Union Township's housing stock is largely mid-20th-century suburban: a mix of Cape Cods, ranches, split-levels, and colonials built as the township developed in the post-war decades, alongside older homes in its established sections and a smaller share of newer construction and townhome developments. The Vauxhall section and areas along the Route 22 corridor are frequently cited as more attainable entry points, while neighborhoods near Kean University and Union Station include both single-family streets and higher-density residential options. Galloping Hill Golf Course borders a residential pocket, and many homes sit on modest, established lots with mature trees. Because the township is fully developed and close to major highways, the market tends toward traditional suburban homes and multifamily options rather than large-lot or new-build communities, with commuting convenience a defining draw.

Union Township is organized into several recognizable sections. Vauxhall, in the township's northeast, is one of its oldest residential areas and a frequent reference point for buyers, with its own commercial strip and a mix of older homes. Five Points, near the convergence of major roads, serves as a busy crossroads. Green Lane and Fairway Drive are newer, quieter residential pockets, the latter bordering Galloping Hill Golf Course. The area around Kean University and Union Station combines campus facilities with surrounding residential streets. Along Route 22, the township's commercial corridor runs continuously, while the western edge approaches the wooded slopes of the Watchung Reservation. Each section shares the township's defining traits of density, convenience, and established suburban character rather than a single concentrated downtown.

Union Township's daily life blends the academic energy of Kean University with a long-established suburban community. Liberty Hall Museum and its grounds provide a cultural anchor, while the Union County Performing Arts Center and the township's own recreation programs bring performances and events close to home. The Route 22 corridor supplies the township's commercial spine, lined with retail, dining, and services that serve both residents and surrounding towns. Dining reflects the region's diversity, with long-standing Italian-American institutions alongside Latin American, Portuguese, and other cuisines. The township's density and proximity to Newark, Elizabeth, and New York keep it connected and busy, yet its residential streets, parks, and community programming retain a neighborhood feel that appeals to families, university staff, and commuters alike.

Public education in Union Township is provided by the Township of Union Public Schools, which operates the township's elementary and middle schools, including Franklin Elementary School and Burnet Middle School, along with Union High School. The district serves a large and diverse student population across several buildings distributed through the township's neighborhoods. Kean University, with its main campus and Liberty Hall campus in Union, anchors higher education and offers continuing-education and community partnerships with the township. Families weighing different parts of Union will find school enrollment tied to neighborhood zones, and the district's central role in community life is reinforced by strong athletics, arts, and extracurricular programs. The presence of a public university inside the township also supports academic and cultural resources not typical of a similarly sized suburb.

Union Township is one of Union County's best-connected communities. NJ Transit's Raritan Valley Line stops at Union Station, offering rail service toward Newark Penn Station and, on peak trains, direct service into New York Penn Station, with multiple NJ Transit bus routes supplementing the rail network. By car, the Garden State Parkway, Interstate 78, and Route 22 run through or alongside the township, putting Newark Liberty International Airport, Port Newark, and Manhattan within a short drive. Route 22 doubles as the township's major commercial corridor, while local arterials link the residential sections. The combination of rail, bus, and highway access is a primary reason commuters choose Union, though the same highways mean traffic is a familiar part of daily life. Parking is generally available at the station and in residential areas, supporting a car-plus-rail commuting pattern.

Union Township offers more than twenty municipal parks and recreation facilities, providing playgrounds, sports fields, tennis and basketball courts, and walking trails across the township. Galloping Hill Golf Course, a Union County facility, is a local landmark that borders residential streets and offers a full-length public course. Beyond the township's own parks, Union County's 6,200-acre park system is close at hand, including the Trailside Nature and Science Center, Watchung Stable, and the Watchung Reservation's extensive woodlands and trails. The Deserted Village of Feltville, a preserved 19th-century community within the reservation, adds a distinctive historic hiking destination. Liberty Hall Museum's grounds provide landscaped open space and cultural programming, and the Union County Performing Arts Center hosts performances in neighboring Rahway and beyond, rounding out a full calendar of active and cultural recreation.