Bergen County, New Jersey
Encyclopedia
Bergen County is the most populous county of the state
of New Jersey
, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 905,116. The county is part of the New York City Metropolitan Area. Its county seat
is Hackensack
. Bergen County ranked 16th among the highest-income counties in the United States
in 2009 in terms of per-capita income, while simultaneously hosting a park system
totaling nearly 9,000 acres.
people, particularly the Lenape
groups of the Tappan
, Hackensack and Rumachenanck
(later called the Haverstraw). Today, some of the Ramapough Mountain Indians
who reside in the northwest of the county trace their ancestry back to the Lenape and Munsee peoples.
The area comprising today's Bergen and Hudson counties was part of New Netherland
, the 17th century North American colonial province
of the Dutch Republic
. It had been claimed after Henry Hudson
(sailing for the Dutch East India Company
) explored Newark Bay
and anchored his ship at Weehawken Cove in 1609.
Early settlement attempts by the Dutch included Pavonia
(1633), Vriessendael (1640) and Achter Col
(1642) but these settlements were repelled in Kieft's War
(1643–1645) and the Peach Tree War
(1655–1660). Settlers again returned to the western shores of the Hudson in the 1660 formation of Bergen, which would become the first permanent European settlement in the territory of the modern state of New Jersey.
During the Second Anglo-Dutch War
, on August 27, 1664, New Amsterdam surrendered to the English Navy. The Province of New Jersey
was then formed in 1674. In 1679, Bergen was included in a judicial district with Essex
, Monmouth
and Middlesex
counties, while the territory was called East Jersey
, a proprietary colony
(as opposed to a royal colony). In 1683, Bergen (along with the three other counties) was officially recognized as an independent county by the Provincial Assembly.
The origin of the name of Bergen County is a matter of debate. It is believed that the County is named for one of the earliest settlements, Bergen, in the location of modern day Hudson County
. However, the source of the name of the settlement is under wide debate. Several sources attribute the name to Bergen, Norway, while others attribute it to Bergen op Zoom
in the Netherlands
. Still others attribute it to the Dutch word meaning "hill" or "place of safety". Some sources say that the name is derived from one of the earliest settlers of New Amsterdam
(now New York City
), Hans Hansen Bergen
, a native of Norway
, who arrived in New Netherlands in 1633.
Initially, Bergen County consisted of only the land between the Hudson and the Hackensack Rivers, extending north to the border between East Jersey and New York. In January 1709, the boundaries were extended to include all of the current territory of Hudson County
(formed in 1840) and portions of the current territory of Passaic County
(formed in 1837). The 1709 borders were described as follows:
Bergen saw several battles and troop movements during the American Revolutionary War
. Fort Lee
's location atop the New Jersey Palisades
, opposite Fort Washington
in Manhattan
, made it a strategic position during the war. In November, 1776 the Battle of Fort Lee
took place as part of the Continental Army
's attempts to keep British forces from sailing up the Hudson River
. After these defensive positions were hastily abandoned, the Continental forces staged a retreat through present-day Englewood
and Teaneck
, and across the Hackensack River
at New Bridge Landing
, one of the few sites where the river was crossed by a bridge. With the British in pursuit, this retreat allowed American forces to escape capture and regroup for subsequent successes against the British elsewhere in New Jersey later that winter. The Baylor Massacre
took place in 1778 in River Vale
, resulting in severe losses for the Continentals.
In 1837, Passaic County
was formed from parts of Bergen and Essex
counties. In 1840, Hudson County was formed from Bergen. These two divisions lost roughly 13,000 residents (nearly half of the previous population) from the county's rolls.
In 1852, the Erie Railroad
began operating major rail services from Jersey City on the Hudson River
to points north and west via leased right-of-way in the county. This became known as the Erie Main Line, and is still in use for passenger service today.
In 1894, state law was changed to allow easy formation of municipalities with the Borough
form of government. This led to the Boroughitis
phenomenon where many new municipalities were created in a span of a few years.
On January 11, 1917, the Kingsland Explosion
took place at a munitions factory in what is today Lyndhurst
. The explosion is believed to be an act of sabotage
by German agents, as the munitions in question were destined for Russia, part of the U.S.'s effort to supply allies before entrance into World War I
. After the U.S. entry into the war in April 1917, Camp Merritt
was created in eastern Bergen County for troop staging. Beginning operations in August 1917, it housed 50,000 soldiers at a time, staging them for deployment to Europe
via Hoboken
. Camp Merritt was decommissioned in November, 1919.
In 1931, the George Washington Bridge
was completed, linking Fort Lee
to Manhattan
. This connection would spur development in the post-World War II era, developing much of the county to suburban levels. A second deck of traffic on the bridge was completed in 1962, expanding its capacity to 14 lanes.
In 1955, the U.S. Army created a Nike Missile station at Campgaw Mountain
(in the west of the county) for the defense of the New York Metropolitan Area
from strategic bomber
s. In 1959, the site was upgraded to house Nike-Hercules Missile
s with increased range, speed and payload characteristics. The missile site closed in June 1971.
In 2004, Bergen County and neighboring Passaic County
were ranked by Forbes
as the second most overpriced place in the nation. In 2005, they ranked seventh.
In 2005, Bergen had the fourth-highest median property tax
of any county in the nation at $6,846, the second highest in New Jersey behind Hunterdon
. In 2006, Bergen County homeowners paid a median of $7,237, a 5.7% increase over the previous year. However, the county dropped a position in the rankings, with only the fifth highest median property tax bill in the country, and third highest in New Jersey behind top-ranked Hunterdon county
at $7,999 and #4 Somerset County
at $7,318. The prospect of property tax relief prompted County Executive
Dennis McNerney
to call for municipalities with populations less than 10,000 in Bergen County to merge, saying "The surest way to significantly lower homeowners' property taxes is to merge small towns and reduce administrative overhead." Thirty-five of Bergen County's municipalities have less than 10,000 residents each.
Bergen County is located at the northeastern corner of the state of New Jersey and is bordered by Rockland County, New York
to the north; by Manhattan
and the Bronx
in New York City
, as well as by Westchester County, New York
, across the Hudson River
to the east; and within New Jersey, by Hudson County
as well as a small border with Essex County
to the south, and by Passaic County
to the west.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau
, the county has a total area of 247 square miles (639.7 km²), of which 234 square miles (606.1 km²) is land and 13 square miles (33.7 km²) (5.12%) is water.
The highest elevation is Bald Mountain near the New York
state line in Mahwah
, at 1,152 feet (351 m) above sea level (41°07′15"N 074°12′01"W). The lowest point is sea level, along the Hudson River, which in this region is more of a tidal estuary than a river.
The sharp cliffs of the New Jersey Palisades
lift much of the eastern boundary of the county up from the Hudson River. The relief becomes less pronounced across the middle section of the county, much of it being located in the Hackensack River
Valley or the Pascack Valley
. In the northwestern portion of the county, Bergen County becomes hilly again and shares the Ramapo Mountains
with Rockland County, New York.
The damming of the Hackensack River and a tributary, the Pascack Brook
, produced three reservoirs in the county, Woodcliff Lake Reservoir
, Lake Tappan
, and Oradell Reservoir
, which provide drinking water to much of northern New Jersey. The Hackensack River drains the eastern portion of the county through the New Jersey Meadowlands
, a wetlands area in the southern portion of the county. The central portion is drained by the Saddle River and the western portion is drained by the Ramapo River
. Both of these are tributaries of the Passaic River
, which forms a section of the southwestern border of the county.
zone according to the Koppen climate classification
because its coldest month (January) averages above 26.6°F / -3°C. http://www.idcide.com/weather/nj/ramsey.htmhttp://www.idcide.com/weather/nj/hackensack.htmhttp://www.idcide.com/weather/nj/fairview.htm. In part due to its coastal location and relatively low elevation
, its climate is milder than in New Jersey counties further inland such as Sussex County
. Bergen County has a moderately sunny climate, averaging between 2,400 and 2,800 hours of sunshine
annually.
Bergen has had a County Executive
form of government since 1986. The current County Executive is Republican
Kathleen Donovan
. The executive, along with the Board of Chosen Freeholders
administer all county business.
The seven Freeholders are elected at-large to three-year terms in office on a staggered basis, with either two or three seats coming up for election each year. As of 2011, Bergen County's Freeholders are:
Bergen also elects three countywide officials, separately from the County Executive and Freeholder Board, who are Sheriff Mike Saudino (R-Emerson), Surrogate Court Judge Michael Dressler (D-Cresskill), and County Clerk Elizabeth Randall (R-Westwood).
On November 2, 2010 County Executive Dennis McNerney was defeated in his bid for a third term by Republican County Clerk Kathleen Donovan. Three incumbent Freeholders, Chairman James Carroll, Freeholder Elizabeth Calabrese and Freeholder John Hogan were all defeated by Republican challengers Franklin Lakes Mayor Maura DeNicola, Former River Edge Councilman John Felice and Cliffside Park resident John Mitchell. Incumbent Bergen County Sheriff Leo McGuire also failed in his bid for a third term as he was defeated by Emerson Police Chief Mike Saudino. As a result of the 2010 elections, Republicans will control Bergen County government for the first time in nearly a decade, with County Executive Kathleen Donovan and a 5–2 Majority on the Board of Chosen Freeholders. In 2010 Republicans had only 2 Freeholders and 1 Constitutional Officer, in 2011 the Democrats have only have 2 Freeholders and 1 Constitutional Officer, a complete shift in County government. In 2012, Democrats will retain their 2 seats on the Board of Freeholders while moving to 2 Constitutional Officers as John Hogan (D, Norwood
) defeated incumbent Elizabeth Randall in the County Clerk race.
The Bergen County court system consists of a number of municipal courts handling traffic court
and other minor matters, plus the Bergen County Superior Court which handles the more serious offenses.
. Three of these districts (the 37th, 38th and 39th) are situated entirely within the county, the others cross county boundaries.
>
s cover the county, with the northern portion of the county in New Jersey's 5th district, represented by Scott Garrett
(R) and the southern portion of the county in New Jersey's 9th district, represented by Steve Rothman
(D).
over John McCain
by 54.2% to 44.8%. This makes the county slightly less Democratic than New Jersey as a whole, however. At the county level, the Republican Party is dominant, holding all county elected positions except surrogate and 2 freeholder seats. The county is characterized by a divide between Republican communities in the north and northwest of the county and Democratic communities in the center and southeast. In 2008, the most strongly Democratic municipality was Englewood
, while the most strongly Republican municipality was Saddle River
.
s in the United States that covers most retail sales, other than food and gas (among other limited items), is found in Bergen County. The blue law enforced in the county is actually a state law that each county could reject by voter referendum, with 20 of the state's 21 counties having voted to reject the legal option to enforce the law. Thus one of the largest and most popular commercial shopping cores of the New York metropolitan area
is almost completely closed on Sunday (grocery stores, convenience stores, gas stations, and restaurants are among the few businesses allowed to operate). Furthermore, Bergen County has significant populations of Jewish (2000 estimate of 83,700) and Muslim
(2000 estimate of 6,473) residents whose observant members would not be celebrating the Sunday Sabbath with most of their Christian
neighbors. The substantial Orthodox Jewish minority is placed in the position of being unable to shop either on Sunday (due to the blue laws) or on Saturday (due to religious observance).
However, repeated attempts to reject the law have failed as voters either see keeping the law on the books as a protest against the growing trend toward increasing hours and days of commercial activity in American society or enjoy the sharply reduced traffic on major roads and highways on Sunday that is normally seen the other days of the week. In fact, a large part of the reason for maintaining the laws has been a desire for relative peace and quiet one day of the week by many Bergen County residents.
This desire for relative peace is most apparent in Paramus
, where most of the county's largest shopping mall
s are located, along the intersecting highways of Route 4
and Route 17
, which are jam-packed on many Saturdays. Paramus has enacted blue laws of its own that are even more restrictive than those enforced by Bergen County, banning all forms of "worldly employment" on Sundays, including white collar workers in office buildings. Despite these strict blue laws, Paramus has become the top retail zip code in the United States, with the municipality generating over $5 billion in annual retail sales. Local Blue laws in Paramus were first proposed in 1957, while The Outlets at Bergen Town Center and Westfield 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 seven days a week and to preserve one day on which the roads were uncongested. However, some would say the chosen day too conveniently coincides with the day on which the largest segment of the population practices religious worship.
Bergen County has a well-developed road network, including the northern termini of the New Jersey Turnpike
(a portion of Interstate 95
) and the Garden State Parkway
, the eastern terminus of Interstate 80
and a portion of Interstate 287
. US Highways 46
, 202
, 9, 9W
, and New Jersey state highways 4, 17, 3, 120
, 208, and the Palisades Interstate Parkway
also serve the region. The traffic intersection of Routes 4 and 17 in Paramus is one of the busiest in the world.
The George Washington Bridge
, connecting Fort Lee
in Bergen County across the Hudson River to the Upper Manhattan
section of New York City
, is the world's busiest motor vehicle bridge. Access to New York City is alternatively available for motorists through the Lincoln Tunnel
in Hudson County
. Train service is available on three lines from New Jersey Transit
: the Bergen County Line
, the Erie
Main Line
, and the Pascack Valley Line
. They run north-south to Hoboken Terminal
with connections to the PATH
train. New Jersey Transit also offers connecting one-stop service to New York Penn Station via the Secaucus Junction
transfer station. Connections are also available at the Hoboken Terminal
to the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail
and New York Waterways ferry service to the World Financial Center
and other destinations.
Although the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail bears the "Bergen" name, it has not yet expanded to run into the county; this is planned for the future, possibly with connections via a proposed new passenger rail service, the Northern Branch. The Passaic-Bergen Rail Line has also been proposed, with two station stops in Hackensack. The Access to the Region's Core rail tunnel project would have allowed many Bergen County railway commuters a one-seat ride into Manhattan
but was canceled by New Jersey governor Chris Christie in October 2010.
There is also bus service, available from New Jersey Transit
and private companies such as Academy Bus Lines, Coach USA
, DeCamp Bus Lines
and Red and Tan Lines
, offering transport within Bergen County, elsewhere in New Jersey and to the Port Authority Bus Terminal
and George Washington Bridge Bus Terminal
in New York City.
There is one airport in the county, Teterboro Airport
in Teterboro
, which is operated by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
. Most commercial air traffic is handled by nearby Newark Liberty International Airport
in Essex County
, which also serves as a major airport for the City of New York.
For the main surface-street routes through the county, see List of county routes in Bergen County, New Jersey.
, 14.51% Asian
, 5.09% non-Hispanic black
, 0.71% Hispanic
black, 0.23% Native American
, 0.03% Pacific Islander
, 0.28% non-Hispanic from some other race, and 1.42% non-Hispanic reporting two or more races
. 16.05% of the population was Hispanics or Latinos
of any race. The population density
was 3,868 people per square mile (1,493/km²).
As of the census of 2000, there were 884,118 people, 330,817 households, and 235,210 families residing in the county. The population density was 3,776 people per square mile (1,458/km²). There were 339,820 housing units at an average density of 1,451 per square mile (560/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 78.41% non-Hispanic white, 10.67% Asian, 5.27% black, 0.15% Native American, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 3.22% from other races, and 2.26% non-Hispanic reporting two or more races. 10.34% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.
In 2000, there were 330,817 households out of which 32.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.90% were married couples
living together, 9.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.90% were non-families. 24.70% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.17. The age distribution was 23.00% under the age of 18, 6.60% from 18 to 24, 30.60% from 25 to 44, 24.50% from 45 to 64, and 15.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 92.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.40 males.
