Paramus, New Jersey
—  Borough  —
Map highlighting Paramus' location within Bergen County. Inset: Bergen County's location within New Jersey.
Census Bureau map of Paramus, New Jersey Census Bureau map of Paramus, New Jersey
Coordinates: 40°56′50″N 74°04′16″W / 40.947309°N 74.070989°W / 40.947309; -74.070989Coordinates: 40°56′50″N 74°04′16″W / 40.947309°N 74.070989°W / 40.947309; -74.070989
Country	United States
State	New Jersey
County	Bergen
Incorporated	April 4, 1922
Government
• Type	Borough
• Mayor	Richard LaBarbiera (term ends December 31, 2014)[1]
• Administrator	Joseph O. D'Arco[2]
Area[3]
• Total	10.520 sq mi (27.246 km2)
• Land	10.470 sq mi (27.117 km2)
• Water	0.050 sq mi (0.129 km2)  0.050%
Elevation[4]	49 ft (15 m)
Population (2010 Census)[5][6]
• Total	26,342
• Density	2,516.0/sq mi (971.4/km2)
Time zone	Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
• Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP codes	07652-07653[7]
Area code(s)	201/551
FIPS code	3400355950[8][9][3]
GNIS feature ID	0885340[10][3]
Website	http://www.paramusborough.org

Paramus ( /pəˈræməs/ pə-RAM-əs, with the accent on the second syllable^[11]) is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 26,342.^[5][12] A suburb of New York City, Paramus is located between 15–20 miles (24–32 km) northwest of Midtown Manhattan and approximately 8 miles (13 km) west of Upper Manhattan.

Paramus was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 2, 1922, based on the results of a referendum held on April 4, 1922 that passed by a vote of 238 for and 10 against.^[13][14] Paramus was created from portions of Midland Township, which now exists as Rochelle Park.^[15]

Paramus is one of the largest shopping meccas in the country, generating over $5 billion in annual retail sales,^[16][17][18] more than any other ZIP Code in the United States.^[19][20][21] This is despite the fact that Paramus is noted for having some of the most restrictive blue laws in the nation (even stricter than those prevailing in the rest of Bergen County), banning nearly all retail and white-collar businesses from opening on Sundays, leaving, almost everything closed except gas stations, restaurants and grocery stores and a limited number of other businesses being allowed to remain open on Sunday.^[22] More than 63% of Bergen County voters voted against a referendum on the ballot in 1993 that would have repealed the county's blue laws, though the Paramus restrictions would have remained in place.^[23]

Geography[link]

Paramus is located at 40°56′50″N 74°04′16″W / 40.947309°N 74.070989°W / 40.947309; -74.070989 (40.947309,-74.070989). According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 10.520 square miles (27.246 km²), of which, 10.470 square miles (27.117 km²) of it is land and 0.050 square miles (0.129 km²) of it (0.47%) is water.^[24][3]

History[link]

The area that became northern New Jersey was first settled by the Lenape people. In the Lenape language (Anglicized), the area that became Paramus was named “Peremessing” which meant that it had an abundant population of Wild Turkey.^[25][26] There is a large metal statue of a wild turkey in the Paramus Park mall.^[26]

Although a 19th Century account claims that “The Paramus estate was purchased from the Native Americans for a quart of whiskey and a pound of tobacco”, the historical record of European settlement of Paramus is more detailed.^[27]

Albert Saboroweski, whose descendants became known by the family name “Zabriskie”,^[28] immigrated from Poland via the Dutch Ship 'The Fox'^[29] in 1662 and settled in the Dutch West Indies Company town of Ackensack, today’s Hackensack, where he started a family. A son, Jacob, was kidnapped by the Lenape and held for 15 years. When he was returned to his family, the Lenape explained to Saboroweski that they had taken the child in order to teach him their language so that he could serve as a translator. They also granted Saboroweski approximately 2,000 acres (8.1 km²) of land which became known as the “Paramus Patent”.^[30]

During the American Revolutionary War, there were Tories and Patriots throughout Bergen County, with Patriots “greatly outnumbering” Tories.^[31] Although no major battles were fought in Bergen County, Paramus nevertheless saw a great deal of military activity. Colonial troops were stationed in Ramapo under the command of Aaron Burr.^[32] In 1777, the British raided the Hackensack area and Burr marched troops to Paramus from which he attacked the British, forcing them to withdraw.^[33] General George Washington was in Paramus several times during the War: December, 1778; July, 1780; and, December, 1780.^[34] Following the Battle of Monmouth Washington established his headquarters in Paramus in July, 1778.^[35] Over the advice of his staff, Washington moved his headquarters to Westchester County, New York.^[36]

A section of Paramus known as Dunkerhook (meaning dark corner in Dutch) was an African-American community dating back to the early 18th century. Although historical markers on the current site and local oral tradition maintain that this was a slave community, contemporary records document that this was actually a community of free blacks, not slaves.^[37] A group of houses built on Dunkerhook Road by the Zabriskies in the late 18th / early 19th centuries were the center of a community of black farmers who had been slaves for the Zabriskie family.^[38]

Farview Avenue is located at the highest peak in Paramus and has a clear view of the New York City skyline.^[39]

Paramus became one of the truck farming areas that helped New Jersey earn its nickname: the “Garden State”.^[40] By 1940, Paramus' population was just 4,000, with no town center and just 94 retail establishments.^[41] Although the opening of the George Washington Bridge in 1931 and the widening of New Jersey Route 17 and New Jersey Route 4 (which intersect in southern Paramus), made the area accessible to millions, “it was not until the 1950’s that massive development hit this section of northern New Jersey”.^[42]

During the 1950s and 60s Paramus, lacking any developmental master plan until 1969, quickly was transformed into two shopping corridors when its farmers and outside developers saw that shopping malls were more lucrative than produce farming.^[42] “It was a developer’s dream: flat cleared land adjacent to major arterials and accessible to a growing suburban population and the country’s largest city – with no planning restrictions”.^[42] New York had a state sales tax, but New Jersey had none, so with the opening of Manhattan department stores in the Bergen Mall (1957), the Garden State Plaza (1957) and Alexander’s (1961), Paramus became the “first stop outside New York City for shopping”.^[43] From 1948-58, the population of Paramus increased from 6,000 to 23,000, the number of retail establishments tripled from 111 to 319 and annual retail sales increased from $5.5 million to $112 million.^[43] By the 1980s, although the population just slightly exceeded 1960s levels, retail sales were $1 billion.^[43]

Demographics[link]

2010 Census[link]

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 26,342 people, 8,630 households, and 6,939 families residing in the borough. The population density was 2,516.0 inhabitants per square mile (971.4 /km²). There were 8,915 housing units at an average density of 851.5 per square mile (328.8 /km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 72.29% (19,042) White, 1.42% (374) African American, 0.11% (28) Native American, 22.28% (5,869) Asian, 0.05% (13) Pacific Islander, 1.39% (366) from other races, and 2.47% (650) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.26% (1,913) of the population.^[5]

There were 8,630 households out of which 33.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.4% were married couples living together, 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.6% were non-families. 17.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.92 and the average family size was 3.32.^[5]

In the borough the age distribution of the population shows 21.5% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 19.2% from 25 to 44, 30.2% from 45 to 64, and 21.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46.3 years. For every 100 females there were 94.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.7 males.^[5]

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $104,986 (with a margin of error of +/- $9,111) and the median family income was $123,848 (+/- $7,952). Males had a median income of $77,325 (+/- $5,222) versus $52,702 (+/- $4,983) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $40,024. About 1.6% of families and 2.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.0% of those under age 18 and 4.1% of those age 65 or over.^[49]

2000 Census[link]

As of the census^[8] of 2000, there were 25,737 people, 8,082 households, and 6,780 families residing in the borough. The population density was 2,457.7 people per square mile (949.1/km²). There were 8,209 housing units at an average density of 783.9 per square mile (302.7/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 79.19% White, 1.13% African American, 0.05% Native American, 17.23% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.89% from other races, and 1.51% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.87% of the population.^[47][48]

