Washington's housing stock is typical of an older New Jersey small town: modest single-family homes on compact lots, many dating to the early and mid-20th century, along with some multifamily and rental options near downtown. The borough's walkable grid and small lot sizes give it a denser, village-like feel compared with the surrounding township's larger rural parcels. Homes here tend toward traditional styles, and the tight-knit streetscape appeals to buyers looking for an established community with services within walking distance rather than a sprawling suburban subdivision.

Washington is compact enough that it reads as a single walkable community centered on its downtown commercial district. Residential streets radiate from the downtown core toward the borough's edges, where the Musconetcong River and surrounding Washington Township farmland begin. The area around the Route 31 corridor holds the borough's shops and services. Because of its small footprint, Washington offers the convenience of a concentrated town center rather than a collection of distinct named neighborhoods.

Life in Washington is small-town and practical. The downtown provides everyday shops, restaurants, and services within walking distance for many residents, and the borough's scale fosters a close-knit feel. The surrounding Musconetcong Valley is rural and agricultural, offering scenic drives and a slower pace. Community life centers on local schools, municipal events, and the everyday rhythms of a tight Warren County borough. For residents who value walkability and neighborly familiarity over density and pace, Washington offers a distinctive northwestern New Jersey lifestyle.

Students in Washington begin in the Washington Borough School District for the elementary grades and then move into the Warren Hills Regional School District for middle and high school, including Warren Hills Regional Middle School in the borough. This shared structure gives borough families a local elementary foundation and a regional secondary pathway serving several Warren County municipalities. The arrangement is common in New Jersey, where small boroughs and townships share regional districts for the upper grades.

Washington sits at the junction of Route 31 and Route 57, the two principal highways serving this part of Warren County. Route 31 runs north-south through the borough and crosses the Musconetcong River into the valley, while Route 57 provides east-west access. The Washington Secondary freight rail line, owned by Norfolk Southern, passes through the area. Interstates 78 and 80 lie within a short drive, connecting residents to the Lehigh Valley, northern New Jersey, and the New York City region.

The Musconetcong River, which runs along the area's southern edge, is Washington's defining natural feature, offering fishing and rural scenery in the surrounding valley. The borough's compact downtown provides walkable parks and green space, while the surrounding Washington Township offers farmland, country roads, and access to Warren County's broader network of trails and open space. Recreation here is modest and local, fitting a small-town community, with regional outdoor destinations within a short drive.