Also in 2000, the median income for a household in the county was $65,241, and the median income for a family was $78,079 (these figures had risen to $78,314 and $96,589 respectively as of a 2007 estimate.) Males had a median income of $51,346 versus $37,295 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $33,638. About 3.40% of families and 5.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.90% of those under age 18 and 5.90% of those age 65 or over.
Bergen is the most populous county in New Jersey, with approximately 90,000 more residents than Essex County
(the second-ranked county in 2000), accounting for 10.5% of the state's population.
One of the largest immigrant groups in Bergen County is the Korean American
community, which is concentrated along the Hudson River
– especially in the area near the George Washington Bridge – and represents over half of the state's entire Korean population. The per capita Korean American population of Bergen County, 6.3% by the 2010 United States Census, is the highest of any county in the United States; while the concentration of Korean Americans in Palisades Park
, within Bergen County, is the highest of any municipality in the United States, at 52% of the population. Palisades Park is also residence to the highest total number (6,065) of individuals of Korean ancestry among all municipalities in the state, while neighboring Fort Lee
has the second largest cluster (5,978) and third highest proportion (17.18%, trailing Leonia's 17.24%). Eight of the nation's top ten municipalities by percentage of Korean population are located in Bergen County, including Palisades Park, Leonia, Fort Lee, Ridgefield
, Closter
, Norwood
, Edgewater
, and Englewood Cliffs
. Overall, sixteen of the top twenty communities on that list are located in Bergen; virtually all are in the eastern third of the county near the Hudson River. However, Ridgewood
has emerged as a new Korean American nexus in western Bergen County.
In addition, the commercial districts of several communities — including Palisades Park
, Fort Lee
, Cliffside Park
, Ridgefield
, Leonia
, and to a lesser extent Englewood Cliffs
, Edgewater
, and Fairview — collectively function as a sprawling suburban Koreatown for northern New Jersey, drawing shoppers from throughout the region. There is also an entrenched Korean population in the Northern Valley, especially in Tenafly
, Cresskill
, Demarest
, Closter
, Norwood
, and Old Tappan, as well as in several inland boroughs, including Paramus
, Rutherford
, and Little Ferry
. Broad Avenue in Palisades Park's Korean immigrant enclave has been described as the center of Korean culture in Bergen County, while nearby Grand Avenue houses the headquarters of The Korean-American Association of New Jersey. Bergen County's growing Korean community was cited by county executive Kathleen Donovan in the context of Hackensack
attorney Jae Y. Kim's appointment to Central Municipal Court judgeship
in January 2011. According to The Record
of Bergen County, the U.S. Census Bureau has determined that the county’s Korean American population – 2010 census figures put it at 56,773 – has grown enough to warrant language assistance during elections.
Indian Americans (not to be confused with American Indians
) represent the second largest Asian ethnic group in Bergen County, with slightly larger numbers than the Filipino
and Chinese
communities. Although the Indian American population in the area is widely dispersed, its biggest clusters are located in Ridgewood
, Fair Lawn
, Paramus
, Hackensack, Bergenfield
, Lodi
, and Elmwood Park
. Within the county's Indian population is a prominent Malayali
community.
Bergenfield and, to a lesser extent New Milford
, Dumont
, and Teaneck
, have become a hub for Filipino American
s, with Bergenfield becoming the first municipality on the East Coast of the United States
to elect a mayor of Filipino descent in November 1999. Taken as a whole, these four adjacent municipalities contain over 40% of Bergen's entire Filipino population, although there are small numbers of Filipinos in many of the county's communities.
The Chinese American
population is also spread out, with fairly sizable populations in Fort Lee, Paramus, and Englewood Cliffs. Fort Lee and Paramus have the highest total number of Chinese among Bergen municipalities while Englewood Cliffs has the highest percentage (8.42%).
The small Japanese
community, which mainly consists of foreign businessmen and their families, has long had a presence in Fort Lee, with over a quarter of the county's total Japanese population living in that borough alone. The remainder of Bergen's Japanese residents are concentrated in the towns surrounding Fort Lee as well as in a few northern communities such as Ridgewood
.
Meanwhile, Italian American
s have long had a significant presence in Bergen County; in fact, Italian is the most commonly identified first ancestry among Bergen residents (21.0%). Overall, 194,614 Bergen residents were recorded as being of Italian heritage in the most recent census. To this day, many residents of the Meadowlands
communities in the south are of Italian descent, most notably in South Hackensack
(36.3%), Lyndhurst
(33.8%), Carlstadt
(31.2%), Wood-Ridge
(30.9%) and Hasbrouck Heights
(30.8%). Saddle Brook
(29.8%), Lodi
(29.4%), Moonachie
(28.5%), Garfield
, Hackensack
, and the southeastern Bergen towns were Italian American strongholds for decades, but their numbers have diminished in recent years as immigrants have taken their place. At the same time, the Italian American population has grown in many of the affluent communities in the northern half of the county, including Franklin Lakes
, Ramsey
, Montvale
, and Woodcliff Lake
.
Irish American
s and German American
s are the next largest ethnic groups in Bergen County, numbering 133,351 (12.8% of the county's total population) and 98,929 (11.2%), respectively. As is the case with Italian Americans, these two groups established sizable enclaves long ago and are now firmly entrenched in all areas of the county.
Polish Americans are well represented throughout Bergen County, with 65,232 residents of Polish
descent as of the 2000 Census. The community's cultural and commercial heart has long been centered in Wallington
, where 45.5% of the population is of Polish descent; this is the largest concentration among New Jersey municipalities and the seventh-highest in the United States. In recent years, the adjacent city of Garfield
has also become a magnet for Polish immigrants, with 22.9% of the population identifying themeselves as being of Polish ancestry, the third highest concentration in the state. And while Polish Americans are the fourth-largest ethnic group in Bergen County, Poland
is also the second most common place of birth (after South Korea
) for foreign-born county residents.
Many towns in the county have a significant number of Jewish Americans
, including Fair Lawn
, Teaneck
, Tenafly
, Englewood
, Englewood Cliffs
, Fort Lee
, Woodcliff Lake
, Paramus
, and Franklin Lakes
. Teaneck, Fair Lawn, and Englewood in particular have become havens for the Conservative and Orthodox Jewish
communities, while Fair Lawn, Tenafly, Alpine, and Fort Lee are well-known as hubs for Russian Americans, including a substantial proportion of Russian Jews. Closter, and Tenafly also have the largest Israeli communities in Bergen County and two of the three largest in the state. Altogether, 83,700 Bergen residents identified themselves as being of Jewish heritage in the most recent study.
Greek American
s have had a fairly sizable presence in Bergen for several decades, and according to census data the Greek community currently numbers 13,247 county-wide. The largest concentrations by percentage are in Englewood Cliffs
(7.2%), Alpine
(5.2%), Fort Lee
(3.7%), and Palisades Park
(3.5%). Similarly, the Armenian American population in Bergen (8,305 according to the 2000 Census) is dispersed throughout the county, but its most significant concentration is in the southeastern towns near the George Washington Bridge. Cliffside Park
(3.6%), Englewood Cliffs
(3.4%), Oradell
(3.1%), Ridgefield
(2.4%), Fairview
(2.4%), Demarest
(2.3%), and Emerson
(2.2%) have the highest percentage of Armenians among all municipalities in the state, and in fact are all in the top 20 nationwide. Furthermore, the top 25 New Jersey communities on that list are all Bergen County communities.
Bergen also has a moderately sized Muslim
population, which numbered 6,473 as of the last census. Its most notable Muslim enclaves are centered in Teaneck
and Hackensack
, two of the most diverse communities in the entire county. Bergen's Muslim population primarily consists of Arab American
s, South Asians, and African American
s, although it should be noted that many members of these groups practice other faiths. While Arab Americans have not established a significant presence in any particular municipality, in total there are 11,755 county residents who indicated Arab
ancestry in the most recent survey. The overwhelming majority of Bergen's Arab American population (64.3%) is constituted by persons of
Lebanese
(2,576), Syrian
(2,568), and Egyptian
(2,417) descent.
The county's African American
community is almost entirely concentrated in three municipalities: Englewood
(10,215 residents, accounting for 38.98% of the city's total population), Teaneck
(11,298; 28.78%), and Hackensack
(10,518; 24.65%). Collectively, these three areas account for nearly 70% of the county's total African American population of 46,568, and in fact blacks have had a presence in these towns since the earliest days of the county. In sharp contrast, African-Americans comprise less than 2% of the total in most of Bergen's other municipalities. In Englewood, the African American population is concentrated in the Third and Fourth wards of the western half of the city, while the northeastern section of Teaneck has been an African American enclave for several decades. Hackensack's long-established African American community is primarily located in the central part of the city, especially in the area near Central Avenue and First Street.
The diverse Latino
population in Bergen is growing in many areas of the county, but is especially concentrated in a handful of municipalities, including Fairview
(37.1%), Hackensack
(25.9%), Ridgefield Park
(22.2%), Englewood
(21.8%), Bogota
(21.3%), Garfield
(20.1%), Cliffside Park
(18.2%), Lodi
(18.0%), and Bergenfield
(17.0%). Traditionally, many of the Latino
residents were of Colombian
and Cuban
ancestry, although that has been changing in recent years. Currently, Englewood
's Colombian community is the largest in Bergen County and among the top ten in the United States
(7.17%); Hackensack
, Fairview
, Bergenfield
, and Lodi
also have notable populations. The Cuban population is largest in Fairview
, Ridgefield Park
, Ridgefield
, and Bogota
, although the Cuban community is much bigger in Hudson County
to the south. Since 1990 an increasing number of immigrants from other countries have entered the region, including people from Mexico
, Guatemala
, El Salvador
, the Dominican Republic
, Peru
, and Ecuador
. The diverse backgrounds of the local Latino community are best exemplified in Fairview, where 10% of the overall population hails from Central America, 7% from South America and 9% from other Latin American countries, mainly the Caribbean.
In the Forbes
magazine 2006 ranking of the Most Expensive ZIP Codes in the United States, Alpine
was ranked as the 8th most expensive in the country, with a median home sale price in 2005 of $1,790,000. In all, twelve Bergen County municipalities were represented on the list, including Englewood Cliffs
(ranked #78; median sale price of $1,112,500), Saddle River
(107; $997,000), Franklin Lakes
(111; $985,000), Woodcliff Lake
(266; $786,000), Haworth
(342; $747,500), Demarest
(350; $742,000), Ho-Ho-Kus
(353; $740,000), Wyckoff
(405; $700,000), Closter
(452; $684,000) and Ridgewood
(470; $675,000).
Bergen has some 45 public high school
s, see this list. It also has at least 23 private
high schools, see this list.
Bergen County Academies
, the county's public magnet
high school in Hackensack, is recognized by U.S. News & World Report
as one of the best high schools in the United States. According to 2011 Newsweek
statistics, Bergen County Academies students registered an average SAT
score of 2100, the second highest of any U.S. high school; overall, Newsweek ranked BCA 23rd nationally and second in New Jersey. Bloomberg Businessweek cites Bergen County Academies as New Jersey's best high school.
In the last decades of the 19th century, Bergen County, to a far greater extent than any other county in the state, began dividing its townships up into incorporated boroughs; this was chiefly due to the Boroughitis
phenomenon, triggered by a number of loopholes in state laws that allowed boroughs to levy lower taxes and send more members to the county's board of freeholders. There was a 10-year period in which many of Bergen County's townships disappeared into the patchwork of boroughs that exist today, before the state laws governing municipal incorporation were changed.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 905,116. The county is part of the New York City Metropolitan Area. Its county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
is Hackensack
Hackensack, New Jersey
Hackensack is a city in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States and the county seat of Bergen County. Although informally called Hackensack, it was officially named New Barbadoes Township until 1921. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 43,010....
. Bergen County ranked 16th among the highest-income counties in the United States
Highest-income counties in the United States
There are 3,141 counties in the United States. The source of the data is the U.S. Census Bureau and the data is current as of the indicated year. Independent cities are considered county-equivalent by the Census Bureau.-2011:...
in 2009 in terms of per-capita income, while simultaneously hosting a park system
Park system
A park system, also known as an open space system, is a network of open spaces which are connected by public walkways, bridleways or cycleways. In modern landscape practice, the park system concept is being overtaken by the idea of planning greenways which run through urban and rural areas.One of...
totaling nearly 9,000 acres.
History
At the time of first English contact, Bergen County was inhabited by Native AmericanNative Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
people, particularly the Lenape
Lenape
The Lenape are an Algonquian group of Native Americans of the Northeastern Woodlands. They are also called Delaware Indians. As a result of the American Revolutionary War and later Indian removals from the eastern United States, today the main groups live in Canada, where they are enrolled in the...
groups of the Tappan
Tappan (Native Americans)
The Tappan were a Lenape people who inhabited the region radiating from Hudson Palisades and New York – New Jersey Highlands in at the time of European colonialization in the 17th century....
, Hackensack and Rumachenanck
Rumachenanck (Native Americans)
The Rumanchenank were a Lenape people who inhabited the region radiating from Palisades in New York and New Jersey at the time of European colonialization in the 17th century...
(later called the Haverstraw). Today, some of the Ramapough Mountain Indians
Ramapough Mountain Indians
The Ramapough Mountain Indians, also known as Ramapo Mountain Indians or the Ramapough Lenape Nation, are a group of approximately 5,000 people living around the Ramapo Mountains of northern New Jersey and southern New York. Their tribal office is located on Stag Hill Road on Houvenkopf Mountain in...
who reside in the northwest of the county trace their ancestry back to the Lenape and Munsee peoples.
The area comprising today's Bergen and Hudson counties was part of New Netherland
New Netherland
New Netherland, or Nieuw-Nederland in Dutch, was the 17th-century colonial province of the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands on the East Coast of North America. The claimed territories were the lands from the Delmarva Peninsula to extreme southwestern Cape Cod...
, the 17th century North American colonial province
Province
A province is a territorial unit, almost always an administrative division, within a country or state.-Etymology:The English word "province" is attested since about 1330 and derives from the 13th-century Old French "province," which itself comes from the Latin word "provincia," which referred to...
of the Dutch Republic
Dutch Republic
The Dutch Republic — officially known as the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands , the Republic of the United Netherlands, or the Republic of the Seven United Provinces — was a republic in Europe existing from 1581 to 1795, preceding the Batavian Republic and ultimately...
. It had been claimed after Henry Hudson
Henry Hudson
Henry Hudson was an English sea explorer and navigator in the early 17th century. Hudson made two attempts on behalf of English merchants to find a prospective Northeast Passage to Cathay via a route above the Arctic Circle...
(sailing for the Dutch East India Company
Dutch East India Company
The Dutch East India Company was a chartered company established in 1602, when the States-General of the Netherlands granted it a 21-year monopoly to carry out colonial activities in Asia...
) explored Newark Bay
Newark Bay
Newark Bay is a tidal bay at the confluence of the Passaic and Hackensack Rivers in northeastern New Jersey. It is home to the Port Newark-Elizabeth Marine Terminal, the largest container shipping facility in Port of New York and New Jersey, 3rd largest and one of busiest in the United States...
and anchored his ship at Weehawken Cove in 1609.
Early settlement attempts by the Dutch included Pavonia
Pavonia
Pavonia may refer to:biota:*Pavonia , a moth genus*Pavonia pavonia, "emperor moth", a moth species*Pavonia , a plant genus in the family Malvaceaeplaces:...
(1633), Vriessendael (1640) and Achter Col
Achter Col, New Netherland
Achter Kol was the name given to the region around the Newark Bay and Hackensack River in northeastern New Jersey by the first European settlers to it and was part of the seventeenth century province of New Netherland, originally administered by the Dutch West India Company...
(1642) but these settlements were repelled in Kieft's War
Kieft's War
Kieft's War, also known as the Wappinger War, was a conflict between settlers of the nascent colony of New Netherland and the native Lenape population in what would later become the New York metropolitan area of the United States...