There were 8,082 households out of which 37.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 73.3% were married couples living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.1% were non-families. 14.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.00 and the average family size was 3.32.^[47][48]

In the borough the population was spread out with 23.2% under the age of 18, 5.5% from 18 to 24, 24.7% from 25 to 44, 25.0% from 45 to 64, and 21.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 94.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.4 males.^[47][48]

The median income for a household in the borough was $76,918, and the median income for a family was $84,406. Males had a median income of $56,635 versus $37,450 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $29,295. About 1.4% of families and 3.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.4% of those under age 18 and 5.0% of those age 65 or over.^[47][48]

Government[link]

Local government[link]

Paramus is governed under the Borough form of New Jersey municipal government. The government consists of a Mayor and a Borough Council comprising six council members, with all positions elected at large. A Mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office and only votes to break a tie. The Borough Council consists of six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year.^[50]

As of 2011^[update], the Mayor is Richard LaBarbiera, whose term of office ends December 31, 2014. Borough Council Members are Council President Maureen O'Brien, Ralph Amato, Cathy Bentz, Eric Nazziola and Michael Rohdieck, with one seat vacant following a resignation in December 2011.^[51][52]

In the November 2011 general election, Democratic challengers Maria Elena Bellinger and Joseph Lagana unseated Republican incumbents Cathy Bentz and Maureen O'Brien, and will begin their three-year terms of office in January 2012.^[53]

Alan Brundage announced his resignation at a December 2011 council meeting, citing his promotion to captain in the Bergen County Police Department.^[54]

Federal, state and county representation[link]

Paramus is part of the 5th Congressional district and is part of New Jersey's 38th state legislative district.^[55] The legislative district was kept unchanged by the New Jersey Apportionment Commission based on the results of the 2010 Census.^[12]

New Jersey's Fifth Congressional District is represented by Scott Garrett (R, Wantage Township). New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Bob Menendez (D, Hoboken).

The 38th District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Robert M. Gordon (D, Fair Lawn) and in the General Assembly by Tim Eustace (D, Maywood) and Connie Wagner (D, Paramus).^[56] The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham).^[57] The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).^[58]

Bergen County's County Executive is Kathleen Donovan (R, Rutherford; term ends December 31, 2014).^[59] The Board of Chosen Freeholders is the county's legislative body and its seven members are elected at-large in partisan elections on a staggered basis, with two or three seats coming up for election each year.^[60] As of 2012^[update], Bergen County's Freeholders are Freeholder Chairman John D. Mitchell (R, 2013; Cliffside Park),^[61] Freeholder Vice Chairman John A. Felice (R, 2013; River Edge),^[62] Maura R. DeNicola (R, 2013; Franklin Lakes),^[63] John Driscoll, Jr. (R, 2012; Paramus),^[64] David L. Ganz (D, 2014; Fair Lawn),^[65] Robert G. Hermansen (R, 2012; Mahwah)^[66] and Joan Voss (D, 2014; Fort Lee).^[67] Other countywide constitutional officials are Sheriff Michael Saudino (R), Surrogate Michael R. Dressler (D, Cresskill) and County Clerk John S. Hogan (D, Northvale).^[68]

Politics[link]

As of Election Day, November 4, 2008, there were 16,333 registered voters. Of registered voters, 4,556 (27.9% of all registered voters) were registered as Democrats, 3,413 (20.9%) were registered as Republicans and 8,359 (51.2%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were five voters registered to other parties.^[69]

In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 47.4% of the vote here (5,850 ballots cast), falling short of Republican John McCain, who received 51.7% of the vote (6,381 votes), with 75.9% of registered voters participating.^[69] In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 52.3% of the vote here, out-polling Democrat John Kerry, who received around 46.5%., on turnout of 76.3% of registered voters.^[70]

Public Library[link]

There are two public libraries in Paramus. There is the Main Library on Century Road. There is also the Charles E. Reid Branch library on Midland Avenue, which was originally a four-room schoolhouse built in 1876.^[71]

The borough's original Public Library, known locally as the Howland House, was originally located at the intersection of Spring Valley Road and Howland Avenue. It was demolished sometime in the late 1990s. A September 11, 2001 memorial park now exists at the site known as Howland Memorial Grove.^[72]

Education[link]

The Paramus Public Schools serve students in Kindergarten through twelfth grade. Schools in the district (with 2009-10 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics^[73]) are five K-4 schools — Memorial Elementary School (348 students), Midland Elementary School (243), Parkway Elementary School (277), Ridge Ranch Elementary School (372) and Stony Lane Elementary School (216) — Eastbrook Middle School (645) and Westbrook Middle School (735) for grades 5–8 and Paramus High School for grades 9–12 (1,421). Three of the district's schools have been formally designated as National Blue Ribbon Schools: Paramus High School in 1988-89, Parkway Elementary School in 1987-88 and Ridge Ranch Elementary School in 1998-99.^[74][75]

Paramus is home to many private religious schools. Paramus Catholic High School is a co-educational Roman Catholic high school founded in 1965 and operated by the Archdiocese of Newark.^[76] With more than 1,500 students, it has the largest enrollment of any Roman Catholic high school in the state of New Jersey.^[77] It is also the location of Visitation Academy, a K-8 Catholic school also overseen by the Newark Archdiocese.

Paramus is home to Yavneh Academy^[78] and Yeshivat Noam, founded in 2001, are K-8 co-ed Jewish day schools.^[79] Frisch School is a Modern Orthodox Jewish yeshiva serving grades 9–12 that describes itself as the nation's second largest coed yeshiva high school.^[80]

Bergen Community College is based in Paramus, with other satellite centers located elsewhere around the county. The bulk of the college's 17,000 students working towards degrees are located at the main campus in Paramus.^[81]

The Bergen campus of Berkeley College is located in Paramus.

Transportation[link]

Public transportation[link]

New Jersey Transit bus routes 144, 145, 148, 155, 157, 162, 163, 164, 165 and 168 serve the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan; the 171 and 175 routes provide service to the George Washington Bridge Bus Station ; and local service is offered in the 709, 722, 751, 752, 753, 755, 756, 758, 762 and 770 routes.^[82]

Roads[link]

Route 17, Route 4, and the Garden State Parkway pass through Paramus.

Commerce[link]

Interior of Westfield Garden State Plaza

Interchange of NJ Routes 4 and 17

Paramus is known for its multitude of stores and malls.^[83] It has five major indoor shopping centers, due to its easy access for residents in the areas of Bergen County and Passaic County in New Jersey and Rockland County in New York. New Jersey also does not levy a sales tax on clothes and shoes, which makes it an attractive shopping destination for people even further away in New York City, who pay sales tax on clothing items above $110 in price, in addition to the lower standard rate of 7% in New Jersey, compared to 8⅜ in New York City.^[84] The spending levels generated by the malls have made Paramus one of the top retail ZIP codes in the country.^[85]

On Route 4, are The Outlets at Bergen Town Center (known as the Bergen Mall until 2006) and the Shoppes on IV. On Route 17, are Paramus Park and the Fashion Center. At the intersection of Routes 4 and 17 is Paramus's biggest and most famous mall, Westfield Garden State Plaza. Across from Westfield Garden State Plaza is the world's third-largest IKEA, one of four IKEAs in the New York City metro area. Westfield Garden State Plaza is the largest mall in the Westfield Groups' global portfolio with a gross leasable area of 2,128,402 square feet (200,000 m²).^[86]

Paramus, along with the rest of Bergen County, has strict blue laws preventing stores selling non-food items from opening on Sundays. Although it started as a religious observance, it is kept on the books due to a desire of the residents of Paramus to have one day a week when traffic is tolerable in the town. This law was called into question most recently when a BJ's Wholesale Club opened at the 4/17 junction. BJ's was allowed to open on Sundays, but is only allowed to sell food and basic necessities. The store has been structured to deny access for shoppers to purchase items that cannot be purchased on Sunday. Paramus has its own blue laws that are significantly more restrictive than those in effect in other communities in Bergen County. It is one of the last places in the entire United States to have such an extensive blue law.

