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Fair Haven, New Jersey

Fair Haven is a borough situated in the Jersey Shore region within Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, in the New York metropolitan area. Fair Haven is located on the Rumson peninsula along the Navesink River and is bordered by Red Bank and Little Silver to the west. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 6,269, its highest decennial count ever and an increase of 148 (+2.4%) from the 2010 census count of 6,121,  which in turn reflected an increase of 184 (+3.1%) from the 5,937 counted in the 2000 census.

Fair Haven was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 28, 1912, from portions of Shrewsbury Township, subject to the results of a referendum held on April 23, 1912. Portions of the borough were exchanged with Red Bank on June 17, 1957.

The borough has been one of the state's highest-income communities. In the 2013–2017 American Community Survey, Fair Haven had a median household income of $158,264 (ranked 23rd in the state) and included 36.6% of households earning more than $200,000 annually.

In 2012, Forbes.com listed Fair Haven as 355th in its listing of "America's Most Expensive ZIP Codes", with a median home price of $804,446. In 2018, New Jersey Business Magazine listed Fair Haven as 25th in its listing of "The Most Expensive ZIP Codes in New Jersey", with a median sale price 2017 of $745,000

History
Fair Haven's first permanent settlement dates to a structure built in 1816 at the Navesink River near today's Fair Haven Road. By the mid-19th century, steamboats stopped at "Chandler's Dock" on a route between Red Bank and New York City, bringing visitors to the area and local oysters to the city. Fisk Chapel was rebuilt in 1882 to accommodate the borough's African American population.

The steamship "Albertina" is depicted on the Borough seal. It was built in 1882 by Lawrence & Foulks.

Fair Haven has an annual Fireman's Fair during the last weekend of summer including Labor Day weekend which attracts a couple of thousand people, including noted musicians Bruce Springsteen and Bon Jovi. The Fair Haven Fireman's Fair also has a Fireman's night and invites all firefighters from any other firehouse to come and join in the festivities. The Fireman's Fair used to raffle off a car each year, but most attendees already had their own cars and the decision was made in the 1990s to switch to a 50/50 raffle whose prize can be in the tens of thousands of dollars. The fair is on the Fire Company grounds.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 2.11 square miles (5.47 km2), including 1.59 square miles (4.13 km2) of land and 0.52 square miles (1.34 km2) of water (24.55%).

The borough borders the Monmouth County communities of Little Silver, Middletown Township, Red Bank and Rumson.

2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 6,121 people, 1,970 households, and 1,659 families in the borough. The population density was 3,832.5 per square mile (1,479.7/km2). There were 2,065 housing units at an average density of 1,292.9 per square mile (499.2/km2). The racial makeup was 94.63% (5,792) White, 2.50% (153) Black or African American, 0.10% (6) Native American, 1.08% (66) Asian, 0.10% (6) Pacific Islander, 0.44% (27) from other races, and 1.16% (71) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.70% (165) of the population.

Of the 1,970 households, 51.4% had children under the age of 18; 73.6% were married couples living together; 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present and 15.8% were non-families. Of all households, 13.8% were made up of individuals and 7.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.11 and the average family size was 3.45.

34.4% of the population were under the age of 18, 4.9% from 18 to 24, 20.5% from 25 to 44, 30.7% from 45 to 64, and 9.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.3 years. For every 100 females, the population had 96.7 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 91.7 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $112,308 (with a margin of error of +/− $18,209) and the median family income was $113,546 (+/− $18,045). Males had a median income of $109,643 (+/− $28,479) versus $62,083 (+/− $15,309) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $54,241 (+/− $6,162). About 0.9% of families and 2.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.5% of those under age 18 and 9.6% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census
As of the 2000 United States census there were 5,937 people, 1,998 households, and 1,658 families residing in the borough. The population density was 3,559.3 PD/sqmi. There were 2,037 housing units at an average density of 1,221.2 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the borough was 93.87% White, 4.09% African American, 0.03% Native American, 0.98% Asian, 0.22% from other races, and 0.81% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.33% of the population.

There were 1,998 households, out of which 47.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 72.1% were married couples living together, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.0% were non-families. 15.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.97 and the average family size was 3.33.

In the borough the population was spread out, with 33.0% under the age of 18, 4.0% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 10.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.9 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $97,220, and the median income for a family was $109,760. Males had a median income of $83,657 versus $51,389 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $44,018. About 1.6% of families and 2.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.1% of those under age 18 and 4.6% of those age 65 or over.

Local government
Fair Haven 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. A 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 Fair Haven 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 the Borough of Fair Haven is Republican Joshua Halpern, whose term of office ends on December 31, 2026. Members of the Fair Haven Borough Council are Council President Elizabeth M. "Betsy" Koch (R, 2024), Tracey Cole (R, 2024), Kristen Hoey (R, 2025), Andrew "Drew" Labarbera (R, 2025), Laline Neff (D, 2023) and Christopher Rodriguez (D, 2023).

In February 2017, the borough council selected Christopher Rodriguez from a list of three candidates nominated by the Democratic municipal committee to fill the seat expiring in December 2017 that had been held by Aimee Humphreys until she resigned from office as she was moving out of the borough; Rodriguez serve until the November 2017 general election, when he was elected to serve the two-month balance of the term and to fill a new three-year term.

Benjamin Lucarelli was chosen as mayor in February 2012 to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Mike Halfacre, and who left office to take a position in the New Jersey Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control, with Eric R. Jaeger in turn chosen in March 2012 to fill Lucarelli's vacancy on the borough council.

Fair Haven was a participating municipality in an initiative to study regionalization of their municipal police force with one or more municipalities. The borough received a grant from the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs in the amount of $40,950 along with the Boroughs of Rumson, Little Silver, Oceanport and Shrewsbury to hire professional consultants to conduct the study on their behalf. A report was prepared that proposed that on or about July 1, 2009, Fair Haven would close and move their Police, Fire and EMS dispatching over to Little Silver. After deadlines to begin this operation were missed, dispatching of police and emergency services would be handled by the Monmouth County Sheriff's office by October 1, 2009. The proposal to consolidate services with Little Silver was presented to and rejected by the voters.

Federal, state, and county representation
Fair Haven is located in the 6th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 13th state legislative district.