(1643–1645) and the Peach Tree War
Peach Tree War
The Peach Tree War, also known as the "Peach War," is the name given to a large scale attack on the New Netherland colony of Pavonia, across from New Amsterdam, and surrounding settlements along the North River by the Susquehannock Nation and allied Native Americans on September 15,...
(1655–1660). Settlers again returned to the western shores of the Hudson in the 1660 formation of Bergen, which would become the first permanent European settlement in the territory of the modern state of New Jersey.
During the Second Anglo-Dutch War
Second Anglo-Dutch War
The Second Anglo–Dutch War was part of a series of four Anglo–Dutch Wars fought between the English and the Dutch in the 17th and 18th centuries for control over the seas and trade routes....
, on August 27, 1664, New Amsterdam surrendered to the English Navy. The Province of New Jersey
Province of New Jersey
The Province of New Jersey was one of the Middle Colonies of Colonial America and became the U.S. state of New Jersey in 1776. The province had originally been settled by Europeans as part of New Netherland, but came under English rule after the surrender of Fort Amsterdam in 1664, becoming a...
was then formed in 1674. In 1679, Bergen was included in a judicial district with Essex
Essex County, New Jersey
Essex County is a county located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the United States 2010 Census, the population was 783,969, ranking it third in the state after Bergen County and Middlesex County; Essex County's population has declined from 786,147 as of the bureau's...
, Monmouth
Monmouth County, New Jersey
Monmouth County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey, within the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 630,380, up from 615,301 at the 2000 census. Its county seat is Freehold Borough. The most populous municipality is Middletown Township with...
and Middlesex
Middlesex County, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 750,162 people, 265,815 households, and 190,855 families residing in the county. The population density was 2,422 people per square mile . There were 273,637 housing units at an average density of 884 per square mile...
counties, while the territory was called East Jersey
East Jersey
The Province of East Jersey and the Province of West Jersey were two distinct, separately governed parts of the Province of New Jersey that existed as separate provinces for 28 years, between 1674 and 1702. East Jersey's capital was located at Perth Amboy...
, a proprietary colony
Proprietary colony
A proprietary colony was a colony in which one or more individuals, usually land owners, remaining subject to their parent state's sanctions, retained rights that are today regarded as the privilege of the state, and in all cases eventually became so....
(as opposed to a royal colony). In 1683, Bergen (along with the three other counties) was officially recognized as an independent county by the Provincial Assembly.
The origin of the name of Bergen County is a matter of debate. It is believed that the County is named for one of the earliest settlements, Bergen, in the location of modern day Hudson County
Hudson County, New Jersey
Hudson County is the smallest county in New Jersey and one of the most densely populated in United States. It takes its name from the Hudson River, which creates part of its eastern border. Part of the New York metropolitan area, its county seat and largest city is Jersey City.- Municipalities...
. However, the source of the name of the settlement is under wide debate. Several sources attribute the name to Bergen, Norway, while others attribute it to Bergen op Zoom
Bergen op Zoom
Bergen op Zoom is a municipality and a city located in the south of the Netherlands.-History:Bergen op Zoom was granted city status probably in 1266. In 1287 the city and its surroundings became a lordship as it was separated from the lordship of Breda. The lordship was elevated to a margraviate...
in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. Still others attribute it to the Dutch word meaning "hill" or "place of safety". Some sources say that the name is derived from one of the earliest settlers of New Amsterdam
New Amsterdam
New Amsterdam was a 17th-century Dutch colonial settlement that served as the capital of New Netherland. It later became New York City....
(now New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
), Hans Hansen Bergen
Hans Hansen Bergen
Hans Hansen Bergen was one of the earliest settlers of the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam, and one of the few from Scandinavia. He was a native of Bergen, Norway...
, a native of Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, who arrived in New Netherlands in 1633.
Initially, Bergen County consisted of only the land between the Hudson and the Hackensack Rivers, extending north to the border between East Jersey and New York. In January 1709, the boundaries were extended to include all of the current territory of Hudson County
Hudson County, New Jersey
Hudson County is the smallest county in New Jersey and one of the most densely populated in United States. It takes its name from the Hudson River, which creates part of its eastern border. Part of the New York metropolitan area, its county seat and largest city is Jersey City.- Municipalities...
(formed in 1840) and portions of the current territory of Passaic County
Passaic County, New Jersey
Passaic County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 501,226. Its county seat is Paterson...
(formed in 1837). The 1709 borders were described as follows:
- "Beginning at Constable's Hook, so along the bay and Hudson's River to the partition point between New Jersey and the province of New YorkProvince of New YorkThe Province of New York was an English and later British crown territory that originally included all of the present U.S. states of New York, New Jersey, Delaware and Vermont, along with inland portions of Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Maine, as well as eastern Pennsylvania...
; along this line and the line between East and West Jersey† to the Pequaneck River; down the Pequaneck and PassaicPassaic RiverThe Passaic River is a mature surface river, approximately 80 mi long, in northern New Jersey in the United States. The river in its upper course flows in a highly circuitous route, meandering through the swamp lowlands between the ridge hills of rural and suburban northern New Jersey,...
Rivers to the soundNewark BayNewark Bay is a tidal bay at the confluence of the Passaic and Hackensack Rivers in northeastern New Jersey. It is home to the Port Newark-Elizabeth Marine Terminal, the largest container shipping facility in Port of New York and New Jersey, 3rd largest and one of busiest in the United States...
; and so following the sound to Constable's Hook the place of beginning."- † The line between East and West Jersey here referred to is not the line finally adopted and known as the Lawrence line, which was run by John Lawrence in September and October, 1743. It was the compromise line agreed upon between Governors Daniel CoxeDaniel CoxeDr. Daniel Coxe was a governor of West Jersey from 1687-1688 and 1689-1692.-Biography:The Coxe family traced their lineage to a Daniel Coxe who lived in Somersetshire, England in the 13th century and obtained a doctor of medicine degree from Salerno University. Daniel Coxe's father was also called...
and Robert BarclayRobert BarclayRobert Barclay was a Scottish Quaker, one of the most eminent writers belonging to the Religious Society of Friends and a member of the Clan Barclay. He was also governor of the East Jersey colony in North America through most of the 1680s, although he himself never resided in the...
in 1682, which ran a little north of MorristownMorristown, New JerseyMorristown is a town in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 18,411. It is the county seat of Morris County. Morristown became characterized as "the military capital of the American Revolution" because of its strategic role in the...
to the Passaic River; thence up the Pequaneck to forty-one degrees of north latitudeLatitudeIn geography, the latitude of a location on the Earth is the angular distance of that location south or north of the Equator. The latitude is an angle, and is usually measured in degrees . The equator has a latitude of 0°, the North pole has a latitude of 90° north , and the South pole has a...
; and thence by a straight line due east to the New York State line. This line being afterward objected to by the East Jersey proprietors, the latter procured the running of the Lawrence line.
- † The line between East and West Jersey here referred to is not the line finally adopted and known as the Lawrence line, which was run by John Lawrence in September and October, 1743. It was the compromise line agreed upon between Governors Daniel Coxe
Bergen saw several battles and troop movements during the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
. Fort Lee
Fort Lee, New Jersey
Fort Lee is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 35,345. Located atop the Hudson Palisades, the borough is the western terminus of the George Washington Bridge...
's location atop the New Jersey Palisades
New Jersey Palisades
The Palisades, also called the New Jersey Palisades or the Hudson Palisades are a line of steep cliffs along the west side of the lower Hudson River in northeastern New Jersey and southern New York in the United States. The cliffs stretch north from Jersey City approximately 20 mi to near...
, opposite Fort Washington
Fort Washington (New York)
Fort Washington was a fortified position near the north end of Manhattan Island and was located at the highest point on the island. The Fort Washington Site is listed on the U.S...
in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
, made it a strategic position during the war. In November, 1776 the Battle of Fort Lee
Battle of Fort Lee
Fort Lee Historic Park is located atop a bluff of the Hudson Palisades overlooking Burdett's Landing known as Mount Constitution. in Fort Lee, New Jersey. Native Americans appear to have lived in the area for thousands of years before the arrival of Europeans. Site of George Washington's 1776...
took place as part of the Continental Army
Continental Army
The Continental Army was formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in...
's attempts to keep British forces from sailing up the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
. After these defensive positions were hastily abandoned, the Continental forces staged a retreat through present-day Englewood
Englewood, New Jersey
Englewood is a city located in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 27,147.Englewood was incorporated as a city by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 17, 1899, from portions of Ridgefield Township and the remaining portions of...
and Teaneck
Teaneck, New Jersey
Teaneck is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, and a suburb in the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 39,776, making it the second-most populous among the 70 municipalities in Bergen County....
, and across the Hackensack River
Hackensack River
The Hackensack River is a river, approximately 45 miles long, in the U.S. states of New York and New Jersey, emptying into Newark Bay, a back chamber of New York Harbor. The watershed of the river includes part of the suburban area outside New York City just west of the lower Hudson River,...
at New Bridge Landing
New Bridge Landing
New Bridge was a prosperous mill hamlet, centered upon a bridge strategically placed at the narrows of the Hackensack River. In the American Revolution New Bridge Landing was the site of a pivotal bridge crossing the Hackensack River, where General George Washington led his troops in retreat from...
, one of the few sites where the river was crossed by a bridge. With the British in pursuit, this retreat allowed American forces to escape capture and regroup for subsequent successes against the British elsewhere in New Jersey later that winter. The Baylor Massacre
Baylor Massacre
A raid, widely known as the "Baylor Massacre" or the "Tappan Massacre", was a surprise attack on September 27, 1778, against the 3rd Regiment of Continental Light Dragoons under the command of Colonel George Baylor during the American Revolutionary War. It occurred in the present-day town of River...
took place in 1778 in River Vale
River Vale, New Jersey
River Vale is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 9,659. The community was ranked #29 on the 100 Best Places to Live 2007 survey published by CNN/Money magazine....
, resulting in severe losses for the Continentals.
In 1837, Passaic County
Passaic County, New Jersey
Passaic County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 501,226. Its county seat is Paterson...
was formed from parts of Bergen and Essex
Essex County, New Jersey
Essex County is a county located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the United States 2010 Census, the population was 783,969, ranking it third in the state after Bergen County and Middlesex County; Essex County's population has declined from 786,147 as of the bureau's...
counties. In 1840, Hudson County was formed from Bergen. These two divisions lost roughly 13,000 residents (nearly half of the previous population) from the county's rolls.
In 1852, the Erie Railroad
Erie Railroad
The Erie Railroad was a railroad that operated in New York State, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, originally connecting New York City with Lake Erie...
began operating major rail services from Jersey City on the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
to points north and west via leased right-of-way in the county. This became known as the Erie Main Line, and is still in use for passenger service today.
In 1894, state law was changed to allow easy formation of municipalities with the Borough
Borough (New Jersey)
A borough in the context of New Jersey local government refers to one of five types and one of eleven forms of municipal government....
form of government. This led to the Boroughitis
Boroughitis
Boroughitis was a political phenomenon that spread throughout the U.S. state of New Jersey in the late 19th century, which led groups of residents to unite to form boroughs from within and among the many townships that were the prevalent form of local government at the time. This phenomenon was...
phenomenon where many new municipalities were created in a span of a few years.
On January 11, 1917, the Kingsland Explosion
Kingsland Explosion
The Kingsland Explosion was an incident that took place during World War I at a munitions factory in Lyndhurst, New Jersey.Soon after its outbreak in 1914 World War I settled in the West into an almost static line of trenches with the principal Allied armies facing the forces of Germany and...
took place at a munitions factory in what is today Lyndhurst
Lyndhurst, New Jersey
Lyndhurst is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 20,554.Lyndhurst was originally formed as Union Township on February 19, 1852 from portions of Harrison Township...
. The explosion is believed to be an act of sabotage
Sabotage
Sabotage is a deliberate action aimed at weakening another entity through subversion, obstruction, disruption, or destruction. In a workplace setting, sabotage is the conscious withdrawal of efficiency generally directed at causing some change in workplace conditions. One who engages in sabotage is...
by German agents, as the munitions in question were destined for Russia, part of the U.S.'s effort to supply allies before entrance into World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. After the U.S. entry into the war in April 1917, Camp Merritt
Camp Merritt, New Jersey
Camp Merritt was a military base in Cresskill, in Bergen County, New Jersey, that was activated for use in World War I. It was from this camp that thousands of soldiers were deployed to Hoboken, New Jersey before being shipped off to Europe. Approximately four million troops were sent to the...
was created in eastern Bergen County for troop staging. Beginning operations in August 1917, it housed 50,000 soldiers at a time, staging them for deployment to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
via Hoboken
Hoboken, New Jersey
Hoboken is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population was 50,005. The city is part of the New York metropolitan area and contains Hoboken Terminal, a major transportation hub for the region...
. Camp Merritt was decommissioned in November, 1919.
In 1931, the George Washington Bridge
George Washington Bridge
The George Washington Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Hudson River, connecting the Washington Heights neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York City to Fort Lee, Bergen County, New Jersey. Interstate 95 and U.S. Route 1/9 cross the river via the bridge. U.S...
was completed, linking Fort Lee
Fort Lee, New Jersey
Fort Lee is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 35,345. Located atop the Hudson Palisades, the borough is the western terminus of the George Washington Bridge...
to Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
. This connection would spur development in the post-World War II era, developing much of the county to suburban levels. A second deck of traffic on the bridge was completed in 1962, expanding its capacity to 14 lanes.
In 1955, the U.S. Army created a Nike Missile station at Campgaw Mountain
Campgaw Mountain
Campgaw Mountain is the northernmost ridge of the volcanically formed Watchung Mountains, straddling the border of Franklin Lakes, Oakland, and Mahwah in Bergen County, New Jersey. Located almost entirely within the bounds of Campgaw Mountain Reservation, the mountain offers numerous outdoor...
(in the west of the county) for the defense of the New York Metropolitan Area
New York metropolitan area
The New York metropolitan area, also known as Greater New York, or the Tri-State area, is the region that composes of New York City and the surrounding region...
from strategic bomber
Strategic bomber
A strategic bomber is a heavy bomber aircraft designed to drop large amounts of ordnance onto a distant target for the purposes of debilitating an enemy's capacity to wage war. Unlike tactical bombers, which are used in the battle zone to attack troops and military equipment, strategic bombers are...
s. In 1959, the site was upgraded to house Nike-Hercules Missile
Nike-Hercules Missile
The MIM-14 Nike-Hercules , was a solid fuel propelled two-stage surface-to-air missile, used by US and NATO armed forces for high- and medium-altitude air defense...
s with increased range, speed and payload characteristics. The missile site closed in June 1971.
In 2004, Bergen County and neighboring Passaic County
Passaic County, New Jersey
Passaic County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 501,226. Its county seat is Paterson...
were ranked by Forbes
Forbes
Forbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
as the second most overpriced place in the nation. In 2005, they ranked seventh.
In 2005, Bergen had the fourth-highest median property tax
Property tax
A property tax is an ad valorem levy on the value of property that the owner is required to pay. The tax is levied by the governing authority of the jurisdiction in which the property is located; it may be paid to a national government, a federated state or a municipality...
of any county in the nation at $6,846, the second highest in New Jersey behind Hunterdon
Hunterdon County, New Jersey
Hunterdon County is a county located in the western section of the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 128,349. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Flemington....
. In 2006, Bergen County homeowners paid a median of $7,237, a 5.7% increase over the previous year. However, the county dropped a position in the rankings, with only the fifth highest median property tax bill in the country, and third highest in New Jersey behind top-ranked Hunterdon county
Hunterdon County, New Jersey
Hunterdon County is a county located in the western section of the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 128,349. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Flemington....
at $7,999 and #4 Somerset County
Somerset County, New Jersey
Somerset County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. In 2010, the population was 323,444. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Somerville....
at $7,318. The prospect of property tax relief prompted County Executive
County executive
A county executive is the head of the executive branch of government in a county. This position is common in the United States.The executive may be an elected or an appointed position...