Local blue laws in Paramus were first proposed in 1957, while the Bergen Mall and Garden State Plaza were under construction. The legislation was motivated by fears that the two new malls would aggravate the already-severe highway congestion caused by local retail businesses along the borough's highways.^[22]

The Paramus Borough Code forbids the performance of any "worldly employment" on Sunday, with exceptions for charity, and the sale of newspapers, drugs, meals, prepared food and cigarettes, among a limited number of exceptions. Even work performed inside one's own home is prohibited, unless one can "prove to the satisfaction of the Judge that he uniformly keeps the seventh day of the week commonly known as the 'Sabbath'...".^[87] In spite of its six-day shopping week, Paramus consistently has the most retail sales of any ZIP Code in the United States.^[88] Many national chain stores boast Paramus as their most prominent locations, including Nordstrom, in which the Paramus store is their best-performing chainwide. There are 25 retailers that occupy multiple stores in Paramus,^[89] including Macy's which had outlets in three malls for a short period of time. Some retail analysts view Paramus as being two markets, centered on the two major highways. Lord & Taylor has two locations in Paramus, giving Paramus the distinction of the only town with more than one Lord & Taylor location.

An unsuccessful 2010 proposal by Governor of New Jersey Chris Christie would have ended Bergen County's blue laws, with the governor citing industry statistics estimating that the $1.1 billion in added retail revenue on Sundays would generate an additional $65 million in sales taxes for the state.^[90]

Mall history[link]

• 1957 – Garden State Plaza was built by Muscarelli Construction Company on 198 acres (0.80 km²) at the intersection of Routes 4 and 17.
• 1957 – The Bergen Mall was built on 101 acres (0.41 km²) on an area east of the Plaza on Route 4.
• 1968 – The Fashion Center was built on 35 acres (140,000 m²). The owners originally referred to its location as being in Ridgewood/Paramus to appeal to the Ridgewood population. Over the years, the references to Ridgewood became somewhat lost.^{[citation needed]}
• 1974 – Paramus Park was built by the Rouse Company. The last of the large centers was built on 66 acres (270,000 m²) in the middle of an area where the old farms were located.
• 2003 – IKEA opens its third-largest store at the intersection of Routes 4 and 17, on the site of the old Alexander's department store. It was joined the next year by three other retailers, Bed Bath and Beyond, Christmas Tree Shops, and Sports Authority.

Due to the blue law, all malls in Paramus (as with the rest of Bergen County) are closed on Sunday. Malls are also required to be closed on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day, with early closing (half days) on Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Stores may not open before 7:00 AM or remain open after 11:00 PM.

Entertainment[link]

In 1931, one of the earliest drive-in theaters opened in Paramus, and boasted the world's largest and brightest screen, located behind what is now Westfield Garden State Plaza. The Paramus Drive-In closed in 1987. The last movie presentation there was a double- feature, 'Crocodile Dundee' and 'The Untouchables'.

Paramus' lone movie theater complex is a 16-screen AMC Theatres located in an area of new construction at Westfield Garden State Plaza. Two theatres which have been closed within the last five years include the Route 4 Tenplex and the Cineplex Odeon Route 17 Triplex, once located next to Westfield Garden State Plaza on Route 17. The Triplex theatre was opened in 1965 by Century Theatres and was closed on January 19, 2006, by Loews Cineplex Entertainment. The Tenplex on Route 4 was closed on May 24, 2007, the day before the new AMC Theatres opened at Westfield Garden State Plaza.^[91] The Cinema 35 was also closed when the Plaza 35 Shopping Center was renovated in 2005.

Parks and recreation[link]

Paramus is the home to two county parks. On the eastern side of the borough is Van Saun County Park, which features Bergen County's only zoo, home to a wide variety of wild and domestic animals living in recreated habitats natural to each species.^[92] On the western side of the borough is Saddle River County Park which features a 6-mile (9.7 km) bike path reaching from Ridgewood to Rochelle Park.^[93]

The borough also has four golf courses. Two are open to the public with the Paramus Golf Course operated by the borough^[94] and Orchard Hills County Golf Course+ operated by the county.^[95] Two private golf course are also located in Paramus, they are the Ridgewood Country Club and Arcola Country Club. In 2008, the Paramus Golf Course opened up a miniature golf course that is themed after the town of Paramus as well as the state of New Jersey. Turkey statues are scattered around the course to celebrate Paramus as the "land of the wild turkeys."^[96]

Popular culture[link]

• In Ghostbusters II a woman claims that she met an alien at the Paramus Holiday Inn: "I received this information from an alien. As I told my husband, it was in the Paramus Holiday Inn, I was having a drink at the bar, alone, and this alien approached me. He started talking to me. He bought me a drink, and then I think he must have used some kind of a ray or a mind control device because he forced me to follow him to his room and that's where he told me about the end of the world."
• The 1993 Saturday Night Live spin-off movie Coneheads is set in Paramus.^[97] Dan Aykroyd and Jane Curtin's characters decide to move to and permanently reside in the town so daughter Michelle Burke can attend Paramus High School. Aykroyd's character "Beldar Conehead" spends his days in Paramus teaching driving lessons and playing golf.
• Vinnie Fiorello from the popular band Less Than Jake, which has a few songs dedicated to Paramus.
• In the movie Ransom, Mel Gibson and Gary Sinise drive right past the now-defunct tenplex movie theater located on Route 4.
• Several episodes of The Sopranos, the HBO mob drama, have used Paramus locations. Westfield Garden State Plaza was used as the "Paramus Mall," and the Ramsey Outdoor Store on Route 17 became the "Ramsey Outdoor," and a character is "whacked" at the remnants of the Old Mill Bathing Beach on Paramus Road.^[98][99] In the final episode of the series, a scene with Paulie Walnuts is shot in Paramus, where he was in a car, driving past a gas station.^{[citation needed]}
• Arcola Amusement Park (Arcola section Rochelle Park/Paramus) was built in 1926 which covered about 20 acres (81,000 m²). A fire destroyed it in 1929.
• Burn After Reading a 2008 film by the Coen Brothers was partly filmed in Paramus at the site of the old Tower Records annex building located on Route 17S.^[100]
• The Colbert Report, during its Threat Down segment on April 24, 2008, listed the bear sightings in Paramus as the Number 1 threat to our country. The Paramus Park mall was also shown in the segment.^[101]
• An episode of The West Wing mentions the "Paramus Mall" while discussing Christmas music at the White House.^[102]
• Less Than Jake has written a song called "24 Hours in Paramus" on the album titled "Losers, Kings, and Things We Don't Understand."
• In the Captain America: The First Avenger film, Paramus is mentioned as a fictitious hometown used by Steve Rogers for one of his multiple attempts to enlist in the military.
• Many episodes of Primetime: What Would You Do? have been filmed at various locations in Paramus.

