Denville's housing stock is shaped by its lakes and its history as a commuter suburb. The township contains a mix of older single-family homes around the downtown and the lake communities, including early twentieth-century cottages and colonials near the water, alongside mid-century ranches, split-levels, and larger homes on the township's interior streets. The lake neighborhoods carry their own character, with many homes oriented toward lake access, private beach clubs, and the Hub Lakes community associations. Lot sizes range from compact parcels near the center of town to larger, more wooded properties on the township's edges. Some condominium and townhome development adds options near the transit and commercial corridors. The market attracts buyers drawn by the lake lifestyle, the schools, and the rail commute, with an established housing stock that reflects several generations of steady suburban growth.

Denville is organized around its downtown and its lake communities. The Broadway corridor forms the township's commercial and civic center, with a walkable stretch of restaurants and shops near the train station and municipal buildings. The four principal lake neighborhoods, Cedar Lake, Indian Lake, Rock Ridge, and Lake Arrowhead, each maintain their own beach clubs and community associations and compete against one another through the Hub Lakes sports program, giving Denville a distinctive structure of small, tight-knit enclaves within one township. Mount Tabor, a historic camp-meeting community in the township's southern section, adds Victorian-era character and its own traditions. Additional neighborhoods and newer subdivisions fill the space between the lakes and the highways, while the surrounding Morris County towns of Mountain Lakes, Parsippany, and Rockaway complete the broader fabric.

Life in Denville revolves around its lakes, its downtown, and its commuter rhythm. The lake communities anchor summer life, with beach clubs, swim and dive teams, and the Hub Lakes inter-lake competitions carrying on a tradition that gives the township a strong sense of place. The downtown along Broadway provides a walkable center for dining, shopping, and community events, and the train station keeps the township connected to New York for commuters. The township's recreation department runs a full calendar of sports leagues, programs, and seasonal events, and the surrounding Morris County park system adds hiking and open space nearby. Residents balance a suburban, family-oriented daily life with genuine lake access and a compact, walkable center, making Denville feel at once small-town and thoroughly connected to the broader New York region.

Denville is served by the Denville Township School District, which provides public education from kindergarten through eighth grade at its elementary and middle schools. For high school, students attend Morris Knolls High School, a four-year comprehensive school located in Denville that is part of the Morris Hills Regional High School District, which also serves Rockaway Borough, Rockaway Township, and Wharton. Morris Knolls is a large regional high school offering a broad range of academics, athletics, and extracurricular programs. Students also have access to the Morris County Vocational School District for career and technical programs. The structure of a small local K-8 district feeding into a strong regional high school is a familiar pattern in Morris County and is a key part of Denville's appeal to families.

Denville is among the more connected townships in Morris County. NJ Transit's Denville Station serves as a junction where the Morristown Line and the Montclair-Boonton Line meet, providing direct commuter rail service toward Hoboken and New York. By road, Interstate 80 runs through the township, and U.S. Route 46 and State Route 53 cross at its center, the configuration behind the "Hub of Morris County" nickname. These routes give residents quick access to the Route 287 corridor, the rest of Morris County, and the broader northern New Jersey region, with Manhattan roughly 35 miles to the east. Local bus service supplements the rail network, and the township's central location shortens trips to nearby employment centers in Parsippany, Morristown, and Rockaway. For commuters, Denville's combination of rail junction and highway access is a defining practical advantage.

Recreation in Denville is anchored by its lakes and its parks. The township's lake communities maintain private beaches and swimming areas, with swim, dive, and tennis teams competing through the Hub Lakes association across the summer. The Denville Recreation Department operates sports leagues, programs, and seasonal events, and the township maintains a network of parks, sports fields, and open space, along with a trail system for walking and hiking. Mount Tabor's historic grounds and the township's preserved woodlands add further outdoor options. Beyond the township, the nearby Tourne County Park, the trails of the Morris County park system, and Lake Hopatcong offer additional hiking, boating, and recreation within a short drive. The lake-centered summer culture and the township's parks give Denville a strong recreational identity year-round.