Dennis McNerney
Dennis McNerney
Dennis McNerney is an American Democratic Party politician who served as the County Executive of Bergen County, New Jersey from 2003 to 2011.McNerney was raised in Teaneck, New Jersey, attending a Catholic grammar school in neighboring Bogota...
to call for municipalities with populations less than 10,000 in Bergen County to merge, saying "The surest way to significantly lower homeowners' property taxes is to merge small towns and reduce administrative overhead." Thirty-five of Bergen County's municipalities have less than 10,000 residents each.
Geography
Rockland County, New York
Rockland County is a suburban county 15 miles to the northwest of Manhattan and part of the New York City Metropolitan Area, in the U.S. state of New York. It is the southernmost county in New York west of the Hudson River, and the smallest county in New York outside of New York City. The...
to the north; by Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
and the Bronx
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, as well as by Westchester County, New York
Westchester County, New York
Westchester County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. Westchester covers an area of and has a population of 949,113 according to the 2010 Census, residing in 45 municipalities...
, across the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
to the east; and within New Jersey, by Hudson County
Hudson County, New Jersey
Hudson County is the smallest county in New Jersey and one of the most densely populated in United States. It takes its name from the Hudson River, which creates part of its eastern border. Part of the New York metropolitan area, its county seat and largest city is Jersey City.- Municipalities...
as well as a small border with Essex County
Essex County, New Jersey
Essex County is a county located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the United States 2010 Census, the population was 783,969, ranking it third in the state after Bergen County and Middlesex County; Essex County's population has declined from 786,147 as of the bureau's...
to the south, and by Passaic County
Passaic County, New Jersey
Passaic County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 501,226. Its county seat is Paterson...
to the west.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the county has a total area of 247 square miles (639.7 km²), of which 234 square miles (606.1 km²) is land and 13 square miles (33.7 km²) (5.12%) is water.
The highest elevation is Bald Mountain near the New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
state line in Mahwah
Mahwah, New Jersey
Mahwah is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 25,890. The name Mahwah is derived from the Lenni Lenape word "mawewi" which means "Meeting Place" or "Place Where Paths Meet".The area that is now Mahwah was...
, at 1,152 feet (351 m) above sea level (41°07′15"N 074°12′01"W). The lowest point is sea level, along the Hudson River, which in this region is more of a tidal estuary than a river.
The sharp cliffs of the New Jersey Palisades
New Jersey Palisades
The Palisades, also called the New Jersey Palisades or the Hudson Palisades are a line of steep cliffs along the west side of the lower Hudson River in northeastern New Jersey and southern New York in the United States. The cliffs stretch north from Jersey City approximately 20 mi to near...
lift much of the eastern boundary of the county up from the Hudson River. The relief becomes less pronounced across the middle section of the county, much of it being located in the Hackensack River
Hackensack River
The Hackensack River is a river, approximately 45 miles long, in the U.S. states of New York and New Jersey, emptying into Newark Bay, a back chamber of New York Harbor. The watershed of the river includes part of the suburban area outside New York City just west of the lower Hudson River,...
Valley or the Pascack Valley
Pascack Valley
The Pascack Valley is the name for a region of New Jersey, United States, contained within Bergen County. It is named for the Pascack Brook, which defines the valley...
. In the northwestern portion of the county, Bergen County becomes hilly again and shares the Ramapo Mountains
Ramapo Mountains
The Ramapo Mountains are a forested chain of the Appalachian mountains in northeastern New Jersey and southeastern New York in the United States...
with Rockland County, New York.
The damming of the Hackensack River and a tributary, the Pascack Brook
Pascack Brook
The Pascack Brook is a tributary of the Hackensack River in Bergen County, New Jersey in the United States. It forms a region known as the Pascack Valley. The brook is dammed to form the Woodcliff Lake Reservoir in the town of Woodcliff Lake...
, produced three reservoirs in the county, Woodcliff Lake Reservoir
Woodcliff Lake Reservoir
Woodcliff Lake is the name of a reservoir in Woodcliff Lake and portions of Hillsdale and Park Ridge, in Bergen County, New Jersey. It was created circa 1903 by damming the Pascack Brook and is also fed by the Bear Brook which joins the Pascack at the reservoir...
, Lake Tappan
Lake Tappan
Lake Tappan is a reservoir that was formed by the Tappan Dam placed on the Hackensack River in 1967. It straddles the border between River Vale and Old Tappan, New Jersey...
, and Oradell Reservoir
Oradell Reservoir
The Oradell Reservoir was formed by the Oradell Reservoir Dam placed on the Hackensack River in Bergen County, New Jersey, completed in 1923. The Oradell Reservoir Dam is located in Oradell, but the reservoir also straddles the borders of Haworth, Emerson, Closter and Harrington Park.The reservoir...
, which provide drinking water to much of northern New Jersey. The Hackensack River drains the eastern portion of the county through the New Jersey Meadowlands
New Jersey Meadowlands
New Jersey Meadowlands, also known as the Hackensack Meadowlands after the primary river flowing through it, is a general name for the large ecosystem of wetlands in northeast New Jersey in the United States. The Meadowlands are known for being the site of large landfills and decades of...
, a wetlands area in the southern portion of the county. The central portion is drained by the Saddle River and the western portion is drained by the Ramapo River
Ramapo River
The Ramapo River is a tributary of the Pompton River, approximately 30 mi long, in southern New York and northern New Jersey in the United States.-Course:...
. Both of these are tributaries of the Passaic River
Passaic River
The Passaic River is a mature surface river, approximately 80 mi long, in northern New Jersey in the United States. The river in its upper course flows in a highly circuitous route, meandering through the swamp lowlands between the ridge hills of rural and suburban northern New Jersey,...
, which forms a section of the southwestern border of the county.
Climate
Bergen County lies at the edge of the humid subtropical climateHumid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a climate zone characterized by hot, humid summers and mild to cool winters...
zone according to the Koppen climate classification
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
because its coldest month (January) averages above 26.6°F / -3°C. http://www.idcide.com/weather/nj/ramsey.htmhttp://www.idcide.com/weather/nj/hackensack.htmhttp://www.idcide.com/weather/nj/fairview.htm. In part due to its coastal location and relatively low elevation
Elevation
The elevation of a geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface ....
, its climate is milder than in New Jersey counties further inland such as Sussex County
Sussex County, New Jersey
The County of Sussex is the northernmost county in the State of New Jersey. It is part of the New York City Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 Federal decennial census, 149,265 persons resided in Sussex County...
. Bergen County has a moderately sunny climate, averaging between 2,400 and 2,800 hours of sunshine
Sunshine
Sunshine is sunlight, the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the Sun, especially in the visible wavelengths.Sunshine may also refer to:-Film and television:*Sunshine , a historical film directed by István Szabó...
annually.
County government
County executive
A county executive is the head of the executive branch of government in a county. This position is common in the United States.The executive may be an elected or an appointed position...
form of government since 1986. The current County Executive is Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Kathleen Donovan
Kathleen Donovan
Kathleen A. Donovan is an American Republican Party politician, who is currently serving her first term as County Executive of Bergen County, New Jersey. She previously served as County Clerk for four terms, one term in the New Jersey General Assembly...
. The executive, along with the Board of Chosen Freeholders
Board of Chosen Freeholders
In New Jersey, the Boards of Chosen Freeholders are the county legislatures in each of that state's 21 counties.- Origin :New Jersey's system of naming county legislators "freeholders" is unique in the United States...
administer all county business.
The seven Freeholders are elected at-large to three-year terms in office on a staggered basis, with either two or three seats coming up for election each year. As of 2011, Bergen County's Freeholders are:
- Freeholder Chairman John Driscoll (R, ParamusParamus, New JerseyParamus is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 26,342. A suburb of New York City, Paramus is located between 15–20 miles northwest of Midtown Manhattan and approximately west of Upper Manhattan.Paramus is one of...
) - Freeholder Vice-Chairman Maura DeNicola (R, Franklin LakesFranklin Lakes, New JerseyFranklin Lakes is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 10,590. As of the 2000 Census, Franklin Lakes had the 18th-highest per-capita income of all 566 municipalities in the state. Nationwide, Franklin Lakes ranked 17th among the...
) - John Mitchell (R, Cliffside ParkCliffside Park, New JerseyCliffside Park is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 23,594....
) - Robert G. Hermansen (R, MahwahMahwah, New JerseyMahwah is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 25,890. The name Mahwah is derived from the Lenni Lenape word "mawewi" which means "Meeting Place" or "Place Where Paths Meet".The area that is now Mahwah was...
) - John Felice (R, River EdgeRiver Edge, New JerseyRiver Edge is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 11,340.The community was incorporated as the borough of Riverside by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on June 30, 1894, from portions of Midland Township, at the...
) - David L. GanzDavid L. GanzDavid L. Ganz is an American attorney, author, and Democratic Party politician, who has served on the Bergen County Board of Chosen Freeholders since 2003 and was Freeholder vice-chairman through the 2006 term...
(D, Fair LawnFair Lawn, New JerseyFair Lawn is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States and a suburban municipality in the New York City Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 32,457. Fair Lawn was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March...
) - Bernadette P. McPhersonBernadette P. McPhersonBernadette P. McPherson is an American Democratic Party politician from New Jersey, who has served on the Bergen County Board of Chosen Freeholders since 2002, and served as the Board's Freeholder Chairwoman through the 2006 term...
(D, RutherfordRutherford, New JerseyRutherford is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 18,061. It is an inner-ring suburb of New York City, located west of Midtown Manhattan....
)
Bergen also elects three countywide officials, separately from the County Executive and Freeholder Board, who are Sheriff Mike Saudino (R-Emerson), Surrogate Court Judge Michael Dressler (D-Cresskill), and County Clerk Elizabeth Randall (R-Westwood).
On November 2, 2010 County Executive Dennis McNerney was defeated in his bid for a third term by Republican County Clerk Kathleen Donovan. Three incumbent Freeholders, Chairman James Carroll, Freeholder Elizabeth Calabrese and Freeholder John Hogan were all defeated by Republican challengers Franklin Lakes Mayor Maura DeNicola, Former River Edge Councilman John Felice and Cliffside Park resident John Mitchell. Incumbent Bergen County Sheriff Leo McGuire also failed in his bid for a third term as he was defeated by Emerson Police Chief Mike Saudino. As a result of the 2010 elections, Republicans will control Bergen County government for the first time in nearly a decade, with County Executive Kathleen Donovan and a 5–2 Majority on the Board of Chosen Freeholders. In 2010 Republicans had only 2 Freeholders and 1 Constitutional Officer, in 2011 the Democrats have only have 2 Freeholders and 1 Constitutional Officer, a complete shift in County government. In 2012, Democrats will retain their 2 seats on the Board of Freeholders while moving to 2 Constitutional Officers as John Hogan (D, Norwood
Norwood, New Jersey
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 5,711 people. The population density was 2,083.3 people per square mile. The racial makeup of the borough was 69.3% Caucasian, 27.2% Asian, 1.4% African American, 0.0% Native American, 1.0% from other races, and 1.2% from two or more races. Hispanics...
) defeated incumbent Elizabeth Randall in the County Clerk race.
The Bergen County court system consists of a number of municipal courts handling traffic court
Traffic court
Traffic court is a term that refers to a municipality's specialized judicial process for handling traffic ticket cases. In the United States, a person who is given a citation by a police officer can either plead guilty and pay the indicated fine directly to the court house, by mail, or in some...
and other minor matters, plus the Bergen County Superior Court which handles the more serious offenses.
State representatives
The seventy municipalities of Bergen County are represented by seven separate state legislative districtsNew Jersey Legislature
The New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and the Senate...
. Three of these districts (the 37th, 38th and 39th) are situated entirely within the county, the others cross county boundaries.