Notable residents[link]

Notable current and former residents of Paramus include:

• John Bancker Aycrigg (1798–1856), member of the United States Congress from New Jersey.^[103]
• Joe Benigno (born 1953), sports radio personality on WFAN.^[104]
• Chase Blackburn (born 1983), linebacker for the New York Giants and a member of the Super Bowl XLII champion Giants.^[105]
• Galit Chait (born 1975), ice dancer who represented Israel internationally from 1995 to 2006.^[106]
• Joseph Coniglio (born 1943), former member of the New Jersey Senate.^[107]
• Spero Dedes (born 1979), Los Angeles Lakers radio commentator, NFL Network television host, and CBS NCAA tournament basketball announcer.^[108]
• Jim Dray (born 1986), tight end who has played for the Arizona Cardinals.^[109]
• The Escape Engine, former hardcore/punk rock band formed in Paramus from 2002-2006.^{[citation needed]}
• Mark Fields (c. 1961), Ford Motor Company executive.^[110]
• Dean Friedman (born 1955), one-hit wonder with the top tune "Ariel" in 1977.^[111] A lyric in the song references "the waterfall in Paramus Park."
• Fred C. Galda (c. 1918-97), former mayor of Paramus who oversaw the implementation of the borough's blue laws in 1958.^[112]
• Peter Gennaro (1919–2000), Tony Award-winning dancer and choreographer.^[113]
• Matt Ghaffari (born 1961), Olympic wrestler.^[114]
• Jamie Gold (born 1969), winner of the 2006 World Series of Poker.^[115][116]
• Charles Samuel Joelson (1916–99), represented New Jersey's 8th congressional district.^[117]
• Louis F. Kosco (born 1932), politician who served in both the New Jersey General Assembly and the New Jersey Senate.^[118]
• Lloyd Levin, film producer whose work includes United 93.^[119]
• Tony Lip, actor who appeared on The Sopranos, playing the role of Carmine Lupertazzi.^[120]
• Howard Lorber (born 1948), CEO of the Vector Group.^[121]
• Dean Obeidallah, Arab/Italian-American comedian.^[122]
• George Olsen (1893–1971), bandleader and proprietor of Olsen's Restaurant in the 1950s and '60s.^[123]
• Lauren Passarelli (born 1960), musician and educator.^[124]
• John Bartow Prevost (1766–1825), first Judge of the Superior Court of the Territory of Orleans.^[125]
• Kazbek Tambi (born 1961), former professional soccer player.^[126]
• Theodore Trautwein (1920–2000), judge who sentenced a reporter from The New York Times to 40 days in jail in the "Dr. X" trial of Mario Jascalevich.^[127]
• Trixter, a glam metal band, formed in Paramus.^[128]
• Connie Wagner (born 1948), member of the New Jersey General Assembly.^[129]
• Elaine Zayak (born 1965), one of the world's top figure skaters in the early 1980s.^[130]

Historic sites[link]

Paramus is home to the following locations on the National Register of Historic Places:

• Midland School – 239 W. Midland Ave. (added 1978)
• Terhune House – 470 Paramus Rd. (added 1996)
• Terhune-Gardner-Lindenmeyr House – 218 Paramus Rd. (added 1972)
• Harmon Van Dien House – 449 Paramus Rd. (added 1983)
• Zabriskie Tenant House – 273 Dunkerhook Rd.. (added 1984)

References[link]

Notes

Sources

• Paramus – the Way We Were 1922–1960 by Fritz Behnke

External links[link]

• Paramus official website
• Paramus on Local201.com
• Paramus Public Schools
• Paramus Public Schools's 2010–11 School Report Card from the New Jersey Department of Education
• Data for the Paramus Public Schools, National Center for Education Statistics
• Paramus Fire Department official website
• Paramus Rescue Squad official website
• Paramus Emergency Medical Services official website

v t e Municipalities and communities of Bergen County, New Jersey, United States County seat: Hackensack Cities Englewood Garfield Hackensack Boroughs Allendale Alpine Bergenfield Bogota Carlstadt Cliffside Park Closter Cresskill Demarest Dumont East Rutherford Edgewater Elmwood Park Emerson Englewood Cliffs Fair Lawn Fairview Fort Lee Franklin Lakes Glen Rock Harrington Park Hasbrouck Heights Haworth Hillsdale Ho-Ho-Kus Leonia Little Ferry Lodi Maywood Midland Park Montvale Moonachie New Milford North Arlington Northvale Norwood Oakland Old Tappan Oradell Palisades Park Paramus Park Ridge Ramsey Ridgefield River Edge Rockleigh Rutherford Saddle River Tenafly Teterboro Upper Saddle River Waldwick Wallington Westwood Wood-Ridge Woodcliff Lake Townships Lyndhurst Mahwah River Vale Rochelle Park Saddle Brook South Hackensack Teaneck Washington Township Wyckoff Villages Ridgefield Park Ridgewood Unincorporated communities Radburn

State of New Jersey
Flag Seal
Nickname(s): The Garden State[1]
Motto(s): Liberty and prosperity
Official language(s)	None
Demonym	New Jerseyan,[2] New Jerseyite[3]
Capital	Trenton
Largest city	Newark
Area	Ranked 47th in the U.S.
- Total	8,721 sq mi (22,608 km2)
- Width	70 miles (112 km)
- Length	170 miles (273 km)
- % water	14.9
- Latitude	38° 56′ N to 41° 21′ N
- Longitude	73° 54′ W to 75° 34′ W
Population	Ranked 11th in the U.S.
- Total	8,821,155 (2011 est)[4]
- Density	1189/sq mi  (459/km2) Ranked 1st in the U.S.
- Median household income	$70,378 (2nd)
Elevation
- Highest point	High Point[5][6] 1,803 ft (549.6 m)
- Mean	250 ft  (80 m)
- Lowest point	Atlantic Ocean[5] sea level
Before statehood	Province of New Jersey
Admission to Union	December 18, 1787 (3rd)
Governor	Chris Christie (R)
Lieutenant Governor	Kim Guadagno (R)
Legislature	New Jersey Legislature
- Upper house	Senate
- Lower house	General Assembly
U.S. Senators	Frank Lautenberg (D) Bob Menendez (D)
U.S. House delegation	7 Democrats, 6 Republicans (list)
Time zone	Eastern: UTC -5/-4
Abbreviations	NJ N.J. US-NJ
Website	www.nj.gov

New Jersey State symbols
The Flag of New Jersey.
The Seal of New Jersey.
Animate insignia
Bird(s)	Eastern Goldfinch
Fish	Brook trout
Flower(s)	Viola sororia
Grass	None
Insect	European honey bee
Reptile	None
Tree	Quercus rubra
Inanimate insignia
Beverage	None
Colors	Buff and Blue
Dance	Square Dance
Fossil	duck-billed dinosaur
Gemstone	None
Mineral	None
Soil	Honeoye
Song(s)	None
Tartan	None
Route marker(s)
State Quarter
Released in 1999
Lists of United States state insignia

The New Jersey Botanical Garden at Skylands in Ringwood State Park, Passaic and Bergen Counties.

New Jersey (ⁱ/nuː ˈdʒɜrzi/) is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the U.S. state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania, and on the southwest by Delaware. New Jersey is the 4th least extensive, but the 11th most populous and the most densely populated of the 50 United States. New Jersey lies mostly within the sprawling metropolitan areas of New York City and Philadelphia. It is also the third wealthiest by 2009–2010 median household income.^[7]

The area was inhabited by Native Americans for more than 2,800 years, with historical tribes such as the Lenape along the coast. In the early 17th century, the Dutch and the Swedes made the first European settlements.^[8] The British later seized control of the region,^[9] naming it the Province of New Jersey. It was granted as a colony to Sir George Carteret and John Berkeley, 1st Baron Berkeley of Stratton. At this time, it was named after the largest of the British Channel Islands, Jersey, Carteret's birthplace.^[10] New Jersey was the site of several decisive battles during the American Revolutionary War.

In the 19th century, factories in cities such as Elizabeth, Paterson, and Trenton helped to drive the Industrial Revolution. New Jersey's position at the center of the Northeast megalopolis, between Boston and New York City to the northeast, and Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C. to the southwest, fueled its rapid growth through the process of suburbanization in the 1950s and beyond.

Geography[link]

High Point Monument as seen from Lake Marcia at High Point, Sussex County, the highest elevation in New Jersey at 1803 feet above sea level.^[11]

New Jersey shares the Delaware Water Gap with neighboring Pennsylvania.

Sunset at Cape May on the Jersey Shore.

Part of the Palisades Interstate Park, the New Jersey Palisades overlook the Hudson River.

