Cranford was incorporated as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 14, 1871, from portions of the Townships of Clark, Linden, Springfield, Union and Westfield. Portions of the township were taken to form Garwood and Kenilworth .
New Jersey Monthly magazine ranked Cranford as its 37th best place to live in its 2008 rankings of the "Best Places To Live" in New Jersey.
As of the census of 2000, there were 22,578 people, 8,397 households, and 6,222 families residing in the township. The population density was 4,684.2 people per square mile (1,808.6/km²). There were 8,560 housing units at an average density of 1,775.9/sq mi (685.7/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 93.70% White, 2.58% Black or African American, 0.04% Native American, 2.15% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.67% from other races, and 0.84% from two or more races. 3.89% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 8,397 households out of which 32.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.0% were married couples living together, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.9% were non-families. 21.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.09.
In the township the population was spread out with 23.3% under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 29.4% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 17.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 90.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.2 males.
According to a 2007 estimate, the median income for a household in the township was $99,281, and the median income for a family was $114,738. Males had a median income of $60,757 versus $41,020 for females. The per capita income for the township was $33,283. About 1.0% of families and 2.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.5% of those under age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over.
According to the 2007 estimate, the racial makeup of the township in 2007 was 91.50% White, 3.40% Black or African American, 3.10% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.40% from other races, and 0.60% from two or more races. 3.80% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
The Cranford station offers service on the New Jersey Transit Raritan Valley Line, formerly the mainline of the Central Railroad of New Jersey. NJ Transit also provides bus service on the 112 and 113 routes to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York City and on the 59 and 66 to Newark. The 56, 57 and 58 routes provide local service.
Newark Liberty International Airport is approximately 13 minutes away in Newark/Elizabeth. Linden Airport, a general aviation facility, is in nearby Linden, New Jersey.
The southern section of the township is bisected by Conrail's freight-only Lehigh Line (jointly owned by CSX and Norfolk Southern) along the tracks of the former Lehigh Valley Railroad. The former Staten Island Railway connects with the Raritan Valley Line in Cranford. That line has been rehabilitated but is still inactive.
The Garden State Parkway passes through Cranford, with access at Exit 136 for County Route 607 and Exit 137 for Route 28. Exit 136 is known as the "four corners", where Clark, Winfield, Cranford and Linden meet.
Cranford has a long history of competitive and award winning youth sports programs.
Cranford recently erected lights at the local football field and Friday night football games have become a staple of town nightlife.
Cranford has an active recreational program for residents. With many local parks and county parks, Nomahegan, Lenape, Unami, and Rahway River Parkway, Cranford residents are regular fixtures in walking, running, biking and playground usage. The Rahway River, which runs through the community, is a regular for fishing and the Cranford Canoe Club is a historic spot where residents rent canoes to use on the river. Many homes located on the river have canoes in the backyards and docks on the river.
A 13.5 mile bike path runs through the township, connecting major points of interest. It was built with in 1982 as part of a fuel-conservation program with funds from the Federal Housing Administration. As a result, there are bike lockers in the town center and at the train station, recreational facilities, schools and the library. The path features exercise stations around its two mile course through Nomahegan Park. Township officials are currently discussing plans to erect a skatepark in the township. The township also hosts a section of the East Coast Greenway which will run between Calais, Maine and Key West, Florida.
Cranford's Department of Recreation and Parks sponsors many recreational programs during the course of the year. These include classes, fairs, and sports. Senior citizens in Cranford have many programs for them provided through the Recreation Department. Many of these programs are housed in the Cranford Community Center. The Recreation Department sponsors a summer playground program for township youth.
The township also owns Cranford West, a 9 acre tract of land located 60 miles from the town on the banks of Silver Lake in Hope, New Jersey. This campground is open exclusively to Cranford residents during the summer, and features renovated cabins, canoes, a floating dock, picnic benches, as well as restroom and shower facilities.
Cranford has two public swimming pools, which residents can join for the summer. The Orange Avenue Pool, on the north side of town, is an outdoor only pool with a large pool with areas for children, general usage and diving. The pool also has a baby pool, a playground, beach volleyball court, and tennis courts, in addition to playing fields and extensive grounds. There are summer recreational programs for children and a popular snack stand.
Centennial Avenue Pool, on the south side of town, is both an outdoor and indoor pool. The outdoor pool has separate children, general, and diving pools. There are tennis courts, volleyball and fields, along with a playground and baby pool. There are summer recreational programs for children and a snack stand. The indoor pool is a lap pool, which is used by the high school swim team and the Jersey Gators Swim Team, along with use by the general membership. The indoor complex includes fitness rooms, basketball and a sauna.
The Cranford Swim Club is an outdoor private facility. Established as a private swim club, with a family focus, the club offers a pool with diving area and slide. There is a lap swimming area, popular grill and a popular tennis club.
There are baseball fields throughout the community, along with soccer fields and other playing grounds. Many of these fields are located on school grounds. Memorial Field, which is located behind Centennial Avenue Pool, contains the township football field, running track, and baseball fields. The track, named after longtime Cranford High School Cross Country and Track Coach Ray White, was renovated recently in order to allow for a new state of the art facility, which can host regional and statewide track contests.
Cranford is host to a series of annual community events. These include:
Cranford's 125th Anniversary Celebration, in 1996 was a year-long community celebration. With a series of events to tie the town together, Cranford residents learned about the town's first 125 years. Celebrations included a parade, street fairs, and a celebratory banquet. Banquet attendees were encouraged to wear clothes from 1871.
1997 marked the 100th anniversary of the Cranford Police Department. This anniversary was marked by special events, including a parade and the publication of an anniversary book. A store in downtown Cranford was used to sell memorabilia from the Police Department anniversary. Commemorative bricks were sold around the gazebo in Mayor's Park for township residents to leave a mark on the township. Governor of New Jersey Christine Todd Whitman marched in the anniversary parade.
For those interested in the arts, the CDC (Cranford Dramatic Club) Community Theatre is a 300-seat community theater that sponsors award-winning musicals and plays year-round. More information, including subscriptions, can be found at the Theatre's website.