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West Windsor, New Jersey

West Windsor is a township in Mercer County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Located at the cross-roads between the Delaware Valley region to the southwest and the Raritan Valley region to the northeast, the township is considered to be an outer-ring suburb of New York City in the New York metropolitan area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 29,518, its highest decennial count ever and an increase of 2,353 (+8.7%) from the 27,165 recorded at the 2010 census,  which in turn reflected an increase of 5,258 (+24.0%) from the 21,907 counted in the 2000 census.

West Windsor and adjacent East Windsor were established by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 9, 1797, and incorporated on February 21, 1798, as two of the state's initial group of 104 townships, by partitioning provincial Windsor Township.

The Borough of Princeton, now part of Princeton, was formed from a portion of the township on February 11, 1813. The township is closely associated with that now much more widely known town and several localities within West Windsor use Princeton in their name, the most notable of those being Princeton Junction. The Princeton 08540 post office facility is located within West Windsor, and covers parts of the township designated by Princeton mailing addresses.

A portion of Princeton University, covering 400 acres south of Lake Carnegie, is located in West Windsor. The university agreed in 2009 to make an annual payment in lieu of taxes of $50,000 that would be indexed to inflation to cover 81 acres of land in the township that the university had purchased in 2002.

West Windsor is frequently ranked among some of the highest-income municipalities in New Jersey. In 2008, Forbes listed West Windsor as the 15th most affluent neighborhood in the U.S. Using 2012–2016 data from the U.S. Census Bureau, NJ.com listed the township as the 9th highest-income in the state in its January 2018 article "The 19 wealthiest towns in New Jersey, ranked." Based on data from the American Community Survey for 2013–2017, West Windsor residents had a median household income of $175,684, ranked 4th in the state among municipalities with more than 10,000 residents, more than double the statewide median of $76,475.

History
Prior to individual European land acquisition and settlement around the turn of the 18th century, the primary residents of West Windsor were the Lenape Native Americans. The Assanhicans (Assunpinks) were the subtribe that inhabited the greater Trenton area; artifacts from their society are still found in West Windsor.

The first known European activity in the area now known as West Windsor dates to 1634, during the exploration of Captain Thomas Yong. Yong was an Englishman, who reportedly traded with the native Lenape people. The region was officially claimed for European settlement under the 1682 William Penn treaties, under which the Lenape conveyed vast portions of New Jersey and Pennsylvania to Quaker colonists.

The West Windsor area was within Piscataway Township when it was chartered on December 18, 1666. This changed upon the formation of Middlesex County in 1683.

New Windsor Township (West Windsor's predecessor), known later as Windsor Township, was unofficially formed in 1731, and officially created by Royal Charter on March 9, 1751, from a partition of Piscataway Township. Its borders encompassed today's West Windsor Township, all of present-day Princeton up to Nassau Street, and pre-partition East Windsor Township. In 1756, The College of New Jersey relocated to Nassau Hall in the village of Princeton. When West Windsor and East Windsor were created from the division of Windsor Township on February 9, 1797, West Windsor's boundaries extended up to Nassau Street. Following the 1838 formation of Mercer County and further land acquisitions by Princeton in 1843 and 1853, West Windsor's borders were again redefined to reflect the township's current 26.84 sqmi.

Historically, West Windsor relied heavily upon agriculture. Common products were wheat, tomatoes, rye, and potatoes. This identity dominated the township from its first settlement until the last half of the 20th century, and was really only extinguished upon the township's most rapid period of growth from the late 1970s-the 2000s.

However, this agrarian dominance incentivized the institution of slavery as well. Although records are sparse, township censuses indicate 190 slaves in Windsor Township in 1790. In West Windsor, there were 21 slaves in 1830 and 3 in 1840. Additionally, several late 1700s wills and 1800s "abandonments" show the presence of slavery in the township around the turn of the 19th century.

West Windsor never developed a centralized "downtown." Instead, The township contained within it (entirely or partly) several small hamlets whose names and locations are still identifiable and/or in use in contemporary times. They are as follows:

 * Aqueduct Mills – centered at Mapleton Avenue, Lower Harrison Street, and the Millstone River. Partly located in Plainsboro.
 * Canal/Princeton Basin – at the intersection of Alexander Road and the Delaware & Raritan Canal. Partially located in Princeton.
 * Clarksville – at the intersection of Route 1 and Quakerbridge Road.
 * Dutch Neck – at the intersection of Village Roads East/West and South Mill Road.
 * Edinburg – at the intersection of Old Trenton and Edinburg Roads.
 * Jugtown/Queenston – at the intersection of Nassau and Harrison Streets. Now fully located in Princeton.
 * Grovers Mill – at the intersection of Cranbury and Clarksville Roads.
 * Penns Neck – Centered at the intersection of Washington Road and Route 1.
 * Port Windsor/Mercer – at the end of Quakerbridge Road at the Delaware Canal. Partially located in Lawrence.
 * Princeton Junction – Initially centered at the Princeton Junction Train Station. Manifested after the mid-1860s relocation of the Camden and Amboy Railroad line (now the Northeast Corridor) and opening of the current station.

Grover's Mill in West Windsor was the site Orson Welles chose for the Martian invasion in his infamous 1938 radio broadcast of The War of the Worlds.

During the later part of the 20th century the township underwent dramatic changes, driven mainly by a major boom in new housing developments. For generations, West Windsor had existed mostly as a sparsely populated agricultural community according to a 1999 article in The New York Times, the township "has grown into a sprawl of expensive houses in carefully groomed developments, and home to nearly 20,000 people", since the 1970s.

The West Windsor post office was found to be infected with anthrax during the 2001 anthrax attacks.

In April 2002, a memorial was dedicated to the seven residents of West Windsor who died in the September 11 terrorist attacks.

In October 2019, the Historical Society of West Windsor published an online museum exploring the history of West Windsor.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 26.25 square miles (68.00 km2), including 25.55 square miles (66.17 km2) of land and 0.71 square miles (1.83 km2) of water (2.69%).

Princeton Junction (with a 2010 Census population of 2,465) is an unincorporated community and census-designated place located within West Windsor. Other unincorporated communities in the township include Berrien City, Dutch Neck, Edinburg, Grover's Mill, Millstone, Penns Neck, Port Mercer, Post Corner, and Princeton Ivy East.

The township borders the municipalities of East Windsor, Hamilton Township, Lawrence Township, Princeton and Robbinsville Township in Mercer County; and Plainsboro Township in Middlesex County.

The Howard Hughes Corporation has proposed redevelopment of a 653 acres tract of land bounded by the Northeast Corridor train line, Route 1, and Quakerbridge Road, which includes land once owned by American Cyanamid and last used up until 2002 as an agricultural research facility by BASF; in of 2017 a plan was proposed to create mixed-use development that would include 2,000 residences along with 1300000 sqft of retail and commercial space on the site, which is currently zoned for commercial use. The local school district has developed a report identifying significant potential growth in the number of students enrolling from this and other residential development in both West Windsor and Plainsboro. In 2019, Atlantic Realty purchased the property, and in November 2020 they and the township reached an agreement to restrict the tract to non-residential use and convert it to warehouse space. The West Windsor Planning Board granted approval to build 5.5 million square feet of warehouse space (called "Bridge Point 8") on June 29, 2022."

Climate
According to the Köppen climate classification system, West Windsor Township has a Hot-summer Humid continental climate (Dfa).

Ecology
According to the A. W. Kuchler U.S. potential natural vegetation types, West Windsor Township would have a dominant vegetation type of Appalachian Oak (104) with a dominant vegetation form of Eastern Hardwood Forest (25).

