Essex Fells is defined by its estate-style housing stock rather than by subdivisions. The borough was laid out in the early 1900s with curving, tree-lined roads and large lots, and that pattern endures. Homes typically sit on parcels of roughly a half-acre to an acre, and the borough's master planning has emphasized keeping new construction in scale with surrounding properties to preserve neighborhood character. The result is a streetscape of large, often custom or historic homes set well apart, with mature landscaping and limited density. This is a low-turnover, exclusively residential market suited to buyers seeking privacy, generous lot sizes, and a gracious suburban setting.

Essex Fells is small enough that residents and agents describe it by road, setting, and lot character rather than by formal neighborhood names. The borough borders or sits near Caldwell, North Caldwell, Roseland, Verona, West Caldwell, and West Orange, and it draws services and amenities from these surrounding communities. Caldwell provides the nearest downtown for shopping and dining, while Montclair offers a larger restaurant, arts, and transit scene a short drive away. This arrangement lets Essex Fells remain a purely residential enclave while keeping everyday conveniences and regional culture close at hand.

Life in Essex Fells is deliberately quiet. The borough is almost entirely residential, with no commercial strip of its own, so errands, dining, and entertainment happen in neighboring Caldwell, Montclair, and the surrounding Essex County towns. The community gathers around its school and around Grover Cleveland Park, a wooded Essex County park that hosts seasonal events and sits along the Caldwell border. The estate-like streetscapes, mature trees, and unhurried pace give the borough a distinctly private, country feel despite its proximity to Manhattan. It appeals to residents who want space, seclusion, and a small-school community within commuting distance of New York.

Essex Fells has a notably local, small-school education pathway. The Essex Fells School District operates Essex Fells School, a public elementary school enrolling pre-kindergarten through sixth grade, with a total enrollment of roughly 260 students and small class sizes. After sixth grade, students attend the West Essex Regional School District, which serves Essex Fells, Fairfield, North Caldwell, and Roseland, with West Essex Middle School for grades seven and eight and West Essex High School for grades nine through twelve. This structure keeps early schooling within walking distance for many families while providing a full regional secondary program, and the district is consistently regarded as a strong draw for the community.

Essex Fells has no train station of its own, so commuters to New York typically drive to NJ TRANSIT stations in nearby towns such as Montclair on the Morris & Essex Lines, with service to Hoboken and New York Penn Station. The borough sits roughly 20 miles from Manhattan, though drive and transit times vary with traffic and route. Regional highways, including Interstate 280 and the Garden State Parkway, are reachable in surrounding communities, providing access to the broader northern New Jersey network and Newark Liberty International Airport. Local bus service and park-and-ride options round out the commuting choices for residents.

Grover Cleveland Park anchors outdoor life in Essex Fells. This heavily wooded park of about 41 acres along the Caldwell border is part of the Essex County park system and is named for President Grover Cleveland, who was born in nearby Caldwell. It offers walking paths and open space and hosts community events through the year. Beyond the borough, the Essex County park system provides larger destinations such as South Mountain Reservation and other preserves within a short drive, while the Watchung foothills and nearby towns add trails, golf, and community recreation. The borough's own streets, with their mature trees and quiet lanes, are themselves a place for walking and riding.