New Jersey is bordered on the north and northeast by New York (parts of which are across the Hudson River, Upper New York Bay, the Kill Van Kull, Newark Bay, and the Arthur Kill); on the east by the Atlantic Ocean; on the southwest by Delaware across Delaware Bay; and on the west by Pennsylvania across the Delaware River.

New Jersey can be thought of as five regions, based on natural geography and population. Northeastern New Jersey, the Gateway Region, lies within the New York City Metropolitan Area, and some residents commute into the city to work. Northwestern New Jersey, or the "Skylands", is, compared to the northeast, more wooded, rural, and mountainous. The "Shore", along the Atlantic Coast in the central-east and southeast, has its own natural, residential, and lifestyle characteristics owing to its location by the ocean. The Delaware Valley includes the southwestern counties of the state, which reside within the Philadelphia Metropolitan Area. The fifth region is the Pine Barrens in the interior of the southern part. Covered rather extensively by mixed pine and oak forest, it has a much lower population density than much of the rest of the state.

New Jersey also can be broadly divided into three geographic regions: North Jersey, Central Jersey, and South Jersey. Some New Jersey residents do not consider Central Jersey a region in its own right, but others believe it is a separate geographic and cultural area from the North and South.

The federal Office of Management and Budget divides New Jersey's counties into seven Metropolitan Statistical Areas, including sixteen counties in the New York City or Philadelphia metro areas. Four counties have independent metro areas, and Warren County is part of the Pennsylvania-based Lehigh Valley metro area. (See Metropolitan Statistical Areas of New Jersey for details.)

It is also at the center of the Northeast megalopolis.

Additionally, the New Jersey Commerce, Economic Growth, & Tourism Commission divides the state into six distinct regions to facilitate the state's tourism industry. The regions are:

• Gateway Region, encompassing Middlesex County, Union County, Essex County, Hudson County, Bergen County, and Passaic County.
• Skylands Region, encompassing Sussex County, Morris County, Warren County, Hunterdon County, and Somerset County.
• Shore Region, encompassing Monmouth County and Ocean County.
• Delaware River Region, encompassing Mercer County, Burlington County, Camden County, Gloucester County, and Salem County.
• Greater Atlantic City Region, encompassing Atlantic County.
• Southern Shore Region, encompassing Cumberland County and Cape May County.

High Point, in Montague Township, Sussex County, is the highest elevation, at 1,803 feet (550 m). The Palisades are a line of steep cliffs on the lower west side of the Hudson River.

Major rivers include the Hudson, Delaware, Raritan, Passaic, Hackensack, Rahway, Musconetcong, Mullica, Rancocas, Manasquan, Maurice, and Toms rivers.

Sandy Hook, along the eastern coast, is a popular recreational beach. It is a barrier spit and an extension of the Barnegat Peninsula along the state's Atlantic Ocean coast.

Long Beach Island ("LBI"), a barrier island along the eastern coast, has popular recreational beaches. The primary access point to the island is by a single bridge connection to the mainland. Barnegat Lighthouse is on the northern tip.

Areas managed by the National Park Service include:

• Appalachian National Scenic Trail
• Delaware National Scenic River
• Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
• Ellis Island National Monument
• Gateway National Recreation Area in Monmouth County
• Great Egg Harbor River
• Morristown National Historical Park in Morristown
• New Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail Route
• New Jersey Pinelands National Reserve
• Thomas Edison National Historical Park in West Orange

Prominent geographic features include:

• Delaware Water Gap
• Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
• The Highlands
• New Jersey Meadowlands
• Pine Barrens
• South Mountain

Climate[link]

As with many other geographic features, New Jersey's climate divides into regions. The south, central, and northeast parts of the state have a humid mesothermal climate, while the northwest has a humid continental climate (microthermal), with slightly cooler temperatures due to higher elevation. New Jersey receives between 2,400 and 2,800 hours of sunshine annually.^[12]

Summers are typically hot and humid, with statewide average high temperatures of 82–88 °F (28–31 °C) and lows of 60–70 °F (16–21 °C); however, temperatures exceed 90 °F (32 °C) on average 25 days each summer, though rarely exceed 100 °F (38 °C). Winters are usually cold, with average high temperatures of 38–46 °F (3–8 °C) and lows of 26–32 °F (-3–0 °C) for most of the state, but temperatures could, for brief interludes, be as low as 10–20 °F (-12–-7 °C) and sometimes rise to 50–60 °F (10–16 °C). Northwestern parts of the state have slightly colder winters with average temperatures just below freezing. Spring and autumn may feature wide temperature variations, with lower humidity than summer.^[13]

Average annual precipitation ranges from 43 to 51 inches (1,100 to 1,300 mm), uniformly spread through the year. Average snowfall per winter season ranges from 10–15 inches (25–38 cm) in the south and near the seacoast, 15–30 inches (38–76 cm) in the northeast and central part of the state, to about 40–50 inches (1.0–1.3 m) in the northwestern highlands, but this varies from year to year. Precipitation falls on an average of 120 days a year, with 25 to 30 thunderstorms, most of which occur during the summer.

During winter and early spring, New Jersey can in some years experience "nor'easters", which are capable of causing blizzards or flooding throughout the northeastern United States. Hurricanes and tropical storms (such as Tropical Storm Floyd in 1999^[14]), tornadoes, and earthquakes are rare.

History[link]

Around 180 million years ago, during the Jurassic Period, New Jersey bordered North Africa. The pressure of the collision between North America and Africa gave rise to the Appalachian Mountains. Around 18,000 years ago, the Ice Age resulted in glaciers that reached New Jersey. As the glaciers retreated, they left behind Lake Passaic, as well as many rivers, swamps, and gorges.^[16]

New Jersey was originally settled by Native Americans, with the Lenni-Lenape being dominant at the time Europeans arrived. The Lenape were loosely organized groups that practiced small-scale agriculture (mainly based on corn) in order to increase their largely mobile hunter-gatherer society in the region surrounding the Delaware River, the lower Hudson River, and western Long Island Sound. The Lenape society was divided into matrilinear clans that were based upon common female ancestors. These clans were organized into three distinct phratries identified by their animal sign: Turtle, Turkey, and Wolf. They first encountered the Dutch in the early 17th century, and their primary relationship with the Europeans was through fur trade.

Colonial era[link]

New Jersey was first claimed by the Dutch. The Dutch colony of New Netherland consisted of parts of modern Middle Atlantic states. Although the European principle of land ownership was not recognized by the Lenape, Dutch West India Company policy required their colonists to purchase land which they settled. The first to do so was Michiel Pauw who established a patronship named Pavonia along the North River which eventually became the Bergen. Peter Minuit's purchase of lands along the Delaware River establish the colony of New Sweden. The entire region became a territory of England in 1664, when an English fleet under the command of Colonel Richard Nicolls sailed into what is today New York Harbor and took control of Fort Amsterdam, annexing the entire province.

During the English Civil War the Channel Island of Jersey remained loyal to the Crown and gave sanctuary to the King. It was from the Royal Square in St. Helier that Charles II of England was first proclaimed King in 1649, following the execution of his father, Charles I. The North American lands were divided by Charles II, who gave his brother, the Duke of York (later King James II), the region between New England and Maryland as a proprietary colony (as opposed to a royal colony). James then granted the land between the Hudson River and the Delaware River (the land that would become New Jersey) to two friends who had remained loyal through the English Civil War: Sir George Carteret and Lord Berkeley of Stratton. The area was named the Province of New Jersey.

The campuses of Rutgers University (originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766) include buildings of a variety of architectural styles.

Since the state's inception, New Jersey has been characterized by ethnic and religious diversity. New England Congregationalists settled alongside Scots Presbyterians and Dutch Reformed migrants. While the majority of residents lived in towns with individual landholdings of 100 acres (40 ha), a few rich proprietors owned vast estates. English Quakers and Anglicans owned large landholdings. Unlike Plymouth Colony, Jamestown and other colonies, New Jersey was populated by a secondary wave of immigrants who came from other colonies instead of those who migrated directly from Europe. New Jersey remained agrarian and rural throughout the colonial era, and commercial farming only developed sporadically. Some townships, such as Burlington on the Delaware River and Perth Amboy, emerged as important ports for shipping to New York and Philadelphia. The colony's fertile lands and tolerant religious policy drew more settlers, and New Jersey boasted a population of 120,000 by 1775.

