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Essex Fells, New Jersey

Essex Fells is a borough in Essex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 2,244, an increase of 131 (+6.2%) from the 2010 census count of 2,113, which in turn had reflected a decline of 49 (−2.3%) from the 2,162 counted in the 2000 census.

Essex Fells was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 31, 1902, from portions of Caldwell Township (now Fairfield Township). The community's name was derived by taking "Essex" from the name of the county and adding "Fells" from the name of John F. Fell which also means hill or down.

New Jersey Family magazine ranked Essex Fells as the best town for families in its 2016 rankings of "New Jersey's Best Towns for Families". New Jersey Monthly magazine ranked Essex Fells as its 10th best place to live in its 2008 rankings of the "Best Places To Live" in New Jersey. Niche.com ranked Essex Fells as the seventh best place to live in its 2019 rankings of the "Best Places to Live" in New Jersey.

In 2010, Forbes.com listed Essex Fells as 182nd in its listing of "America's Most Expensive ZIP Codes", with a median home price of $1,140,885.

History
Essex Fells was part of the Horseneck Tract, which was an area that consisted of what are now the municipalities of Caldwell, West Caldwell, North Caldwell, Fairfield, Verona, Cedar Grove, Essex Fells, Roseland, and portions of Livingston and West Orange.

In 1702, settlers purchased the 14,000 acre Horseneck Tract—so-called because of its irregular shape that suggested a horse's neck and head—from the Lenni Lenape Native Americans for goods equal to $325. This purchase encompassed much of western Essex County, from the Orange, or First Mountain in the Watchung Mountain range to the Passaic River.

In the late 1800s, Philadelphia developer Anthony S. Drexel realized the impact of train travel on residential development and sent Charles W. Leavitt to the northern New Jersey area near the end of the Caldwell line. Leavitt, Drexel and Drexel's son-in-law John F. Fell formed the Suburban Land Company and purchased 1,000 acres of land from the estate of Revolutionary War General William J. Gould. In order to create their residential development the group commissioned noted architect Ernest W. Bowditch. The community's name was derived by taking "Essex" from the name of the county and adding "Fells" from the name of John F. Fell which also means hill or down.

Based on an ordinance passed in 1928, commercial activity in the borough is limited to a single three-story building constructed to look like a house and two small workshops on a dead end. , Essex Fells had 750 houses, most of which were custom built, with many occupying lots several acres in size. The borough has no apartment buildings, office buildings or traffic lights, and until recently, no condominiums. The only units available for rental are in carriage houses and other ancillary structures.

In 1981, the borough was one of seven Essex County municipalities to pass a referendum to become a township, joining four municipalities that had already made the change, of what would ultimately be more than a dozen Essex County municipalities to reclassify themselves as townships in order take advantage of federal revenue sharing policies that allocated townships a greater share of government aid to municipalities on a per capita basis. Effective January 1, 1992, it again became a borough.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 1.41 square miles (3.66 km2), including 1.41 square miles (3.65 km2) of land and 0.01 square miles (0.02 km2) of water (0.43%).

The borough borders the Essex County municipalities of Caldwell, North Caldwell, Roseland, Verona, West Caldwell and West Orange.

2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 2,113 people, 728 households, and 598 families in the borough. The population density was 1,496.3 per square mile (577.7/km2). There were 758 housing units at an average density of 536.8 per square mile (207.3/km2). The racial makeup was 94.56% (1,998) White, 1.09% (23) Black or African American, 0.00% (0) Native American, 2.18% (46) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 0.24% (5) from other races, and 1.94% (41) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.99% (42) of the population.

Of the 728 households, 42.6% had children under the age of 18; 73.4% were married couples living together; 6.2% had a female householder with no husband present and 17.9% were non-families. Of all households, 16.3% were made up of individuals and 9.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.90 and the average family size was 3.26.

29.9% of the population were under the age of 18, 4.3% from 18 to 24, 18.0% from 25 to 44, 31.6% from 45 to 64, and 16.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.8 years. For every 100 females, the population had 94.6 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 95.6 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $182,031 (with a margin of error of +/− $16,894) and the median family income was $202,917 (+/− $46,038). Males had a median income of $120,417 (+/− $32,492) versus $72,500 (+/− $12,065) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $94,423 (+/− $11,353). About 0.9% of families and 0.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.9% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.

2000 census
As of the 2000 United States census there were 2,162 people, 737 households, and 605 families residing in the borough. The population density was 1,534.0 PD/sqmi. There were 761 housing units at an average density of 540.0 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the borough was 96.95% White, 0.46% African American, 0.19% Native American, 1.02% Asian, 0.14% from other races, and 1.25% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.20% of the population.

There were 737 households, out of which 40.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 75.3% were married couples living together, 5.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.9% were non-families. 15.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.93 and the average family size was 3.28.

In the borough the population was spread out, with 29.7% under the age of 18, 3.6% from 18 to 24, 24.5% from 25 to 44, 27.5% from 45 to 64, and 14.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.6 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $148,173, and the median income for a family was $175,000. Males had a median income of $100,000 versus $52,266 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $77,434. About 0.3% of families and 1.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.9% of those under age 18 and 0.6% of those age 65 or over.

Parks and recreation
Grover Cleveland Park, the seventh-largest park in the Essex County park system, is a heavily wooded park covering 41.48 acre in the western section of the county along the Caldwell-Essex Fells border.

Essex Fells Pond, or also known as "The Pond" by Essex Fells residents, is a popular destination in the winter. Located on Fells Road, "The Pond" attracts people of all ages, typically during the months of December through March. Popular activities include ice skating, pond hockey, and figure skating.

Local government
Essex Fells is governed under the borough form of New Jersey municipal government, which is used in 218 municipalities (of the 564) statewide, making it the most common form of government in New Jersey. The governing body is comprised of the mayor and the borough council, with all positions elected at-large on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. The mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The borough council includes six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle. The borough form of government used by Essex Fells is a "weak mayor / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can veto ordinances subject to an override by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council.

, the mayor of Essex Fells is Republican Edward A. Davis, whose term of office ends December 31, 2025. Members of the Essex Fells Borough Council are Michael Cecere (R, 2024), Bernard J. D'Avella (R, 2023), Gregory J. Hindy (R, 2022), John A. King (R, 2023), Margaret D. O'Connor (R, 2022) and William B. Sullivan (R, 2024).

In November 2014, the borough council appointed Greg Hindy to fill the vacant seat expiring in December 2016 that had been held by Jane McWilliams, until she resigned from office. In the November 2015 general election, Hindy was elected to serve the balance of the term of office.

Federal, state, and county representation
Essex Fells is located in the 10th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 40th state legislative district.

Politics
As of March 2011, there were a total of 1,696 registered voters in Essex Fells, of which 347 (20.5%) were registered as Democrats, 847 (49.9%) were registered as Republicans and 499 (29.4%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 3 voters registered as Libertarians or Greens.

Essex Fells has supported Republican presidential candidates in each of the last five presidential elections, though the margins of victory have decreased.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 81.3% of the vote (590 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 18.6% (135 votes), and other candidates with 0.1% (1 vote), among the 736 ballots cast by the borough's 1,789 registered voters (10 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 41.1%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 68.5% of the vote (688 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 22.3% (224 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 7.9% (79 votes) and other candidates with 0.5% (5 votes), among the 1,005 ballots cast by the borough's 1,682 registered voters, yielding a 59.8% turnout.

On a local level, Essex Fells has elected a Republican mayor in every vote held since becoming a borough in 1902.