Prior to the 2011 reapportionment following the 2010 census, Fair Haven had been in the 12th state legislative district. Prior to the 2010 Census, Fair Haven had been part of the NJ's 12th congressional district, a change made by the New Jersey Redistricting Commission that took effect in January 2013, based on the results of the November 2012 general elections.

Politics

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As of March 2011, there were a total of 4,201 registered voters in Fair Haven, of which 1,049 (25.0%) were registered as Democrats, 1,286 (30.6%) were registered as Republicans and 1,865 (44.4%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There was one voter registered to another party.

In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 53.7% of the vote (1,679 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 45.1% (1,411 votes), and other candidates with 1.2% (37 votes), among the 3,141 ballots cast by the borough's 4,379 registered voters (14 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 71.7%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 50.5% of the vote (1,765 cast), ahead of Republican John McCain with 47.6% (1,664 votes) and other candidates with 0.9% (33 votes), among the 3,498 ballots cast by the borough's 4,343 registered voters, for a turnout of 80.5%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 51.8% of the vote (1,765 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry with 47.1% (1,604 votes) and other candidates with 0.6% (27 votes), among the 3,407 ballots cast by the borough's 4,184 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 81.4.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 68.7% of the vote (1,275 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 29.5% (547 votes), and other candidates with 1.8% (33 votes), among the 1,873 ballots cast by the borough's 4,362 registered voters (18 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 42.9%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 58.8% of the vote (1,459 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 32.9% (817 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 7.2% (178 votes) and other candidates with 0.6% (14 votes), among the 2,480 ballots cast by the borough's 4,238 registered voters, yielding a 58.5% turnout.

Education
The Fair Haven Public Schools serves students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. As of the 2018–19 school year, the district, comprised of two schools, had an enrollment of 966 students and 88.1 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.0:1. Schools in the district (with 2018–19 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics ) are Viola L. Sickles School with 401 students in grades Pre-K–3 and Knollwood School with 564 students in grades 4–8.

Students in public school for ninth through twelfth grades attend Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School, together with students from Rumson, where the school is located. As of the 2018–19 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 983 students and 84.8 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.6:1. In 2016, Newsweek ranked RFH the 144th best high school in the United States. Seats on the high school district's nine-member board of education are allocated based on the population of the constituent municipalities, with four seats assigned to Fair Haven.

Roads and highways
, the borough had a total of 23.95 mi of roadways, of which 21.40 mi were maintained by the municipality and 2.55 mi by Monmouth County.

No Interstate, U.S. or state highways pass through Fair Haven. County Route 10 (River Road) is the main road through the town.

Public transportation
NJ Transit provides local service on the 835 route. The nearest train station is at Red Bank, where service is available on the North Jersey Coast Line.

Notable people
People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Fair Haven include:
 * Katie Coyle (born c. 1986), author of the Vivian Apple series of young adult novels.
 * Schuyler DeBree (born 1996), professional soccer player who plays as a defender for North Carolina Courage of the National Women's Soccer League
 * Clinton B. Fisk (1828–1890), senior officer during the Reconstruction Era in the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands, who was the namesake of Fisk University
 * Jacquelyn Jablonski (born 1991), fashion model
 * Connor Jaeger (born 1991), Men's 1500 meter swimmer who competed at the 2012 London Olympics, and winner of the silver medal in the 1500 meter freestyle at the 2016 Rio Olympics
 * Adrienne-Joi Johnson (born 1963, actress, who appeared in House Party and Baby Boy
 * Vince Lombardi (1913–1970), lived in Fair Haven while coaching with the New York Giants
 * Robert W. Lucky (1936–2022), engineer
 * Bruce Mapes (1901–1961), figure skating pioneer who invented the flip jump and the toe loop jump
 * Kevin Ryan (born 1967), president and CEO of Covenant House International
 * Bonnard J. Teegarden (born 1940), astrophysicist formerly with NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, best known for leading the team that discovered Teegarden's Star in 2003
 * Charlie Volker (born 1997), bobsledder who represented the United States in the two-man bobsleigh event and in the four-man event at the 2022 Winter Olympics

title: Fair Haven, New Jersey


text:
Fairview, Monmouth County, New Jersey

Fairview is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Middletown Township, in Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the CDP's population was 3,806.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP had a total area of 1.289 square miles (3.337 km2), including 1.280 square miles (3.314 km2) of land and 0.009 square miles (0.023 km2) of water (0.69%).

2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 3,806 people, 1,317 households, and 1,083 families in the CDP. The population density was 2974.5 /sqmi. There were 1,346 housing units at an average density of 1051.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup was 95.27% (3,626) White, 0.84% (32) Black or African American, 0.00% (0) Native American, 1.23% (47) Asian, 0.05% (2) Pacific Islander, 1.26% (48) from other races, and 1.34% (51) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.47% (208) of the population.

Of the 1,317 households, 39.3% had children under the age of 18; 70.2% were married couples living together; 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present and 17.8% were non-families. Of all households, 14.3% were made up of individuals and 6.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.89 and the average family size was 3.22.

26.2% of the population were under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 25.0% from 25 to 44, 31.8% from 45 to 64, and 10.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.9 years. For every 100 females, the population had 100.1 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 96.6 males.

2000 census
At the 2000 United States Census there were 3,942 people, 1,331 households and 1,095 families living in the CDP. The population density was 3,067.7 PD/sqmi. There were 1,344 housing units at an average density of 1,045.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 95.92% White, 0.56% African American, 1.98% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.46% from other races, and 1.07% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.06% of the population.

There were 1,331 households, of which 42.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 71.5% were married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.7% were non-families. 14.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.96 and the average family size was 3.29.

The age distribution was 27.6% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 31.3% from 25 to 44, 25.0% from 45 to 64, and 9.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.9 males.

The median household income was $81,733, and the median family income was $85,993. Males had a median income of $65,986 versus $31,510 for females. The per capita income was $29,914. About 1.8% of families and 1.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.3% of those under age 18 and 1.3% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation
New Jersey Transit offers local bus service on the 834 route. New Jersey Route 35 is a major highway in Fairview linking the CDP to Red Bank and Keyport.

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

title: Fairview, Monmouth County, New Jersey


text:
Farmingdale, New Jersey

Farmingdale is a borough in Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 1,504, an increase of 175 (+13.2%) from the 2010 census count of 1,329, which in turn reflected a decline of 258 (−16.3%) from the 1,587 counted in the 2000 census.

