Housing in Rockaway Township is defined by its lake communities. Much of the stock consists of single-family homes on wooded, often irregularly shaped lots, with many properties built in the mid-20th century as the lake developments matured. White Meadow Lake offers the largest concentration of homes, many within walking distance of the lake and community beach, while smaller enclaves such as Green Pond and Lake Telemark provide quieter, more wooded settings. Because the township remains substantially undeveloped open space, new construction is limited, and buyers generally choose among established homes that reflect the area's growth from the 1950s onward.

Rockaway Township is organized around named lake communities. White Meadow Lake, the largest, is a 141-acre lake ringed by a full residential community with its own beach and club facilities, and it accounts for the largest share of the township's population. Mount Hope, set in the township's southern end, is an older mining-era village with deep historical roots. Lake Telemark and Green Pond are smaller lakeside communities with a more secluded feel, while Hibernia, Marcella, Split Rock, Stony Brook, and Birchwood add further variety of wooded and waterfront settings. The borough of Rockaway sits as a separate municipality near the township's center, so residents shop and commute across the two towns' boundaries.

Life in Rockaway Township revolves around the lakes and the outdoors. Residents of the lake communities swim, boat, and fish through community beaches and docks, and the township maintains a full calendar of recreation programs. Rockaway Townsquare, one of Morris County's larger retail centers, sits at the township's edge and anchors everyday shopping alongside the smaller downtown of Rockaway Borough. The nearby Pyramid Mountain Natural Historic Area and the township's own thousands of acres of parkland provide hiking and open space. With a strong mix of families drawn by the schools and lake amenities, the township has a community-oriented, suburban-highlands feel.

Public education in Rockaway Township runs through two districts. The Rockaway Township School District serves students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade, with its central office in Hibernia. For high school, students attend the Morris Hills Regional High School District, which operates Morris Hills High School in Rockaway and Morris Knolls High School in Denville and serves Rockaway Township along with Denville, Rockaway Borough, and Wharton. Families should verify school assignments by address, as the regional district splits students between its two high schools.

Rockaway Township is tied into northern New Jersey's highway network by Interstate 80, which crosses the township, and Route 15, the main north-south corridor that also serves Picatinny Arsenal. Commuter rail is available a short drive away at NJ Transit stations in Dover and Denville, with direct service to Hoboken and New York City, and NJ Transit and Lakeland buses provide additional options. Within the township, most travel is by car, reflecting the spread-out, lake-oriented layout of its neighborhoods.

Outdoor recreation is central to Rockaway Township, which holds thousands of acres of public open space. The lakes — White Meadow Lake, Green Pond, Lake Telemark, and others — support swimming, fishing, and boating through community facilities, while Parks Lake hosts summer concerts and seasonal skating. The township's parks department runs sports leagues and programs for youth and adults. Just beyond the township, Pyramid Mountain Natural Historic Area and the larger Morris County park system add hiking trails and preserves, making the township a base for highlands recreation.