Denville's housing stock reflects its lake-community origins. Many homes began as early-20th-century lake cottages that have been expanded or replaced over time, joined by mid-century colonials, ranches, and newer construction. Lakefront and lake-access properties around Indian Lake, Cedar Lake, Rock Ridge, and Lake Estling are a defining feature, often with beach club or boating rights. In-town neighborhoods near Broadway offer walkable, established streets. The township's variety spans compact cottages to larger family homes, appealing to commuters, downsizers, and lake-oriented buyers alike.

Denville's identity is organized around its lakes. Indian Lake, Cedar Lake, Rock Ridge, Lake Estling, Lake Arrowhead, and Openaka Lake each anchor distinct lakefront neighborhoods, many with their own beach and community associations. The downtown area along Broadway and Diamond Spring Road provides the township's commercial core, while hillside and wooded streets fill in between. Neighboring communities include Rockaway to the north, Mountain Lakes and Parsippany to the east and south, and Randolph to the west, placing Denville near several Morris County employment and retail centers.

Denville offers a lake-oriented suburban lifestyle with an unusually walkable downtown. Residents swim and boat at neighborhood lake clubs, fish from local shores, and gather for community events on and around the water. Broadway's restaurants, bakeries, and shops give the township a genuine main-street feel, and the train station puts New York City within reach for commuters. The community is family-focused, with strong schools, recreation programs, and lake associations that preserve the township's summer-community character year-round.

Denville Township School District serves students in kindergarten through eighth grade across its elementary schools and middle school. For grades nine through twelve, Denville students attend Morris Knolls High School in the Morris Hills Regional High School District, shared with Rockaway Township. The arrangement gives families neighborhood elementary and middle schools followed by a large regional high school, a structure common in Morris County and a key consideration for families evaluating the township.

Denville is a notable commuter-rail junction. The Denville station is where NJ Transit's Morristown Line and Montclair-Boonton Line converge, with Midtown Direct service to New York Penn Station in roughly 75 minutes. The station's central location and parking make it a hub for western Morris County. By road, Route 46, Route 10, and Route 53 provide local and regional access, with Interstate 80 nearby for travel toward the George Washington Bridge and points west. The township's rail and road links make it a practical base for New York and Morris County commuters.

Denville's lakes are its primary recreation. Indian Lake, Cedar Lake, Rock Ridge, and Lake Estling support swimming, boating, and fishing, with many neighborhoods maintaining private beaches and clubs. The township's parks offer ball fields, playgrounds, and open space, and the nearby Rockaway River and Tourne County Park add hiking and nature trails. Preserved woodland such as Jonathans Woods protects the township's natural character. For residents, lake access is not just a seasonal amenity but the defining feature of life in Denville.