Demographics
AOL/NeighborhoodScout named West Windsor in 2009 as the best neighborhood to raise children because of its school district (top 7% in New Jersey, top 3% nationwide), prevailing family type (families with school-aged children), and neighborhood safety (safer than 97% of neighborhoods). As of January 2018 the township's population was the second most educated in the state of New Jersey, according to an analysis by NJ.com. The percent of residents with a bachelor's degree or higher was 81.7%, with 48% of residents holding advanced graduate or professional degrees.

2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 27,165 people, 9,449 households, and 7,606 families in the township. The population density was 1062.6 /sqmi. There were 9,810 housing units at an average density of 383.7 /sqmi. The racial makeup was 54.94% (14,924) White, 3.67% (998) Black or African American, 0.09% (25) Native American, 37.71% (10,245) Asian, 0.04% (10) Pacific Islander, 0.97% (263) from other races, and 2.58% (700) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.47% (1,213) of the population.

Of the 9,449 households, 45.5% had children under the age of 18; 73.0% were married couples living together; 5.6% had a female householder with no husband present and 19.5% were non-families. Of all households, 16.7% were made up of individuals and 6.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.85 and the average family size was 3.23.

28.4% of the population were under the age of 18, 5.1% from 18 to 24, 26.2% from 25 to 44, 29.5% from 45 to 64, and 10.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.6 years. For every 100 females, the population had 94.7 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 91.4 males. The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $137,265 (with a margin of error of +/− $12,610) and the median family income was $156,110 (+/− $6,769). Males had a median income of $120,662 (+/− $6,410) versus $71,151 (+/− $9,841) for females. The per capita income for the township was $59,946 (+/− $3,307). About 3.6% of families and 4.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.2% of those under age 18 and 4.7% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census
As of the 2000 United States census there were 21,907 people, 7,282 households, and 5,985 families residing in the township. The population density was 842.4 PD/sqmi. There were 7,450 housing units at an average density of 286.5 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the township was 71.53% White, 2.76% African American, 0.08% Native American, 22.76% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.08% from other races, and 1.78% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.07% of the population.

As of the 2000 Census, 8.31% of West Windsor's residents identified themselves as being of Chinese ancestry. This was the fourth highest percentage of people with Chinese ancestry in any place in New Jersey with 1,000 or more residents identifying their ancestry.

There were 7,282 households, out of which 50.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 75.3% were married couples living together, 5.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.8% were non-families. 14.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 2.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.01 and the average family size was 3.36.

In the township the population was spread out, with 31.8% under the age of 18, 4.4% from 18 to 24, 31.4% from 25 to 44, 26.2% from 45 to 64, and 6.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.8 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $116,335, and the median income for a family was $127,877. Males had a median income of $100,000 versus $56,002 for females. The per capita income for the township was $48,511. About 2.0% of families and 2.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.4% of those under age 18 and 2.3% of those age 65 or over.

Economy
NRG Energy has its corporate headquarters in West Windsor.

Arts and culture
The West Windsor Arts Center is the junction where the arts and community meet. They offer performances, classes, workshops, exhibitions, literary arts events and various other special events. It is located in the historic Princeton Junction Firehouse.

The Mercer County Italian-American Festival, established in 2000 and held annually in West Windsor, celebrated its 20th annual event in September 2019.

MCTV 26
Mercer County Television (MCTV) channel 26 is an Educational-access television station in West Windsor that is owned and operated by Mercer County Community College (MCCC). The student television station is transmitted to all of Mercer County, New Jersey, via cable TV channel 26 on Xfinity and Optimum, reaching an excess of 90,000 households. MCTV was added as Verizon FiOS channel 20 in Mercer County starting in 2009.

Parks and recreation
Richard J. Coffee Mercer County Park is located on Old Trenton Road. Administered by the Mercer County Park Commission and located primarily in West Windsor, it has athletic fields, a dog park, picnic grounds, a newly renovated boathouse and marina on Mercer Lake, bike trails and an ice skating rink that is home to the Mercer Bulldogs special hockey team.

The West Windsor Community Park is a 123 acres public park which serves as the primary park for active recreation. Facilities include a playground, jogging/bicycling paths, basketball courts, dog parks, a skate park, tennis courts and pickleball courts. This park also features 3 baseball fields and an indoor baseball facility where many children go to train. The park is also home to the West Windsor Waterworks Family Aquatics Center.

Duck Pond Park is a 120 acres park under construction located off Meadow Road between the intersections with Clarksville Road and Bear Brook Road, bordering Duck Pond Run. It is designed to be a "second community park" for the township. As of 2015, lighted soccer fields have been completed and in use by the West Windsor–Plainsboro Soccer Association, as well as tennis, volleyball and basketball courts. Future plans include a playground, picnic areas, an amphitheater, and a fishing pond.

Local government
West Windsor is governed under the Faulkner Act (formally known as the Optional Municipal Charter Law) within the mayor-council form of New Jersey municipal government (Plan 6), implemented based on the recommendations of a Charter Study Commission as of July 1, 1993. The township is one of 71 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this form of government. From the time of its formation in 1797, until 1993, the township was governed by a township committee, which combined both executive and legislative authority. In May 1993, West Windsor residents voted to change their form of government to a Faulkner Act form of government.

The governing body is comprised of the Mayor and the five-member Township Council. Under the township's mayor-council form of government, the mayor and council function as independent branches of government. The mayor is the chief executive of the township and heads its administration. The mayor is elected in a non-partisan election and serves for a four-year term. The mayor may attend council meetings but is not obligated to do so. The council is the legislative branch. The five members of the township council are elected on a non-partisan basis for four-year terms on a staggered basis, with either two seats (and the mayoral seat) or three seats up for vote in odd-numbered years as part of the November general election. At the annual organizational meeting held during the first week of January of each year, the Council elects a president and vice president to serve for one-year terms. The council president chairs the meetings of the governing body. Starting in 2011, the township's elections were shifted from May to November as part of an effort to lower costs of running standalone municipal elections and as part of an effort to increase voter participation.

, the mayor of West Windsor is Hemant Marathe, whose term of office ends December 31, 2025; Marathe is the first Indian-American to serve as the township's mayor. Members of the West Windsor Township Council are Council President Andrea Sue Mandel (2023), Council Vice President Michael Ray Stevens (2023), Sonia Gawas (2023), Linda Geevers (2023) and Martin Whitfield (2025).

In June 2017, council president Peter Mendonez resigned from office. Council vice president Allison Miller was chosen to serve as acting council president and Jyotika Bahree was appointed to fill the vacant seat left by Miller expiring in December 2019. In the November 2018 general election, Yingchao "YZ" Zhang was elected to serve the balance of the term of office.

In June 2015, the township council selected Hemant Marathe to fill the vacant seat expiring December 2015 of Kristina Samonte, who had resigned from office in the previous month as she was relocating out of the township.

Federal, state and county representation
West Windsor is located in the 12th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 15th state legislative district.

Politics
As of March 2011, there were a total of 16,034 registered voters in West Windsor, of which 5,384 (33.6%) were registered as Democrats, 2,968 (18.5%) were registered as Republicans and 7,672 (47.8%) were registered as unaffiliated. There were 10 voters registered as Libertarians or Greens.

In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 63.1% of the vote (7,769 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 35.7% (4,401 votes), and other candidates with 1.2% (148 votes), among the 14,045 ballots cast by the township's 17,891 registered voters (1,727 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 78.5%. In the 2008 presidential election, Obama received 64.3% of the vote (7,895 cast), ahead of Republican John McCain with 33.3% (4,092 votes) and other candidates with 1.0% (125 votes), among the 12,273 ballots cast by the township's 16,548 registered voters, for a turnout of 74.2%.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 63.0% of the vote (4,983 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 35.3% (2,793 votes), and other candidates with 1.7% (137 votes), among the 8,181 ballots cast by the township's 17,648 registered voters (268 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 46.4%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 49.5% of the vote (3,918 ballots cast), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 43.4% (3,436 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 6.0% (474 votes) and other candidates with 0.4% (34 votes), among the 7,914 ballots cast by the township's 16,267 registered voters, yielding a 48.7% turnout.