Farmingdale was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 8, 1903, from portions of Howell Township. The borough is named for its location at the center of an agricultural area.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 0.52 square miles (1.35 km2), all of which was land.

The borough is completely surrounded by Howell Township,  making it part of 21 pairs of "doughnut towns" in the state, where one municipality entirely surrounds another.

2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 1,329 people, 547 households, and 342 families in the borough. The population density was 2,547.7 per square mile (983.7/km2). There were 578 housing units at an average density of 1,108.0 per square mile (427.8/km2). The racial makeup was 89.62% (1,191) White, 2.86% (38) Black or African American, 0.45% (6) Native American, 3.16% (42) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 1.73% (23) from other races, and 2.18% (29) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.92% (92) of the population.

Of the 547 households, 28.9% had children under the age of 18; 45.2% were married couples living together; 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present and 37.5% were non-families. Of all households, 28.2% 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 2.43 and the average family size was 3.05.

21.5% of the population were under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 28.3% from 25 to 44, 31.6% from 45 to 64, and 10.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.8 years. For every 100 females, the population had 103.8 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 97.9 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $63,191 (with a margin of error of +/− $2,838) and the median family income was $69,688 (+/− $10,093). Males had a median income of $56,518 (+/− $4,270) versus $36,625 (+/− $5,921) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $31,425 (+/− $2,251). About 2.6% of families and 4.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.6% of those under age 18 and 9.6% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census
As of the 2000 United States census there were 1,587 people, 625 households, and 406 families residing in the borough. The population density was 2,972.2 PD/sqmi. There were 638 housing units at an average density of 1,194.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the borough was 93.64% White, 1.13% African American, 2.33% Asian, 2.08% from other races, and 0.82% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.84% of the population.

There were 625 households, out of which 37.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.5% were married couples living together, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.0% were non-families. 29.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.21.

In the borough the population was spread out, with 27.0% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 35.5% from 25 to 44, 21.1% from 45 to 64, and 9.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 107.0 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $48,889, and the median income for a family was $59,625. Males had a median income of $40,000 versus $27,375 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $21,667. About 5.6% of families and 5.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.0% of those under age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over.

Local government
Farmingdale 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. A 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 Farmingdale 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 Farmingdale is Republican James A. Daly, whose term of office ends December 31, 2027; Daly had taken office after having been named as acting mayor following the March 2016 death of John P. "Jay" Morgan. Members of the Borough Council are Council President Patricia A. Linszky (R, 2024), Erich Brandl (R, 2026), Kaaren L. Corallo (R, 2024), George J. Dyevoich (R, 2025), Colleen Sagan (R, 2025) and Don H. Steinfeld (R, 2026).

In July 2020, the borough council appointed Colleen Sagan to fill the seat expiring in December 2022 that had been held by Michael J. Romano until his death two months earlier. Sagan served on an interim basis until the November 2020 general election when she was chosen to serve the balance of the term of office.

The 2012 elections included the election of all six council seats in the wake of the resignation of all six council members during the previous year.

Federal, state and county representation
Farmingdale is located in the 4th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 30th state legislative district.

Politics
As of March 2011, there were a total of 929 registered voters in Farmingdale, of which 166 (17.9%) were registered as Democrats, 325 (35.0%) were registered as Republicans and 436 (46.9%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 2 voters registered as Libertarians or Greens.
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In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 51.9% of the vote (364 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 47.1% (330 votes), and other candidates with 1.0% (7 votes), among the 709 ballots cast by the borough's 966 registered voters (8 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 73.4%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 50.1% of the vote (360 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 47.1% (338 votes) and other candidates with 1.5% (11 votes), among the 718 ballots cast by the borough's 967 registered voters, for a turnout of 74.3%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 61.0% of the vote (424 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry with 38.0% (264 votes) and other candidates with 0.7% (7 votes), among the 695 ballots cast by the borough's 934 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 74.4.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 75.5% of the vote (379 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 22.1% (111 votes), and other candidates with 2.4% (12 votes), among the 514 ballots cast by the borough's 991 registered voters (12 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 51.9%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 66.7% of the vote (320 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 24.4% (117 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 8.1% (39 votes) and other candidates with 0.6% (3 votes), among the 480 ballots cast by the borough's 939 registered voters, yielding a 51.1% turnout.

Education
The Farmingdale School District serves public school students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade at Farmingdale Elementary School. As of the 2022–23 school year, the district, comprised of one school, had an enrollment of 163 students and 24.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 6.8:1. In the 2016–17 school year, Farmingdale had the 34th-smallest enrollment of any school district in the state, with 161 students.

Public school students in ninth through twelfth grades attend Howell High School, as part of the Freehold Regional High School District (FRHSD). The district also serves students from Colts Neck Township, Englishtown, Freehold Borough, Freehold Township, Howell Township, Manalapan Township and Marlboro. As of the 2022–23 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 2,011 students and 133.2 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 15.1:1. Students may apply to attend one of the district's six specialized learning centers, including the Humanities Learning Center hosted at Howell High School. The FRHSD board of education has nine members, who are elected to three-year terms from each of the constituent districts. Each member is allocated a fraction of a vote that totals to nine points, with Farmingdale allocated one member, who has 0.5 votes.

Roads and highways
, the borough had a total of 6.89 mi of roadways, of which 5.30 mi were maintained by the municipality and 1.59 mi by Monmouth County.

County Route 547 and County Route 524 are the most prominent roads which pass directly through the borough. Route 33 and Route 34 are the closest state highways. Interstate 195 is the nearest limited-access highway.

Airport
Monmouth Executive Airport is a public-use airport located east of Farmingdale.

Notable people
People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Farmingdale include:
 * Charles H. Boud (1843–1921), politician who served in the New Jersey General Assembly.
 * Billy Brown (born 1944), singer, songwriter, and record producer, who was an original member of the R&B vocal group, Ray, Goodman & Brown
 * George Fischbeck (1922–2015), television weatherman
 * Jim Gary (1939–2006), sculptor popularly known for his large, colorful creations of dinosaurs made from discarded automobile parts
 * Chris Hill (born 1994), soccer defender who currently plays for Harrisburg City Islanders in the USL
 * Herman Hill (1945–1970), professional baseball outfielder who appeared in 43 games for the Minnesota Twins
 * Janis Ian (born 1951), singer-songwriter and author known for her 1967 top twenty hit "Society's Child" and her 1975 top five "At Seventeen"
 * Denny Walling (born 1954), Major League Baseball player in the 1980s who played predominantly for the Houston Astros

title: Farmingdale, New Jersey


text:
Freehold Borough, New Jersey

Freehold is a borough in and the county seat of Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Known for its Victorian era homes and extensive colonial history, the borough is located in the Raritan Valley region within the New York Metropolitan Area, located about 33 mi from Manhattan and 17 mi from Staten Island. The borough has grown to become a commuter town of New York City. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 12,538, its highest decennial count ever and an increase of 486 (+4.0%) from the 12,052 recorded at the 2010 census,  which in turn reflected an increase of 1,076 (+9.8%) from the 10,976 counted in the 2000 census.