Settlement for the first 10 years of English rule was along Hackensack River and Arthur Kill and settlers came primarily from New England. Unlike other colonies that were settled by immigrants from Europe, New Jersey was populated by a secondary wave of settlement from communities already established on the North American continent. March 18, 1673, Berkeley sold his half of the colony to Quakers in England, who settled the Delaware Valley region as a Quaker colony. (William Penn acted as trustee for the lands for a time.) New Jersey was governed very briefly as two distinct provinces, East and West Jersey, for 28 years between 1674 and 1702, at times part of the Province of New York or Dominion of New England.

In 1702, the two provinces were reunited under a royal, rather than a proprietary, governor. Edward Hyde, Lord Cornbury, became the first governor of the colony as a royal colony. Lord Cornbury was an ineffective and corrupt ruler, taking bribes and speculating on land, so in 1708 he was recalled to England. New Jersey was then ruled by the governors of New York, but this infuriated the settlers of New Jersey, who accused those governors of favoritism to New York. Judge Lewis Morris led the case for a separate governor, and was appointed governor by King George II in 1738.^[17]

Revolutionary War era[link]

New Jersey was one of the Thirteen Colonies that revolted against British rule in the American Revolution. The New Jersey Constitution of 1776 was passed July 2, 1776, just two days before the Second Continental Congress declared American Independence from Great Britain. It was an act of the Provincial Congress, which made itself into the state Legislature. To reassure neutrals, it provided that it would become void if New Jersey reached reconciliation with Great Britain.

George Washington rallying his troops at the Battle of Princeton

New Jersey representatives Richard Stockton, John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkinson, John Hart, and Abraham Clark were among those who signed the United States Declaration of Independence.

During the American Revolutionary War, British and American armies crossed New Jersey numerous times, and several pivotal battles took place in the state. Because of this, New Jersey today is often referred to as "The Crossroads of the Revolution." The winter quarters of the revolutionary army were established there twice by General George Washington in Morristown, which was called the military capital of the revolution.

On December 25, 1776, the Continental Army under George Washington crossed the Delaware River. After the crossing, he surprised and defeated the unprepared Hessian troops in the Battle of Trenton. Slightly more than a week after victory at Trenton, on January 3, 1777, American forces gained an important victory by stopping General Cornwallis's charges at the Second Battle of Trenton. By evading Cornwallis's army, Washington made a surprise attack on Princeton and successfully defeated the British forces there. Emanuel Leutze's painting of Washington Crossing the Delaware became an icon of the Revolution.

American forces under Washington met the forces under General Henry Clinton at the Battle of Monmouth in an indecisive engagement in June 1778. Washington attempted to take the British column by surprise; when the British army attempted to flank the Americans, the Americans retreated in disorder. The ranks were later reorganized and withstood the British charges.

In the summer of 1783, the Continental Congress met in Nassau Hall at Princeton University, making Princeton the nation's capital for four months. It was there that the Continental Congress learned of the signing of the Treaty of Paris (1783), which ended the war.

On December 18, 1787, New Jersey became the third state to ratify the United States Constitution, which was overwhelmingly popular in New Jersey, as it prevented New York and Pennsylvania from charging and keeping tariffs on goods imported from Europe. On November 20, 1789, the state became the first in the newly formed Union to ratify the Bill of Rights.

The 1776 New Jersey State Constitution gave the vote to "all inhabitants" who had a certain level of wealth. This included women and blacks, but not married women, because they could not own property separately from their husbands. Both sides, in several elections, claimed that the other side had had unqualified women vote and mocked them for use of "petticoat electors" (entitled to vote or not); on the other hand, both parties passed Voting Rights Acts. In 1807, the legislature passed a bill interpreting the constitution to mean universal white male suffrage, excluding paupers. (This was less revolutionary than it sounds: the "constitution" was itself only an act of the legislature.)^[18]

19th century[link]

On February 15, 1804, New Jersey became the last northern state to abolish new slavery and enacted legislation that slowly phased out existing slavery. This led to a gradual scale-down of the slave population. By the close of the Civil War about a dozen African Americans in New Jersey were still apprenticed freedmen. New Jersey voters initially refused to ratify the constitutional amendments banning slavery and granting rights to the United States' black population.

In 1844, the second state constitution was ratified and brought into effect. Counties thereby became districts for the State Senate, and some realignment of boundaries (including the creation of Mercer County) immediately followed. This provision was retained in the 1947 Constitution, but was overturned by the Supreme Court of the United States in 1962 by the decision Baker v. Carr. While the Governorship was stronger than under the 1776 constitution, the constitution of 1844 created many offices that were not responsible to him, or to the people, and it gave him a three-year term, but he could not succeed himself.

Unlike the Revolutionary War, no Civil War battles took place within the state. However, throughout the course of the Civil War, over 80,000 from New Jersey enlisted in the Northern army to defeat the Southern Confederacy.

Thomas Edison in his laboratory, West Orange, New Jersey, 1901

New Jersey was one of the few Northern states (the others being Delaware and Kentucky) to select a candidate other than Abraham Lincoln twice in national elections, and sided with Stephen Douglas (1860) and George B. McClellan (1864) during their campaigns. McClellan later became governor (1878–81). During the Civil War, the state was led first by Republican Governor Charles Smith Olden, then by Democrat Joel Parker.

In the Industrial Revolution, cities like Paterson grew and prospered. Previously, the economy had been largely agrarian, which was problematically subject to crop failures and poor soil. This caused a shift to a more industrialized economy, one based on manufactured commodities such as textiles and silk. Inventor Thomas Edison also became an important figure of the Industrial Revolution, having been granted 1,093 patents, many of which for inventions he developed while working in New Jersey. Edison's facilities, first at Menlo Park and then in West Orange, are considered perhaps the first research centers in the U.S. Christie Street in Menlo Park was the first thoroughfare in the world to have electric lighting. Transportation was greatly improved as locomotion and steamboats were introduced to New Jersey.

Iron mining was also a leading industry during the middle to late 19th century. Bog iron pits in the Southern New Jersey Pinelands were among the first sources of iron for the new nation.^[19] Mines such as Mt. Hope, Mine Hill and the Rockaway Valley Mines created a thriving industry. Mining generated the impetus for new towns and was one of the driving forces behind the need for the Morris Canal. Zinc mines were also a major industry, especially the Sterling Hill Mine.

20th century[link]

The Statue of Liberty and Jersey City

Through both World Wars, New Jersey was a center for war production, especially in naval construction. Battleships, cruisers, and destroyers were all made in this state. In addition, Fort Dix (1917) (originally called "Camp Dix"),^[20] Camp Merritt (1917)^[21] and Camp Kilmer (1941)^[22] were all constructed to house and train American soldiers through both World Wars. New Jersey also became a principal location for defense in the Cold War. Fourteen Nike Missile stations were constructed, especially for the defense of New York City and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. PT-109, a motor torpedo boat commanded by Lt. (j.g.) John F. Kennedy in World War II, was built at the Elco Boatworks in Bayonne. The aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CV-6) was briefly docked at the Military Ocean Terminal in Bayonne in the 1950s before she was sent to Kearney to be scrapped.^[23] In 1962, the world's first nuclear-powered cargo ship, the NS Savannah, was launched at Camden.

New Jersey prospered through the Roaring Twenties. The first Miss America Pageant was held in 1921 in Atlantic City, the first drive-in movie was shown in 1933 in Camden, and the Holland Tunnel opened in 1927. During the Great Depression of the 1930s, the state offered begging licenses to unemployed residents,^[24] the zeppelin airship Hindenburg crashed in flames over Lakehurst, and the SS Morro Castle beached itself near Asbury Park after going up in flames while at sea.

