Carteret is a Middlesex County borough located along the Arthur Kill, the tidal waterway separating New Jersey from Staten Island. The community developed around manufacturing, shipping, and waterfront industry, and those uses remain visible in its warehouse, logistics, and industrial districts. Residential neighborhoods and neighborhood business areas occupy much of the borough away from the waterfront. Carteret is served by an interchange of the New Jersey Turnpike and is close to Routes 1 and 9, providing direct connections to Woodbridge, Rahway, Newark, and the broader port region. The borough has invested in its waterfront, including parks, public spaces, and plans intended to reconnect residents with the Arthur Kill shoreline. Carteret borders Woodbridge Township on most of its landward sides, while Rahway lies just to the north. Its compact geography combines an established residential community with employment areas that benefit from proximity to major highways, port facilities, and the central New Jersey transportation network.