The Freeholds region, which includes the borough and Freehold Township (which completely surrounds the borough), is a commercial hub for central New Jersey. The borough is located relatively close to the Raritan Bayshore communities to the north, including The Amboys, Old Bridge, Matawan, Keyport, Keansburg, and Middletown, along with being relatively close to the Tri-City region of Jersey Shore municipalities (and their vicinities) to the east, including Red Bank, Long Branch, and Asbury Park.

What is now Freehold Borough was originally incorporated as a town by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 25, 1869, from portions within Freehold Township. The town became independent of the township in 1888. On April 15, 1919, Freehold was incorporated as a borough, including all of Freehold and additional portions of Freehold Township, based on the results of a referendum held on July 8, 1919. Additional portions of Freehold Township were annexed on September 7, 1926.

The Hispanic and Latino population has been rapidly growing in Freehold Borough for the last 40 years. The Hispanic population making up 4.6% (0.2% Mexican) in the 1980 Census, 11.3% (2.8% Mexican) in the 1990 Census, 28.0% (17.3% Mexican) in 2000, 42.9% (29.6% Mexican) in 2010, and recently in 2020, a majority at 53.0% Hispanic. Meanwhile, the Black or African American population has decreased in recent decades: 17.1% in 1970, 19.8% in 1980, 18.2% in 1990, 15.8% in 2000, 12.6% in 2010 and 9.4% in 2020.

In 2021, Freehold Borough became one of few towns in the state (including, Bellmawr, Egg Harbor Township, Montclair and Woodbridge Township) that has authorized the sale of cannabis through authorized dispensaries and for the allowance of cultivators, distributors, wholesalers, and manufacturers.

Early history
The Lenni Lenape Native Americans were the earliest known people to live in the area that became Freehold. The Lenape were a hunter-gatherer society. They were largely sedentary, changing campsites seasonally. They were prolific hunters of small game and birds. They were also skilled fisherman, and were known to harvest vast amounts of clams from the bays and inlets on the Jersey Shore. They also practiced some agriculture to augment their food supply. During this time, an important crossroad of two major Lenape trails was located in the area of Freehold.

By the late 17th century, the English had begun to take over the area. In 1664, the Duke of York (later James II & VII) granted a patent to Sir George Carteret to develop the area. In 1685, Scottish Presbyterians from Scotland, along with English Baptists and Quakers from New England fleeing religious persecution at home, became the first to settle within the area. In 1693, along with Middletown and Shrewsbury, Freehold was established by act of legislature as one of the three original townships in Monmouth County. The name of the borough comes from the word Freehold, an English legal term describing fee simple property ownership.

Colonial Freehold
In 1714, when the colonial government was deciding where to locate the county seat and courthouse, Freeholder John Reid, the first Surveyor General of East Jersey, wanted the county seat located in Freehold Township. Reid sold land suitable for use as a courthouse to the Board of Chosen Freeholders at a bargain price, and this may have been the deciding factor why Freehold was selected over Middletown and Shrewsbury. In return for the heavily discounted price, Reid placed a restrictive covenant in the deed that, should the property ever cease being used as a courthouse, ownership would revert to the Reid family. Direct descendants of John Reid still reside in Freehold Township.

Freehold was officially designated as the seat of the Monmouth County government, and a court house was commissioned to be built on the land purchased from John Reid. The Monmouth Courthouse opened in 1715. A small village quickly began to develop around the courthouse. At first, the village was called Monmouth Courthouse. Over time, other government buildings opened near the courthouse, including a sheriff's office, a prison and a post office. A number of homes and commercial businesses also sprang up in the village, including a blacksmith, a general store, a bank, a hotel, and saloon. In the area surrounding Monmouth Courthouse, many successful farms began to appear. The farms in Freehold were particularly well known for the production of potatoes, beans, and rye, which were sold in the markets of nearby cities. Freehold also became known for its excellent horse farms. The differences within Freehold between growing village around the courthouse and the surrounding farmland were the seeds for the eventual division of Freehold into two separate municipalities in the early 20th century.

As of 1745, the majority of families in Freehold were still Scottish immigrants. In modern Freehold today, many important streets bear the name of early colonial families, including Barkalow, Applegate, Rhea, Throckmorton, and Schanck.

Revolutionary War
Freehold was deeply impacted by the American Revolution. By the early 1770s, the Sons of Liberty were actively recruiting local members in Freehold, and were agitating the relationship between the British government and the colonists. In 1775, immediately after the Battles of Lexington and Concord, Capt. Elias Longstreet recruited the first company of Freeholders to join the Continental Army. Freehold was a known center of patriot activity. The Declaration of Independence was publicly proclaimed, read aloud, from the steps of the Freehold Courthouse just a few days after being signed in Philadelphia.

However, after British success at the Battle of Long Island, Freehold and all of Monmouth County fell under the control of Loyalists. The British government continued to operate the Freehold Courthouse, and several people involved in revolutionary activism were arrested and tried for treason at the courthouse. The success of the Continental Army at the Battle of Trenton helped to weaken loyalist control of Freehold.

In June 1778, the British Army began a major strategic evacuation of Philadelphia. They attempted to protect a long, slow moving column of loyalist families, equipment, and other supplies seized in Philadelphia, as they moved towards ships in New York Harbor. On June 28, 1778, the Continental Army intercepted the column in Freehold (the area is now part of Freehold & Manalapan Townships). The Battle of Monmouth was one of the largest battles of the Revolutionary War, involving over 25,000 soldiers combined in Continental, British, and Hessian forces. The initial engagement was in doubt until Washington arrived because Charles Lee was retreating from the battlefield. Washington rallied the Continentals and strongly engaged the British forces and they held their ground on the battlefield. However, the British forces were successful in completing their primary goal, the evacuation of Philadelphia. Both sides claimed victory in the battle.

