Rockaway Township's housing stock is unusually varied for northern New Jersey. The lake communities mix older seasonal cottages that have been expanded into year-round homes with newer construction on wooded and waterfront lots. Established suburban subdivisions and townhome developments cluster near the Route 80 and Route 46 corridors, while the more rural reaches of the 46-square-mile township hold larger lots, private properties, and homes bordering state parkland. This range — from lakefront bungalow to suburban colonial to wooded acreage — draws a broad mix of buyers, and the township's size means distinct pockets of density and open space.

Rockaway Township is less a single town than a collection of named communities. White Meadow Lake, the largest, is a lake-centered neighborhood with beaches, a clubhouse, and year-round recreation. Lake Telemark and Mount Hope offer smaller lake and hillside settings, while Hibernia and the Split Rock area sit against the wooded ridges and Farny State Park. Green Pond, on its namesake lake, is among the more secluded, nature-oriented corners. The commercial Route 80 corridor and Rockaway Townsquare anchor the township's convenience zones, giving residents a choice between lake life, suburban streets, and deep-woods privacy.

Rockaway Township offers a lifestyle shaped by its lakes, ridges, and suburban conveniences. Residents in communities like White Meadow Lake and Lake Telemark enjoy private beaches, kayaking, and clubhouse events, while the township's extensive woodland and trail systems support hiking, fishing, and bird-watching. Rockaway Townsquare, one of New Jersey's largest malls, anchors the shopping scene, and the township's small-town civic life runs through its schools, sports leagues, and lake associations. The outdoor access and community feel are balanced by a practical commuter location on Interstate 80.

Rockaway Township is served by the Rockaway Township Public Schools for pre-kindergarten through eighth grade, a district of about 2,400 students across six schools, including Copeland Middle School. For high school, students attend Morris Hills High School or Morris Knolls High School, both part of the Morris Hills Regional High School District. Families living on Picatinny Arsenal follow the same pattern, with no on-post schools. The district's reputation is a draw for families, and the township's location also puts a range of private and parochial schools in Morris County within reach.

Rockaway Township sits directly on Interstate 80, which runs east toward New York City (about 75 minutes) and west toward Pennsylvania. Route 46 provides a parallel local corridor, and Route 15 connects the area north toward Sussex County. For rail commuters, NJ Transit stations in nearby Dover and Mount Arlington offer Midtown Direct and Morristown Line service into Manhattan. Newark Liberty International Airport is roughly 45 minutes away. The township's size means most daily travel is by car, with the highway network keeping both New York and the broader Morris County employment centers accessible.

Recreation is one of Rockaway Township's defining features. Splitrock Reservoir and Farny State Park protect 1,500 acres of wilderness around a 650-acre reservoir, offering a roughly 13-mile loop trail for hiking, plus fishing, kayaking, and seasonal ice fishing. The lake communities provide beaches, swimming, and boating, with White Meadow Lake's clubhouse and beaches among the most active. Wildcat Ridge Hawkwatch is a popular bird-watching and hiking destination, and the Rockaway River and Parks Lake add shoreline and angling spots. The township's parks, ballfields, and trail networks round out a year-round outdoor lifestyle.