| District | Senator | Assembly | 2002 Pop. |
Municipalities |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32nd | Nicholas Sacco Nicholas Sacco Nicholas J. Sacco is an American Democratic Party politician, who has been serving in the New Jersey State Senate since 1994, where he represents the 32nd Legislative District... (D) |
Vincent Prieto Vincent Prieto Vincent Prieto is an American Democratic Party politician, who has been serving in the New Jersey General Assembly since 2004, where he represents the 32nd legislative district.... (D) Joan M. Quigley Joan M. Quigley Joan M. Quigley is an American Democratic Party politician who has served in the New Jersey General Assembly since 1994, where she represents the 32nd legislative district. Quigley serves as the Majority Conference Leader starting with the 2006-2008 legislative session... (D) |
13,363 | Fairview Fairview, Bergen County, New Jersey Fairview is a borough located in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough had a total population of 13,835.... . The remainder of the district covers Hudson County Hudson County, New Jersey Hudson County is the smallest county in New Jersey and one of the most densely populated in United States. It takes its name from the Hudson River, which creates part of its eastern border. Part of the New York metropolitan area, its county seat and largest city is Jersey City.- Municipalities... . |
| 35th | John Girgenti John Girgenti John A. Girgenti is an American Democratic Party politician, who has been serving in the New Jersey Senate from 1990, where he represents the 35th Legislative District.... (D) |
Nellie Pou Nellie Pou Nelida "Nellie" Pou is an American Democratic Party politician, who has served in the New Jersey General Assembly since 1997, where she represents the 35th legislative district... (D) Elease Evans Elease Evans Elease Evans is an American Democratic Party politician, who serves in the New Jersey General Assembly, where she represents the 35th legislative district seat vacated by Alfred E. Steele on September 10, 2007. Evans was sworn into the Assembly on November 9, 2007... (D) |
11,527 | Glen Rock Glen Rock, New Jersey Glen Rock is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 11,601.-History:... . The remainder of the district covers Passaic County Passaic County, New Jersey Passaic County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 501,226. Its county seat is Paterson... . |
| 36th | Paul Sarlo Paul Sarlo Paul A. Sarlo is an American Democratic Party politician, who has served in the New Jersey State Senate since 2003, where he represents the 36th Legislative District... (D Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous... ) |
Frederick Scalera Frederick Scalera Frederick Scalera is an American Democratic Party politician who served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 2003 to 2011, representing the 36th legislative district.-Biography:... (D Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous... ) Gary Schaer Gary Schaer Gary Schaer is an American Democratic Party politician who serves in the New Jersey General Assembly where he represents the 36th legislative district, having taken office on January 10, 2006, and on the Passaic, New Jersey City Council where he is the council president... (D Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous... ) |
119,146 | Carlstadt Carlstadt, New Jersey Carlstadt is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 6,127.Carlstadt was originally formed as a village by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 12, 1860, within Lodi Township. It was named after Dr... , East Rutherford East Rutherford, New Jersey East Rutherford is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 8,913. It is an inner-ring suburb of New York City, located west of Midtown Manhattan.... , Garfield Garfield, New Jersey Garfield is a city in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 30,487.When the area that is now Garfield was first developed in 1873, it was known as East Passaic. In 1881, the community's name was changed to Garfield in honor of... , Lyndhurst Lyndhurst, New Jersey Lyndhurst is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 20,554.Lyndhurst was originally formed as Union Township on February 19, 1852 from portions of Harrison Township... , Moonachie Moonachie, New Jersey Moonachie is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, in the Hackensack River watershed. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 2,708.... , North Arlington North Arlington, New Jersey North Arlington is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 15,392... , Rutherford Rutherford, New Jersey Rutherford is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 18,061. It is an inner-ring suburb of New York City, located west of Midtown Manhattan.... , Wallington Wallington, New Jersey Wallington is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 11,335.Wallington was created as a borough on January 2, 1895 , at the height of the "Boroughitis" fever then sweeping through Bergen County... , Wood-Ridge Wood-Ridge, New Jersey Wood-Ridge is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 7,626.Wood-Ridge was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on December 6, 1894, from portions of Bergen Township, based on the results of... . The district also includes Nutley Nutley, New Jersey 2010 Census Data:*TOTAL: 28,370 or 100%*White: 23,405 *African American: 628 *Asian: 2,824 *American Indian and Alaska Native: 36 *Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander: 4... (in Essex County Essex County, New Jersey Essex County is a county located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the United States 2010 Census, the population was 783,969, ranking it third in the state after Bergen County and Middlesex County; Essex County's population has declined from 786,147 as of the bureau's... ) and Passaic Passaic, New Jersey Passaic is a city in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 69,781, maintaining its status as the 15th largest municipality in New Jersey with an increase of 1,920 residents from the 2000 Census population of 67,861... (in Passaic County Passaic County, New Jersey Passaic County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 501,226. Its county seat is Paterson... ). |
| 37th | Loretta Weinberg Loretta Weinberg Loretta Weinberg is an American Democratic Party politician, who has served as a member of the New Jersey Senate since 2005, where she represents the 37th Legislative District... (D Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous... ) |
Valerie Huttle Valerie Huttle Valerie Vainieri Huttle is a Democrat who serves in the New Jersey General Assembly where she represents the 37th Legislative District, having taken office on January 10, 2006... (D Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous... ) Gordon M. Johnson Gordon M. Johnson Gordon M. Johnson is an American Democratic Party politician who has served in the New Jersey General Assembly since 2002, where he represents the 37th Legislative District.... (D Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous... ) |
217,255 | Bergenfield Bergenfield, New Jersey Bergenfield is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 26,764.Bergenfield was formed on the basis of a referendum held on June 25, 1894, from portions of Englewood Township and Palisades Township at the height of the... , Bogota Bogota, New Jersey As of the 2010 Census, Bogota had a population of 8,187. The median age was 38.6. The racial and ethnic composition of the population was 61.0% White, 9.4% Black or African American, 0.8% Native American, 9.8% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander, 14.8% some other race and 4.1% reporting... , Englewood Englewood, New Jersey Englewood is a city located in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 27,147.Englewood was incorporated as a city by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 17, 1899, from portions of Ridgefield Township and the remaining portions of... , Englewood Cliffs Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey Englewood Cliffs is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 5,281. The borough houses the world headquarters of CNBC and the American headquarters of Unilever, and is home to both Ferrari and Maserati North America.Englewood Cliffs... , Hackensack Hackensack, New Jersey Hackensack is a city in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States and the county seat of Bergen County. Although informally called Hackensack, it was officially named New Barbadoes Township until 1921. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 43,010.... , Leonia Leonia, New Jersey Leonia is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 8,937. It is located near the western approach to the George Washington Bridge.... , Maywood Maywood, New Jersey Maywood is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 9,555.Maywood was incorporated as a borough on June 29, 1894, from portions of Midland Township, based on the results of a referendum held that day, at the height of the... , Palisades Park Palisades Park, New Jersey Palisades Park is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 19,622.... , Ridgefield Park Ridgefield Park, New Jersey Ridgefield Park is a village in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. The population was 12,729 at the 2010 United States Census. Of 566 municipalities statewide, Ridgefield Park is only one of three with a village type of government in New Jersey, along with Loch Arbour and Ridgewood.The... , Rochelle Park Rochelle Park, New Jersey Rochelle Park is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 5,530.... , Teaneck Teaneck, New Jersey Teaneck is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, and a suburb in the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 39,776, making it the second-most populous among the 70 municipalities in Bergen County.... , Tenafly Tenafly, New Jersey Tenafly is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 14,488. Tenafly is an affluent suburb of New York City.... |
| 38th | Robert M. Gordon Robert M. Gordon Robert M. Gordon is an American Democratic Party politician who has served in the New Jersey Senate since January 8, 2008, where he represents the 38th legislative district. Gordon served in the General Assembly from 2004 to 2008, and was the 2007 Democratic nominee to succeed outgoing Senator... (D) |
Joan Voss Joan Voss Joan Voss is an American Democratic Party politician who has served in the New Jersey General Assembly since 2004, where she represents the 38th legislative district.... (D) Connie Wagner Connie Wagner Concetta "Connie" Wagner is an American Democratic Party politician, who has served in the New Jersey General Assembly since January 8, 2008, where she represents the 38th legislative district.... (D) |
218,991 | Cliffside Park Cliffside Park, New Jersey Cliffside Park is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 23,594.... , Edgewater Edgewater, New Jersey Edgewater is a borough located along the Hudson River in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 census, the borough had a population of 11,513... , Elmwood Park Elmwood Park, New Jersey Elmwood Park is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 19,403.... , Fair Lawn Fair Lawn, New Jersey Fair Lawn is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States and a suburban municipality in the New York City Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 32,457. Fair Lawn was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March... , Fort Lee Fort Lee, New Jersey Fort Lee is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 35,345. Located atop the Hudson Palisades, the borough is the western terminus of the George Washington Bridge... , Hasbrouck Heights Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey Hasbrouck Heights is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 11,842. An inner-ring suburb of New York City, Hasbrouck Heights is located approximately northwest of Midtown Manhattan and west of Upper Manhattan.Hasbrouck Heights was... , Little Ferry Little Ferry, New Jersey Little Ferry is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 10,626.-Geography:Little Ferry is located at .... , Lodi Lodi, New Jersey Lodi is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 24,136. The borough of Lodi is governed under the 1923 Municipal Manager Law.Lodi owes its name to the Italian city of Lodi... , Paramus Paramus, New Jersey Paramus is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 26,342. A suburb of New York City, Paramus is located between 15–20 miles northwest of Midtown Manhattan and approximately west of Upper Manhattan.Paramus is one of... , Ridgefield Ridgefield, New Jersey There were 4,020 households out of which 32.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.7% were married couples living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.2% were non-families. 23.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.8% had someone... , Saddle Brook Saddle Brook, New Jersey Saddle Brook is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 13,659.... , South Hackensack South Hackensack, New Jersey South Hackensack Township is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 2,378.... , Teterboro Teterboro, New Jersey Teterboro is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 67, making it the fourth smallest municipality, by population, in New Jersey.... |
| 39th | Gerald Cardinale Gerald Cardinale Gerald Cardinale is an American Republican Party politician, who has served in the New Jersey State Senate since 1982, where he represents the 39th Legislative District... (R) |
Bob Schroeder Bob Schroeder Robert 'Bob' Schroeder is an American Republican Party politician who was elected to serve in the New Jersey General Assembly in 2009. Schroeder, who has spent nearly two decades serving as a Washington Township Councilman, replaced retiring incumbent Assemblyman John E. Rooney, on January 12, 2010... (R) Charlotte Vandervalk Charlotte Vandervalk Charlotte Vandervalk is an American Republican Party politician, who has served in the New Jersey General Assembly since 1991, where she represents the 39th legislative district... (R) |
217,434 | Allendale Allendale, New Jersey Allendale is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 6,505.Allendale was formed on November 8, 1894 from portions of Franklin Township, Hohokus Township and Orvil Township at the height of the Boroughitis phenomenon then... , Alpine Alpine, New Jersey Alpine is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. It is a suburb of New York City, located northwest of Midtown Manhattan. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 1,849.... , Closter Closter, New Jersey Closter is a Borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 8,373. After the turn of the century, Closter changed from being sprawling estates and farms into a middle and upper middle class suburban town... , Cresskill Cresskill, New Jersey Cresskill is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 8,573. The town got its name from the watercress that grew in its streams, or "kills".... , Demarest Demarest, New Jersey Demarest is a Borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 4,881.Demarest was formed by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 8, 1903, from portions of Harrington Township and Palisades Township. The borough was named... , Dumont Dumont, New Jersey Dumont is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. The population was 17,479 at the 2010 Census.Dumont was formed on July 20, 1894, as the Borough of Schraalenburgh from portions of Harrington Township and Palisades Township, at the height of the "Boroughitis" phenomenon then sweeping... , Emerson Emerson, New Jersey Emerson is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States, a suburb in the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 7,401.... , Harrington Park Harrington Park, New Jersey Harrington Park is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 4,664.... , Haworth Haworth, New Jersey Haworth is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 3,382.Haworth was formed by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 24, 1904, from portions of both Dumont and Harrington Townships.-Geography:Haworth is... , Hillsdale Hillsdale, New Jersey Hillsdale is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 10,219.The populated area today known as Hillsdale took form in the mid-to-late 19th century as land speculators, led by David P. Patterson, developed subdivisons to profit from the... , Ho-Ho-Kus Ho-Ho-Kus, New Jersey Ho-Ho-Kus is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 4,078. It is the home of several historical landmarks, including the Ho-Ho-Kus Inn and The Hermitage.... , Montvale Montvale, New Jersey Montvale is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 7,844.Montvale was incorporated as a borough on August 31, 1894, from portions of Orvil Township and Washington Township, at the height of the "Boroughitis" craze then... , New Milford New Milford, New Jersey New Milford is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 16,341.New Milford was incorporated as a borough on March 11, 1922, from what remained of Palisades Township, based on the results of a referendum held on April 18,... , Northvale Northvale, New Jersey Northvale is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 4,640.Northvale was formed on March 15, 1916, from the remaining portions of Harrington Township, based on the results of a referendum held on April 4, 1916. With the... , Norwood Norwood, New Jersey As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 5,711 people. The population density was 2,083.3 people per square mile. The racial makeup of the borough was 69.3% Caucasian, 27.2% Asian, 1.4% African American, 0.0% Native American, 1.0% from other races, and 1.2% from two or more races. Hispanics... , Old Tappan Old Tappan, New Jersey As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 5,750 people. The population density was 1,725.7 people per square mile. The racial makeup of the borough was 74.8% Caucasian, 22.2% Asian, 0.7% African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.6% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Hispanics... , Oradell Oradell, New Jersey Oradell is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. At the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 7,978. The borough's territory includes a dam on the Hackensack River that forms the Oradell Reservoir... , Park Ridge Park Ridge, New Jersey Park Ridge is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. Park Ridge had a population of 8,645 as of the 2010 United States Census.... , Ramsey Ramsey, New Jersey Ramsey is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. It is a suburb of New York City, located northwest of Midtown Manhattan. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 14,473.... , River Edge River Edge, New Jersey River Edge is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 11,340.The community was incorporated as the borough of Riverside by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on June 30, 1894, from portions of Midland Township, at the... , River Vale River Vale, New Jersey River Vale is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 9,659. The community was ranked #29 on the 100 Best Places to Live 2007 survey published by CNN/Money magazine.... , Rockleigh Rockleigh, New Jersey Rockleigh is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the borough population was 531.Rockleigh was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 13, 1923 from portions of Northvale.New Jersey Monthly magazine ranked... , Saddle River Saddle River, New Jersey Saddle River is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 3,152. Saddle River has the second-highest per-capita income in the state... , Upper Saddle River Upper Saddle River, New Jersey Upper Saddle River is an affluent borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 8,208. It is not to be confused with the neighboring borough of Saddle River.-History:... , Waldwick Waldwick, New Jersey Waldwick is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 9,625.-Geography:Waldwick is located at .... , Washington Township, Westwood Westwood, New Jersey Westwood is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 10,908.... , Woodcliff Lake Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey Woodcliff Lake is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the borough population was 5,730.Woodcliff Lake is also the name of the reservoir that lies primarily within the borough, with a small part of it located in neighboring Hillsdale.The borough is an... |
| 40th | Kevin J. O'Toole Kevin J. O'Toole Kevin J. O'Toole is an American Republican Party politician, who serves in the New Jersey Senate. O'Toole represents the 40th legislative district, which consists of parts of Bergen, Essex and Passaic counties.... (R) |
Scott T. Rumana Scott Rumana Scott Rumana is an Assyrian-American Republican Party politician, who serves in the New Jersey General Assembly, where he has represented the 40th legislative district since January 8, 2008.... (R) David C. Russo David C. Russo David C. Russo is an American Republican Party politician, who serves in the New Jersey General Assembly, where he has represented the 40th legislative district since 1990.... (R) |
97,375 | Franklin Lakes Franklin Lakes, New Jersey Franklin Lakes is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 10,590. As of the 2000 Census, Franklin Lakes had the 18th-highest per-capita income of all 566 municipalities in the state. Nationwide, Franklin Lakes ranked 17th among the... , Mahwah Mahwah, New Jersey Mahwah is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 25,890. The name Mahwah is derived from the Lenni Lenape word "mawewi" which means "Meeting Place" or "Place Where Paths Meet".The area that is now Mahwah was... , Midland Park Midland Park, New Jersey Midland Park is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 7,128.... , Oakland Oakland, New Jersey Oakland is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 12,754.Oakland was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 8, 1902, from portions of Franklin Township.-History:The Van Allen House... , Ridgewood Ridgewood, New Jersey Ridgewood is a village in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the village population was 24,958. Ridgewood is an affluent suburban bedroom community of New York City, located approximately northwest of Midtown Manhattan.The Village of Ridgewood was... , Wyckoff Wyckoff, New Jersey Wyckoff is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 16,696. As of the 2000 Census, Wyckoff ranked 54th in 100 highest-income places in the United States... . The district also includes Cedar Grove Cedar Grove, New Jersey -Climate:Cedar Grove has a humid subtropical climate, with warm/hot humid summers and cool/cold winters. The climate is slightly colder overall during the summer than in New York City because there is no urban heat island effect.... (in Essex County Essex County, New Jersey Essex County is a county located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the United States 2010 Census, the population was 783,969, ranking it third in the state after Bergen County and Middlesex County; Essex County's population has declined from 786,147 as of the bureau's... ) and Little Falls Little Falls, New Jersey Little Falls is a township in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2000 United States Census, the township population was 10,855. It is located about from New York City.... , Ringwood Ringwood, New Jersey -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there are 12,396 people, 4,108 households, and 3,446 families residing in the borough. The population density is 491.0 people per square mile . There are 4,221 housing units at an average density of 167.2 per square mile... and Wanaque Wanaque, New Jersey Wanaque is a borough in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 11,116.Wanaque was incorporated as an independent Borough on February 23, 1918, when Pompton Township was split up into three Boroughs, along with Bloomingdale and... (in Passaic County Passaic County, New Jersey Passaic County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 501,226. Its county seat is Paterson... ). |
Congressional representatives
Two federal Congressional DistrictCongressional district
A congressional district is “a geographical division of a state from which one member of the House of Representatives is elected.”Congressional Districts are made up of three main components, a representative, constituents, and the specific land area that both the representative and the...
s cover the county, with the northern portion of the county in New Jersey's 5th district, represented by Scott Garrett
Scott Garrett
Ernest Scott Garrett is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district includes much of the northwestern portion of the state...
(R) and the southern portion of the county in New Jersey's 9th district, represented by Steve Rothman
Steve Rothman
Steven R. "Steve" Rothman is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1997. He is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life, education and career:Rothman attended Washington University Law School...
(D).
Politics
In recent years, Bergen County has voted as Democratic and as Republican as the nation as a whole. It voted for Barack ObamaBarack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
over John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
by 54.2% to 44.8%. This makes the county slightly less Democratic than New Jersey as a whole, however. At the county level, the Republican Party is dominant, holding all county elected positions except surrogate and 2 freeholder seats. The county is characterized by a divide between Republican communities in the north and northwest of the county and Democratic communities in the center and southeast. In 2008, the most strongly Democratic municipality was Englewood
Englewood, New Jersey
Englewood is a city located in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 27,147.Englewood was incorporated as a city by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 17, 1899, from portions of Ridgefield Township and the remaining portions of...