Colleges and universities
West Windsor is the site of the West Windsor Campus of Mercer County Community College.

Princeton University's satellite campus is located in West Windsor.

Public
West Windsor and Plainsboro are part of a combined school district, the West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District, which serves students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade from the two communities. The district has four elementary schools (grades Pre-K/K–3), two upper elementary schools (grades 4 and 5), two middle schools (grades 6–8) and two high schools (grades 9–12). As of the 2020–21 school year, the district, comprised of 10 schools, had an enrollment of 9,386 students and 773.2 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.1:1. Schools in the district (with 2020–21 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics ) are Dutch Neck Elementary School (located in West Windsor: 704 students; in grades K-3), Maurice Hawk Elementary School (West Windsor: 723; K-3), Town Center Elementary School (Plainsboro: 431; PreK-2), J.V.B. Wicoff Elementary School (Plainsboro: 349; K-3), Millstone River School (Plainsboro: 967; 3–5), Village School (West Windsor: 617; 4–5), Community Middle School (Plainsboro: 1,131; 6–8), Thomas R. Grover Middle School (West Windsor: 1,208; 6–8), West Windsor-Plainsboro High School North (Plainsboro: 1,521; 9–12) and West Windsor-Plainsboro High School South (West Windsor: 1,649; 9–12). The district is overseen by a directly elected nine-member board of education whose seats are allocated to the two constituent municipalities based on population, with five of the nine seats allocated to West Windsor.

Three of the district's schools have been recognized by the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program. West Windsor-Plainsboro High School South was recognized during the 1992–1993 school year and Maurice Hawk Elementary School was recognized in 1993–1994, while West Windsor-Plainsboro High School North was recognized in the 2006–2007 school year.

Eighth grade students from all of Mercer County are eligible to apply to attend the high school programs offered by the Mercer County Technical Schools, a county-wide vocational school district that offers full-time career and technical education at its Health Sciences Academy, STEM Academy and Academy of Culinary Arts, with no tuition charged to students for attendance.

Private
The Wilberforce School, a K–12 school founded in 2005 that offers a Classical Christian education, moved to new facilities in the township in 2014.

Roads and highways
, the township had a total of 151.84 mi of roadways, of which 123.43 mi were maintained by the municipality, 24.16 mi by Mercer County and 4.25 mi by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

U.S. Route 1 is the largest and busiest highway in West Windsor, crossing the northwestern sections of the township, oriented southwest to northeast. CR 533 (Quakerbridge Road) passes along the western border with Lawrence. CR 526 and CR 571 are multiplexed together from the northwestern part of the township until they split in the center of the municipality. CR 535 passes through in the south and serves Mercer County Community College. New Jersey Route 64 is a short, unsigned state highway that runs 0.32 mi concurrent with CR 526/CR 571 where they cross the Northeast Corridor rail line.

Other major roads that are accessible in neighboring municipalities include: Interstate 295 in Hamilton and Lawrence, Interstate 195 in Hamilton and Robbinsville, and the New Jersey Turnpike (Interstate 95) in Robbinsville (Exit 7A) and East Windsor (Exit 8).

Public transportation
Princeton Junction station, a Northeast Corridor stop on Amtrak and NJ Transit, is located within West Windsor. Amtrak's Keystone Service and Northeast Regional routes stop at Princeton Junction which is ranked as one of the ten busiest train stations in the Northeast. The station had 6,800 average weekday boardings in 2012, the fourth-highest of any NJ Transit station in the state.

Running between the Princeton Junction station and the Princeton station is what is known to locals as the "Dinky." The Dinky is a one-car train that shuttles back and forth many times a day between the two stations. Traveling 2.7 mi each way, it is the shortest regularly scheduled passenger route in the United States.

NJ Transit bus service to Trenton is provided via the 600, 603, 609, with other area service on the 605 route.

The Greater Mercer Transportation Management Association offers service on Route 130 between the West Windsor Campus of Mercer County Community College and East Windsor Township / Hightstown.

Healthcare
Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center is a 355-bed regional non-profit, tertiary and academic medical center located in neighboring Plainsboro Township. The hospital services the greater Princeton region in central New Jersey. It is owned by the Penn Medicine Health System and is the only such hospital in the state of New Jersey. The PMC network offers a wide array of services at its main campus location in Plainsboro, along with its network of primary and specialty care through its family-based physician practice locations across Central Jersey. One of those physician practices has a primary and specialty care unit in West Windsor, located on Princeton-Hightstown Road.

Other nearby regional hospitals and healthcare networks that are accessible to the township include CentraState Medical Center in nearby Freehold Township, the Old Bridge Township division of Raritan Bay Medical Center, and the Hamilton Township division of Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH). Saint Peter's University Hospital and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital are also located nearby in New Brunswick.

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

 * Jack Aker (born 1940), former Major League Baseball pitcher
 * Kevin Barry (born 1978), Atlanta Braves relief pitcher
 * Kevin Chapman, author and attorney
 * Aneesh Chopra (born 1972), first Chief Technology Officer of the United States
 * Stanley Dancer (1927–2005), harness racing driver and trainer
 * Eileen Filler-Corn (born 1964), member of the Virginia House of Delegates since 2010 who was chosen in 2019 to become the first woman to serve as Speaker
 * Douglas Forrester (born 1953), former mayor of West Windsor Township who was the Republican Party nominee for U.S. Senator in 2002 and for Governor of New Jersey in 2005
 * John W. Hartmann (born 1967), politician who served in the New Jersey General Assembly from the 15th Legislative District from 1992 to 1994
 * Ethan Hawke (born 1970), actor
 * Kris Kolluri (born c. 1969), former Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Transportation
 * Matt Lalli (born 1986), professional lacrosse player for the Boston Cannons of Major League Lacrosse
 * Paul Lansky (born 1944), composer
 * Ben H. Love (1930–2010), the eighth Chief Scout Executive of the Boy Scouts of America serving from 1985 to 1993
 * Ramesses McGuiness (born 2000), footballer who plays for the U.S. Virgin Islands national team
 * Christopher McQuarrie (born 1968), screenwriter, director and producer who is a regular collaborator of director Bryan Singer, with whom he co-wrote the screenplay of Singer's Public Access, wrote the screenplay for The Usual Suspects, co-wrote and produced Valkyrie and co-wrote Jack the Giant Slayer and Edge of Tomorrow
 * Lyle and Erik Menéndez (born 1968), notorious 1990s California convicted criminals
 * Glenn Michibata (born 1962), retired professional tennis player who has been tennis coach of the Princeton Tigers
 * James Murphy (born 1970), singer, songwriter, DJ, electronic musician (as LCD Soundsystem)
 * John Forbes Nash Jr. (1928–2015), Nobel Prize-winning mathematician who was the subject of the film A Beautiful Mind
 * Taktin Oey (born c. 1986), composer
 * Fernando Perez (born 1983), former Tampa Bay Rays outfielder, current San Francisco Giants coach
 * Steve Rogers (born 1949), former pitcher for the Montreal Expos baseball team
 * Bryan Singer (born 1965), film and television director
 * David Zhuang (born 1963), Olympic table tennis player

title: West Windsor, New Jersey


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White Horse, New Jersey

White Horse is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Hamilton Township, Mercer County, New Jersey, in the United States. As of the 2020 United States census, the CDP's population was 9,791.

History
The community's name derives from a local tradition that holds that George Washington rode through the area on a white horse in 1789 on his journey from Virginia to New York City for his first presidential inauguration.