In 1951, the New Jersey Turnpike opened, permitting fast travel by car and truck between North Jersey (and metropolitan New York) and South Jersey (and metropolitan Philadelphia).

In the 1960s, race riots erupted in many of the industrial cities of North Jersey. The first race riots in New Jersey occurred in Jersey City on August 2, 1964. Several others ensued in 1967, in Newark and Plainfield. Other riots followed the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in April 1968, just as in the rest of the country. A riot occurred in Camden in 1971.

As a result of an order from the New Jersey Supreme Court to fund schools equitably, the New Jersey legislature reluctantly passed an income tax bill in 1976. Prior to this bill, the state had no income tax.^[25]

21st century[link]

Originally competing at Giants Stadium before moving to adjacent MetLife Stadium in 2010, the Giants and Jets franchises felt the Meadowlands and its sports venues were outdated by today's professional sports standards. This also led to the Devils' relocation from the Izod Center to the Prudential Center in Newark at the start of the 2007–08 season. The Brooklyn Nets, also formerly based at the Izod Center, left for the Prudential Center in 2010 for two NBA seasons. The team then relocated to Brooklyn, New York at the Barclays Center for the 2012–13 season.

Demographics[link]

New Jersey population distribution

State population[link]

The United States Census Bureau estimates that the population of New Jersey was 8,821,155 on July 1, 2011, a 0.33% increase since the 2010 United States Census.^[4] Residents of New Jersey are most commonly referred to as "New Jerseyans" or "New Jerseyites". As of the census^[27] of 2010^[update], there were 8,791,894 people residing in the state. The racial makeup of the state was 68.6% White, 13.7% African American, 0.3% Native American, 8.3% Asian, 6.4% from other races, and 2.7% from two or more races. 17.7% of the population were Hispanic or Latino. Non-Hispanic Whites were 59.3% of the population in 2010,^[28] down from 85% in 1970.^[29]

The United States Census Bureau, as of July 1, 2009 (2009 -07-01)^[update], estimated New Jersey's population at 8,707,739,^[30] which represents an increase of 268,301, or 3.2%, since the last census in 2000.^[31] This includes a natural increase since the last census of 343,965 people (that is, 933,185 births minus 589,220 deaths) and a decrease due to net migration of 53,930 people out of the state.^[31] Immigration from outside the United States resulted in a net increase of 384,687 people, and migration within the country produced a net loss of 438,617 people.^[31] As of 2005^[update], there were 1.6 million foreign-born living in the state (accounting for 19.2% of the population).^[32]

As of 2010, New Jersey is the eleventh-most populous state in the United States, and the most densely populated, at 1,185 residents per square mile (458 per km²), with most of the population residing in the counties surrounding New York City, Philadelphia, and along the eastern Jersey Shore, while the extreme southern and northwestern counties are relatively less dense overall. It is also the second wealthiest state according to the U.S. Census Bureau.^[33]

The center of population for New Jersey is located in Middlesex County, in the town of Milltown, just east of the New Jersey Turnpike.^[34]

New Jersey is home to more scientists and engineers per square mile than anywhere else in the world.^[35]

New Jersey is one of the most ethnically and religiously diverse states in the country. It has the second largest Jewish population by percentage (after New York);^[36] the second largest Muslim population by percentage (after Michigan); the largest population of people from Costa Rica in the United States; the largest population of Cubans outside of Florida; the third highest Asian population by percentage; and the third highest Italian population by percentage according to the 2000 Census. African Americans, Hispanics and Latinos, and Arabs are also high in number. It has the third highest Indian population of any state by absolute numbers.^{[37][38][39][40]} It has the third largest Korean population, fourth largest Filipino population, and fourth largest Chinese population, per the 2000 U.S. Census. The five largest ethnic groups are: Italian (17.9%), Irish (15.9%), African (13.6%), German (12.6%), Polish (6.9%).

Newark is the fourth poorest city in America,^[41] but New Jersey as a whole has the second highest median household income.^[42] This is largely because so much of New Jersey consists of suburbs, most of them affluent, of New York City and Philadelphia. New Jersey is also the most densely populated state, and the only state that has had every one of its counties deemed "urban" as defined by the Census Bureau's Combined Statistical Area.^[43]

Broad Avenue, Koreatown in Palisades Park, Bergen County,^[44] where Koreans comprise the majority (52%) of the population.^[45]

India Square in Jersey City, Hudson County.

Metropolitan statistical areas and divisions of New Jersey; counties shaded in blue hues belong to the New York City Metropolitan Area; counties shaded in green hues are in the Philadelphia Metropolitan Area. Mercer County is located in the Greater New York Metropolitan Area. Atlantic, Cape May, and Cumberland Counties are located in the Greater Philadelphia Metropolitan Area. Warren County is considered part of the Lehigh Valley.

The state has very sizable enclaves of different non-English-speaking communities. Some of these languages include:

• Spanish – spoken throughout the state.
• Italian – spoken throughout the state.
• Polish – spoken throughout the state.
• Gujarati – spoken throughout the state.
• Hindi – spoken throughout the state.
• Tagalog – spoken throughout the state.
• Mandarin Chinese – spoken throughout the state, most prominently in the northern and central counties.
• Korean – spoken prominently in Bergen County.
• Telugu – spoken prominently in Middlesex County and Hudson County.
• Tamil – spoken prominently in Middlesex County and Hudson County.
• Malayalam – spoken prominently in Bergen County.
• Portuguese – spoken prominently in the Ironbound section of Newark.
• Turkish – spoken prominently in the Little Istanbul section of Paterson.
• Russian – spoken prominently in the Fair Lawn borough of Bergen County.

Each county's largest ethnic group, according to the 2000 Census, is:

• Italian — Passaic, Bergen, Union, Hudson, Morris, Somerset, Middlesex, Mercer, Monmouth, Ocean, Atlantic, Cumberland^[40]
• Irish — Sussex, Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, Cape May^[40]
• German — Warren, Hunterdon, Salem^[40]

6.7% of its population was reported as under age 5, 24.8% under 18, and 13.2% were 65 or older. Females made up approximately 51.5% of the population.

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 12.31% of the population aged 5 and over speak Spanish at home, while 1.12% speak Italian, 1.03% speak Portuguese, and 1.02% speak Tagalog (Filipino).^[46]

In 2010, illegal immigrants constituted an estimated 6.4% of the population. This was the fourth highest percentage of any state in the country.^[47][48]

Religion[link]

 *Less than 0.5%

Economy[link]

The New Jersey State Quarter, released in 1999, with a depiction of Washington Crossing the Delaware.

The Bureau of Economic Analysis estimates that New Jersey's gross state product in 2010 was $487 billion.^[50][51] As of January 2012^[update], the state's unemployment rate is 9%.^[52][53][54]

Affluence[link]

Its per capita gross state product in 2008 was $54,699, 2nd in the U.S. and above the national per capita gross domestic product of $46,588.^[55] Its per-capita income was the third highest in the nation with $51,358.^[55] The state also has the highest percentage of millionaire households.^[56] It is ranked 2nd in the nation by the number of places with per capita incomes above national average with 76.4%. Nine of New Jersey's counties are in the wealthiest 100 of the country.

Fiscal policy[link]

New Jersey has seven tax brackets for determining income tax rates. The rates range from 1.4 to 8.97%. The standard sales tax rate is 7%, applicable to all retail sales unless specifically exempt by law. Exemptions include most food items for at-home preparation, medicines, clothing (except fur items), footwear, and disposable paper products for use in the home. Approximately 30 New Jersey municipalities are designated as Urban Enterprise Zones and shoppers are charged a 3½% tax rate, half of the rate charged outside the UEZs. Sections of Elizabeth and Jersey City are examples of communities that are subject to the lower sales tax rate. New Jersey has the highest tax rate of all 50 states with residents paying a total of $68 billion in state and local taxes annually with a per capita burden of $7,816 at a rate of 12.9% of income.^[57] All real property located in the state is subject to property tax unless specifically exempted by statute. New Jersey does not assess an intangible personal property tax, but it does impose an inheritance tax.

