Lambertville's housing stock is among the most historic in Hunterdon County. The city is known for its preserved Federal townhouses and Victorian-era homes, many built in the nineteenth century, often on narrow lots close to the river and canal. Row homes and compact single-family houses line the tree-shaded streets of the older core, while a few larger properties sit on the town's edges. This architectural character is a defining part of Lambertville's appeal and identity, and it contributes to a residential feel that is denser and more walkable than most of surrounding Hunterdon County.

Lambertville's neighborhoods follow the city's geography: the historic downtown along Bridge, Main, and Union streets is the commercial and cultural heart, while residential streets climb the hillside west of Route 29 and spread toward the canal and the West Amwell border. The riverfront and towpath form the eastern edge, with homes and shops oriented toward the water. The city is small enough that most neighborhoods are within walking distance of downtown, reinforcing the town's pedestrian character.

Lambertville is widely described as New Jersey's art and antique capital. Its downtown holds galleries, antique dealers, and independent shops concentrated along Bridge, Main, and Union streets, plus more than forty restaurants and cafes. The Lambertville Station Restaurant and Inn occupies a restored nineteenth-century train station, and the riverside setting draws diners, cyclists, and strollers. Seasonal events, gallery walks, and constant foot traffic across the New Hope bridge give the city a year-round creative energy, while the surrounding countryside keeps it connected to Hunterdon County's rural character.

Lambertville is served by the South Hunterdon Regional School District, which includes Lambertville Public School for pre-kindergarten through sixth grade and South Hunterdon Regional Middle/High School for grades seven through twelve. The district also serves West Amwell Township and neighboring communities, keeping class sizes small, with fewer than a thousand students enrolled district-wide. The regional structure gives Lambertville families a full public K-12 pathway within the local area.

Lambertville is reached via Route 29, which follows the Delaware River through Hunterdon County, and is a short distance from Route 202 and Route 31. The New Hope-Lambertville Bridge connects directly to Pennsylvania, and the surrounding road network links the city to Trenton, Princeton, and the Philadelphia region, with the New York metro area accessible to the northeast. The D&R Canal towpath provides a popular off-road walking and cycling route through town.

The Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park is Lambertville's principal recreational resource. The canal's towpath runs through the heart of the city and provides a flat, shaded route for walking, running, and cycling, connecting Lambertville to the broader canal corridor. The Delaware River offers paddling, fishing, and riverside views, with public boat access in the area. The city's compact downtown and riverside, plus nearby Hunterdon County parkland and the New Hope waterfront across the bridge, round out the local outdoor options.