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Add as a preferred sourceRockaway, NJ is in Morris County, New Jersey. That answer covers both Rockaways in North Jersey: Rockaway Borough and Rockaway Township. They share a name and the Rockaway post office, but they are two separate municipalities, each with its own mayor, council, police department and schools.
Here is a quick explainer on which Rockaway is which, the ZIP codes you will see on Rockaway addresses, and how to tell Rockaway, NJ apart from Rockaway Beach in Queens.
Morris County at a glance
Morris County is in northern New Jersey, west of New York City. It has 39 municipalities and had 509,285 residents in the 2020 Census. The county seat is Morristown, home to the historic Morris County Courthouse and the county government offices that serve both Rockaways.
Rockaway Borough vs. Rockaway Township
Rockaway Borough is the smaller of the two, a compact town built around its historic downtown. It covers about 2.1 square miles around Main Street, had 6,598 residents in the 2020 Census, and its Borough Hall is at 1 East Main Street. See our Rockaway Borough guide for offices and services.
Rockaway Township surrounds most of the Borough and is far larger. At about 46 square miles, it is the biggest municipality in Morris County by total area, with 25,341 residents in the 2020 Census. It includes White Meadow Lake, Mount Hope, Lake Telemark, Hibernia, Marcella and Green Pond, plus Rockaway Townsquare mall and part of Picatinny Arsenal. The Municipal Building is at 65 Mount Hope Road. See our Rockaway Township guide.
Because the names overlap, it is easy to mix them up. Your property taxes, trash pickup, police and local elections all depend on which of the two you live in, even if your mailing address simply says Rockaway, NJ 07866.
Rockaway NJ ZIP codes
All of Rockaway Borough uses ZIP code 07866. Rockaway Township does not have a ZIP code of its own. Most Township homes also use 07866, but because the Township is so large, some neighborhoods get mail through nearby post offices. According to U.S. Census Bureau ZIP code area data, parts of Rockaway Township fall in these ZIP codes:
- 07866 Rockaway, the main ZIP for both the Borough and most of the Township
- 07801 Dover, for Township areas near the Dover border
- 07885 Wharton, for Township areas near Wharton
- 07842 Hibernia, a small ZIP for the Hibernia section of the Township
- 07005 Boonton, for parts of the eastern Township
- 07435 Newfoundland, for parts of the northern Township near Green Pond
A tiny sliver of the Township also falls in Denville’s 07834 area. If you are unsure which town an address is in, check the property’s tax bill or call the Township at 973-627-7200 or the Borough at 973-627-2000.
Neighboring towns
Rockaway Borough borders only two towns: Rockaway Township and Denville. Rockaway Township borders Rockaway Borough, Boonton Township, Denville, Dover, Jefferson, Kinnelon, Randolph and Wharton in Morris County, plus West Milford in Passaic County.
Schools
Each town runs its own public schools through eighth grade. Rockaway Borough Public Schools operate Lincoln Elementary School and Thomas Jefferson Middle School, and Rockaway Township Public Schools operate five elementary schools and Copeland Middle School. For high school, both towns are part of the Morris Hills Regional District, which sends students to Morris Hills High School or Morris Knolls High School depending on address. Our guide to which high school Rockaway students attend explains the split.
Not Rockaway Beach, Queens
Search for Rockaway and you will often land on the Rockaways in Queens, New York City, including Rockaway Beach and Far Rockaway. Those neighborhoods sit on a peninsula along the Atlantic Ocean and are part of New York City. Rockaway, NJ is an inland Morris County community in the hills along Interstate 80 and Route 46, with no ocean beach. Rockaway News covers only Rockaway Borough and Rockaway Township in New Jersey.
Rockaway NJ county FAQ
What county is Rockaway NJ in?
Rockaway, NJ is in Morris County, New Jersey. Both Rockaway Borough and Rockaway Township are in Morris County, and the county seat is Morristown.
Are Rockaway Borough and Rockaway Township the same town?
No. They are two separate municipalities in Morris County, each with its own mayor, council, police department and school district. They share the name and the 07866 ZIP code.
What is the ZIP code for Rockaway NJ?
The main ZIP code is 07866, used by all of Rockaway Borough and most of Rockaway Township. Some Township areas use 07801 (Dover), 07885 (Wharton), 07842 (Hibernia), 07005 (Boonton) or 07435 (Newfoundland).
What is the county seat of Morris County?
Morristown is the county seat of Morris County.
Is Rockaway NJ near Rockaway Beach?
No. Rockaway Beach is in Queens, New York City. Rockaway, NJ is an inland community in Morris County, New Jersey.
More from Rockaway: planning your December? See our guide to Christmas and holiday events in Rockaway Borough and Rockaway Township, and check the Rockaway Events Calendar for what is coming up. Exploring the area? Our guide to things to do in Rockaway NJ covers parks, lakes, trails and history in both towns.
Top photo: Aerial view of Rockaway Borough, Rockaway Township, Denville and neighboring Morris County towns. Photo: Famartin / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