Geography
White Horse is in southern Mercer County, with part of its southern border following Crosswicks Creek, the border with Burlington County to the south. Interstate 195 forms the remainder of the southern border of the community. Interstate 295 passes through the western part of the community. White Horse is bordered to the southeast by Yardville, and downtown Trenton is 4 mi to the northwest. U.S. Route 206 passes through the center of White Horse, following Broad Street to the northwest toward Trenton. In the other direct, US 206 leads south 3 mi to Bordentown.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the White Horse CDP has a total area of 3.18 sqmi, including 3.12 sqmi of land and 0.06 sqmi of water (1.80%).

White Horse Circle
White Horse Circle is a traffic circle locally known by name, in the southwest part of White Horse. Up until 2018 it was not a true traffic circle, because it was bisected by northbound U.S. Route 206, which made a left turn in the circle. This intersection connects South Broad Street (US 206 north and Route 524 east), White Horse-Mercerville Road (Route 533 north) and Bordentown Road (US 206 south). Only Route 533 had a stop sign at the circle, while Route 524 and the southern part of Route 206 have traffic signals some distance from the circle. To allow cars to move in a safe fashion, there were six yield-signed road segments allowing cars to get to Route 206 and from the highway to Route 533. Route 206, when the light allowed, had no yield sign restrictions. Since the completion of Interstate 195 and Interstate 295, which intersect southwest of the circle, much of the traffic that would have passed through the circle is able to use the wider, faster freeways, reducing the traffic load at the circle. Hamilton Township approved a construction project under which the modifications at the circle were completed by 2018, at a site that the township's engineer described as having an average of one accident a week. The new circle operates as a roundabout with two concentric lanes and many arrows to help drivers navigate the circle. The biggest change was the new requirement to yield to traffic in the circle, rather than yielding to traffic on the major roads. Accidents have decreased since this new roundabout was finished.

In the 1927 New Jersey state highway renumbering, Route 37 was legislated to run from Route 27 and Route 30 (now U.S. Route 1 Business, U.S. Route 206, and Route 31) in Trenton continuing through the White Horse Circle and on to Seaside Heights. The western end of Route 37 was once planned to be at White Horse Circle, though that section of the planned route was eventually built as Interstate 195, with other portions returned to the counties as part of Route 524.

A 10 ft tall statue of a white horse was constructed on the circle in 2010, commemorating the local tradition that George Washington rode through the area on a white horse while traveling to New York City in 1789.

2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 9,494 people, 3,875 households, and 2,682 families in the CDP. The population density was 3088.0 /mi2. There were 4,018 housing units at an average density of 1306.9 /mi2. The racial makeup was 87.91% (8,346) White, 5.59% (531) Black or African American, 0.07% (7) Native American, 2.19% (208) Asian, 0.09% (9) Pacific Islander, 2.62% (249) from other races, and 1.52% (144) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.55% (812) of the population.

Of the 3,875 households, 25.0% had children under the age of 18; 53.9% were married couples living together; 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present and 30.8% were non-families. Of all households, 26.6% were made up of individuals and 13.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.96.

19.3% of the population were under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 24.6% from 25 to 44, 29.5% from 45 to 64, and 20.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44.6 years. For every 100 females, the population had 91.8 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 90.0 males.

2000 census
As of the 2000 United States Census there were 9,373 people, 3,722 households, and 2,687 families living in the CDP. The population density was 1,134.5 /km2. There were 3,818 housing units at an average density of 462.1 /km2. The racial makeup of the CDP was 91.80% White, 3.82% African American, 0.06% Native American, 1.66% Asian, 1.48% from other races, and 1.17% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.97% of the population.

There were 3,722 households, out of which 27.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.5% were married couples living together, 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.8% were non-families. 24.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the CDP the population was spread out, with 20.6% under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 28.8% from 25 to 44, 24.8% from 45 to 64, and 19.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.3 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $60,061, and the median income for a family was $67,050. Males had a median income of $47,176 versus $34,710 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $25,480. About 1.6% of families and 3.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.9% of those under age 18 and 7.8% of those age 65 or over.

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

title: White Horse, New Jersey


text:
Yardville-Groveville, New Jersey

Yardville-Groveville was an unincorporated community and former census-designated place (CDP) located within Hamilton Township, in Mercer County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2000 United States Census, the CDP's population was 9,208.

Since the 2010 census, the area has been split into two, Yardville and Groveville.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP had a total area of 9.0 km2. 8.9 km2 of land and 0.1 km2 of water (0.58%).

Demographics
As of the 2000 United States Census there were 9,208 people, 3,438 households, and 2,619 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 1,033.5 /km2. There were 3,528 housing units at an average density of 396.0 /km2. The racial makeup of the CDP was 93.09% White, 3.02% African American, 0.08% Native American, 2.00% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 0.80% from other races, and 0.93% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.01% of the population.

There were 3,438 households, out of which 33.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.6% were married couples living together, 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.8% were non-families. 19.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.09.

In the CDP the population was spread out, with 23.7% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 31.2% from 25 to 44, 24.4% from 45 to 64, and 14.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.8 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $60,893, and the median income for a family was $68,171. Males had a median income of $46,897 versus $34,236 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $25,391. About 0.2% of families and 1.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.4% of those under age 18 and 2.0% of those age 65 or over.

Cost of Living
Overall cost of living and other consumer spending categories is above the national average according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

title: Yardville-Groveville, New Jersey


text:
Hatuey

Hatuey, also Hatüey (died 2 February 1512), was a Taíno Cacique (chief) of the Hispaniolan cacicazgo of Guanaba (in present-day La Gonave, Haiti). He lived from the late 15th until the early 16th century. Chief Hatuey and many of his tribesmen travelled from present-day La Gonave by canoe to Cuba to warn the Taíno in Cuba about the Spaniards that were arriving to conquer the island.

He later attained legendary status for leading a group of natives in a fight against the invasion of the Spaniards, thus becoming one of the first fighters against Spanish colonialism in the New World. He is celebrated as "Cuba's first national hero."

Life and death
In 1511, Diego Velázquez set out from Hispaniola to conquer what is now known as the island of Cuba and subjugate Cuba's indigenous people, the Taíno, who had previously been recorded by Christopher Columbus. Velázquez was preceded, however, by Hatuey, who fled Hispaniola with a party of four hundred in canoes and warned some of the Native people of eastern Cuba about what to expect from the Spaniards.

Bartolomé de Las Casas later attributed the following speech to Hatuey which was addressed against Christianity. He showed the Taíno of Caobana a basket of gold and jewels, saying:
 * Here is the God the Spaniards worship. For these they fight and kill; for these they persecute us and that is why we have to throw them into the sea... They tell us, these tyrants, that they adore a God of peace and equality, and yet they usurp our land and make us their slaves. They speak to us of an immortal soul and of their eternal rewards and punishments, and yet they rob our belongings, seduce our women, violate our daughters. Incapable of matching us in valor, these cowards cover themselves with iron that our weapons cannot break...

The Taíno chiefs in Cuba did not respond to Hatuey's message, and few joined him to fight. Hatuey resorted to guerrilla tactics against the Spaniards, and was able to confine them for a time. He and his fighters were able to kill at least eight Spanish soldiers. Eventually, using mastiffs and torturing the native people for information, the Spaniards succeeded in capturing him. On 2 February 1512, he was tied to a stake and burned alive at Yara, near the present-day city of Bayamo.

Before he was burned, a priest asked Hatuey if he would accept Jesus and go to heaven. Las Casas recalled the reaction of the chief:
 * [Hatuey], thinking a little, asked the religious man if Spaniards went to heaven. The religious man answered yes... The chief then said without further thought that he did not want to go there but to hell so as not to be where they were and where he would not see such cruel people. This is the name and honour that God and our faith have earned.

Legacy
Hatuey is considered "Cuba's first national hero" and one of the earliest fighters against Spanish colonialism. The town of Hatuey, located south of Sibanicú in the Camagüey Province of Cuba, was named after him.