Education
The Essex Fells School District serves public school students in pre-kindergarten through sixth grade at Essex Fells School. As of the 2022–23 school year, the district, comprised of one school, had an enrollment of 247 students and 23.7 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 10.4:1. In 2016, the school was one of ten schools in New Jersey recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School by the United States Department of Education, a recognition celebrating excellence in academics.

Students in public school for seventh through twelfth grades attend the West Essex Regional School District, a regional school district serving students from Essex Fells, Fairfield, North Caldwell and Roseland. Schools in the district (with 2018–19 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics ) are West Essex Middle School with 564 students in grades 7-8 and West Essex High School with 1,123 students in grades 9-12. Seats on the nine-member board of education of the high school district are allocated based on population, with one seat assigned to Essex Fells.

Roads and highways
, the borough had a total of 16.99 mi of roadways, of which 15.31 mi were maintained by the municipality and 1.68 mi by Essex County.

County Route 527 and County Route 506 are the main roads serving Essex Fells.

Public transportation
NJ Transit provides service in the borough to and from Newark on the 29 and 71 routes.

Notable people
People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Essex Fells include:
 * Bob Bradley (born 1958), former coach of the United States men's national soccer team
 * Jeremy Brodeur (born 1996), professional ice hockey goalie
 * Willis Carrier (1876–1950), known as the "father of the modern day air conditioner"
 * Don Criqui (born 1940), sportscaster for CBS Sports
 * Ian Eagle (born 1969), sports announcer
 * Noah Eagle (born 1997), sporscaster for Fox Sports and the Tennis Channel.
 * Connie Francis (born 1937), singer
 * Justin Gimelstob (born 1977), retired professional tennis player
 * Anne Steele Marsh (1901–1995), painter and printmaker whose watercolors, oil paintings and wood engravings were widely exhibited
 * James Randall Marsh (1896–1965), artist
 * Henry G. Morse (1884–1934), architect
 * Elizabeth Parr-Johnston (born 1939), Canadian business woman
 * Brian Rafalski (born 1973), former NHL defenseman who played for the New Jersey Devils
 * Scott Stevens (born 1964), former NHL defenseman who played for the New Jersey Devils during his career
 * Bo Sullivan (1937–2000), chairman of the New Jersey Turnpike Authority and a Republican Party politician who sought the nomination for Governor of New Jersey in the 1981 primary
 * Johnny Sylvester (1915–1990), lived here when he was visited on October 11, 1926, by Babe Ruth, who promised that he would hit a home run on his behalf during the 1926 World Series
 * John C. Whitehead (1922–2015), former chairman of Goldman Sachs who also served as the 9th United States Deputy Secretary of State

title: Essex Fells, New Jersey


text:
Fairfield Township, Essex County, New Jersey

Fairfield is a township in far northwestern Essex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 7,872, an increase of 406 (+5.4%) from the 2010 census count of 7,466,  which in turn reflected an increase of 403 (+5.7%) from the 7,063 counted in the 2000 census. Fairfield was the least densely populated town in Essex County in 2020.

The first Europeans to settle in the area were Dutch and the place was called Gansegat. Later it was part of Horse Neck and officially part of Newark Township. What is now Fairfield was formed on February 16, 1798, as Caldwell Township from portions of Acquackanonk Township and Newark Township. The area was named for Rev. James Caldwell. It was incorporated as one of New Jersey's initial 104 townships by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798. Portions of the township were taken to create Livingston (February 8, 1813), Fairmount Township (March 11, 1862, now part of West Orange), Caldwell borough (February 10, 1892), Verona Township (February 17, 1892, now known and including what is now Cedar Grove), North Caldwell (March 31, 1898), Essex Fells (March 31, 1902) and West Caldwell (February 24, 1904). On November 6, 1963, Caldwell Township was renamed as Fairfield Township, based on the results of a referendum passed the previous day. Fairfield was reincorporated as borough on June 8, 1964. In 1978, the borough passed a referendum reincorporating itself as a township, becoming the second of more than a dozen Essex County municipalities to reclassify themselves as townships in order take advantage of federal revenue sharing policies that allocated townships a greater share of government aid to municipalities on a per capita basis.

History
The Dutch, including many acculturated French Huguenots, initially settled this area of the Passaic River Valley after purchasing it from the Native Americans. They named it "Gansegat" which is Dutch for "duck's pond".

The Horseneck Tract was an 18000 acres area that consisted of what are now the municipalities of Fairfield, Caldwell, West Caldwell, North Caldwell, Verona, Cedar Grove, Essex Fells, Roseland, and portions of Livingston and West Orange. Later in 1702, English settlers purchased 14,000 acre of the Horseneck Tract without approval of the Proprietary Authorities from the Lenape Native Americans for goods equal to $325. When Proprietary Authorities began eviction proceedings against the settlers, the Horseneck Riots took place. This purchase encompassed much of western Essex County, from the First Mountain to a point on the Passaic River at Pine Brook NJ. The reason for the Horseneck name has never been determined, but historians agree that it is not because of its shape.

The Van Ness House, constructed about 1720, is a historic home added in 1977 to the National Register of Historic Places. The Fairfield Dutch Reformed Church dates back to 1720, and its current structure is another historic site, built in 1804.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 10.35 square miles (26.80 km2), including 10.13 square miles (26.23 km2) of land and 0.22 square miles (0.57 km2) of water (2.14%). Fairfield has the lowest population density of any municipality in Essex County. Fairfield Township is located in the northwest corner of Essex County. The township is bisected by Interstate 80 and Route 46.

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Clinton and Clinton Park.

Great Piece Meadows is a swamp covering 1170 acres.

The township borders North Caldwell and West Caldwell in Essex County; East Hanover Township, Lincoln Park and Montville in Morris County; and Little Falls and Wayne in Passaic County.

2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 7,466 people, 2,645 households, and 2,103 families in the township. The population density was 725.1 /sqmi. There were 2,723 housing units at an average density of 264.5 /sqmi. The racial makeup was 94.84% (7,081) White, 0.68% (51) Black or African American, 0.28% (21) Native American, 2.53% (189) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 0.74% (55) from other races, and 0.92% (69) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.14% (384) of the population.

Of the 2,645 households, 31.6% had children under the age of 18; 67.0% were married couples living together; 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present and 20.5% were non-families. Of all households, 18.0% were made up of individuals and 11.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.82 and the average family size was 3.22.

22.6% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 21.4% from 25 to 44, 28.6% from 45 to 64, and 20.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44.5 years. For every 100 females, the population had 94.4 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 91.8 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $97,361 (with a margin of error of +/− $11,797) and the median family income was $117,004 (+/− $7,881). Males had a median income of $69,081 (+/− $15,627) versus $51,198 (+/− $6,668) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $41,615 (+/− $5,217). About 0.5% of families and 2.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 6.8% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census
As of the 2000 United States census there were 7,063 people, 2,296 households, and 1,981 families residing in the township. The population density was 675.8 PD/sqmi. There were 2,326 housing units at an average density of 222.5 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the township was 95.63% White, 0.52% African American, 0.10% Native American, 2.82% Asian, 0.40% from other races, and 0.54% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.45% of the population.

There were 2,296 households, out of which 33.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 74.7% were married couples living together, 8.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 13.7% were non-families. 10.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.04 and the average family size was 3.29.

In the township the population was spread out, with 22.0% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 28.1% from 45 to 64, and 15.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.3 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $83,120, and the median income for a family was $90,998. Males had a median income of $56,106 versus $39,032 for females. The per capita income for the township was $32,099. About 2.3% of families and 2.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.2% of those under age 18 and 2.2% of those age 65 or over.

