Where to Play Sports in Essex County
1,031 mapped courts and fields across 22 towns in Essex County. North Jersey, county seat Newark.
The busiest towns are Newark (167), West Orange (132) and Livingston (97).
Tennis courts are the most common (401), followed by baseball fields (250) and basketball courts (154). 55 are marked as lit for evening play, and 55% sit within a short walk of parking.
Towns in Essex County
Tennis courts in Essex County
401 tennis courts across 22 towns; the most are in West Orange (69) and Newark (51).
Basketball courts in Essex County
154 basketball courts across 21 towns; the most are in Newark (50) and Livingston (11).
Pickleball courts in Essex County
50 pickleball courts across 10 towns; the most are in West Orange (21) and Millburn (5).
Baseball fields in Essex County
Newark leads with 34, ahead of Livingston (23) and West Orange (23). 250 in all across 22 towns.
Soccer fields in Essex County
124 soccer fields across 21 towns; the most are in Newark (17) and Livingston (14).
Football fields in Essex County
46 football fields across 19 towns; the most are in Newark (10) and Montclair (5).
Biggest places to play in Essex County
- Althea Gibson Tennis Center in Newark · 18 tennis courts and four pickleball courts.
- Orange Lawn Tennis Club in South Orange · 16 tennis courts and four pickleball courts.
- Newark Academy School in Livingston · 10 tennis courts, four baseball fields and two soccer fields.
- Fairfield Recreation Complex in Fairfield · Four basketball courts, four soccer fields and three baseball fields.
- Branch Brook Park in Newark · Eight baseball fields, two soccer fields and one basketball court.
- Jesse Allen Park in Newark · Eight tennis courts, three basketball courts and one football field.
- Liberty Park in North Caldwell · Six tennis courts, two basketball courts and two baseball fields.
- Elmwood Park in East Orange · Eight tennis courts, one baseball field and one basketball court.
- Foley Field in Bloomfield · Four pickleball courts, two baseball fields and two tennis courts.
- Northland Park in Livingston · Five baseball fields and four tennis courts.
Essex County and its neighbors
Of Essex County's five neighbors, Bergen County and Morris County have more mapped courts and fields.
| County | Courts and fields | Towns | Per town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essex County | 1,031 | 22 | 47 |
| Bergen County | 1,447 | 60 | 24 |
| Morris County | 1,328 | 33 | 40 |
| Union County | 675 | 20 | 34 |
| Passaic County | 491 | 16 | 31 |
| Hudson County | 470 | 10 | 47 |
About Essex County
Essex County runs from Newark, the state's largest city, west through Montclair, the Oranges and Livingston to the Watchung ridge. It mixes dense urban neighborhoods with some of the most sports-focused suburbs in New Jersey, and a large county park system with lit fields and tracks. Coaches based in the western suburbs and those based in Newark serve noticeably different markets, so check where a coach actually runs sessions.