Hatuey also lives on as a beer brand name. Beer has been brewed in Santiago de Cuba and sold under the Hatuey brand name since 1927, initially by the native Cuban company, Compañia Ron Bacardi S.A. After nationalization of industry in 1960, brewing was taken over by Empresa Cerveceria Hatuey Santiago. Beginning in 2011, the Bacardi family again began making beers in the United States to market under the Hatuey label. Hatuey is also a brand of a type of sugary, non-alcoholic malt beverage called malta. Hatuey is also a Dominican brand of soda cracker.

The logo of the Cuban cigar and cigarette brand Cohiba is a picture of Hatuey.

In a 2010 film shot in Bolivia, Even the Rain, Hatuey is a main character in the film-within-the-film. The film includes a cinematic account of Hatuey's execution.

In 2024, Heavy metal band 3 Bravo released a song titled Chief Hatuey, which is dedicated to the story of the Tainos chief.

Fine arts
The imagery of Hatuey has been appropriated and/or incorporated into diverse artistic genres, most notably into the Afro-Cuban Yiddish Opera, "Hatuey: Memory of Fire". In the visual arts, multiple artists have used the Taíno chief's image, most notably Cuban-American artist Ric Garcia, U.S. Marine Corps artist Donald Dickson, and Australian artist damefine, among others.

title: Hatuey


text:
Avenel, New Jersey

Avenel is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Woodbridge Township, in Middlesex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Avenel is approximately 25 mi southwest of Midtown Manhattan along the North Jersey Coast rail line

As of the 2020 United States census, the CDP's population was 16,920, a decrease of 91 (−0.5%) from the 17,011 recorded at the 2010 census, which in turn had reflected a decline of 541 (−3.1%) from the 17,552 counted in the 2000 census.

History
The community was established in 1901; it was named for the daughter of Captain Demarest, the founder of the village, which had formerly been known as Demarest on the Hill. Besides the Demarests, the first settlers included members of the Brown, Clark, Cooper, Crowell, Douglass, Edgar, and Thorpe families.

Community
The Avenel Fire Company #1 celebrated its 100th anniversary on June 8, 2013, with a parade and picnic. The area also has three public schools: Avenel Middle School, Avenel Street School #4&5 and Woodbine Avenue School #23.

Places of worship in Avenel include the First Presbyterian Church, St. Andrew's Roman Catholic Church, Central Baptist Church and Fellowship Bible Church.

Sports teams in Avenel include the Avenel Warriors.

In 2019, the Avenel Performing Arts Center opened near the Avenel train station. The venue features a professional recording studio.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, Avenel had a total area of 3.532 mi2, including 3.517 mi2 of land and 0.015 mi2 of water (0.42%).

2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 17,011 people, 5,150 households, and 3,749 families in the CDP. The population density was 4836.8 /mi2. There were 5,379 housing units at an average density of 1529.4 /mi2. The racial makeup was 47.89% (8,146) White, 19.78% (3,364) Black or African American, 0.52% (88) Native American, 22.89% (3,893) Asian, 0.07% (12) Pacific Islander, 5.53% (940) from other races, and 3.34% (568) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 15.84% (2,694) of the population.

Of the 5,150 households, 36.0% had children under the age of 18; 54.0% were married couples living together; 13.5% had a female householder with no husband present and 27.2% were non-families. Of all households, 22.7% were made up of individuals and 8.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.72 and the average family size was 3.23.

19.5% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 35.3% from 25 to 44, 28.8% from 45 to 64, and 9.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.5 years. For every 100 females, the population had 127.5 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 135.8 males.

2000 census
As of the 2000 United States census there were 17,552 people, 5,233 households, and 3,799 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 1,970.0 /km2. There were 5,353 housing units at an average density of 600.8 /km2. The racial makeup of the CDP was 53.52% White, 19.66% African American, 0.35% Native American, 18.90% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 3.65% from other races, and 3.89% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.85% of the population.

There were 5,233 households, out of which 36.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.9% were married couples living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.4% were non-families. 21.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.73 and the average family size was 3.23.

In the CDP the population was spread out, with 20.8% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 42.8% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 8.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 134.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 145.2 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $54,929, and the median income for a family was $61,029. Males had a median income of $48,000 versus $31,804 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $19,794. About 6.1% of families and 9.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.1% of those under age 18 and 6.6% of those age 65 or over.

As part of the 2000 Census, 13.65% of Avenel's residents identified themselves as being Indian American. This was the fifth highest percentage of Indian people in any place in the United States with 1,000 or more residents identifying their ancestry.

Economy
Avenel was the flagship location of Bradco Supply, founded in 1966, one of the country's leading distributors of building products. The company had grown to over 130 locations in more than 30 states.

Amazon.com operates a fulfillment center in Avenel. The facility, which opened in June 2013, covers 565400 sqft.

East Jersey State Prison is located in Avenel, near the border of Rahway; Though located in Woodbridge Township, the prison's mailing address had led to it being called "Rahway State Prison". Also located in Avenel is the Adult Diagnostic and Treatment Center, which provides treatment to convicted sex offenders.

Transportation
The Avenel station provides direct service to Midtown Manhattan, New York City on NJ Transit's North Jersey Coast Line. Avenel Station is a direct 45-minute one-seat train ride to New York Penn Station. Riders can also connect with the PATH train to reach lower Manhattan.

In the wake of the creation of a 500-unit development transit village near the station and requests from passengers, NJ Transit began new weekday stops at the station starting in September 2019 and that weekend service would resume for the first time since 1985.

NJ Transit provides service on the 115 route between Avenel and the Port Authority Bus Terminal.

Notable people
People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Avenel include:
 * Antonio Alfano, American football defensive tackle for the Colorado Buffaloes.
 * Eric LeGrand (born 1990), football player, writer, speaker.
 * Jazlyn Moya (born 1997), footballer who plays as a forward for United Women's Soccer club New Jersey Copa FC and the Dominican Republic women's national team.
 * Dagmara Wozniak (born 1988), Polish-American U.S. Olympic sabre fencer.

title: Avenel, New Jersey


text:
Brownville, New Jersey

Brownville is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Old Bridge Township, Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 2,746, up from 2,383 in 2010.

Geography
Brownville is in eastern Middlesex County, less than 2 mi from the Monmouth County line. The community is near the center of Old Bridge Township, and the community of Old Bridge borders Brownville to the west and south. U.S. Route 9 forms the western border of Brownville; the highway leads north 5 mi to South Amboy and south 11 mi to Freehold. County Route 516 crosses the center of Brownville, leading west 3.5 mi to Route 18 in the western part of Old Bridge and east 4 mi to the center of Matawan. The intersection known as Cottrell Corners is in the center of the Brownville CDP.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 1.07 mi2, of which 0.001 mi2, or 0.09%, are water. The community drains north toward Tennent Brook, a west-flowing tributary of the South River, part of the Raritan River watershed leading to New York Bay.

2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 2,383 people, 1,000 households, and 659 families in the CDP. The population density was 2379.4 /mi2. There were 1,028 housing units at an average density of 1026.4 /mi2. The racial makeup was 80.19% (1,911) White, 5.04% (120) Black or African American, 0.04% (1) Native American, 10.07% (240) Asian, 0.08% (2) Pacific Islander, 1.97% (47) from other races, and 2.60% (62) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.20% (267) of the population.

Of the 1,000 households, 27.5% had children under the age of 18; 49.0% were married couples living together; 13.8% had a female householder with no husband present and 34.1% were non-families. Of all households, 28.4% were made up of individuals and 9.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.97.

19.8% of the population were under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 32.4% from 45 to 64, and 12.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.7 years. For every 100 females, the population had 78.6 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 74.3 males.

2000 census
As of the 2000 United States Census there were 2,660 people, 1,165 households, and 709 families living in the CDP. The population density was 1,092.6 /km2. There were 1,186 housing units at an average density of 487.1 /km2. The racial makeup of the CDP was 84.29% White, 4.62% African American, 0.04% Native American, 8.12% Asian, 1.17% from other races, and 1.77% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.86% of the population.

