Fords is a census-designated place in Middlesex County, New Jersey, and one of several named communities that together make up Woodbridge Township. The community's name comes from the Ford family, early settlers who operated a ford, or river crossing, on the Rahway River—a reminder that the area's settlement history predates its modern suburban form. Today Fords is a fully developed, densely settled commuter suburb within the New York metropolitan area, defined by established single-family neighborhoods and convenient access to the region's highways and rail lines. As part of Woodbridge Township, Fords shares in the township's municipal government, schools, and services, even as it retains its own distinct identity. The township markets itself with the phrase "ten small towns, one great community," and Fords exemplifies that structure: a recognizable local place with its own schools and character, embedded within a larger, well-managed municipality. The Woodbridge Township School District operates schools in Fords, including Fords Middle School, anchoring the community's family-oriented feel. Transportation shapes life in Fords more than almost anything else. The Garden State Parkway, U.S. Route 1, Interstate 287, and State Highway 27 all pass nearby, and New Jersey Transit bus routes serve the area, with rail connections available through the broader township and county. The result is a community where most residents commute by car—roughly four in five drive alone to work—but retain access to transit for trips into New York City and elsewhere. For those seeking an established, diverse, and well-connected central New Jersey suburb, Fords offers a practical and enduring place to live.