Federal taxation disparity[link]

New Jersey has the highest disparity of any state in the United States between what it gives to the federal government and what it receives. In fiscal year 2005, New Jersey taxpayers gave the federal government $77 billion, while only receiving $55 billion. This difference is higher than any other state and means that for every $1 New Jersey taxpayers send to Washington, the state only receives $0.61 in return. This calculation is applied correctly after making the federal government deficit neutral, as sometimes the federal government spends more than it receives.^[58] As of 2005^[update], New Jersey has never been above 48th in rank for per capita federal spending (with a rank of 50th for the majority of that time) since 1982, while being second or third in per capita federal taxes paid to Washington.

New Jersey runs into deficits frequently and has one of the highest tax burdens in the nation.^[59] Factors for this include the large federal tax liability which is not adjusted for New Jersey's higher cost of living and Medicaid funding formulas. As shown by the study, incomes tend to be higher in New Jersey, which puts those in higher tax brackets especially vulnerable to the alternative minimum tax.

Industries[link]

Cranberry harvest.

New Jersey's economy is centered on the pharmaceutical industry, the financial industry, chemical development, telecommunications, food processing, electric equipment, printing and publishing, and tourism. New Jersey's agricultural outputs are nursery stock, horses, vegetables, fruits and nuts, seafood, and dairy products. New Jersey ranks second among states in blueberry production, third in cranberries and spinach, and fourth in bell peppers, peaches, and head lettuce.^[60] New Jersey harvests the fourth-largest number of acres planted with asparagus.^[61]

Although New Jersey is home to many energy-intensive industries, its energy consumption is only 2.7% of the U.S. total, and its carbon dioxide emissions are only 0.8% of the U.S. total. Its comparatively low greenhouse gas emissions can be attributed to nuclear power. According to the Energy Information Administration, nuclear power dominates New Jersey’s electricity market, typically supplying more than one-half of State generation. New Jersey has three nuclear power plants, including the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station, which came online in 1969 and is the oldest operating nuclear plant in the country.^[62]

New Jersey has a strong scientific economy. New Jersey is home to major pharmaceutical firms such as Johnson and Johnson, Sanofi-Aventis, Novartis, Pfizer, Merck, Hoffman-LaRoche, and Bristol-Myers Squibb. New Jersey is home to major telecommunications firms such as Verizon Wireless, Avaya, Alcatel-Lucent and AT&T Communications. Furthermore, New Jersey draws upon its large and well-educated labor pool which also supports the myriad of industries that exist today.

New Jersey is the ultimate bedroom community since the state is right next to New York City and Philadelphia. Thus, there is a strong service economy in New Jersey serving residents who work in New York City or Philadelphia. Some of these industries include retail sales, education and real estate. Newark Liberty International Airport is ranked seventh among the nation's busiest airports and among the top 20 busiest airports in the world.

Shipping is a strong industry in New Jersey because of the state's strategic location, the Port of New York and New Jersey the busiest on the East Coast. The Port Newark-Elizabeth Marine Terminal was the world's first container port and is one of the world's largest container ports. New Jersey also has a strong presence in chemical development, refining, and food processing operations.

New Jersey hosts several business headquarters, including twenty-four Fortune 500 companies.^[63] Paramus is noted for having one of the highest retail sales per person ratios in the nation. Several New Jersey counties such as Somerset (7), Morris (10), Hunterdon (13), Bergen (21), Monmouth (42) counties are ranked among the highest-income counties in the United States. Four others are also in the top 100.

Natural resources[link]

New Jersey's greatest natural resource is its location, which has made the state a crossroads of commerce. Other commercial advantages include its extensive transportation system, which puts one quarter of all United States consumers within overnight delivery range. Lake and seaside resorts such as Atlantic City have contributed to New Jersey's rank of fifth among the states in revenues from tourism.

Almost half of New Jersey is wooded. The chief tree of the northern forests is the oak. A large part of the southern section is in pine. Jersey oak has been used extensively in shipbuilding.

The mineral resources in New Jersey are small. The state, however, does rank high in smelting and refining minerals from other states. Some mining activity does still take place in the area in and around the Franklin Furnace, which was long a center of zinc production (see New Jersey Zinc Company).

New Jersey is second in the nation in solar power installations, enabled by one of the country's most favorable net metering policies, and the renewable energy certificates program. The state has more than 10,000 solar installations.^[64]

Education[link]

In 2010, there were 605 school districts in the state.^[65]

Secretary of Education Rick Rosenberg, appointed by Governor Jon Corzine, created the Education Advancement Initiative (EAI) to increase College admission rates by 10% for New Jersey's high school students, decrease dropout rates by 15%, and increase the amount of money devoted to schools by 10%. Rosenberg retracted this plan when criticized for taking the money out of healthcare to fund this initiative.

In 2010 the state government paid all of the teachers' premiums for health insurance.^[65]

Census data reveal that New Jersey spent more per each public school student than any other state except New York in 2009, amounting to $16,271 spent per pupil, with 41% of the revenue derived from state sources.^[66]

According to 2011 Newsweek statistics, students of High Technology High School in Lincroft, Monmouth County and Bergen County Academies in Hackensack, Bergen County registered average SAT scores of 2145 and 2100, respectively,^[67] representing the highest and second-highest scores, respectively, of all listed U.S. high schools.^[68]

Princeton University in Princeton, Mercer County, is tied with Harvard University in Massachusetts as the top ranked U.S. national university for 2012 as per U.S. News & World Report.^[69]

Transportation[link]

Roadways[link]

Map of New Jersey showing major transportation networks and cities

The George Washington Bridge, connecting Fort Lee, Bergen County, New Jersey to Manhattan in New York City, is the world's busiest motor vehicle bridge.^[70][71]

The New Jersey Turnpike is one of the best-known and most-trafficked roadways in the United States. This toll road carries interstate traffic between Delaware and New York, and the East Coast in general. Commonly referred to as simply "the Turnpike," it is known for its numerous rest-areas named after prominent New Jerseyans as diverse as inventor Thomas Edison; United States Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton; United States Presidents Grover Cleveland and Woodrow Wilson; writers James Fenimore Cooper, Joyce Kilmer, and Walt Whitman; patriot Molly Pitcher; Red Cross advocate Clara Barton; and football coach Vince Lombardi.

The Garden State Parkway, or simply "the Parkway," carries more in-state traffic and runs from the town of Montvale along New Jersey's northern border to its southernmost tip at Cape May for 172.4 miles (277.5 km). It is the trunk that connects the New York metropolitan area to Atlantic City and is consistently one of the safest roads in the nation. With a total of 15 travel lanes and 6 shoulder lanes, the Driscoll Bridge on the Parkway, spanning the Raritan River in Middlesex County, is the widest motor vehicle bridge in the world by number of lanes^[72] as well as one of the busiest.

New Jersey is connected to New York City via various bridges and tunnels. The George Washington Bridge at 300,000 vehicles per day carries the heaviest load of motor vehicle traffic of any bridge in the world^[70][71] from Fort Lee, New Jersey in Bergen County to the Washington Heights neighborhood in Upper Manhattan in New York City on the Trans-Manhattan Expressway carrying I-95, US 1, and US 9. The Lincoln Tunnel connects to Midtown Manhattan carrying New Jersey State Route 495 and the Holland Tunnel connects to Lower Manhattan carrying I-78. These are the three major Hudson River crossings that see heavy vehicular traffic. New Jersey is also connected to Staten Island by three bridges. From the southernmost to northernmost; the Outerbridge Crossing, Goethals Bridge, and Bayonne Bridge.