There were 1,165 households, out of which 28.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.8% were married couples living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.1% were non-families. 35.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the CDP the population was spread out, with 21.8% under the age of 18, 4.9% from 18 to 24, 31.9% from 25 to 44, 25.1% from 45 to 64, and 16.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 81.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 76.6 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $61,750, and the median income for a family was $83,636. Males had a median income of $56,111 versus $44,750 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $30,520. About 2.7% of families and 6.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.3% of those under age 18 and 19.9% of those age 65 or over.

title: Brownville, New Jersey


text:
Carteret, New Jersey

Carteret is a borough in northeastern Middlesex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population reached 25,326, its highest decennial count ever and an increase of 2,482 (+10.9%) from the 2010 census count of 22,844,  which in turn reflected an increase of 2,135 (+10.3%) from the 20,709 counted in the 2000 census.

History
Carteret was originally created as the borough of Roosevelt on April 11, 1906, from portions of Woodbridge Township, based on the results of a referendum approved on May 22, 1906. The name was changed to Carteret as of November 7, 1922. The borough was also called Carteret during the period from December 19, 1921, to January 16, 1922. The borough was named after Sir George Carteret, one of the first proprietors of New Jersey, and his son Philip Carteret, the first royal governor of New Jersey.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 4.96 square miles (12.86 km2), including 4.39 square miles (11.37 km2) of land and 0.57 square miles (1.48 km2) of water (11.53%).

The Rahway River forms the northern boundary of Carteret, with Linden on the other side of the river in Union County. Joseph Medwick Park is a greenway of parkland along the banks of the river. The Arthur Kill is the eastern boundary with Staten Island, New York City, New York on the opposite side. Woodbridge Township borders Carteret on all land-based boundaries.

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the borough include Canda, Chrome (in the borough's southeast), East Rahway, Lamar, Silvan Beach, South Carteret, West Carteret (the portion west of the New Jersey Turnpike) and West Chrome.

Demographics
Carteret's Sikh community, variously estimated at 1,000 to 2,500, is the largest concentration of Sikhs in the state. The Gurudwara Singh Sabha Sahib, the borough's first gurudwara, had rented a location in Carteret in 1998 before moving to a permanent location in the nearby Port Reading section of Woodbridge Township in 2005.

2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 22,844 people, 7,591 households, and 5,686 families in the borough. The population density was 5,171.1 per square mile (1,996.6/km2). There were 8,148 housing units at an average density of 1,844.4 per square mile (712.1/km2). The racial makeup was 50.68% (11,577) White, 14.85% (3,393) Black or African American, 0.35% (80) Native American, 19.04% (4,349) Asian, 0.05% (12) Pacific Islander, 11.18% (2,553) from other races, and 3.85% (880) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 30.93% (7,066) of the population.

Of the 7,591 households, 37.1% had children under the age of 18; 50.1% were married couples living together; 19.1% had a female householder with no husband present and 25.1% were non-families. Of all households, 20.7% were made up of individuals and 8.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.01 and the average family size was 3.51.

25.4% of the population were under the age of 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 25.4% from 45 to 64, and 10.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35.1 years. For every 100 females, the population had 94.3 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 91.0 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $58,614 (with a margin of error of +/− $5,733) and the median family income was $69,192 (+/− $10,119). Males had a median income of $47,405 (+/− $4,676) versus $42,971 (+/− $4,266) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $25,346 (+/− $2,095). About 11.8% of families and 13.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.8% of those under age 18 and 11.5% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census
As of the 2000 United States census there were 20,709 people, 7,039 households, and 5,208 families residing in the borough. The population density was 4,747.4 PD/sqmi. There were 7,320 housing units at an average density of 1,678.1 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the borough was 50.7% White, 14.9% African American, 0.4% Native American, 19.0% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 11.2% from other races, and 3.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 23.4% of the population.

There were 7,039 households, out of which 35.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.1% were married couples living together, 16.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.0% were non-families. 21.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.88 and the average family size was 3.38.

In the borough the population was spread out, with 25.2% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 30.0% from 25 to 44, 21.4% from 45 to 64, and 15.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.0 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $47,148, and the median income for a family was $54,609. Males had a median income of $40,172 versus $28,132 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $18,967. About 8.6% of families and 11.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.8% of those under age 18 and 9.4% of those age 65 or over.

Economy
Carteret Stages, a film production complex covering 1200000 sqft and estimated to cost $1 billion, is undergoing development at the waterfront.

Portions of the borough are part of an Urban Enterprise Zone (UEZ), one of 32 zones covering 37 municipalities statewide. The borough was selected in 1994 as one of a group of 10 zones added to participate in the program and one of four of those chosen based on a competition. 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 March 1995, the borough's Urban Enterprise Zone status expires in March 2026.

Carteret is the location of the primary data center for the NASDAQ OMX Group's stock exchange.

Carteret was the headquarters of the defunct electronics chain Nobody Beats the Wiz.

The Carteret Performing Arts Center opened in 2021.

Local government
Carteret 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, who are 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 Carteret 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 Carteret is Democrat Daniel J. Reiman, whose term of office ends December 31, 2022. The members of the Borough Council are Council President Dennis DiMascio (D, 2024), Vincent Bellino (D, 2025), Jorge Diaz (D, 2025), Ajmar "AJ" Johal (D, 2024), Randy Krum (D, 2026) and Susan R. Naples (D, 2026).

First elected in 2002, Reiman was paid an annual salary of $102,610 in 2016, placing him 13th among the highest-paid mayors in the state.

In May 2016, the borough council selected Ajmar Singh Johal from three candidates nominated by the Democratic municipal committee to fill the seat expiring in December 2018 that became vacant following the death of Joseph W. "Skippy" Sitarz the previous month.

Members of Carteret's 13.9% South Asian community have been active in local government, serving on several governing boards and contesting elections. Members of notable activity in the government include Sultan M. Babar, an alternate member of the board of health and the head of its medical department. Babar also ran for borough council and was a candidate in the Democratic primaries. He has been chosen to represent the 10th delegate district part of Middlesex County, which consists of 18th and 19th state legislative districts, as a delegate to the 2012 Democratic National Convention. Other members of notability are Amijit Cheema, member of the Planning Board; and Hardyal Singh Johal, former member of the Planning Board.

Emergency services
The borough maintains a 50-person police department. An October 2017 report by NJ.com found that Officer Joseph Reiman, brother of Mayor Daniel Reiman, accounted for 20% of the police department's 115 arrests that involved the use of force in the two years following his July 2015 hiring.

The Carteret Volunteer First Aid Squad, established in 1934, ended operations in April 2013 after becoming financially insolvent. Starting in April 2013, emergency medical services in the borough are provided around the clock by the EMS division of the Carteret Fire Department.

The Borough of Carteret hired its first firefighter in the late 19th century. The department relied on a single paid firefighter up until 1920, when paid staff was expanded to five firefighters to operate the borough's first motorized fire truck. In the 1950s with the construction of the New Jersey Turnpike, which included an exit in Carteret, the department started to purchase trucks designed for safe operation fighting vehicle fires on busy high-speed highways.

In August 1990, a pipeline carrying jet fuel burst in Carteret. The Carteret Fire Department joined with personnel from GATX Terminals Corporation and the Middlesex County Hazardous Materials Unit to construct a temporary dike to prevent the fuel from flowing into the Arthur Kill.

Up until 2011, Carteret would request help from fireboats of the Fire Department of New York when there was a waterfront fire. In 2011, through the assistance of a FEMA Port Security Grant, the department acquired its first fireboat. The 27 ft vessel cost $297,000.

In December 2014, the Courier News reported on an investigation of serious sexual harassment targeting the department's sole female firefighter.

Federal, state and county representation
Carteret is located in the 6th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 19th state legislative district.