Economy
Corporate residents of Fairfield Township include:
 * Pharmaceutical firm Bradley Pharmaceuticals was headquartered here until the company was acquired by Nycomed in 2008.
 * Cricket Hill, microbrewer of American Ale, Hopnotic IPA, and East Coast Lager.
 * Telebrands, the direct marketing firm best known for its "As Seen on TV" products.

Government
Fairfield Township operates within the Faulkner Act, formally known as the Optional Municipal Charter Law, under the Small Municipality plan C form of New Jersey government, as implemented as of January 1, 1962, based on direct petition. The township is one of 18 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this form of government, which is available to municipalities with less than 12,000 residents at the time of adoption. The governing body is comprised of the Mayor and the four-member Township Council. Members are elected at-large in partisan elections in a three-year cycle, with two council seats up for vote in each of the first two years of the cycle and the mayoral seat up in the third year. The Mayor exercises executive power of the municipality, appoints department heads with Council approval, prepares the annual budget and has veto over ordinances subject to override by 2/3 of all members of Council. The Council exercises legislative power of municipality and approves appointment of department heads.

, members of the Fairfield Township Council are Mayor William Galese (R, appointed to serve an unexpired term ending December 31, 2024), Council President Michael B. McGlynn (R, 2025), Peter Campisi (R, 2023; appointed to serve an unexpired term), Joseph Cifelli (R, 2025) and John LaForgia (R, 2023).

In January 2023, councilmember William Galese was appointed as mayor to fill the seat expiring in December 2024 that had been held by James Gasparini until he resigned to take office as the township's administrator. Later that month, Peter Campisi was appointed to fill Galese's vacant council seat expiring in December 2023.

Federal, state and county representation
Fairfield is located in the 11th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 40th state legislative district.

Politics
As of March 2011, there were a total of 5,378 registered voters in Fairfield, of which 1,004 (18.7%) were registered as Democrats, 2,072 (38.5%) were registered as Republicans and 2,299 (42.7%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 3 voters registered as Libertarians or Greens.

In the 2016 presidential election, Republican Donald Trump received 72.5% of the vote (2,858 cast), ahead of Democrat Hillary Clinton with 25.6% (1,009 cast), and other candidates with 1.8% (70 votes), among the 4,003 ballots cast by the township's 5,798 registered voters, for a turnout of 69%. In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 69.4% of the vote (2,494 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 29.7% (1,069 votes), and other candidates with 0.9% (32 votes), among the 3,625 ballots cast by the township's 5,459 registered voters (30 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 66.4%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 70.1% of the vote (2,797 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 28.5% (1,137 votes) and other candidates with 0.5% (21 votes), among the 3,991 ballots cast by the township's 5,380 registered voters, for a turnout of 74.2%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 69.6% of the vote (2,742 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry with 29.2% (1,151 votes) and other candidates with 0.8% (39 votes), among the 3,939 ballots cast by the township's 5,131 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 76.8.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 73.9% of the vote (1,600 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 25.3% (548 votes), and other candidates with 0.8% (17 votes), among the 2,193 ballots cast by the township's 5,445 registered voters (28 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 40.3%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 68.9% of the vote (1,819 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 25.0% (661 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 5.0% (133 votes) and other candidates with 0.5% (12 votes), among the 2,641 ballots cast by the township's 5,397 registered voters, yielding a 48.9% turnout.

Education
The Fairfield School District serves public school students in pre-kindergarten through sixth grade. As of the 2022–23 school year, the district, comprised of two schools, had an enrollment of 694 students and 69.3 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 10.0:1. Schools in the district (with 2022–23 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics ) are Adlai E. Stevenson Elementary School with 309 students in pre-Kindergarten through third grade and Winston S. Churchill School with 384 students in fourth through sixth grade.

Students in public school for seventh through twelfth grades attend the West Essex Regional School District, a regional school district in western Essex County serving students from Essex Fells, Fairfield, North Caldwell and Roseland. Schools in the district (with 2022–23 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics ) are West Essex Middle School with 599 students in grades 7-8 and West Essex High School with 1,043 students in grades 9-12. Seats on the nine-member board of education of the high school district are allocated based on population, with three seats assigned to Fairfield.

StenoTech Career Institute is a technical school in Fairfield, established in 1988, that offers court reporting and medical transcription training.

Roads and highways
, the borough had a total of 62.10 mi of roadways, of which 40.18 mi were maintained by the municipality, 13.14 mi by Essex County and 8.78 mi by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

U.S. Route 46, Route 159 and Interstate 80 all pass through the Township.

Public transportation
NJ Transit provides bus service to Newark on the 29 and 71 routes.

Lakeland Bus Lines offers service to and from the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan on its Route 46 route.

Essex County Airport, managed by the Essex County Improvement Authority, is located in Fairfield.

Notable people
People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Fairfield include:

 * Robert Egan (born 1958), restaurateur and an interlocutor between the government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) and the United States
 * David Greczek (born 1994), professional soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper, most recently for Swope Park Rangers in the United Soccer League
 * Gurbir Grewal (born 1973), Attorney General of New Jersey
 * John LoCascio (born 1991), defenseman for the Rochester Rattlers in Major League Lacrosse
 * James F. Post (1818–1899), architect, builder, and contractor who designed and oversaw the construction of over 60 buildings, best known for his buildings in Wilmington, North Carolina
 * Jake Siciliano (born 1998), actor
 * Michelle Vizzuso (born 1977), field hockey player recognized by The Star-Ledger as the sport's top athlete of the 20th century

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/


text:
Glen Ridge, New Jersey

Glen Ridge is a borough in Essex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 7,802, an increase of 275 (+3.7%) from the 2010 census count of 7,527,  which in turn reflected an increase of 256 (+3.5%) from the 7,271 counted in the 2000 census.

History
In 1666, 64 Connecticut families led by Robert Treat bought land from the Lenni Lenape Native Americans and named it New Ark to reflect a covenant to worship freely without persecution. The territory included the future towns of Bloomfield, Montclair, Belleville and Nutley. When Bloomfield was established in 1812, Glen Ridge was a section "on the hill" composed mostly of farms and woodlands with the exception of a thriving industrial area along Toney's Brook in the glen. For most of the nineteenth century, three water-powered mills produced lumber, calico, pasteboard boxes and brass fittings. A copper mine and a sandstone quarry were located on the north side of the brook.

In 1856, the Newark and Bloomfield Railroad arrived, with the construction of the Glen Ridge station. In 1872, the New York and Greenwood Lake Railway arrived, with the construction of the station at today's Benson Street. Glen Ridge began its transition to a suburban residential community. Stately homes slowly replaced orchards and wooded fields.

In 1891, Mountainside Hospital, a local hospital with more than 300 beds now known as HackensackUMC Mountainside, was founded. The Glen Ridge Country Club was founded in 1894, making it one of the state's oldest clubs.

Residents "on the hill" became unhappy with their representation on the Bloomfield Council. In spite of repeated requests to Bloomfield officials, roads remained unpaved, water and sewer systems were nonexistent, and schools were miles away. Area residents marked out the boundaries of a 1.45 sqmi area to secede from the adjoining town. At the election held on February 12, 1895, the decision to secede passed by only 23 votes. Robert Rudd was elected the first mayor of Glen Ridge.

On February 13, 1895, Glen Ridge was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature from portions of Bloomfield Township, based on the results of a referendum held the previous day.