Several notable figures during the Revolutionary War fought at the Battle of Monmouth. British forces were commanded by Sir Henry Clinton and Charles Cornwallis. The Continental Army was commanded by George Washington and Charles Lee. Charles Lee was court martialed by the Continental Army for his behavior at the Battle of Monmouth. Nathaniel Greene, Alexander Hamilton, the Marquis de Lafayette and Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben also fought for the Continental Army at the Battle of Monmouth. Another famous figure at the Battle of Monmouth was Molly Pitcher, who manned a cannon during the battle after her husband was wounded.

In the aftermath of the Battle of Monmouth, Loyalist control of Freehold faltered. The town ceased to have a functioning municipal government, and the courthouse was closed until the end of the war. Minor clashes between loyalists and continentals flared up in town, with the violence peaking around 1780. Colonel Tye, an escaped slave and leader of a prominent loyalist guerilla force, conducted several raids in and around Freehold. One famous incident was the capture and hanging of Joshua Huddy by British Loyalists under the direction of Richard Lippincott. Colonel Tye was killed during the raid on Huddy's home. Patriots later cut down Huddy's body hanging from the gallows and buried it in Freehold, at Old Tennent Church. At the end of the war, the community was deeply divided, and nearly 120 loyalist families left Freehold, fearing persecution from their neighbors. Most of these families re-settled in Canada.

19th century
During the early 19th century, Freehold steadily grew in size. The village around the courthouse was now called Freehold, along with the surrounding farmland. In 1852, when long distance railroad systems were first being developed, a railroad station, with trains making regular stops, running along what is now known as Throckmorton Street, about one block from the courthouse. Freehold soon had public sewers in the village and in some of the outlying farmland. By 1883, there was an electrical grid and a telephone switchboard, at a time when these inventions were still brand new. These public advancements caused rapid economic growth in Freehold. The village of Freehold became an important commercial and industrial hub in central New Jersey. The farms in the rest of Freehold benefitted greatly by being able to sell their products more easily in New York and Philadelphia. Both the village and the farms prospered together, however the public policies sought by the two different communities continued to grow further apart. The municipal government was increasingly divided between the villagers and farmers.

In 1824, the American Hotel opened on Main Street in Freehold; It is still standing today, and is one of the oldest buildings in Freehold. In 1853, the Freehold Raceway opened. Though the original grandstand burned down in a fire, the racetrack is still open today, and is one of the oldest harness racetracks in America. The Great Fire of Freehold happened on October 30, 1873. The fire reportedly began in a commercial building on Main Street. It soon spread to engulf a large section of the village, and many wooden buildings, including Monmouth Courthouse, were burned down.

Freehold also has an important place in the history of the bicycle. Cycling champion Arthur Augustus Zimmerman resided in the borough during his racing career in the 1880s and 1890s, and from 1896 to 1899 operated the Zimmerman Bicycle Co.; the company's bicycles were known as the "Zimmy." Today, Freehold Borough is home to the Metz Bicycle Museum, where the only extant "Zimmy" can be seen.

Freehold divided
At the beginning of the 20th century, Freehold was an increasingly divided community. The issue of local tax dollars, used as funding for public works and infrastructure projects, was the primary point of contention. The Freeholders living in the downtown area, around the courthouse had very different ideas about how to spend public money compared to the Freeholders living in the surrounding farmland. Tension within the community increased greatly in 1916 when a severe polio epidemic swept through Freehold.

After contentious public debate, a referendum was held to on the future of Freehold, and voters overwhelmingly decided to split the town into two separate municipalities.

On April 15, 1919, Freehold Borough formally separated from Freehold Township. Freehold residents generally refer to the different municipalities simply as the Borough and the Township. The borough, the downtown area around the courthouse, retained all the existing government buildings around Court Street and Main Street. The borough also kept the designation as county seat. Freehold Township, the farming communities that surrounded the courthouse, set up a new city hall complex on Schanck Road. The township completely encircles the borough. On September 7, 1926, Freehold Borough annexed additional territory from the township.

The Borough in the 20th century
Freehold Borough initially prospered in the early 20th century. However, by mid-century, the Borough began to decline as downtown areas across the country shrank, and suburban areas began growing. In 1961, the A & M Karagheusian rug factory closed. This factory had long been the largest employer in the area, and its closure had a devastating effect on the economic stability of the borough. The borough managed to turn around its economic decline by establishing the downtown area as a center for restaurants and nightlife. Several well-known local restaurants on Main Street are now crowded every night of the week.

Freehold Borough was an important center of African American civil rights activity in New Jersey during the years leading up to the Brown v. Board of Education decision in 1954. In 2007, Jaye Sims became the first African American official to be elected to office.

Bruce Springsteen grew up in the borough. His family lived in various homes on Randolph St, Institute St and finally South St. In 1963, he graduated eighth grade from St. Rose of Lima School, and graduated from Freehold Borough High School in 1967. In 1973, he released his first album, and rocketed to international fame. Springsteen has always remained loyal to Freehold and makes reference to it in several of his famous songs, including "My Hometown". In 1996, he conducted a small benefit concert in Freehold for St. Rose of Lima.

Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 1.93 square miles (5.01 km2), including 1.93 square miles (5.00 km2) of land and <0.01 square miles (<0.01 km2) of water (0.10%). It is situated in the heart of Monmouth County and is located approximately 35 mi south of New York City and 50 mi northeast of Philadelphia. Freehold is also about 16 mi west of Asbury Park on the Jersey Shore.

Freehold has an elevation of 174 ft above sea level at its center.

The borough is completely surrounded by Freehold Township,  making it part of 21 pairs of "doughnut towns" in the state, where one municipality entirely surrounds another.

Climate
According to the Köppen climate classification system, Freehold Borough sits on the northern border between the humid subtropical climate (Cfa) zone and the humid continental climate (Dfa) zone, with the borough being one of the most northern localities in North America that has a humid subtropical climate. Cfa climates are characterized by all months having an average temperature above 32.0 F, at least four months with an average temperature at or above 50.0 F, at least one month with an average temperature at or above 71.6 F and no significant precipitation difference between seasons.