, while the most strongly Republican municipality was Saddle River
Saddle River, New Jersey
Saddle River is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 3,152. Saddle River has the second-highest per-capita income in the state...
.
Blue laws
One of the last remaining blue lawBlue law
A blue law is a type of law, typically found in the United States and, formerly, in Canada, designed to enforce religious standards, particularly the observance of Sunday as a day of worship or rest, and a restriction on Sunday shopping...
s in the United States that covers most retail sales, other than food and gas (among other limited items), is found in Bergen County. The blue law enforced in the county is actually a state law that each county could reject by voter referendum, with 20 of the state's 21 counties having voted to reject the legal option to enforce the law. Thus one of the largest and most popular commercial shopping cores of the New York metropolitan area
New York metropolitan area
The New York metropolitan area, also known as Greater New York, or the Tri-State area, is the region that composes of New York City and the surrounding region...
is almost completely closed on Sunday (grocery stores, convenience stores, gas stations, and restaurants are among the few businesses allowed to operate). Furthermore, Bergen County has significant populations of Jewish (2000 estimate of 83,700) and Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
(2000 estimate of 6,473) residents whose observant members would not be celebrating the Sunday Sabbath with most of their Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
neighbors. The substantial Orthodox Jewish minority is placed in the position of being unable to shop either on Sunday (due to the blue laws) or on Saturday (due to religious observance).
However, repeated attempts to reject the law have failed as voters either see keeping the law on the books as a protest against the growing trend toward increasing hours and days of commercial activity in American society or enjoy the sharply reduced traffic on major roads and highways on Sunday that is normally seen the other days of the week. In fact, a large part of the reason for maintaining the laws has been a desire for relative peace and quiet one day of the week by many Bergen County residents.
This desire for relative peace is most apparent in Paramus
Paramus, New Jersey
Paramus is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 26,342. A suburb of New York City, Paramus is located between 15–20 miles northwest of Midtown Manhattan and approximately west of Upper Manhattan.Paramus is one of...
, where most of the county's largest shopping mall
Shopping mall
A shopping mall, shopping centre, shopping arcade, shopping precinct or simply mall is one or more buildings forming a complex of shops representing merchandisers, with interconnecting walkways enabling visitors to easily walk from unit to unit, along with a parking area — a modern, indoor version...
s are located, along the intersecting highways of Route 4
Route 4 (New Jersey)
Route 4 is a state highway in Bergen County and Passaic County, New Jersey, United States, that is also known as the Mackay Highway. The highway stretches from Route 20 in Paterson east to an interchange with Interstate 95, U.S. Route 1/9, U.S. Route 46, and U.S. Route 9W at the George Washington...
and Route 17
Route 17 (New Jersey)
Route 17 is a state highway in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States, that provides a major route from the George Washington Bridge, Lincoln Tunnel and other northeast New Jersey points to the New York State Thruway at Suffern, New York...
, which are jam-packed on many Saturdays. Paramus has enacted blue laws of its own that are even more restrictive than those enforced by Bergen County, banning all forms of "worldly employment" on Sundays, including white collar workers in office buildings. Despite these strict blue laws, Paramus has become the top retail zip code in the United States, with the municipality generating over $5 billion in annual retail sales. Local Blue laws in Paramus were first proposed in 1957, while The Outlets at Bergen Town Center and Westfield Garden State Plaza
Westfield Garden State Plaza
Westfield Garden State Plaza is an upscale shopping mall in Paramus, Bergen County, New Jersey, United States, owned and managed by the Westfield Group and located at the intersection of Route 4 and Route 17 near the Garden State Parkway...
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 seven days a week and to preserve one day on which the roads were uncongested. However, some would say the chosen day too conveniently coincides with the day on which the largest segment of the population practices religious worship.
Transportation
New Jersey Turnpike
The New Jersey Turnpike is a toll road in New Jersey, maintained by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority. According to the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association, the Turnpike is the nation's sixth-busiest toll road and is among one of the most heavily traveled highways in the United...
(a portion of Interstate 95
Interstate 95 in New Jersey
Interstate 95 is a major Interstate Highway that traverses the full extent of the East Coast of the United States, from Florida to Maine...
) and the Garden State Parkway
Garden State Parkway
The Garden State Parkway is a 172.4-mile limited-access toll parkway that stretches the length of New Jersey from the New York line at Montvale, New Jersey, to Cape May at New Jersey's southernmost tip. Its name refers to New Jersey's nickname, the "Garden State." Most New Jersey residents refer...
, the eastern terminus of Interstate 80
Interstate 80
Interstate 80 is the second-longest Interstate Highway in the United States, following Interstate 90. It is a transcontinental artery running from downtown San Francisco, California to Teaneck, New Jersey in the New York City Metropolitan Area...
and a portion of Interstate 287
Interstate 287
Interstate 287 is an auxiliary Interstate Highway in the U.S. states of New Jersey and New York. It is a partial beltway around New York City, serving the northern half of New Jersey and the counties of Rockland and Westchester in New York...
. US Highways 46
U.S. Route 46
U.S. Route 46 is an east–west U.S. Highway, running for , completely within the state of New Jersey. The west end is at an interchange with Interstate 80 and Route 94 in Columbia, Warren County on the Delaware River...
, 202
U.S. Route 202
U.S. Route 202 is a highway stretching from Delaware to Maine, also passing through the states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire....
, 9, 9W
U.S. Route 9W
U.S. Route 9W is a north–south U.S. Highway in the states of New Jersey and New York. It begins on Fletcher Avenue in Fort Lee, New Jersey as it crosses the US 1 & 9, US 46, and the Interstate 95 approaches to the George Washington Bridge, where it heads north up the west...
, and New Jersey state highways 4, 17, 3, 120
New Jersey Route 120
Route 120 is a state highway located in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. It extends from an interchange with Route 3 in East Rutherford to another interchange with Route 17 in Carlstadt, where it continues to the west as County Route 120. NJ 120 serves the Meadowlands Sports Complex,...
, 208, and the Palisades Interstate Parkway
Palisades Interstate Parkway
The Palisades Interstate Parkway is a long limited-access highway in the U.S. states of New Jersey and New York. The parkway is a major commuter route into New York City from Rockland and Orange counties in New York and Bergen County in New Jersey...
also serve the region. The traffic intersection of Routes 4 and 17 in Paramus is one of the busiest in the world.
The George Washington Bridge
George Washington Bridge
The George Washington Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Hudson River, connecting the Washington Heights neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York City to Fort Lee, Bergen County, New Jersey. Interstate 95 and U.S. Route 1/9 cross the river via the bridge. U.S...
, connecting Fort Lee
Fort Lee, New Jersey
Fort Lee is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 35,345. Located atop the Hudson Palisades, the borough is the western terminus of the George Washington Bridge...
in Bergen County across the Hudson River to the Upper Manhattan
Upper Manhattan
Upper Manhattan denotes the more northerly region of the New York City Borough of Manhattan. Its southern boundary may be defined anywhere between 59th Street and 155th Street. Between these two extremes lies the most common definitions of Upper Manhattan as Manhattan above 96th Street...
section of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, is the world's busiest motor vehicle bridge. Access to New York City is alternatively available for motorists through the Lincoln Tunnel
Lincoln Tunnel
The Lincoln Tunnel is a long tunnel under the Hudson River, connecting Weehawken, New Jersey and the borough of Manhattan in New York City.-History:...
in Hudson County
Hudson County, New Jersey
Hudson County is the smallest county in New Jersey and one of the most densely populated in United States. It takes its name from the Hudson River, which creates part of its eastern border. Part of the New York metropolitan area, its county seat and largest city is Jersey City.- Municipalities...
. Train service is available on three lines from New Jersey Transit
New Jersey Transit
The New Jersey Transit Corporation is a statewide public transportation system serving the United States state of New Jersey, and New York, Orange, and Rockland counties in New York State...
: the Bergen County Line
Bergen County Line
The Bergen County Line is a commuter rail line and service owned and operated by New Jersey Transit in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The line loops off the Main Line between the Meadowlands and Glen Rock, with trains continuing in either direction along the Main Line...
, the Erie
Erie Railroad
The Erie Railroad was a railroad that operated in New York State, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, originally connecting New York City with Lake Erie...
Main Line
Main Line (NJ Transit)
The Main Line is a rail line owned and operated by New Jersey Transit running from Suffern, New York to Hoboken, New Jersey. It runs daily commuter service and was once the north-south main line of the Erie Lackawanna Railroad...
, and the Pascack Valley Line
Pascack Valley Line
The Pascack Valley Line is a commuter rail line operated by the Hoboken Division of New Jersey Transit. The line runs north from Hoboken, New Jersey through Bergen County and into Rockland County, New York, terminating at Spring Valley. Service within New York is operated under contract with...
. They run north-south to Hoboken Terminal
Hoboken Terminal
Hoboken Terminal is one of the New York Metropolitan area's major transportation hubs. The commuter-oriented intermodal facility, is located on the Hudson River in Hoboken, New Jersey...
with connections to the PATH
Port Authority Trans-Hudson
PATH, derived from Port Authority Trans-Hudson, is a rapid transit railroad linking Manhattan, New York City with Newark, Harrison, Hoboken and Jersey City in metropolitan northern New Jersey...
train. New Jersey Transit also offers connecting one-stop service to New York Penn Station via the Secaucus Junction
Secaucus Junction
The Frank R. Lautenberg Secaucus Junction Station is a major commuter rail hub in Secaucus, New Jersey...
transfer station. Connections are also available at the Hoboken Terminal
Hoboken Terminal
Hoboken Terminal is one of the New York Metropolitan area's major transportation hubs. The commuter-oriented intermodal facility, is located on the Hudson River in Hoboken, New Jersey...
to the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail
Hudson-Bergen Light Rail
The Hudson–Bergen Light Rail is a light rail system in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. Owned by New Jersey Transit and operated by the 21st Century Rail Corporation, it connects the communities of Bayonne, Jersey City, Hoboken, Weehawken, Union City , and North Bergen.The system began...
and New York Waterways ferry service to the World Financial Center
World Financial Center
The World Financial Center is a complex of buildings across West Street from the World Trade Center site in Lower Manhattan in New York City, overlooking the Hudson River. This complex is home to offices of companies including Merrill Lynch, RBC Capital Markets, Nomura Group, the Wall Street...
and other destinations.
Although the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail bears the "Bergen" name, it has not yet expanded to run into the county; this is planned for the future, possibly with connections via a proposed new passenger rail service, the Northern Branch. The Passaic-Bergen Rail Line has also been proposed, with two station stops in Hackensack. The Access to the Region's Core rail tunnel project would have allowed many Bergen County railway commuters a one-seat ride into Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
but was canceled by New Jersey governor Chris Christie in October 2010.
There is also bus service, available from New Jersey Transit
New Jersey Transit
The New Jersey Transit Corporation is a statewide public transportation system serving the United States state of New Jersey, and New York, Orange, and Rockland counties in New York State...
and private companies such as Academy Bus Lines, Coach USA
Coach USA
Coach USA LLC is a holding company for various American transportation service providers providing scheduled intercity bus service, local and commuter bus transit, city sightseeing, tour, yellow school bus, and charter bus service...
, DeCamp Bus Lines
DeCamp Bus Lines
DeCamp Bus Lines is a line-run operator serving Essex County, New Jersey with line run and charter service to and from Manhattan. Because there are no fixed stops other than termini, buses can be hailed to board; riders can request a stop to exit....
and Red and Tan Lines
Red and Tan Lines
Rockland Coaches Inc. is a commuter coach company owned by Coach USA based in Westwood, New Jersey, United States, that operates commuter bus service between New York City and points in Bergen County, New Jersey and Rockland County, New York, and provides local bus service in both locales north of...
, offering transport within Bergen County, elsewhere in New Jersey and to the Port Authority Bus Terminal
Port Authority Bus Terminal
The Port Authority Bus Terminal is the main gateway for interstate buses into Manhattan in New York City...
and George Washington Bridge Bus Terminal
George Washington Bridge Bus Terminal
The George Washington Bridge Bus Station is a commuter bus terminal located at the east end of the George Washington Bridge in the Washington Heights area of Manhattan in New York City, New York....
in New York City.
There is one airport in the county, Teterboro Airport
Teterboro Airport
Teterboro Airport is a general aviation relief airport located in the Boroughs of Teterboro, Moonachie, and Hasbrouck Heights in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. It is owned and operated by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey...
in Teterboro
Teterboro, New Jersey
Teterboro is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 67, making it the fourth smallest municipality, by population, in New Jersey....
, which is operated by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is a bi-state port district, established in 1921 through an interstate compact, that runs most of the regional transportation infrastructure, including the bridges, tunnels, airports, and seaports, within the Port of New York and New Jersey...
. Most commercial air traffic is handled by nearby Newark Liberty International Airport
Newark Liberty International Airport
Newark Liberty International Airport , first named Newark Metropolitan Airport and later Newark International Airport, is an international airport within the city limits of both Newark and Elizabeth, New Jersey, United States...
in Essex County
Essex County, New Jersey
Essex County is a county located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the United States 2010 Census, the population was 783,969, ranking it third in the state after Bergen County and Middlesex County; Essex County's population has declined from 786,147 as of the bureau's...
, which also serves as a major airport for the City of New York.
For the main surface-street routes through the county, see List of county routes in Bergen County, New Jersey.
Demographics
As of the United States 2010 Census, the racial composition of Bergen County's total population of 905,116 was 62.54% non-Hispanic whiteNon-Hispanic Whites
Non-Hispanic Whites or White, Not Hispanic or Latino are people in the United States, as defined by the Census Bureau, who are of the White race and are not of Hispanic or Latino origin/ethnicity. Hence the designation is exclusive in the sense that it defines who is not included as opposed to who is...
, 14.51% Asian
Asian American
Asian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...
, 5.09% non-Hispanic black
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
, 0.71% Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
black, 0.23% Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
, 0.03% Pacific Islander
Pacific Islander American
Pacific Islander Americans, also known as Oceanian Americans, are residents of the United States with original ancestry from Oceania. They represent the smallest racial group counted in the United States census of 2000. They numbered 874,000 people or 0.3 percent of the United States population...
, 0.28% non-Hispanic from some other race, and 1.42% non-Hispanic reporting two or more races
Multiracial American
Multiracial Americans, US residents who identify themselves as of "two or more races", were numbered at around 9 million, or 2.9% of the population, in the census of 2010. However there is considerable evidence that the real number is far higher. Prior to the mid-20th century many people hid their...
. 16.05% of the population was Hispanics or Latinos
Hispanic and Latino Americans
Hispanic or Latino Americans are Americans with origins in the Hispanic countries of Latin America or in Spain, and in general all persons in the United States who self-identify as Hispanic or Latino.1990 Census of Population and Housing: A self-designated classification for people whose origins...
of any race. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 3,868 people per square mile (1,493/km²).
As of the census of 2000, there were 884,118 people, 330,817 households, and 235,210 families residing in the county. The population density was 3,776 people per square mile (1,458/km²). There were 339,820 housing units at an average density of 1,451 per square mile (560/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 78.41% non-Hispanic white, 10.67% Asian, 5.27% black, 0.15% Native American, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 3.22% from other races, and 2.26% non-Hispanic reporting two or more races. 10.34% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.
In 2000, there were 330,817 households out of which 32.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.90% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 9.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.90% were non-families. 24.70% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.17. The age distribution was 23.00% under the age of 18, 6.60% from 18 to 24, 30.60% from 25 to 44, 24.50% from 45 to 64, and 15.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 92.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.40 males.
Also in 2000, the median income for a household in the county was $65,241, and the median income for a family was $78,079 (these figures had risen to $78,314 and $96,589 respectively as of a 2007 estimate.) Males had a median income of $51,346 versus $37,295 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the county was $33,638. About 3.40% of families and 5.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.90% of those under age 18 and 5.90% of those age 65 or over.