After becoming a borough, architects suggested buying gas lamps, they became a characteristic of the borough. Circa World War II, gas lamps were discarded, many by the City of New York, later salvaged, repaired, and brought to Glen Ridge. With only 3,000 gaslights remaining in operation in the entire United States, the 2,500 managed by Public Service Enterprise Group, succeeding the Welsbach Company, include 1,400 lamps in South Orange, 667 in Glen Ridge, some in Trenton and dozens of other towns, lighting their streets. The Gaslamp is the Glen Ridge Historical Society's quarterly newsletter.

In 1924, Glen Ridge became the first municipality in New Jersey to establish a zoning ordinance.

In 1982, the borough's official name was changed to "Township of Glen Ridge Borough". Glen Ridge was one of more than a dozen Essex County municipalities to reclassify themselves as townships to take advantage of federal revenue sharing policies that allocated townships a greater share of government aid on a per capita basis. Effective May 1993, the borough's original name of "Glen Ridge Borough" was restored. The borough's name comes from the ridge formed by Toney's Brook.

In 2010, Glen Ridge was ranked as the 38th Best Place to live by New Jersey Monthly magazine.

In 1989, athletes from the high school were involved in the sexual assault of a mentally handicapped student. Three teenagers were found guilty of first-degree aggravated sexual assault; a fourth was convicted of third-degree conspiracy. Author Bernard Lefkowitz wrote about the incident in the 1997 book Our Guys: The Glen Ridge Rape and the Secret Life of the Perfect Suburb. Lefkowitz's book was adapted into the 1999 TV movie Our Guys: Outrage at Glen Ridge.

Glen Ridge is a frequent location for film, television, and commercial shoots. Notable works include Winter Solstice and Mona Lisa Smile.

In the 1980s, it was discovered that a section of the borough near Carteret Park was built on top of hazardous waste. Waste contaminated with radium from the old U.S. Radium watch dial plant had been used to fill in low-lying areas of Glen Ridge covering 90 acres, as well as portions of Montclair and West Orange. It was not until the year 2000 that the area was completely cleaned of any contamination.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 1.28 square miles (3.31 km2), including 1.28 square miles (3.30 km2) of land and 0.01 square miles (0.01 km2) of water (0.39%). It is bounded by Bloomfield to its east, Montclair to its west, East Orange to its south, and shares a short border with Orange to its southwest. The borough's US mail ZIP code is 07028.

Glen Ridge is located on a ridge on the east side of the First Mountain of the Watchung Mountains. The town stretches 2 mi from north to south and a maximum of six blocks wide from east to west, and it is only three or two blocks wide in "the Panhandle" north of Bay Avenue.

Climate
Glen Ridge has a temperate climate, with warm / hot humid summers and cool / cold winters, according to the Köppen climate classification humid subtropical climate. The town gets an average of 49 in of rain per year and 20 in of snowfall, compared to the US averages of 37 in and 25 in inches. Glen Ridge has 124 days of measurable precipitation a year. During the winter, it is highly recommended to wear warm clothing because it can get very cold, while the summers can get extremely hot and humid. The majority of February and a bit of March is when there are the most snowfall. Due to the town's elevation and the topography of its river banks, it is not prone to significant flooding.

There are typically about 205 sunny days per year in Glen Ridge. The temperature ranges from a high around 86 degrees in July and a low around 21 degrees in January. The comfort index for the town is 47 out of 100, compared to a national average of 44 (with higher numbers being more comfortable).

2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 7,527 people, 2,476 households, and 2,033 families in the borough. The population density was 5,872.8 per square mile (2,267.5/km2). There were 2,541 housing units at an average density of 1,982.6 per square mile (765.5/km2). The racial makeup was 86.21% (6,489) White, 5.04% (379) Black or African American, 0.04% (3) Native American, 4.65% (350) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 1.37% (103) from other races, and 2.70% (203) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.01% (377) of the population.

Of the 2,476 households, 49.9% had children under the age of 18; 70.9% were married couples living together; 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present and 17.9% were non-families. Of all households, 14.9% were made up of individuals and 6.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.03 and the average family size was 3.39.

32.2% of the population were under the age of 18, 4.7% from 18 to 24, 22.3% from 25 to 44, 31.2% from 45 to 64, and 9.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.2 years. For every 100 females, the population had 95.6 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 89.0 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $160,511 (with a margin of error of ±$11,073) and the median family income was $173,466 (±$25,554). Males had a median income of $111,968 (±$11,975) versus $85,938 (±$24,626) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $64,222 (±$8,487). About 1.1% of families and 2.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.9% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.

2000 census
As of the 2000 United States census there were 7,271 people, 2,458 households, and 1,978 families residing in the borough. The population density was 5,695.0 PD/sqmi. There were 2,490 housing units at an average density of 1,950.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the borough was 89.18% White, 4.98% African American, 0.15% Native American, 3.34% Asian, 0.99% from other races, and 1.36% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.45% of the population.

There were 2,458 households, out of which 46.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.9% were married couples living together, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.5% were non-families. 16.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.95 and the average family size was 3.33.

In the borough, the population was spread out, with 30.7% under the age of 18, 4.5% from 18 to 24, 29.5% from 25 to 44, 24.9% from 45 to 64, and 10.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.3 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $105,638, and the median income for a family was $120,650. Males had a median income of $91,161 versus $51,444 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $48,456. About 1.9% of families and 3.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.3% of those under age 18 and 4.1% of those age 65 or over.

Local government
Glen Ridge is governed under the borough form of New Jersey municipal government, which is used in 218 municipalities (of the 564) statewide, making it the most common form of government in New Jersey. The governing body is comprised of the mayor and the borough council, with all positions elected at-large on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. The mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The borough council includes six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle. The borough form of government used by Glen Ridge is a "weak mayor / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can veto ordinances subject to an override by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council.

, the mayor of Glen Ridge is Independent Deborah Mans, whose term of office ends December 31, 2027. Members of the borough council are Council President Ann Marie Morrow (I, 2024), Peter A. Hughes (I, 2025), Richard P. Law (I, 2025), David Lefkovits (I, 2026), Rebecca Meyer (I, 2024) and LoriJean Moody (I, 2026).

In January 2016, the borough council chose former mayor Peter Hughes to fill the council seat expiring in December 2016 that was vacated by Stuart K. Patrick, who resigned from the council to take his seat as mayor.

Murphy was selected by the borough council in November 2013 to serve the unexpired term of Elizabeth K. Baker. Ann Marie Morrow was elected in November 2014 to fill a one-year unexpired term.

The Glen Ridge Civic Conference Committee, established in 1913, is made up of delegates from the community and from local civic organizations, provides a non-partisan method of candidate selection for Borough elections. The CCC endorsement is very significant; in most elections, the CCC's candidates are unopposed. The eight organizations currently sending delegates to the CCC are: The Democratic Club, Freeman Gardens Association, Friends of the Glen Ridge Library, The Glen Ridge Historical Society, The Northside Association, The Republican Club, The Golden Circle, The South End Association and the Women's Club of Glen Ridge.

In recent years, the CCC has been weakened both by changing attitudes in the borough, the actions of a number of community residents, and internal conflicts within the CCC itself. Mayor Carl Bergmanson was the first mayor since the establishment of the CCC to be elected without seeking (or receiving) the Committee's endorsement. A member of the council for three terms, he ran for mayor in 1999, losing to the CCC candidate Steven Plate. When Plate was selected as the CCC candidate again in 2003 (contradicting the committee's precedent of one term per mayor), Bergmanson ran again, and won, gaining the majority in all but one of the town's districts. However, the CCC is still firmly in control of the town's political structure—all 16 of the elected officials currently serving Glen Ridge were nominated by the CCC. Generally, when non-CCC candidates run, they run as independents. The Democratic and Republican parties are not forces in local elections.