Ecology
According to the A. W. Kuchler U.S. potential natural vegetation types, Freehold Borough would have an Appalachian Oak (104) vegetation type with an Eastern Hardwood Forest (25) vegetation form.

2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 12,052 people, 4,006 households, and 2,660 families in the borough. The population density was 6,180.8 per square mile (2,386.4/km2). There were 4,249 housing units at an average density of 2,179.1 per square mile (841.4/km2). The racial makeup was 65.72% (7,920) White, 12.57% (1,515) Black or African American, 0.52% (63) Native American, 2.89% (348) Asian, 0.07% (8) Pacific Islander, 15.35% (1,850) from other races, and 2.89% (348) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 42.87% (5,167) of the population.

Of the 4,006 households, 33.6% had children under the age of 18; 44.3% were married couples living together; 13.6% had a female householder with no husband present and 33.6% were non-families. Of all households, 26.2% were made up of individuals and 13.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.98 and the average family size was 3.48.

24.5% of the population were under the age of 18, 10.4% from 18 to 24, 32.4% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 11.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33.3 years. For every 100 females, the population had 111.7 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 112.0 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $52,000 (with a margin of error of +/− $3,634) and the median family income was $60,471 (+/− $3,989). Males had a median income of $29,752 (+/− $8,068) versus $34,976 (+/− $8,305) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $23,331 (+/− $1,602). About 13.1% of families and 16.01% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.5% of those under age 18 and 14.2% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census
As of the 2000 United States census there were 10,976 people, 3,695 households, and 2,571 families residing in the borough. The population density was 5,501.1 PD/sqmi. There were 3,821 housing units at an average density of 1,915.1 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the borough was 71.02% White, 15.83% Black, .55% Native American, 2.45% Asian, .02% Pacific Islander, 6.64% from other races, and 3.49% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 28.07% of the population.

There were 3,695 households, out of which 32.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49% were married couples living together, 14.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.4% were non-families. 24.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.96 and the average family size was 3.39.

In the borough the population was spread out, with 24.8% under the age of 18, 10.9% from 18 to 24, 34.4% from 25 to 44, 19.3% from 45 to 64, and 10.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33.0 years. For every 100 females, there were 106.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.7 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $48,654, and the median income for a family was $53,374. Males had a median income of $35,855 versus $30,377 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $19,910. About 7.7% of families and 12% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.8% of those under age 18 and 9.2% of those age 65 or over.

Economy
Suburbanization within the vicinity of the Freeholds region has been due to its convenient location near the Jersey Shore, and proximity to cities such as New York, Newark, Trenton, and Philadelphia. The region has, thus, been a longtime premier shopping destination in Central New Jersey.

Main Street
The borough is home to Downtown Freehold, located on East and West Main Street (County Route 537). This downtown section has various eateries, bars, boutiques, historical sites, and other excursions. Within this section of town, there have been plans to revitalize the downtown area, as outlined in the Freehold Center Core Revitalization Plan (2008), in which NJ Transit has sponsored a project in transforming the Freehold Center Bus Station into a Transit Village. This new designation would foster in the creation of a transit-oriented development zoning district around the bus station.

Freehold Raceway
Established in 1853, making it the nation's oldest half-mile harness racing track, Freehold Raceway offers horse lovers and bettors an opportunity to see harness racing.

Freehold Raceway Mall
Completed in August 1990, the Freehold Raceway Mall is a super-regional mall located in neighboring Freehold Township. The mall was constructed at a cost of $125 million on a site covering more than 175 acres across from the Freehold Raceway over U.S. 9, and it has a gross leasable area of 1600000 sqft.

There are many other shopping destinations outside of the borough, including the Manalapan EpiCentre (formerly, the Manalapan Mall) in nearby Manalapan Township, the Jackson Premium Outlets in nearby Jackson Township, and The Shoppes in nearby Old Bridge Township.

Cannabis businesses
In 2021, the Freehold Borough council approved an ordinance to opt-in for cannabis businesses to operate within the borough. In a 4–1 vote, the ordinance established the parameters and zoning regulations to where cannabis businesses could operate, including commercial manufacturing and limited professional office zoning categories. This would make Freehold one of the few municipalities in the state (including, Bellmawr, Egg Harbor Township, Montclair, and Woodbridge Township) that has authorized the sale of cannabis in New Jersey, especially within the greater central New Jersey region. NJ Leaf, a medical cannabis dispensary located on Park Avenue, opened in March 2023 and is expected to also expand to recreational sales in the near future.

Manufacturing
Freehold Borough and Township began to grow in commercial and industrial manufacturing of goods during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

A and M Karagheusian Mill
A & M Karagheusian, Inc. was a rug manufacturer headquartered at 295 Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. Manufacturing was located in Freehold Borough, New Jersey and operated for 60 years before closing in 1964. It employed 1,700 people at its peak operation in the 1930s. There was another factory in Roselle Park, New Jersey, that operated from May 19, 1923, to 1962.

Bruce Springsteen wrote about the Karagheusian Rug Mill’s closing in his 1984 song "My Hometown".

Brockway Glass
Brockway Glass Company built a facility on Center Street in 1955. Brockway Glass then proceeded to build additional facilities in the region in 1956, 1967, 1969 and 1976. The company ceased operations in the township in 1991, in which the site is now operated by the Freehold campus location for Iron Mountain, an enterprise information management services company.

Nestle
Nestle opened a production plant in 1948, which closed in 2023.

Parks and recreation
The Freeholds region is home to a wide array of nature spaces, including Monmouth Battlefield State Park, Turkey Swamp Park, and Lake Topanemus, providing assorted recreational opportunities. Smaller parks in the borough are operated by the Borough Recreation Commission, and they include Liberty Park, Veterans Park, and Vinyard Park.

The southernmost segment of the Henry Hudson Trail starts in the borough and runs northeast to the Raritan Bayshore area along an abandoned rail line to Matawan. There is a parking lot located at 119 Dutch Lane Road in Freehold Township. The trail is used by walkers, runners and bicyclists.

Lake Topanemus is a 71 acre suburban park located in Freehold Township, but is owned and operated by the borough. The pond's attractions, include freshwater fishing, paddle boating, and canoeing. The park is also known for its picturesque nature trails, playgrounds, outdoor calisthenics, and open fields.

