Boonton's housing stock reflects its hillside, industrial-era setting: older single- and multi-family homes climb the slopes around Main Street and the Rockaway River, with Victorian and early-20th-century houses near downtown and more recent development on the town's edges. The varied topography produces hillside lots, river views, and a streetscape of buildings stepped along sharp inclines. Compact lots and a dense, older core give Boonton a more settled, historic feel than surrounding suburban Morris County townships.

Boonton's identity centers on its historic downtown along Main Street, which climbs from the river and the Grace Lord Park falls area up the hillside. The compact grid of older streets around the commercial core holds much of the town's Victorian housing, while quieter residential blocks spread across the surrounding hills. The Ironworks Historic District and the Rockaway River corridor anchor the town's geographic and historical center.

Boonton Main Street is the center of local life, with restaurants, art galleries, coffee shops, and independent retailers in historic storefronts. A Saturday farmers market runs through the warmer months, and First Fridays bring extended shop hours and community events. The arts have become a local identity, with galleries and studios joining longstanding businesses. Grace Lord Park's waterfall offers a scenic downtown pause, and the town's hillside streets give everyday walking a distinctive character.

Public schools are operated by the Boonton Public Schools district, a pre-kindergarten through twelfth-grade system based in town. Boonton High School is the district's high school, and the district also educates high-school students from neighboring Lincoln Park through a longstanding sending-receiving arrangement that has been reviewed by the state. The district's small scale, neighborhood campuses, and community setting are a draw for families choosing the town.

Boonton is served by NJ Transit's Montclair-Boonton Line, which connects the town to Hoboken and, with transfers, Midtown Manhattan. Interstates 80 and 287 run nearby, linking Boonton to the wider Morris County employment corridor and New York City. The town's position along the Rockaway River and its historic rail corridor make it a commuter-oriented community with direct regional access to jobs across northern New Jersey.

Grace Lord Park anchors recreation with a waterfall, rapids, hiking trails, picnic areas, and a playground set along the Rockaway River, plus interpretive history of the town's canal and industrial past. The Boonton Ironworks Historic District, stone arch bridge, and train trestle offer a preserved outdoor corridor for walking. Local fields, playgrounds, and the farmers market and events on Main Street round out year-round recreation.