Federal, state, and county representation
Glen Ridge is located in the 11th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 34th state legislative district.

Politics
As of March 2011, there were a total of 5,169 registered voters in Glen Ridge, of which 2,135 (41.3%) were registered as Democrats, 993 (19.2%) were registered as Republicans and 2,037 (39.4%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 4 voters registered as Libertarians or Greens.

In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 62.6% of the vote (2,415 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 36.2% (1,396 votes), and other candidates with 1.1% (44 votes), among the 3,871 ballots cast by the borough's 5,380 registered voters (16 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 72.0%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 62.9% of the vote (2,583 cast), ahead of Republican John McCain with 35.2% (1,444 votes) and other candidates with 0.8% (33 votes), among the 4,104 ballots cast by the borough's 5,185 registered voters, for a turnout of 79.2%. In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 59.1% of the vote (2,381 ballots cast), outpolling Republican George W. Bush with 39.9% (1,608 votes) and other candidates with 0.7% (35 votes), among the 4,031 ballots cast by the borough's 4,967 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 81.2.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 53.2% of the vote (1,450 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 45.5% (1,240 votes), and other candidates with 1.2% (34 votes), among the 2,772 ballots cast by the borough's 5,429 registered voters (48 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 51.1%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 51.0% of the vote (1,388 ballots cast), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 39.3% (1,071 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 8.5% (231 votes) and other candidates with 0.7% (19 votes), among the 2,722 ballots cast by the borough's 5,144 registered voters, yielding a 52.9% turnout.

Education
The Glen Ridge Public Schools serve students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. As of the 2018–19 school year, the district, comprised of four schools, had an enrollment of 1,899 students and 148.9 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.8:1. Schools in the district (with 2018–19 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics ) are Forest Avenue School with 223 students in grades Pre-K–2, Linden Avenue School with 242 students in grades Pre-K–2, Ridgewood Avenue School with 575 students in grades 3–6 and Glen Ridge High School with 837 students in grades 7–12.

The high school was the 12th-ranked public high school in New Jersey out of 328 schools statewide in New Jersey Monthly magazine's September 2012 cover story on the state's "Top Public High Schools", after being ranked 4th in 2010 out of 322 schools listed.

Housing
The median price for a house in Glen Ridge in 2014 was $580,000, which is double the national average. Out of the 2,549 houses in the borough, 84.7% of them were single units (detached) and had a median of 7.7 rooms. Glen Ridge is known for its old town charm, with 72.8% of its houses having been built before 1939. In 1895, when the town was chartered, Glen Ridge became one of the first communities to hire a town planner which resulted in many late Victorian and Edwardian elements. The condition of the town has been maintained due to the building codes that were established, the creation of the Building Department which included a Building Inspector, and a zoning ordinance (the first in the state of New Jersey). Although the majority of Glen Ridge consists of houses, many residents live in apartment complexes. One apartment complex is behind the Glen Ridge Community Pool, while the other apartment complex is not far from that.

The architecture of the borough includes houses representing every major style from the mid-nineteenth century onward. Some of the architecture styles include the Carpenter Gothic, the Medieval, the High Victorian Period, the Queen Anne Cottage, American Georgian, Shingle Style, and the Prairie Home Style. Notable architects that have left their legacy in the town include Frank Lloyd Wright, Stanford White, and John Russell Pope. To maintain the historical feel of the town and protect the architectural features, the town has created a Historic Preservation Commission which reviews construction on houses in the historic district. Many homes are included in the Glen Ridge Historic District, which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in 1982 and later expanded in two boundary increases. It includes the Glen Ridge and the Benson Street train stations.

Roads and highways
, the borough had a total of 23.29 mi of roadways, of which 18.19 mi were maintained by the municipality and 5.10 mi by Essex County.

The primary roads directly serving Glen Ridge include County Route 506 (Bloomfield Avenue) and County Route 509. Major highways near the borough include the New Jersey Turnpike, Interstate 80, Interstate 280, the Garden State Parkway, U.S. Route 46, Route 3 and Route 21.

Public transportation
Glen Ridge is a little over 2 mi long, north to south, via Ridgewood Avenue, making it accessible for residents by walking or biking.

NJ Transit provides bus service to Newark on the 11, 28 and 29 via Bloomfield Avenue.

Commuters can also take trains from the Glen Ridge station (formerly named Ridgewood Avenue station), where NJ Transit provides service to Penn Station in Midtown Manhattan and to Hoboken Terminal via the Montclair-Boonton Line. There are many other train stations near Glen Ridge.

The town has a jitney service which provides transportation to and from the Glen Ridge Station for commuters. This service has a fee and is only available between certain hours in the day. The Freeman Parkway Bridge, constructed in 1926, is a deck arch bridge that crosses over Toney's Brook and the Montclair-Boonton Line.

Notable people
People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Glen Ridge include:

 * Buzz Aldrin (born 1930), second person to walk on the Moon on Apollo 11
 * Kurt Allerman (born 1955), former football linebacker who played nine seasons in the NFL for the St. Louis Cardinals Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions
 * Peter Anderson (born 1963), former American football center who was a consensus All-American while playing for the Georgia Bulldogs in 1985
 * Horace Ashenfelter (1923–2018), 1952 Olympic gold medalist in track and field
 * Louis E. Baltzley (born 1885), inventor of the binder clip
 * Dale Berra (born 1956), former Major League Baseball player and son of Yogi Berra
 * Charles W. Billings (1866–1928), politician and competitive shooter who was a member of the 1912 Summer Olympics American trapshooting team that won the gold medal in team clay pigeons
 * Kerry Bishé (born 1984), movie and television actress who appeared in Argo and Scrubs
 * Regina Bogat (born 1928), abstract artist
 * Eddie Bracken (1915–2002), character actor
 * Scott Bradley (born 1960), former MLB catcher
 * Jon Brion (born 1963), singer, songwriter, composer and record producer
 * Bob Butler (1891–1959), football player for the Wisconsin Badgers who was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
 * Mark Bryant (born 1965), retired professional basketball player who played for 10 NBA teams during his career
 * Salvador "Tutti" Camarata (1913–2005), composer, arranger, trumpeter and record producer
 * Bill Casselman (born 1941), mathematician who works in group theory
 * Kacy Catanzaro (born 1990), first woman to complete the qualifying course of American Ninja Warrior
 * Mary Jo Codey (born 1955), former First Lady of New Jersey
 * Tom Cruise (born 1962), movie star, spent several years of his childhood in Glen Ridge, and graduated from Glen Ridge High School
 * Gary Cuozzo (born 1941), former quarterback who played in 10 NFL seasons from 1963 to 1972 for four teams
 * David Demarest (born 1951), Vice President for Public Affairs, Stanford University and a former Republican operative who worked for Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush
 * Marion Elza Dodd (1883–1961), bookseller, author, librarian and professor
 * Michael J. Doherty (born 1963), Surrogate of Warren County, New Jersey, who served in the New Jersey Senate from 2009 to 2022.
 * Joe Dubuque (born 1982), amateur wrestler and wrestling coach
 * Lauren English (born 1989), competitive swimmer who set the United States Open Record in the 50 Meter Backstroke
 * Cora Farrell (born 1999), curler who was a silver medalist at the 2016 Winter Youth Olympics
 * Anthony Fasano (born 1984), NFL tight end for the Miami Dolphins
 * Tom Fleming (1951–2017), distance runner who won the 1973 and 1975 New York City Marathon
 * Buddy Fortunato (born 1946), newspaper publisher and politician who served four terms in the New Jersey General Assembly
 * Kenny Garrett (born 1960), Grammy Award-winning jazz musician, saxophonist and composer
 * Nia Gill (born 1948), represents the 34th Legislative District in the New Jersey Senate since 2002
 * Sean Gleeson (born 1986), offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team
 * Jennifer Granick (born 1969), attorney and educator who focuses on intellectual property law, free speech, privacy law, and other things relating to computer security
 * Roger Lee Hall (born 1942), composer and musicologist
 * Alfred Jensen (1903–1981), abstract painter
 * Ezra Koenig (born 1984), musician Vampire Weekend
 * Alexander Kolowrat (1886–1927), pioneer of Austrian Cinema
 * Frederick Bernard Lacey (1920–2017), United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey
 * John B. MacChesney (1929–2021), scientist who was a Bell Labs pioneer in optical communication
 * Rodney Leinhardt (born 1970), professional wrestler, better known as Rodney from his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation
 * Aubrey Lewis (1935–2001), football and track star with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish who was recognized by The Star-Ledger as its Football Player of the Century
 * Rudy Mancuso (born 1992), actor, producer, internet personality, comedian and musician best known for his comedic videos on YouTube
 * Katherine MacLean (1925–2019), science fiction author best known for her short fiction of the 1950s which examined the impact of technological advances on individuals and society
 * Hugh McCracken (1942–2013), rock guitarist and session musician
 * Wes Miles (born 1984), musician Ra Ra Riot
 * Edward Page Mitchell (1852–1927), editor-in-chief of The New York Sun
 * George Musser (born 1965), book author and contributing editor of Scientific American magazine
 * William J. Nardini (born 1979), Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut and nominee to be a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
 * Gerry Niewood (1943–2009) jazz saxophonist
 * Joe Orsulak (born 1962), Major League Baseball player from 1983 to 1997
 * Robert A. Pascal (1934–2021), politician who served as County executive of Anne Arundel County, Maryland, from 1975 to 1982
 * Barbara Rachelson, politician who has served in the Vermont House of Representatives since 2014
 * Priscilla Roberts (1916–2001), artist known for her still life paintings
 * Kathy Mueller Rohan, former professional tennis player
 * Henry Selick (born 1952), stop motion director, producer and writer best known for directing both The Nightmare Before Christmas and James and the Giant Peach
 * Cindy Sherman (born 1954), artistic photographer
 * George Steinmetz (born 1957), exploration photographer, winner of the Picture of the Year award, Overseas Press Club, 25 stories for GEO magazine in Germany
 * Alison Stewart (born 1966), MSNBC news personality and host of The Most with Alison Stewart
 * Christian Thomas (born 1992), the son of Steve Thomas and the New York Rangers' 40th overall draft pick in 2010 who plays in the AHL for the Connecticut Whale
 * Steve Thomas (born 1963), former NHL right winger who played for the New Jersey Devils from 1995 to 1998
 * Stephen S. Trott (born 1939), judge for the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
 * William Hazlett Upson (1891–1975), author best known stories featuring Alexander Botts, a salesman for the Earthworm Tractor Company
 * Don Van Natta Jr. (born 1964), investigate reporter at The New York Times
 * Tom Verducci (born 1960), sportswriter for Sports Illustrated
 * Dick Zimmer (born 1944), former member of the United States House of Representatives who was the Republican candidate for United States Senate in 1996 and 2008

title: Glen Ridge, New Jersey


text:
Irvington, New Jersey

Irvington is a township in Essex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 61,176, an increase of 7,250 (+13.4%) from the 2010 census count of 53,926,  which in turn reflected a decline of 6,769 (−11.2%) from the 60,695 counted in the 2000 census.

The township had the ninth-highest property tax rate in New Jersey in 2020, with an equalized rate of 4.890% in 2020, compared to 2.824% in the county as a whole and a statewide average of 2.279%.

History
Clinton Township, which included what is now Irvington, Maplewood and parts of Newark and South Orange, was created on April 14, 1834. The area was known as Camptown until the mid-1800s. In 1850, after Stephen Foster published his ballad, Camptown Races, residents were concerned that the activities described in the song would be associated with their community. The town was renamed, Irvingtown, in honor of Washington Irving.

Irvington was incorporated as an independent village on March 27, 1874, from portions of Clinton Township. What remained of Clinton Township was absorbed into Newark on March 5, 1902. On March 2, 1898, Irvington was incorporated as a Town, replacing Irvington Village. In 1982, the town was one of four Essex County municipalities to pass a referendum to become a township, joining 11 municipalities that had already made the change, of what would ultimately be more than a dozen Essex County municipalities to reclassify themselves as townships in order take advantage of federal revenue sharing policies that allocated townships a greater share of government aid to municipalities on a per capita basis.

From 1887 to 1965, Irvington was home to Olympic Park, a 40 acres amusement park that straddled the border of Irvington and Maplewood, with the main entrance on Chancellor Avenue and a side entrance on 40th Street. After the park closed, the merry-go-round was sold and transported to Disney World, in Orlando, FL. The book, Smile: A Picture History of Olympic Park, 1887–1965 written by Alan A. Siegel was published in 1983 by Rutgers University Press.

The 1967 Newark riots hastened an exodus of families from that city, many of them moving a few short blocks into neighboring Irvington. Until 1965, Irvington was almost exclusively white. By 1980, the town was nearly 40% black; by 1990 it was 70%.

On July 1, 1980, Fred Bost, was sworn in as East Ward Councilman, making him the first black person to serve on the Town Council. At age 24, Michael G. Steele became the first black elected to public office in Irvington when he won a seat on the school board on March 25, 1980, then became the township's first black mayor ten years later, when he was elected in 1990 and served for four years, followed by Sarah Brockington Bost in 1994. In 1994 Steele returned to the Board of Education to pursue his career as the district's certified School Business Administrator, serving over 22 years. The current Mayor is Tony Vauss.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 2.92 square miles (7.55 km2), including 2.91 square miles (7.55 km2) of land and <0.01 square miles (0.01 km2) of water (0.07%).

The Elizabeth River runs through the city passing Civic Square and Clinton Cemetery. Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Irving Place.

The township is bordered by Maplewood to the west and Newark to the east, both in Essex County, and Hillside to the south and Union to the southwest, both in Union County, New Jersey.

2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 53,926 people, 20,093 households, and 12,839 families in the township. The population density was 18417.0 /sqmi. There were 23,196 housing units at an average density of 7922.0 /sqmi. The racial makeup was 5.64% (3,042) White, 85.41% (46,058) Black or African American, 0.38% (204) Native American, 0.87% (471) Asian, 0.07% (38) Pacific Islander, 5.42% (2,922) from other races, and 2.21% (1,191) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.60% (5,716) of the population.

Of the 20,093 households, 30.9% had children under the age of 18; 27.6% were married couples living together; 27.9% had a female householder with no husband present and 36.1% were non-families. Of all households, 31.0% were made up of individuals and 6.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.33.