Local government
Freehold 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. A 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 Freehold 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 Freehold Borough is Democrat Kevin A. Kane, whose term of office ends December 31, 2023. Members of the Freehold Borough Council are Council President Michael DiBenedetto (D, 2023), Annette Jordan (D, 2024), Adam Reich (D, 2025), Margaret Rogers (D, 2025), George Schnurr (D, 2023) and Sharon C. Shutzer (D, 2024).

Michael Wilson had been elected in 1985 and served in office until January 2012, making him the longest-serving mayor in Freehold Borough history, with 26 years of service.

Federal, state, and county representation
Freehold Borough is located in the 3rd Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 11th state legislative district.

Politics

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As of March 2011, there were a total of 5,108 registered voters in Freehold, of which 1,459 (28.6%) were registered as Democrats, 820 (16.1%) were registered as Republicans and 2,827 (55.3%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 2 voters registered as Libertarians or Greens.

In the 2016 presidential election, Democrat Hillary Clinton received 54.5% of the vote (1,958 cast), ahead of Republican Donald Trump with 41.8% (1,501 votes), and other candidates with 3.7% (134 votes), among the 3,593 cast by the borough's voters. In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 61.4% of the vote (2,182 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 37.3% (1,326 votes), and other candidates with 1.3% (48 votes), among the 3,591 ballots cast by the borough's 5,270 registered voters (35 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 68.1%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 57.7% of the vote (2,222 cast), ahead of Republican John McCain with 39.0% (1,500 votes) and other candidates with 1.4% (53 votes), among the 3,849 ballots cast by the borough's 5,390 registered voters, for a turnout of 71.4%. In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 52.3% of the vote (1,955 ballots cast), outpolling Republican George W. Bush with 45.6% (1,705 votes) and other candidates with 0.9% (50 votes), among the 3,737 ballots cast by the borough's 5,316 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 70.3.

In the 2017 gubernatorial election, Democrat Phil Murphy received 50.7% of the vote (1,064 cast), ahead of Republican Kim Guadagno with 46.2% of the vote (969 votes), and other candidates with 3.1% (64 votes), among the 2,097 cast by the borough's voters. In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 61.7% of the vote (1,264 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 36.6% (750 votes), and other candidates with 1.6% (33 votes), among the 2,093 ballots cast by the borough's 5,279 registered voters (46 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 39.6%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 55.0% of the vote (1,360 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 36.6% (906 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 6.9% (170 votes) and other candidates with 1.1% (26 votes), among the 2,474 ballots cast by the borough's 5,178 registered voters, yielding a 47.8% turnout.

Education
Freehold Borough's public school students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade attend the Freehold Borough Schools. As of the 2018–19 school year, the district, comprised of three schools, had an enrollment of 1,698 students and 140.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.1:1. Schools in the district (with 2018–19 school enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics ) are Freehold Learning Center with 619 students in grades Pre-K–2, Park Avenue Elementary School with 532 students in grades 3–5, and Freehold Intermediate School with 515 students in grades 6–8.

Students in public school for ninth through twelfth grades attend Freehold High School, as part of the Freehold Regional High School District (FRHSD). The Freehold Regional High School District also serves students from Colts Neck Township, Englishtown, Farmingdale, Freehold Township (which also has some students at Freehold Borough High School), Howell Township, Manalapan Township and Marlboro Township. As of the 2018–19 school year, Freehold Borough High School had an enrollment of 1,422 students and 103.8 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 13.7:1. Students may apply to attend one of the district's six specialized learning centers, including the Medical Sciences Learning Center hosted at Freehold High School. The FRHSD board of education has nine members, who are elected to three-year terms from each of the constituent districts. Each member is allocated a fraction of a vote that totals to nine points, with Freehold Borough allocated one member, who has 1.0 votes.

The independent Freehold Public Library is one of the remaining Carnegie-funded libraries in the state and is believed to be the only one with the name "Carnegie Library" engraved on its front. It is not part of the Monmouth County Library system.

Roads and highways
, the borough had a total of 31.31 mi of roadways, of which 26.60 mi were maintained by the municipality, 1.30 mi by Monmouth County and 3.41 mi by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

U.S. Route 9, Route 33 Business, Route 79, County Route 522 and County Route 537 all pass through Freehold Borough.

Freehold Circle
Freehold Circle was located near the western boundary of Freehold Borough near the Freehold Raceway. The circle carried traffic between U.S. Route 9, Route 33 Business and Manalapan Avenue (CR 24); it was eliminated in the 1980s due to the increased traffic load caused by a boom in commercial and residential development. Most notable of the commercial development is the Freehold Raceway Mall, in Freehold Township just south of the old circle on US 9, whose development in the late 1980s was a major impetus to redesign the circle. The former circle now features several jughandles, and most Manalapan Avenue traffic must use a connector road to Business Route 33 to reach the main intersection, but it is still known by locals as Freehold Circle. In the early 1940s, the Freehold Circle was the planned terminus of highway that would funnel traffic from South Amboy to the Jersey Shore by way of Matawan and Marlboro Township.

Rail
In the 19th and 20th centuries, Freehold Borough and Freehold Township had two major railways. One major railway in the area was the Freehold and Jamesburg Agricultural Railroad, which was owned and operated by the Camden & Amboy Railroad Company (C&A). Surveying for the line began on September 8, 1851, grading began on October 19, 1852, and the first track was laid on April 4, 1853. The first section of line was opened on July 18, 1853. The establishment of the Freehold & Jamesburg Agricultural Railroad caused the Freeholds region to become a transportation hub. The other major railway in the area was the Central Railroad of New Jersey, which had a branch that connected the still-active former Penn Central line from Jamesburg to CNJ's Seashore Branch and the New York and Long Branch line (now owned by NJ Transit) at Matawan.

The Freehold and Jamesburg Railroad was abandoned by the early 1930s. A 2.8 mi portion of the former railroad's right-of-way was later approved to be sold by the New Jersey Board of Public Utility Commissioners (PUC) to Jersey Central Power & Light Company in 1966, with occasional freight service still being used through the Freehold Industrial Track. Meanwhile, The Central Railroad of New Jersey went into bankruptcy in the early 1970s and entered into Conrail on April 1, 1976, with its freight service on the rails from Freehold to Matawan being terminated in 1979 (the rails were removed in 1980). Today, it is mostly a rail-trail, converting into the Henry Hudson Trail. Freehold's former train station for both of these important railway routes now serves as the central bus station for town.