Politics
As of March 2011, there were a total of 12,538 registered voters in Carteret, of which 5,187 (41.4%) were registered as Democrats, 1,373 (11.0%) were registered as Republicans and 5,974 (47.6%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 4 voters registered as Libertarians or Greens.

In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 74.5% of the vote (5,997 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 24.9% (2,002 votes), and other candidates with 0.6% (46 votes), among the 8,124 ballots cast by the borough's 13,032 registered voters (79 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 62.3%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 65.8% of the vote (5,387 cast), ahead of Republican John McCain with 32.3% (2,643 votes) and other candidates with 0.8% (63 votes), among the 8,182 ballots cast by the borough's 12,390 registered voters, for a turnout of 66.0%. In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 57.1% of the vote (4,283 ballots cast), outpolling Republican George W. Bush with 41.3% (3,097 votes) and other candidates with 0.5% (56 votes), among the 7,495 ballots cast by the borough's 11,749 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 63.8.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Democrat Barbara Buono received 50.8% of the vote (2,224 cast), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 48.2% (2,112 votes), and other candidates with 1.0% (42 votes), among the 4,564 ballots cast by the borough's 13,247 registered voters (186 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 34.5%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 51.6% of the vote here (2,460 ballots cast), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 40.7% (1,938 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 4.5% (213 votes) and other candidates with 0.8% (36 votes), among the 4,765 ballots cast by the borough's 12,073 registered voters, yielding a 39.5% turnout.

Education
The Carteret School District serves students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. As of the 2021–22 school year, the district, comprised of five schools, had an enrollment of 3,882 students and 305.4 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.7:1. Schools in the district (with 2021–22 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics ) are Columbus School with 708 students in grades PreK–5, Nathan Hale School with 460 students in grades PreK–5, Private Nicholas Minue School with 638 students in grades PreK–5, Carteret Middle School with 914 students in grades 6–8 and Carteret High School with 1,009 students in grades 9–12.

In 2016, borough voters turned down a ballot proposal to switch from an elected school board to an appointed board.

Eighth grade students from all of Middlesex County are eligible to apply to attend the high school programs offered by the Middlesex County Vocational and Technical Schools, a county-wide vocational school district that offers full-time career and technical education at Middlesex County Academy in Edison, the Academy for Allied Health and Biomedical Sciences in Woodbridge Township and at its East Brunswick, Perth Amboy and Piscataway technical high schools, with no tuition charged to students for attendance.

Saint Joseph School serves students in Pre-K–8 as part of Saint Joseph Roman Catholic Church and is overseen by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Metuchen.

A private rabbinical college, Yeshiva Gedola of Carteret, opened in 2006.

Roads and highways
, the borough had a total of 59.24 mi of roadways, of which 52.95 mi were maintained by the municipality, 4.77 mi by Middlesex County and 1.52 mi by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.

The only major road that passes through Carteret is the New Jersey Turnpike (Interstate 95). Interchange 12 of the turnpike, located in the borough, was updated as part of an $80 million project that added five additional toll lanes and new ramps to CR 602.

Public transportation
NJ Transit local bus service is provided on the 116 route to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan, New York City and Perth Amboy, and on the 48 route to Elizabeth and Perth Amboy.

There are plans to introduce ferry service between Waterfront Park and Lower Manhattan via Arthur Kill and Kill van Kull. As of 2021, funding for the construction of a landing dock and purchase of a boat was in place. As of 2023, dredging had been completed and construction of bulkhead was underway. According to Mayor Daniel J. Reiman, the ferry terminal will be finished by Spring 2025.

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

 * Jim Babjak (born 1957), Dennis Diken (born 1957) and Mike Mesaros of the pop/rock group The Smithereens are former Carteret residents who met in school there
 * Joseph A. Cafasso (born 1956), former Fox News consultant on military and counterterrorism issues who left the network after allegations surfaced that he misrepresented his military record
 * Jim Conti, of the ska band Streetlight Manifesto
 * Thomas Deverin (1921–2010), former mayor of Carteret who served 22 years in the New Jersey General Assembly
 * Keith Hughes (1968–2014), basketball player at Syracuse University and Rutgers who was selected by the Houston Rockets in the 1991 NBA draft, but never played in the NBA
 * Chad Kinch (1958–1994), shooting guard who played in the NBA for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Dallas Mavericks
 * Isa Leshko (born 1971), artist and author of Allowed to Grow Old: Portraits of Elderly Animals from Farm Sanctuaries
 * Jim McGreevey (born 1957), former Governor of New Jersey, grew up in Carteret
 * Art McMahon (born 1946), defensive back for the Boston / New England Patriots football team from 1968 to 1970 and 1972
 * Joe "Ducky" Medwick (1911–1975), left fielder for the St. Louis Cardinals during the "Gashouse Gang" era of the 1930s, elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1968, by the Veterans Committee Ranked #7 on the Sports Illustrated list of The 50 Greatest New Jersey Sports Figures.
 * Nicholas Minue (1905–1943), United States Army Private who received the Medal of Honor for military service in World War II. An elementary school on Post Boulevard is named in his honor
 * Paul J. Pluta, Rear Admiral, United States Coast Guard (Ret.)
 * Joseph Sirola (1929–2019), was an actor known as "The King of the Voice-Overs"
 * Joel Weisman (1943–2009), physician who was one of the first to identify a pattern of illnesses that was ultimately diagnosed as AIDS
 * Laurence S. Weiss (c. 1919–2003), business executive and politician who served in the New Jersey Senate from 1978 to 1992
 * Jason Worilds (born 1988), football player selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2010 NFL Draft

title: Carteret, New Jersey


text:
Colonia, New Jersey

Colonia is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Woodbridge Township, Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, the CDP's population was 18,609.

History
In 1919, the New Jersey State Highway Commission built a new road that became part of the Lincoln Highway, an early plan to create a transcontinental highway. The stretch was constructed on the west side of the Pennsylvania Railroad (now the Northeast Corridor) from near the northeast of Dow Avenue between Colonia and Iselin to Cedar Street in Menlo Park, to avoid two railroad crossings. The old road is now Middlesex-Essex Turnpike and Thornall Street, on the east side of the tracks.

Geography
Colonia is in northeastern Middlesex County, in the northwest corner of Woodbridge Township. It is bordered to the north by Clark, to the northeast by Rahway, to the east by Avenel, to the south by Iselin, and to the west by Edison. Union County borders the community to the north and northeast. Newark is 13 mi to the northeast, and New Brunswick, the Middlesex county seat, is 11 mi to the southwest.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the Colonia CDP has a total area of 4.034 mi2, including 0.004 mi2 of water (0.10%). The community is drained to the northeast by the South Branch of the Rahway River, part of the watershed of the Arthur Kill. Colonia has a humid subtropical climate (Cfa) and average monthly temperatures range from 33 F in January to 78.1 F in July.

The Garden State Parkway passes through the western portion of the CDP but does not interchange there. For northbound Garden State Parkway traffic only there is a service plaza in Colonia; it is the parkway's only area located on private property.

In 2018 the president of the Historical Association of Woodbridge, Daniel D'Arcy, stated that "Colonia is to Woodbridge like the Bronx is to NYC. People like the identity."

2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 17,795 people, 6,160 households, and 4,977 families in the CDP. The population density was 4551.4 /mi2. There were 6,321 housing units at an average density of 1616.7 /mi2. The racial makeup was 80.37% (14,302) White, 5.26% (936) Black or African American, 0.12% (21) Native American, 10.70% (1,904) Asian, 0.04% (8) Pacific Islander, 1.54% (274) from other races, and 1.97% (350) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.27% (1,649) of the population.

Of the 6,160 households, 34.8% had children under the age of 18; 65.6% were married couples living together; 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present and 19.2% were non-families. Of all households, 16.4% were made up of individuals and 8.9% 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 3.25.

