Black Plainfield native, credits the influx of Latinos for breathing new life and energy into a city hurting from racism and racial strife in the 1970s.

[citation needed] The West End was once home to the Silk Palace, a barbershop at 216 Plainfield Avenue owned in part by funk music legend George Clinton, staffed by various members of Parliament-Funkadelic, and known as the "hangout for all the local singers and musicians" in Plainfield's 1950s and 1960s doo-wop, soul, rock and proto-funk music scene.

[107] Plainfield has been home to openly gay former New Jersey governor James McGreevey and his longtime partner, an Australian-American business executive.

[159][160] The governing body is comprised of a mayor and a seven-member city council, all of whom serve four-year terms in office.

[8] As of 2024[update], the Mayor of the City of Plainfield is Democrat Adrian O. Mapp, whose term of office ends December 31, 2025.

[170] For the 119th United States Congress, New Jersey's 12th congressional district is represented by Bonnie Watson Coleman (D, Ewing Township).

[173] 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).

[175] As of 2025[update], Union County's County Commissioners are: Rebecca Williams (D, Plainfield, 2025),[176] Joesph Bodek (D, Linden, 2026),[177] James E. Baker Jr. (D, Rahway, 2027),[178] Michele Delisfort (D, Union Township, 2026),[179] Sergio Granados (D, Elizabeth, 2025),[180] Bette Jane Kowalski (D, Cranford, 2025),[181] Vice Chair Lourdes M. Leon (D, Elizabeth, 2026),[182] Alexander Mirabella (D, Fanwood, 2027)[183] and Chair Kimberly Palmieri-Mouded (D, Westfield, 2027).

[184][185] Constitutional officers elected on a countywide basis are: Clerk Joanne Rajoppi (D, Union Township, 2025),[186][187] Sheriff Peter Corvelli (D, Kenilworth, 2026)[188][189] and Surrogate Christopher E. Hudak (D, Clark, 2027).

[229] Established in 1984, Koinonia Academy moved to Plainfield in 1997, where it serves students in Pre-K through twelfth grades and operates under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark.

Plainfield has two NJ Transit rail stations on the Raritan Valley Line, formerly the mainline of the Central Railroad of New Jersey.

[236] Solaris Health System, the nonprofit company that owns Muhlenberg Regional Medical Center, asked for permission to close the hospital.

The phony college's equally nonexistent football team had its scores carried by major newspapers including The New York Times before the hoax was discovered.