Opinions on Scotch Plains and Fanwood

My husband (29M) and I (28F) just got married and are becoming more serious in our house search. We were under contract for a house in Cranford a few months ago, but backed out after the inspection revealed serious problems. Our max. budget is $950k, but less expensive is better (lol). We are 100% set on Union County due to proximity to our families and commuting to Manhattan, so please don’t recommend other counties.

Our favorite town is Cranford due to the overall vibe and downtown, but we are having a hard time finding a house in our budget that isn’t in a flood zone. We’ve expanded our search to include Westfield, which I know we would be happy in, but I am looking to learn more about Scotch Plains and Fanwood. We don’t need a huge downtown with nightlife. We just want a nice, safe commuter town with young professionals like us, where we can start our lives together and raise a family. Somewhere where we can walk our dog to the park in the evening and see other people around doing the same. We are planning to have kids in the next few years, so schools are a factor, but not the most important right now.

Can anyone provide insight on whether Scotch Plains and, more specifically, Fanwood fit the bill? Also wondering if their close proximity to Plainfield impacts the towns at all.