Bergen is the most populous county in New Jersey, with approximately 90,000 more residents than Essex County
Essex County, New Jersey
Essex County is a county located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the United States 2010 Census, the population was 783,969, ranking it third in the state after Bergen County and Middlesex County; Essex County's population has declined from 786,147 as of the bureau's...
(the second-ranked county in 2000), accounting for 10.5% of the state's population.
One of the largest immigrant groups in Bergen County is the Korean American
Korean American
Korean Americans are Americans of Korean descent, mostly from South Korea, with a small minority from North Korea...
community, which is concentrated along the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
– especially in the area near the George Washington Bridge – and represents over half of the state's entire Korean population. The per capita Korean American population of Bergen County, 6.3% by the 2010 United States Census, is the highest of any county in the United States; while the concentration of Korean Americans in Palisades Park
Koreatown, Palisades Park
Koreatown, Palisades Park, or Palisades Park Koreatown, in the borough of Palisades Park, Bergen County, New Jersey, USA, in the New York City Metropolitan Area, is one of the largest and fastest growing ethnic Korean enclaves outside of Korea....
, within Bergen County, is the highest of any municipality in the United States, at 52% of the population. Palisades Park is also residence to the highest total number (6,065) of individuals of Korean ancestry among all municipalities in the state, while neighboring Fort Lee
Fort Lee, New Jersey
Fort Lee is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 35,345. Located atop the Hudson Palisades, the borough is the western terminus of the George Washington Bridge...
has the second largest cluster (5,978) and third highest proportion (17.18%, trailing Leonia's 17.24%). Eight of the nation's top ten municipalities by percentage of Korean population are located in Bergen County, including Palisades Park, Leonia, Fort Lee, Ridgefield
Ridgefield, New Jersey
There were 4,020 households out of which 32.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.7% were married couples living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.2% were non-families. 23.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.8% had someone...
, Closter
Closter, New Jersey
Closter is a Borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 8,373. After the turn of the century, Closter changed from being sprawling estates and farms into a middle and upper middle class suburban town...
, Norwood
Norwood, New Jersey
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 5,711 people. The population density was 2,083.3 people per square mile. The racial makeup of the borough was 69.3% Caucasian, 27.2% Asian, 1.4% African American, 0.0% Native American, 1.0% from other races, and 1.2% from two or more races. Hispanics...
, Edgewater
Edgewater, New Jersey
Edgewater is a borough located along the Hudson River in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 census, the borough had a population of 11,513...
, and Englewood Cliffs
Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey
Englewood Cliffs is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 5,281. The borough houses the world headquarters of CNBC and the American headquarters of Unilever, and is home to both Ferrari and Maserati North America.Englewood Cliffs...
. Overall, sixteen of the top twenty communities on that list are located in Bergen; virtually all are in the eastern third of the county near the Hudson River. However, Ridgewood
Ridgewood, New Jersey
Ridgewood is a village in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the village population was 24,958. Ridgewood is an affluent suburban bedroom community of New York City, located approximately northwest of Midtown Manhattan.The Village of Ridgewood was...
has emerged as a new Korean American nexus in western Bergen County.
In addition, the commercial districts of several communities — including Palisades Park
Koreatown, Palisades Park
Koreatown, Palisades Park, or Palisades Park Koreatown, in the borough of Palisades Park, Bergen County, New Jersey, USA, in the New York City Metropolitan Area, is one of the largest and fastest growing ethnic Korean enclaves outside of Korea....
, Fort Lee
Fort Lee, New Jersey
Fort Lee is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 35,345. Located atop the Hudson Palisades, the borough is the western terminus of the George Washington Bridge...
, Cliffside Park
Cliffside Park, New Jersey
Cliffside Park is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 23,594....
, Ridgefield
Ridgefield, New Jersey
There were 4,020 households out of which 32.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.7% were married couples living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.2% were non-families. 23.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.8% had someone...
, Leonia
Leonia, New Jersey
Leonia is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 8,937. It is located near the western approach to the George Washington Bridge....
, and to a lesser extent Englewood Cliffs
Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey
Englewood Cliffs is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 5,281. The borough houses the world headquarters of CNBC and the American headquarters of Unilever, and is home to both Ferrari and Maserati North America.Englewood Cliffs...
, Edgewater
Edgewater, New Jersey
Edgewater is a borough located along the Hudson River in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 census, the borough had a population of 11,513...
, and Fairview — collectively function as a sprawling suburban Koreatown for northern New Jersey, drawing shoppers from throughout the region. There is also an entrenched Korean population in the Northern Valley, especially in Tenafly
Tenafly, New Jersey
Tenafly is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 14,488. Tenafly is an affluent suburb of New York City....
, Cresskill
Cresskill, New Jersey
Cresskill is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 8,573. The town got its name from the watercress that grew in its streams, or "kills"....
, Demarest
Demarest, New Jersey
Demarest is a Borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 4,881.Demarest was formed by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 8, 1903, from portions of Harrington Township and Palisades Township. The borough was named...
, Closter
Closter, New Jersey
Closter is a Borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 8,373. After the turn of the century, Closter changed from being sprawling estates and farms into a middle and upper middle class suburban town...
, Norwood
Norwood, New Jersey
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 5,711 people. The population density was 2,083.3 people per square mile. The racial makeup of the borough was 69.3% Caucasian, 27.2% Asian, 1.4% African American, 0.0% Native American, 1.0% from other races, and 1.2% from two or more races. Hispanics...
, and Old Tappan, as well as in several inland boroughs, including Paramus
Paramus, New Jersey
Paramus is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 26,342. A suburb of New York City, Paramus is located between 15–20 miles northwest of Midtown Manhattan and approximately west of Upper Manhattan.Paramus is one of...
, Rutherford
Rutherford, New Jersey
Rutherford is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 18,061. It is an inner-ring suburb of New York City, located west of Midtown Manhattan....
, and Little Ferry
Little Ferry, New Jersey
Little Ferry is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 10,626.-Geography:Little Ferry is located at ....
. Broad Avenue in Palisades Park's Korean immigrant enclave has been described as the center of Korean culture in Bergen County, while nearby Grand Avenue houses the headquarters of The Korean-American Association of New Jersey. Bergen County's growing Korean community was cited by county executive Kathleen Donovan in the context of Hackensack
Hackensack, New Jersey
Hackensack is a city in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States and the county seat of Bergen County. Although informally called Hackensack, it was officially named New Barbadoes Township until 1921. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 43,010....
attorney Jae Y. Kim's appointment to Central Municipal Court judgeship
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
in January 2011. According to The Record
The Record (Bergen County)
The Record is a newspaper in northern New Jersey. It has the second largest circulation of New Jersey's daily newspapers, behind The Star-Ledger. Owned by the Borg family since 1930, it is the flagship publication of the North Jersey Media Group. Stephen Borg is the publisher of The Record...
of Bergen County, the U.S. Census Bureau has determined that the county’s Korean American population – 2010 census figures put it at 56,773 – has grown enough to warrant language assistance during elections.
Indian Americans (not to be confused with American Indians
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
) represent the second largest Asian ethnic group in Bergen County, with slightly larger numbers than the Filipino
Filipino American
Filipino Americans are Americans of Filipino ancestry. Filipino Americans, often shortened to "Fil-Ams", or "Pinoy",Filipinos in what is now the United States were first documented in the 16th century, with small settlements beginning in the 18th century...
and Chinese
Chinese American
Chinese Americans represent Americans of Chinese descent. Chinese Americans constitute one group of overseas Chinese and also a subgroup of East Asian Americans, which is further a subgroup of Asian Americans...
communities. Although the Indian American population in the area is widely dispersed, its biggest clusters are located in Ridgewood
Ridgewood, New Jersey
Ridgewood is a village in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the village population was 24,958. Ridgewood is an affluent suburban bedroom community of New York City, located approximately northwest of Midtown Manhattan.The Village of Ridgewood was...
, Fair Lawn
Fair Lawn, New Jersey
Fair Lawn is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States and a suburban municipality in the New York City Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 32,457. Fair Lawn was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March...
, Paramus
Paramus, New Jersey
Paramus is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 26,342. A suburb of New York City, Paramus is located between 15–20 miles northwest of Midtown Manhattan and approximately west of Upper Manhattan.Paramus is one of...
, Hackensack, Bergenfield
Bergenfield, New Jersey
Bergenfield is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 26,764.Bergenfield was formed on the basis of a referendum held on June 25, 1894, from portions of Englewood Township and Palisades Township at the height of the...
, Lodi
Lodi, New Jersey
Lodi is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 24,136. The borough of Lodi is governed under the 1923 Municipal Manager Law.Lodi owes its name to the Italian city of Lodi...
, and Elmwood Park
Elmwood Park, New Jersey
Elmwood Park is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 19,403....
. Within the county's Indian population is a prominent Malayali
Malayali
Malayali is the term used to refer to the native speakers of Malayalam, originating from the Indian state of Kerala...
community.
Bergenfield and, to a lesser extent New Milford
New Milford, New Jersey
New Milford is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 16,341.New Milford was incorporated as a borough on March 11, 1922, from what remained of Palisades Township, based on the results of a referendum held on April 18,...
, Dumont
Dumont, New Jersey
Dumont is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. The population was 17,479 at the 2010 Census.Dumont was formed on July 20, 1894, as the Borough of Schraalenburgh from portions of Harrington Township and Palisades Township, at the height of the "Boroughitis" phenomenon then sweeping...
, and Teaneck
Teaneck, New Jersey
Teaneck is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, and a suburb in the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 39,776, making it the second-most populous among the 70 municipalities in Bergen County....
, have become a hub for Filipino American
Filipino American
Filipino Americans are Americans of Filipino ancestry. Filipino Americans, often shortened to "Fil-Ams", or "Pinoy",Filipinos in what is now the United States were first documented in the 16th century, with small settlements beginning in the 18th century...
s, with Bergenfield becoming the first municipality on the East Coast of the United States
East Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
to elect a mayor of Filipino descent in November 1999. Taken as a whole, these four adjacent municipalities contain over 40% of Bergen's entire Filipino population, although there are small numbers of Filipinos in many of the county's communities.
The Chinese American
Chinese American
Chinese Americans represent Americans of Chinese descent. Chinese Americans constitute one group of overseas Chinese and also a subgroup of East Asian Americans, which is further a subgroup of Asian Americans...
population is also spread out, with fairly sizable populations in Fort Lee, Paramus, and Englewood Cliffs. Fort Lee and Paramus have the highest total number of Chinese among Bergen municipalities while Englewood Cliffs has the highest percentage (8.42%).
The small Japanese
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
community, which mainly consists of foreign businessmen and their families, has long had a presence in Fort Lee, with over a quarter of the county's total Japanese population living in that borough alone. The remainder of Bergen's Japanese residents are concentrated in the towns surrounding Fort Lee as well as in a few northern communities such as Ridgewood
Ridgewood, New Jersey
Ridgewood is a village in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the village population was 24,958. Ridgewood is an affluent suburban bedroom community of New York City, located approximately northwest of Midtown Manhattan.The Village of Ridgewood was...
.
Meanwhile, Italian American
Italian American
An Italian American , is an American of Italian ancestry. The designation may also refer to someone possessing Italian and American dual citizenship...
s have long had a significant presence in Bergen County; in fact, Italian is the most commonly identified first ancestry among Bergen residents (21.0%). Overall, 194,614 Bergen residents were recorded as being of Italian heritage in the most recent census. To this day, many residents of the Meadowlands
New Jersey Meadowlands
New Jersey Meadowlands, also known as the Hackensack Meadowlands after the primary river flowing through it, is a general name for the large ecosystem of wetlands in northeast New Jersey in the United States. The Meadowlands are known for being the site of large landfills and decades of...
communities in the south are of Italian descent, most notably in South Hackensack
South Hackensack, New Jersey
South Hackensack Township is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 2,378....
(36.3%), Lyndhurst
Lyndhurst, New Jersey
Lyndhurst is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 20,554.Lyndhurst was originally formed as Union Township on February 19, 1852 from portions of Harrison Township...
(33.8%), Carlstadt
Carlstadt, New Jersey
Carlstadt is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 6,127.Carlstadt was originally formed as a village by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 12, 1860, within Lodi Township. It was named after Dr...
(31.2%), Wood-Ridge
Wood-Ridge, New Jersey
Wood-Ridge is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 7,626.Wood-Ridge was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on December 6, 1894, from portions of Bergen Township, based on the results of...
(30.9%) and Hasbrouck Heights
Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey
Hasbrouck Heights is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 11,842. An inner-ring suburb of New York City, Hasbrouck Heights is located approximately northwest of Midtown Manhattan and west of Upper Manhattan.Hasbrouck Heights was...
(30.8%). Saddle Brook
Saddle Brook, New Jersey
Saddle Brook is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 13,659....
(29.8%), Lodi
Lodi, New Jersey
Lodi is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 24,136. The borough of Lodi is governed under the 1923 Municipal Manager Law.Lodi owes its name to the Italian city of Lodi...
(29.4%), Moonachie
Moonachie, New Jersey
Moonachie is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, in the Hackensack River watershed. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 2,708....
(28.5%), Garfield
Garfield, New Jersey
Garfield is a city in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 30,487.When the area that is now Garfield was first developed in 1873, it was known as East Passaic. In 1881, the community's name was changed to Garfield in honor of...
, Hackensack
Hackensack, New Jersey
Hackensack is a city in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States and the county seat of Bergen County. Although informally called Hackensack, it was officially named New Barbadoes Township until 1921. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 43,010....
, and the southeastern Bergen towns were Italian American strongholds for decades, but their numbers have diminished in recent years as immigrants have taken their place. At the same time, the Italian American population has grown in many of the affluent communities in the northern half of the county, including Franklin Lakes
Franklin Lakes, New Jersey
Franklin Lakes is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 10,590. As of the 2000 Census, Franklin Lakes had the 18th-highest per-capita income of all 566 municipalities in the state. Nationwide, Franklin Lakes ranked 17th among the...
, Ramsey
Ramsey, New Jersey
Ramsey is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. It is a suburb of New York City, located northwest of Midtown Manhattan. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 14,473....
, Montvale
Montvale, New Jersey
Montvale is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 7,844.Montvale was incorporated as a borough on August 31, 1894, from portions of Orvil Township and Washington Township, at the height of the "Boroughitis" craze then...
, and Woodcliff Lake
Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey
Woodcliff Lake is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the borough population was 5,730.Woodcliff Lake is also the name of the reservoir that lies primarily within the borough, with a small part of it located in neighboring Hillsdale.The borough is an...
.
Irish American
Irish American
Irish Americans are citizens of the United States who can trace their ancestry to Ireland. A total of 36,278,332 Americans—estimated at 11.9% of the total population—reported Irish ancestry in the 2008 American Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau...
s and German American
German American
German Americans are citizens of the United States of German ancestry and comprise about 51 million people, or 17% of the U.S. population, the country's largest self-reported ancestral group...
s are the next largest ethnic groups in Bergen County, numbering 133,351 (12.8% of the county's total population) and 98,929 (11.2%), respectively. As is the case with Italian Americans, these two groups established sizable enclaves long ago and are now firmly entrenched in all areas of the county.
Polish Americans are well represented throughout Bergen County, with 65,232 residents of Polish
Poles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
descent as of the 2000 Census. The community's cultural and commercial heart has long been centered in Wallington
Wallington, New Jersey
Wallington is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 11,335.Wallington was created as a borough on January 2, 1895 , at the height of the "Boroughitis" fever then sweeping through Bergen County...