The Monmouth Ocean Middlesex Line is a proposal by New Jersey Transit to restore passenger railway service to the region, by using the same tracks as the Freehold Industrial Track. The borough and its neighboring township would be potential stops for the 'MOM' Line.

As of now, the nearest train stations to the borough are located in Aberdeen-Matawan, Asbury Park, Long Branch, and South Amboy on the North Jersey Coast Line, and Metropark in Iselin, Metuchen, New Brunswick, and Princeton Junction on the Northeast Corridor Line.

Proposed NJ Transit Village
With the Borough of Freehold's determination to revitalize its downtown area, as outlined in the Freehold Center Core Revitalization Plan (2008), NJ Transit has sponsored a project in transforming the Freehold Center Bus Station into a "Transit Village". This new designation would foster in the creation of a Transit-oriented development (TOD) zoning district around by the Freehold Center Bus Station between West Main Street (County Route 537) and Throckmorton Street (County Route 522).

In 2019, Freehold Borough Council members began to authorize Planning Board members "to investigate if properties in the downtown district constitute an area in need of redevelopment. If board members determine redevelopment is warranted, they will prepare a redevelopment plan for the designated area." On April 20, 2020, borough council members had reached an agreement in adopting an ordinance that would purchase a new building to house as the municipal complex. The hopes of relocating the current municipal complex on West Main Street to this new location on Mechanic street would be in opening up more space for potential developers that could bid for the NJ 'Transit Village'.

Buses
NJ Transit bus service connects Freehold with communities along U.S. Route 9, to Newark Liberty International Airport, to New York City, and to Six Flags Great Adventure located in Jackson Township. The 131, 135 and 139 provide service to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan, on the 67 to Newark, on the 64 and 67 to Jersey City and local service on the 836 and 838 routes. Bus service is available from Route 9 to Wall Street in New York's Financial District via the Academy Bus Line.

There are also several bus stops to the points listed above located along Route 9 in the borough and in neighboring Freehold Township.

Aviation
Following the closure of the Marlboro Airport, Old Bridge Airport in Old Bridge supply short-distance flights to surrounding areas and is the closest air transportation services. The nearest major commercial airports are Trenton-Mercer Airport, which serves several domestic destinations via Frontier Airlines and located 25 mi west (about 38 minutes drive); and Newark Liberty International Airport, which serves as a major hub for United Airlines and located 32 mi north (about 44 minutes drive) from Freehold Borough.

Healthcare
Freehold Borough is served by CentraState Healthcare System, which is affiliated with Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, located in neighboring Freehold Township. The regional hospital is a 287-bed medical facility. CentraState Healthcare system also provides healthcare through its various family practices in communities across western Monmouth and southern Middlesex counties in central New Jersey. CentraState Family Medicine Residency Program is one of Robert Wood Johnson Medical School's residency halls, which is located in Freehold Borough on Park Avenue. CentraState Healthcare System is the county's fourth-largest employer.

The next closest hospitals to the borough are Bayshore Community Hospital, located in nearby Holmdel Township, and the Old Bridge Division of Raritan Bay Medical Center, located in nearby Old Bridge Township. The closest major university hospitals to the borough are Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune Township, Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center in Plainsboro Township, Saint Peter's University Hospital and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick.

Points of interest

 * Freehold Public Library
 * Monmouth County Historical Association, a museum and library dedicated to the history of Monmouth County.
 * Freehold Raceway, the oldest harness racetrack in the United States, dating to 1853.
 * Hankinson-Moreau-Covenhoven House was constructed in the 1750s and used by the British as a headquarters during the Battle of Monmouth. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974
 * St. Peter's Episcopal Church was built in 1771 based on a design by architect Robert Smith and was added to the National Register in 1998 as one of one five churches in the state dating back to the 1700s still standing.
 * Freehold Jewish Center, a synagogue established in 1911 which was constructed as the Orthodox Jewish Congregation Agudath Achim.
 * Metz Bicycle Museum exhibits antique bicycles dating back to the 1850s.
 * Monmouth County Courthouse and Battle of Monmouth Monument
 * Olive Branch Lodge No. 16 Free and Accepted Masons was instituted October 20, 1849.

In popular culture
Bruce Springsteen often incorporated Freehold into his music, including the entire song "My Hometown". His connection to Freehold was documented by the Monmouth County Historical Association in a 2019 exhibition titled "Bruce Springsteen: His Hometown". In the film Blinded by the Light, Javed, the protagonist of the film who falls in love with Springsteen's music, visits Freehold. Many local sights such as Randolph Street (one of the streets on which Springsteen lived), Springsteen's childhood home, and a Downtown Freehold sign (which Javed is photographed next to) are briefly featured.

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

 * Scott Conover (born 1968), former Detroit Lions offensive tackle and author of the children's book Can I Play Too? was raised in Freehold
 * Anthony DeSclafani (born 1990), starting pitcher for the San Francisco Giants
 * Robert Griswold (born 1996), swimmer
 * Lewis Lane (1901–1977), pianist, composer, lecturer and musicologist
 * Danny Lewis (1936–2015), NFL running back from 1958 to 1966, playing for the Detroit Lions, the Washington Redskins, and the New York Giants
 * Joel Parker (1816–1888), 20th Governor of New Jersey, elected to two non-consecutive terms (1863–1866 and 1871–1874). A lawyer by profession, he served as Attorney General of New Jersey in 1875 and as a justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court, from 1880 to 1888
 * Tim Perry (born 1965), former NBA player, most notably with the Phoenix Suns
 * Darrell Reid (born 1982), former defensive tackle for the Denver Broncos and Indianapolis Colts
 * Nehemiah Shumway (1761–1843), composer, farmer, principal of Freehold Academy
 * J. R. Smith (born 1985), professional basketball player who plays for the Los Angeles Lakers
 * Rebecca Soni (born 1987), Olympic gold medalist at the 2012 London Olympic Games who set world records in the 100-meter breaststroke (short course) and the 200-meter breaststroke (short and long course)
 * Bruce Springsteen (born 1949), rock musician, was raised in Freehold Borough The borough is the subject of his song "My Hometown," from the Born in the U.S.A. album, which described racial and economic tensions in the 1960s (the "textile mill being closed" was the A & M Karagheusian rug mill at Center and Jackson Streets). Springsteen has also performed a humorous song about the borough called "In Freehold", which can be found on some bootleg live recordings.

title: Freehold Borough, New Jersey