25.4% of the population were under the age of 18, 10.6% from 18 to 24, 30.0% from 25 to 44, 25.1% from 45 to 64, and 9.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34.0 years. For every 100 females, the population had 88.3 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 84.2 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $42,580, and the median family income was $50,798. Males had a median income of $38,033 versus $36,720 for females. The per capita income for the township was $20,520. About 14.4% of families and 16.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.4% of those under age 18 and 16.7% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census
As of the 2000 United States census there were 60,695 people, 22,032 households, and 14,408 families residing in the township. The population density was 20,528.3 PD/sqmi. There were 24,116 housing units at an average density of 8,156.5 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the township was 81.66% Black or African American, 8.97% White, 0.24% Native American, 1.10% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 3.68% from other races, and 4.24% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.38% of the population.

As part of the 2000 Census, 81.66% of Irvington's residents identified themselves as being Black or African American. This was one of the highest percentages of African American people in the United States, and the third-highest in New Jersey (behind Lawnside at 93.6%, and East Orange at 89.46%) of all places with 1,000 or more residents identifying their ancestry.

There were 22,032 households, out of which 33.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 30.2% were married couples living together, 27.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.6% were non-families. 29.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.39.

In the township the age distribution of the population shows 28.0% under the age of 18, 10.7% from 18 to 24, 32.3% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 7.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.5 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $36,575, and the median income for a family was $41,098. Males had a median income of $32,043 versus $27,244 for females. The per capita income for the township was $16,874. About 15.8% of families and 17.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.9% of those under age 18 and 12.2% of those age 65 or over.

Crime
Irvington experienced the crack epidemic of the 1980s and has struggled with its aftermath. The township's violent crime rate was six times higher than New Jersey overall and the murder rate eight times higher than statewide statistics. In 2007, the New Jersey State Police reported that Irvington had a violent crime rate of 22.4 incidents per 1,000 population, the highest of all 15 major urban areas in the state.

According to the New Jersey State Police Uniform Crime Report for 2013, year-to-year between 2012 and 2013, Irvington experienced an overall reduction in crime of 9% (from 49.6 to 45.2 incidents per 1,000), with reductions coming from overall non-violent crime (18%) and aggravated assault (22%), but an increase in the violent crime rate of 16% from 13.1 incidents per 1,000 to 15.3.

Economy
Portions of the township are part of an Urban Enterprise Zone (UEZ), one of 32 zones covering 37 municipalities statewide. Irvington was selected in 1996 as one of a group of seven zones added to participate in the program. In addition to other benefits to encourage employment and investment within the UEZ, shoppers can take advantage of a reduced 3.3125% sales tax rate (half of the $6 5/8$% rate charged statewide) at eligible merchants. Established in May 1996, the township's Urban Enterprise Zone status expires in May 2027.

In July 2015, the central business district surrounding the Irvington Bus Terminal on Springfield Avenue was designated as one of 33 transit villages statewide, qualifying it for incentives for revitalization.

Theatres
Irvington had six movie theatres that provided live stage appearances or films for their patrons amusement. The theatres were built in the 1920s during the era of silent films. A few theaters were installed with Wurlitzers, such as the Castle, Chancellor, and Sanford. A Wurlitzer opus 1885 was installed at Chancellor Theater, known prior as the Roxy or Rex. The Sanford had a Wurlitzer organ opus 1301 installed. The organs were used for silent movies, stage acts, or intermissions. Motion pictures began to increase in showings during the 1940s and 1950s, but downturn in audience turn-out resulted in theaters to close during the 1970s. As of 2024, there are no movie theaters operating in the township.

Local government
Irvington is governed within the Faulkner Act, formally known as the Optional Municipal Charter Law, under the Mayor-Council form of municipal government, one of 71 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this form. The governing body is comprised of the Mayor and the seven-member Township Council, whose members are elected to staggered four-year terms of office on a non-partisan basis in municipal elections held on the second Tuesday in May in even-numbered years. The mayor and the three at-large seats are elected together and two years later the four ward seats are up for vote together. The council selects a president, first vice president and second vice president from among its members at a reorganization meeting held after each election. The council is the legislative body of the township and needs a ⅔ majority to make changes to the budget submitted by the mayor. The mayor is the township's chief executive and is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations and submitting a budget, but is not eligible to vote on the council and is not required to attend its meetings.

, the mayor of Irvington is Tony Vauss, whose term of office ends June 30, 2026. Members of the Township Council are Council President Renee C. Burgess (At-large, 2026), Council First Vice President Octavio Hudley (At-large, 2026), Council Second Vice President Charnette Frederic (At-large, 2026), Jamillah Z. Beasley (South Ward, 2024), Vernal C. Cox Sr. (West Ward, 2024), Sean C. Evans (East Ward, 2024) and Orlander Glen Vick (North Ward, 2024).

In April 2019, Jamillah Z. Beasley was appointed to fill the South Ward seat expiring in December 2020 that became vacant following the death of Sandra M. Jones. He served on an interim basis until the November 2019 general election, when he was elected to serve the balance of the term of office.

Council President David Lyons, who had served six terms in office representing the North Ward, died in August 2019.

Federal, state and county representation
Irvington is located in the 10th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 28th state legislative district.

Politics
As of March 2011, there were 28,545 registered voters in Irvington, of which 14,694 (51.5%) were registered as Democrats, 404 (1.4%) were registered as Republicans and 13,442 (47.1%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 5 voters registered to other parties such as the Libertarian Party and Green Party.

In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 97.9% of the vote (18,538 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 1.9% (363 votes), and other candidates with 0.2% (38 votes), among the 19,036 ballots cast by the township's 30,744 registered voters (97 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 61.9%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 96.9% of the vote (18,923 cast), ahead of Republican John McCain with 2.5% (493 votes) and other candidates with 0.1% (29 votes), among the 19,533 ballots cast by the township's 28,879 registered voters, for a turnout of 67.6%. In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 91.8% of the vote (14,885 ballots cast), outpolling Republican George W. Bush with 7.3% (1,189 votes) and other candidates with 0.3% (80 votes), among the 16,211 ballots cast by the township's 26,594 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 61.0.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Democrat Barbara Buono received 86.4% of the vote (6,800 cast), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 13.1% (1,028 votes), and other candidates with 0.5% (42 votes), among the 8,030 ballots cast by the township's 31,292 registered voters (160 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 25.7%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 93.2% of the vote (9,218 ballots cast), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 4.6% (459 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 0.9% (93 votes) and other candidates with 0.7% (66 votes), among the 9,894 ballots cast by the township's 28,189 registered voters, yielding a 35.1% turnout.

Town of Irvington v. Elouise McDaniel
In 2022, Irvington sued local resident Elouise McDaniel, 82, accusing her of harassment and bullying by using her rights under New Jersey's Open Public Records Act. Both Mayor Vauss and Municipal Clerk Harold Wiener denied filing the lawsuit when interviewed, with Wiener commenting "She does file a lot of OPRAs. That comes with the territory, my territory. I know Ms. McDaniel. I don’t have a problem with her." After being the first to report on the story, WNBC was sent two cease and desist letters by the township, accusing them of harassment as well. After the lawsuit became widely publicized, Irvington dropped it.

Education
The Irvington Public Schools serve students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. The district is one of 31 former Abbott districts statewide that were established pursuant to the decision by the New Jersey Supreme Court in Abbott v. Burke which are now referred to as "SDA Districts" based on the requirement for the state to cover all costs for school building and renovation projects in these districts under the supervision of the New Jersey Schools Development Authority. As of the 2019–20 school year, the district, comprised of 12 schools, had an enrollment of 8,020 students and 530.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 15.1:1. Schools in the district (with 2019–20 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics ) are Augusta Preschool Academy (with 341 students; in Pre-K), Berkeley Terrace School (387; Pre-K–5), Chancellor Avenue School (527; K–5), Florence Avenue School (672; K–5), Grove Street School (428; Pre-K–5), Madison Avenue School (410; Pre-K–5), Thurgood G. Marshall School (398; Pre-K–5), Mount Vernon Avenue School (542; K–5), University Elementary School (403; K–5), Union Avenue Middle School (778; 6–8), University Middle School (403; 6–8) and Irvington High School (1,558; 9–12). The district's high school was the 309th-ranked public high school in New Jersey out of 328 schools statewide in New Jersey Monthly magazine's September 2012 cover story on the state's "Top Public High Schools", after being ranked 287th in 2010 out of 322 schools listed.

