Bottom line: This is a close contest between two affluent, majority-White Union County suburbs — far tighter than most NJ town matchups. Westfield edges it on the composite read: a larger Asian population, a higher foreign-born share, and slightly more ethnic spread. Cranford is the whiter, more homogeneous of the two on nearly every axis, though both sit well below statewide diversity.
A larger and more visible Asian population, a higher foreign-born share, and a marginally broader ethnic mix give Westfield the composite edge.
Cranford's White-alone share (~85.9%) runs higher than Westfield's (~76.5–77.8%), making Cranford the more homogeneous town.
But Cranford has a higher Black share (~4.5% vs. Westfield's ~2.5%), so the gap is about composition, not a clean sweep.
| Measure | Westfield | Cranford | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | ~31,000 | 24,074 | — |
| White alone | 76.5% | 85.9% | Cranford whiter |
| Black alone | 2.5% | 4.5% | Cranford |
| Asian alone | 8.7% | 3.0% | Westfield |
| Two or more races | 7.8% | 6.1% | Westfield |
| Hispanic / Latino | 8.6% | 7.4% | Westfield |
| Foreign-born | 13.6% | 10.0% | Westfield |
| Median HH income | $212.7k | $156.0k | Westfield richer |
| Core pattern | Two affluent Union County commuter suburbs that both run far whiter than New Jersey overall (~52% White alone). Westfield carries the larger Asian and immigrant presence; Cranford is more uniformly White with a marginally larger Black share. Neither is a high-diversity town by statewide standards. | ||
Less White-dominant overall and home to a notably larger Asian population. Cranford counters with a higher Black share, but Westfield's broader spread carries the category.
Westfield leads on foreign-born share (13.6% vs. 10.0%) and edges Hispanic/Latino presence. Its immigrant footprint is the more visible of the two.
About 1.3× Cranford's population. A larger base supports a denser downtown, more institutions, and more neighborhood-level variation — though both are mid-size suburbs.
Westfield is more diverse — but narrowly. A larger Asian population and higher foreign-born share give it the composite edge over Cranford, which is the whiter and more homogeneous of the two. Both, however, are affluent Union County suburbs running well below New Jersey's overall diversity.
One-sentence version → Westfield is the more cosmopolitan suburb; Cranford is the more uniform one — but they're closer than they look.
Primary current data: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2019–2023 / 2020–2024 5-year estimates and Census Reporter township/town profiles. Westfield figures: ~76.5–77.8% White alone, ~8.7–8.9% Asian alone, ~2.5% Black alone, ~7.8% two or more races, ~8.0–8.6% Hispanic/Latino, 13.6% foreign-born, median household income ~$212,700. Cranford township figures: ~85.9% White alone, ~3.0% Asian alone, ~4.5% Black alone, ~6.1% two or more races, ~7.4% Hispanic/Latino, 10.0% foreign-born, median household income ~$155,972.
Population & profile context: Census Reporter lists Westfield town at ~31,000 residents and Cranford township at 24,074 residents (ACS 2024 5-year). Statewide reference: New Jersey is ~52% White alone and ~22% Hispanic/Latino, used here as the diversity benchmark.
census.gov/quickfacts → Westfield town, Union County NJ
census.gov/quickfacts → Cranford township, Union County NJ
censusreporter.org → Westfield town, Union County NJ
censusreporter.org → Cranford township, Union County NJ
Data caveat #1: Use the Cranford TOWNSHIP profile (~24,000 residents), not the "Cranford CDP/place" entry (~1,900 residents) that appears in some aggregators — the CDP is a small statistical fragment and reports distorted income and Hispanic figures. Caveat #2: QuickFacts race categories and Hispanic/Latino ethnicity overlap, since Hispanic/Latino is an ethnicity that may include any race. Figures shown as approximate ranges reflect small differences across ACS vintages and source aggregators.