Fanwood is a primarily residential suburban borough in the county of Union. Its small size of 1.29 square miles holds a population of about 7,200 people. In 1996, the average sales price of a one-family home here was $186,742. The majority of resident occupations are in the professional/ management/administrative fields.

Fanwood shares schools with its sister town, Scotch Plains. Together their residents enjoy five elementary schools, two middle schools and one high school. Average elementary school class size is 20.6.

Public commuter transportation in Fanwood is available by N.J.Transit with commuter rail service and three bus routes within Fanwood itself, and two additional bus routes close to the Borough. The former Jersey Central Railroad, now part of the New Jersey Transit system, provides commuter rail service at Fanwood Station between High Bridge to the west and Newark and New York to the
east. Service includes about twenty-five trains on weekdays, eighteen on Saturdays and thirteen on Sundays.

Fanwood Zip Codes are 07023 and 07076.