Roads and highways
, the township had a total of 69.44 mi of roadways, of which 55.98 mi were maintained by the municipality, 10.69 mi by Essex County, 2.60 mi by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority and 0.17 mi by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

The Garden State Parkway is the most significant highway in Irvington, passing through the center of the township; it is accessible from exits 143 and 144. Interstate 78 also passes through very briefly along the southeastern border at Exit 54. The most significant local roadway passing through Irvington is County Road 509.

Public transportation
The Irvington Bus Terminal, which underwent renovation in the early 2000s, is one of NJ Transit's (NJT) busiest facilities and regional transit hubs. Irvington is served by NJ Transit bus routes 107 to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan; the 1, 13, 25, 27, 37, 39, 42, 70, 90 and 94 to Newark; and local service on the 26, 96. The 375 and the 107X also serves Irvington Bus Terminal as express routes.

Scheduled airline service is available at Newark Liberty International Airport in neighboring Newark and Elizabeth.

Notable people
People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Irvington include:

 * Harold A. Ackerman (1928–2009), United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey
 * Richie Adubato (born 1937), former NBA coach for the Detroit Pistons, Orlando Magic and Dallas Mavericks
 * Paul Boris (born 1955), former pitcher for the Minnesota Twins
 * W. Carl Burger (1925–2023), abstract expressionist painter
 * Glen Burtnik (born 1955), singer, songwriter, entertainer and multi-instrumentalist, best known as a former member of the band Styx
 * Asnage Castelly (born 1979), wrestler competing for Haiti at the 2016 Summer Olympics
 * Cyrus Durand Chapman (1856–1918), artist and architect who achieved fame with his painting The Wedding Bonnet
 * Rakeem Christmas (born 1991), basketball player for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, on assignment from the Indiana Pacers of the NBA
 * Josh Evans (born 1991), free safety who has played in the NFL for the Jacksonville Jaguars
 * Vera Farmiga (born 1973), Academy Award-nominated actress, film director and producer
 * Charles Goeller (1901–1955), artist best known for precise and detailed paintings and drawings
 * Ina Golub (1938–2015), fiber artist specializing in Judaica
 * Mike Goodson (born 1987), running back who has played in the NFL for the New York Jets
 * Austin Gunsel (1909–1974), National Football League's interim commissioner following the death of Bert Bell on October 11, 1959
 * William C. Hill (1917–1998), Associate Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court
 * Frank Hiller (1920–1987), MLB pitcher from 1946 to 1953 who played for the New York Giants, Chicago Cubs, New York Yankees and Cincinnati Reds
 * Erna Schneider Hoover (born 1926), mathematician notable for inventing a computerized telephone switching method
 * James J. Howard (1927–1988), represented New Jersey's 3rd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1965 to 1988
 * Kareem Huggins (born 1986), running back for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
 * Sanford Hunt (1881–1943), member of the Cornell Big Red football team who was a consensus All-American at the guard position in 1901 and later an editor and director of The Newark Sunday Call
 * Jeff Janiak (born 1976), vocalist of the punk rock band Discharge
 * Jay W. Jensen (1931–2007), drama teacher
 * Cullen Jones (born 1984), gold medal-winning swimmer at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing in the Men's 4 × 100 m Freestyle Relay
 * Ron Karnaugh (born 1966), former competition swimmer who represented the United States at the 1992 Summer Olympics
 * Jack Kiley (1929–1982), professional basketball player who played for the Fort Wayne Pistons
 * Martin E. Kravarik (1936–2018), politician who served in the New Jersey General Assembly from District 7B from 1970 to 1972
 * Queen Latifah (born 1970), rapper, singer, actress, producer
 * Jerry Lewis (1926–2017), comedian, actor, director
 * Kevin Lyles (born 1973), former sprinter
 * Boris Malenko (1933–1994), professional wrestler and professional wrestling trainer
 * Adrienne A. Mandel (born 1936), politician who represented the 19th District in the Maryland House of Delegates for more than ten years
 * John J. Miller Jr. (1923–2012), politician who served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1962 to 1964.
 * Percy A. Miller Jr. (1899–1984), politician who served as Speaker of the New Jersey General Assembly and was Mayor of Irvington from 1934 to 1938
 * Joe Morello (1928–2011), drummer best known for his work with The Dave Brubeck Quartet
 * Raheem Morris (born 1976), head coach of the Atlanta Falcons
 * Sybil Moses (c. 1939–2009), prosecutor of the "Dr. X" Mario Jascalevich murder case and New Jersey Superior Court judge
 * Frank Muehlheuser (1926–2006), American football fullback and linebacker who played in the NFL for the Boston Yanks and New York Bulldogs
 * Al-Quadin Muhammad (born 1995), defensive end for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League
 * Napoleon (born 1977), rapper known for being a former member of Tupac Shakur's group, the Outlawz
 * Rocco Neri (1919–2011), politician who served as a member of the New Jersey General Assembly from 1974 to 1976
 * Blanche Noyes (1900–1981), pioneering female aviator who was among the first ten women to receive a pilot's license
 * Bob Perina (1921–1991), running back, quarterback and defensive back who played in the NFL for five seasons
 * Fabiana Pierre-Louis (born 1980), lawyer who was nominated in June 2020 to serve on the New Jersey Supreme Court
 * Pras (born 1972), rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor, best known as one of the founding members of the Fugees
 * Kenneth Raffa (born 1950), entomologist
 * Robert Randolph (born 1977), singer and guitarist for Robert Randolph & the Family band
 * Nicholas Reale (1922–1984), watercolorist with a lengthy career in art and teaching
 * Nate Robinson (born 1985), former football defensive tackle
 * Mark Rudd (born 1947), educator and anti-war activist
 * Al Santorini (born 1948), former MLB pitcher who played for the Atlanta Braves, San Diego Padres and St. Louis Cardinals
 * O. K. Sato (1871–1921), vaudeville performer best known for his comedic juggling
 * Artie Schroeck (born 1938), composer and arranger
 * Art Sinsabaugh (1924–1983), photographer
 * Craig A. Stanley (born 1955), politician who served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1996 to 2008, where he represented the 28th Legislative District
 * Gary Saul Stein (born 1933), attorney and former Associate Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court, who served for 17 years where he wrote over 365 published opinions
 * Wilbur Summers (1954–2019), American football punter who played in the NFL for the Detroit Lions
 * Kay Sutton (1915–1988), film actress
 * Travis Taylor (born 1990), professional basketball player
 * Bill Wenzel (1918–1987), cartoonist best known as a widely published good girl artist for men's magazines
 * Lewis Yablonsky (1924–2014), sociologist, criminologist, author, and psychotherapist best known for his innovative and experiential work with gang members
 * Robert Zoellner (1932–2014), investor and stamp collector who was the second person to have assembled a complete collection of United States postage stamps
 * Tony Zuzzio (1916–2002), lineman who played for the Detroit Lions during the 1942 NFL season

title: Irvington, New Jersey