22.8% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 24.4% from 25 to 44, 30.0% from 45 to 64, and 15.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42.3 years. For every 100 females, the population had 93.2 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 90.6 males.

2000 census
As of the 2000 United States Census there were 17,811 people, 6,184 households, and 5,077 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 1,772.4 /km2. There were 6,254 housing units at an average density of 622.3 /km2. The racial makeup of the CDP was 86.00% White, 4.76% African American, 0.10% Native American, 6.31% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 1.27% from other races, and 1.50% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.97% of the population.

There were 6,184 households, out of which 35.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.7% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.9% were non-families. 15.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.88 and the average family size was 3.21.

In the CDP the population was spread out, with 23.7% under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 29.1% from 25 to 44, 24.8% from 45 to 64, and 16.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.4 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $67,372, and the median income for a family was $76,090. Males had a median income of $50,260 versus $36,657 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $27,732. About 1.5% of families and 2.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.0% of those under age 18 and 4.0% of those age 65 or over.

Parks and recreation
Merrill Park is a Middlesex County park located on the South Branch of the Rahway River. The park was created as a "Progressive Playground" and spans 179 acres. The park's maintenance is handled by funding from the municipality, local schools, community groups and local businesses. Merrill Park includes four tennis courts, three baseball fields, a soccer field, seven picnic groves that can be reserved in advance, the progressive playground, a football field, two basketball courts, two softball fields, two open picnic groves, and three other playgrounds. The football field and soccer field are surrounded by a walkway for joggers as well. There are numerous small trails around the park.

Education

 * Public schools

Schools in Colonia operated as part of the Woodbridge Township School District are:

Elementary schools (K-5)
 * Claremont Avenue Elementary School #20 - Claremont Avenue, Colonia
 * Lynn Crest Elementary School #22 - New Dover Road, Colonia
 * Oak Ridge Heights Elementary School #21 - Inman Avenue
 * Pennsylvania Avenue Elementary School #27 - Pennsylvania Avenue

Middle school (6th-8th)
 * Colonia Middle School - Delaware Avenue

High school (9th-12th)
 * Colonia High School - East Street

 * Private/religious school (K-8th)
 * St. John Vianney Grammar School - 420 Inman Avenue

Notable people
People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Colonia include:
 * John Carlson (born 1990), defenseman and Stanley Cup champion (2018) with the Washington Capitals
 * John Gorka (born 1958), contemporary folk singer/songwriter
 * Kelsey Grammer (born 1955), actor who appeared in Frasier and Cheers
 * Tom Higgins (born 1954), former American and Canadian football player
 * Stewart Krentzman (born 1951), CEO of Oki Data Americas, Inc.
 * Eric LeGrand (born 1990), defensive tackle with the Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team who was paralyzed during a game
 * Glen Mason (born 1950), NCAA football coach
 * Laura McCullough (born 1960), poet
 * Zack Rosen (born 1989), All-American basketball player at Penn; plays for Maccabi Ashdod in Israel
 * Bret Schundler (born 1959), New Jersey Republican politician
 * Tico Torres (born 1953), drummer for Bon Jovi

title: Colonia, New Jersey


text:
Concordia, New Jersey

Concordia is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Monroe Township, Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. The CDP is oriented around the age restricted gated community of Concordia. As of the 2020 United States census, the CDP's population was 2,455, down from 3,092 in 2010. Prior to 2020, the corner of Concordia known as The Ponds was split off into its own CDP.

Geography
Concordia is in southern Middlesex County, in west-central Monroe Township. It is bordered to the north by Wittingham, to the southwest by The Ponds, and to the west by Clearbrook. Jamesburg, the closest borough, is 3 mi to the north, while Hightstown is 6 mi to the southwest.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 0.791 mi2, including 0.770 mi2 of land and 0.021 mi2 of water (2.65%).

2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 3,092 people, 2,032 households, and 923 families in the CDP. The population density was 2975.3 /mi2. There were 2,261 housing units at an average density of 2175.7 /mi2. The racial makeup was 96.35% (2,979) White, 2.20% (68) Black or African American, 0.00% (0) Native American, 1.10% (34) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 0.03% (1) from other races, and 0.32% (10) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.42% (44) of the population.

Of the 2,032 households, 0.1% had children under the age of 18; 43.4% were married couples living together; 1.7% had a female householder with no husband present and 54.6% were non-families. Of all households, 50.1% were made up of individuals and 44.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.52 and the average family size was 2.04.

0.2% of the population were under the age of 18, 0.4% from 18 to 24, 1.0% from 25 to 44, 14.9% from 45 to 64, and 83.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 78.7 years. For every 100 females, the population had 60.7 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 60.7 males.

2000 census
As of the 2000 United States Census there were 3,658 people, 2,180 households, and 1,351 families living in the CDP. The population density was 1,345.1 /km2. There were 2,341 housing units at an average density of 860.8 /km2. The racial makeup of the CDP was 98.74% White, 0.52% African American, 0.46% Asian, 0.05% from other races, and 0.22% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.33% of the population.

There were 2,180 households, out of which 0.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.5% were married couples living together, 1.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.0% were non-families. 35.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 33.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.68 and the average family size was 2.05.

In the CDP the population was spread out, with 0.4% under the age of 18, 0.1% from 18 to 24, 1.0% from 25 to 44, 10.1% from 45 to 64, and 88.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 74 years. For every 100 females, there were 72.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 72.3 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $43,382, and the median income for a family was $51,949. Males had a median income of $54,615 versus $32,250 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $36,962. About 0.9% of families and 1.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 2.2% of those age 65 or over.

title: Concordia, New Jersey


text:
Cranbury (CDP), New Jersey

Cranbury is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Cranbury Township, in Middlesex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the CDP's population was 2,181. Despite the similarity in the name of Cranbury Township and the CDP, the two are not one and the same, as had been the case for most paired Township / CDP combinations prior to the 2010 Census, in which the CDP was coextensive with a township of the same name.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP had a total area of 1.218 mi2, including 1.199 mi2 of land and 0.019 mi2 of water (1.57%).

2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 2,181 people, 722 households, and 572 families in the CDP. The population density was 1818.5 /mi2. There were 745 housing units at an average density of 621.2 /mi2. The racial makeup was 82.49% (1,799) White, 4.08% (89) Black or African American, 0.05% (1) Native American, 11.23% (245) Asian, 0.05% (1) Pacific Islander, 0.18% (4) from other races, and 1.93% (42) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.25% (49) of the population.

Of the 722 households, 44.9% had children under the age of 18; 69.3% were married couples living together; 7.9% had a female householder with no husband present and 20.8% were non-families. Of all households, 18.4% 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 2.85 and the average family size was 3.29.

29.0% of the population were under the age of 18, 4.9% from 18 to 24, 16.5% from 25 to 44, 33.8% from 45 to 64, and 15.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44.7 years. For every 100 females, the population had 92.7 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 84.9 males.

2000 census
As of the 2000 United States Census there were 2,008 people, 703 households, and 534 families living in the CDP. The population density was 625.2 /km2. There were 728 housing units at an average density of 226.7 /km2. The racial makeup of the CDP was 88.35% White, 1.89% African American, 8.12% Asian, 0.20% from other races, and 1.44% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.49% of the population.

There were 703 households, out of which 45.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.4% were married couples living together, 5.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.9% were non-families. 20.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.79 and the average family size was 3.27.

In the CDP the population was spread out, with 30.9% under the age of 18, 2.4% from 18 to 24, 30.1% from 25 to 44, 23.3% from 45 to 64, and 13.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.2 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $104,444, and the median income for a family was $129,877. Males had a median income of $95,316 versus $44,500 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $51,095. About 1.1% of families and 2.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.0% of those under age 18 and 1.4% of those age 65 or over.

title: Cranbury (CDP), New Jersey