, where 45.5% of the population is of Polish descent; this is the largest concentration among New Jersey municipalities and the seventh-highest in the United States. In recent years, the adjacent city of Garfield
Garfield, New Jersey
Garfield is a city in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 30,487.When the area that is now Garfield was first developed in 1873, it was known as East Passaic. In 1881, the community's name was changed to Garfield in honor of...
has also become a magnet for Polish immigrants, with 22.9% of the population identifying themeselves as being of Polish ancestry, the third highest concentration in the state. And while Polish Americans are the fourth-largest ethnic group in Bergen County, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
is also the second most common place of birth (after South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
) for foreign-born county residents.
Many towns in the county have a significant number of Jewish Americans
American Jews
American Jews, also known as Jewish Americans, are American citizens of the Jewish faith or Jewish ethnicity. The Jewish community in the United States is composed predominantly of Ashkenazi Jews who emigrated from Central and Eastern Europe, and their U.S.-born descendants...
, including Fair Lawn
Fair Lawn, New Jersey
Fair Lawn is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States and a suburban municipality in the New York City Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 32,457. Fair Lawn was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March...
, Teaneck
Teaneck, New Jersey
Teaneck is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, and a suburb in the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 39,776, making it the second-most populous among the 70 municipalities in Bergen County....
, Tenafly
Tenafly, New Jersey
Tenafly is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 14,488. Tenafly is an affluent suburb of New York City....
, Englewood
Englewood, New Jersey
Englewood is a city located in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 27,147.Englewood was incorporated as a city by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 17, 1899, from portions of Ridgefield Township and the remaining portions of...
, Englewood Cliffs
Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey
Englewood Cliffs is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 5,281. The borough houses the world headquarters of CNBC and the American headquarters of Unilever, and is home to both Ferrari and Maserati North America.Englewood Cliffs...
, Fort Lee
Fort Lee, New Jersey
Fort Lee is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 35,345. Located atop the Hudson Palisades, the borough is the western terminus of the George Washington Bridge...
, Woodcliff Lake
Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey
Woodcliff Lake is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the borough population was 5,730.Woodcliff Lake is also the name of the reservoir that lies primarily within the borough, with a small part of it located in neighboring Hillsdale.The borough is an...
, Paramus
Paramus, New Jersey
Paramus is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 26,342. A suburb of New York City, Paramus is located between 15–20 miles northwest of Midtown Manhattan and approximately west of Upper Manhattan.Paramus is one of...
, and Franklin Lakes
Franklin Lakes, New Jersey
Franklin Lakes is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 10,590. As of the 2000 Census, Franklin Lakes had the 18th-highest per-capita income of all 566 municipalities in the state. Nationwide, Franklin Lakes ranked 17th among the...
. Teaneck, Fair Lawn, and Englewood in particular have become havens for the Conservative and Orthodox Jewish
Orthodox Judaism
Orthodox Judaism , is the approach to Judaism which adheres to the traditional interpretation and application of the laws and ethics of the Torah as legislated in the Talmudic texts by the Sanhedrin and subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and...
communities, while Fair Lawn, Tenafly, Alpine, and Fort Lee are well-known as hubs for Russian Americans, including a substantial proportion of Russian Jews. Closter, and Tenafly also have the largest Israeli communities in Bergen County and two of the three largest in the state. Altogether, 83,700 Bergen residents identified themselves as being of Jewish heritage in the most recent study.
Greek American
Greek American
Greek Americans are Americans of Greek descent also described as Hellenic descent. According to the 2007 U.S. Census Bureau estimation, there were 1,380,088 people of Greek ancestry in the United States, while the State Department mentions that around 3,000,000 Americans claim to be of Greek descent...
s have had a fairly sizable presence in Bergen for several decades, and according to census data the Greek community currently numbers 13,247 county-wide. The largest concentrations by percentage are in Englewood Cliffs
Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey
Englewood Cliffs is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 5,281. The borough houses the world headquarters of CNBC and the American headquarters of Unilever, and is home to both Ferrari and Maserati North America.Englewood Cliffs...
(7.2%), Alpine
Alpine, New Jersey
Alpine is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. It is a suburb of New York City, located northwest of Midtown Manhattan. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 1,849....
(5.2%), Fort Lee
Fort Lee, New Jersey
Fort Lee is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 35,345. Located atop the Hudson Palisades, the borough is the western terminus of the George Washington Bridge...
(3.7%), and Palisades Park
Palisades Park, New Jersey
Palisades Park is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 19,622....
(3.5%). Similarly, the Armenian American population in Bergen (8,305 according to the 2000 Census) is dispersed throughout the county, but its most significant concentration is in the southeastern towns near the George Washington Bridge. Cliffside Park
Cliffside Park, New Jersey
Cliffside Park is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 23,594....
(3.6%), Englewood Cliffs
Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey
Englewood Cliffs is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 5,281. The borough houses the world headquarters of CNBC and the American headquarters of Unilever, and is home to both Ferrari and Maserati North America.Englewood Cliffs...
(3.4%), Oradell
Oradell, New Jersey
Oradell is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. At the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 7,978. The borough's territory includes a dam on the Hackensack River that forms the Oradell Reservoir...
(3.1%), Ridgefield
Ridgefield, New Jersey
There were 4,020 households out of which 32.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.7% were married couples living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.2% were non-families. 23.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.8% had someone...
(2.4%), Fairview
Fairview, Bergen County, New Jersey
Fairview is a borough located in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough had a total population of 13,835....
(2.4%), Demarest
Demarest, New Jersey
Demarest is a Borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 4,881.Demarest was formed by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 8, 1903, from portions of Harrington Township and Palisades Township. The borough was named...
(2.3%), and Emerson
Emerson, New Jersey
Emerson is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States, a suburb in the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 7,401....
(2.2%) have the highest percentage of Armenians among all municipalities in the state, and in fact are all in the top 20 nationwide. Furthermore, the top 25 New Jersey communities on that list are all Bergen County communities.
Bergen also has a moderately sized Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
population, which numbered 6,473 as of the last census. Its most notable Muslim enclaves are centered in Teaneck
Teaneck, New Jersey
Teaneck is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, and a suburb in the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 39,776, making it the second-most populous among the 70 municipalities in Bergen County....
and Hackensack
Hackensack, New Jersey
Hackensack is a city in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States and the county seat of Bergen County. Although informally called Hackensack, it was officially named New Barbadoes Township until 1921. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 43,010....
, two of the most diverse communities in the entire county. Bergen's Muslim population primarily consists of Arab American
Arab American
An Arab American is a United States citizen or resident of Arab ethnic, cultural and linguistic heritage or identity, who identifies themselves as Arab. Arab Americans trace ancestry to any of the various waves of immigrants of the countries comprising the Arab World...
s, South Asians, and African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
s, although it should be noted that many members of these groups practice other faiths. While Arab Americans have not established a significant presence in any particular municipality, in total there are 11,755 county residents who indicated Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
ancestry in the most recent survey. The overwhelming majority of Bergen's Arab American population (64.3%) is constituted by persons of
Lebanese
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
(2,576), Syrian
Demographics of Syria
Syrians today are an overall indigenous Levantine people. While modern-day Syrians are commonly described as Arabs by virtue of their modern-day language and bonds to Arab culture and history...
(2,568), and Egyptian
Egyptians
Egyptians are nation an ethnic group made up of Mediterranean North Africans, the indigenous people of Egypt.Egyptian identity is closely tied to geography. The population of Egypt is concentrated in the lower Nile Valley, the small strip of cultivable land stretching from the First Cataract to...
(2,417) descent.
The county's African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
community is almost entirely concentrated in three municipalities: Englewood
Englewood, New Jersey
Englewood is a city located in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 27,147.Englewood was incorporated as a city by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 17, 1899, from portions of Ridgefield Township and the remaining portions of...
(10,215 residents, accounting for 38.98% of the city's total population), Teaneck
Teaneck, New Jersey
Teaneck is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, and a suburb in the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 39,776, making it the second-most populous among the 70 municipalities in Bergen County....
(11,298; 28.78%), and Hackensack
Hackensack, New Jersey
Hackensack is a city in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States and the county seat of Bergen County. Although informally called Hackensack, it was officially named New Barbadoes Township until 1921. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 43,010....
(10,518; 24.65%). Collectively, these three areas account for nearly 70% of the county's total African American population of 46,568, and in fact blacks have had a presence in these towns since the earliest days of the county. In sharp contrast, African-Americans comprise less than 2% of the total in most of Bergen's other municipalities. In Englewood, the African American population is concentrated in the Third and Fourth wards of the western half of the city, while the northeastern section of Teaneck has been an African American enclave for several decades. Hackensack's long-established African American community is primarily located in the central part of the city, especially in the area near Central Avenue and First Street.
The diverse Latino
Latino
The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
population in Bergen is growing in many areas of the county, but is especially concentrated in a handful of municipalities, including Fairview
Fairview, Bergen County, New Jersey
Fairview is a borough located in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough had a total population of 13,835....
(37.1%), Hackensack
Hackensack, New Jersey
Hackensack is a city in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States and the county seat of Bergen County. Although informally called Hackensack, it was officially named New Barbadoes Township until 1921. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 43,010....
(25.9%), Ridgefield Park
Ridgefield Park, New Jersey
Ridgefield Park is a village in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. The population was 12,729 at the 2010 United States Census. Of 566 municipalities statewide, Ridgefield Park is only one of three with a village type of government in New Jersey, along with Loch Arbour and Ridgewood.The...
(22.2%), Englewood
Englewood, New Jersey
Englewood is a city located in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 27,147.Englewood was incorporated as a city by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 17, 1899, from portions of Ridgefield Township and the remaining portions of...
(21.8%), Bogota
Bogota, New Jersey
As of the 2010 Census, Bogota had a population of 8,187. The median age was 38.6. The racial and ethnic composition of the population was 61.0% White, 9.4% Black or African American, 0.8% Native American, 9.8% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander, 14.8% some other race and 4.1% reporting...
(21.3%), Garfield
Garfield, New Jersey
Garfield is a city in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 30,487.When the area that is now Garfield was first developed in 1873, it was known as East Passaic. In 1881, the community's name was changed to Garfield in honor of...
(20.1%), Cliffside Park
Cliffside Park, New Jersey
Cliffside Park is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 23,594....
(18.2%), Lodi
Lodi, New Jersey
Lodi is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 24,136. The borough of Lodi is governed under the 1923 Municipal Manager Law.Lodi owes its name to the Italian city of Lodi...
(18.0%), and Bergenfield
Bergenfield, New Jersey
Bergenfield is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 26,764.Bergenfield was formed on the basis of a referendum held on June 25, 1894, from portions of Englewood Township and Palisades Township at the height of the...
(17.0%). Traditionally, many of the Latino
Latino
The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
residents were of Colombian
Colombian people
Colombian people are from a multiethnic Spanish speaking nation in South America called Colombia. Colombians are predominantly Roman Catholic and are a mixture of Europeans, Africans, and Amerindians.-Demography:...
and Cuban
Cubans
Cubans or Cuban people are the inhabitants or citizens of Cuba. Cuba is a multi-ethnic nation, home to people of different ethnic and national backgrounds...
ancestry, although that has been changing in recent years. Currently, Englewood
Englewood, New Jersey
Englewood is a city located in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 27,147.Englewood was incorporated as a city by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 17, 1899, from portions of Ridgefield Township and the remaining portions of...
's Colombian community is the largest in Bergen County and among the top ten in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
(7.17%); Hackensack
Hackensack, New Jersey
Hackensack is a city in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States and the county seat of Bergen County. Although informally called Hackensack, it was officially named New Barbadoes Township until 1921. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 43,010....
, Fairview
Fairview, Bergen County, New Jersey
Fairview is a borough located in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough had a total population of 13,835....
, Bergenfield
Bergenfield, New Jersey
Bergenfield is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 26,764.Bergenfield was formed on the basis of a referendum held on June 25, 1894, from portions of Englewood Township and Palisades Township at the height of the...
, and Lodi
Lodi, New Jersey
Lodi is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 24,136. The borough of Lodi is governed under the 1923 Municipal Manager Law.Lodi owes its name to the Italian city of Lodi...
also have notable populations. The Cuban population is largest in Fairview
Fairview, Bergen County, New Jersey
Fairview is a borough located in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough had a total population of 13,835....
, Ridgefield Park
Ridgefield Park, New Jersey
Ridgefield Park is a village in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. The population was 12,729 at the 2010 United States Census. Of 566 municipalities statewide, Ridgefield Park is only one of three with a village type of government in New Jersey, along with Loch Arbour and Ridgewood.The...
, Ridgefield
Ridgefield, New Jersey
There were 4,020 households out of which 32.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.7% were married couples living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.2% were non-families. 23.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.8% had someone...
, and Bogota
Bogota, New Jersey
As of the 2010 Census, Bogota had a population of 8,187. The median age was 38.6. The racial and ethnic composition of the population was 61.0% White, 9.4% Black or African American, 0.8% Native American, 9.8% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander, 14.8% some other race and 4.1% reporting...
, although the Cuban community is much bigger in Hudson County
Hudson County, New Jersey
Hudson County is the smallest county in New Jersey and one of the most densely populated in United States. It takes its name from the Hudson River, which creates part of its eastern border. Part of the New York metropolitan area, its county seat and largest city is Jersey City.- Municipalities...
to the south. Since 1990 an increasing number of immigrants from other countries have entered the region, including people from Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
, El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
, the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
, Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
, and Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
. The diverse backgrounds of the local Latino community are best exemplified in Fairview, where 10% of the overall population hails from Central America, 7% from South America and 9% from other Latin American countries, mainly the Caribbean.
In the Forbes
Forbes
Forbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
magazine 2006 ranking of the Most Expensive ZIP Codes in the United States, Alpine
Alpine, New Jersey
Alpine is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. It is a suburb of New York City, located northwest of Midtown Manhattan. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 1,849....
was ranked as the 8th most expensive in the country, with a median home sale price in 2005 of $1,790,000. In all, twelve Bergen County municipalities were represented on the list, including Englewood Cliffs
Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey
Englewood Cliffs is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 5,281. The borough houses the world headquarters of CNBC and the American headquarters of Unilever, and is home to both Ferrari and Maserati North America.Englewood Cliffs...
(ranked #78; median sale price of $1,112,500), Saddle River
Saddle River, New Jersey
Saddle River is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 3,152. Saddle River has the second-highest per-capita income in the state...
(107; $997,000), Franklin Lakes
Franklin Lakes, New Jersey
Franklin Lakes is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 10,590. As of the 2000 Census, Franklin Lakes had the 18th-highest per-capita income of all 566 municipalities in the state. Nationwide, Franklin Lakes ranked 17th among the...
(111; $985,000), Woodcliff Lake
Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey
Woodcliff Lake is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the borough population was 5,730.Woodcliff Lake is also the name of the reservoir that lies primarily within the borough, with a small part of it located in neighboring Hillsdale.The borough is an...
(266; $786,000), Haworth
Haworth, New Jersey
Haworth is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 3,382.Haworth was formed by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 24, 1904, from portions of both Dumont and Harrington Townships.-Geography:Haworth is...
(342; $747,500), Demarest
Demarest, New Jersey
Demarest is a Borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 4,881.Demarest was formed by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 8, 1903, from portions of Harrington Township and Palisades Township. The borough was named...
(350; $742,000), Ho-Ho-Kus
Ho-Ho-Kus, New Jersey
Ho-Ho-Kus is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 4,078. It is the home of several historical landmarks, including the Ho-Ho-Kus Inn and The Hermitage....
(353; $740,000), Wyckoff
Wyckoff, New Jersey
Wyckoff is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 16,696. As of the 2000 Census, Wyckoff ranked 54th in 100 highest-income places in the United States...
(405; $700,000), Closter
Closter, New Jersey
Closter is a Borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 8,373. After the turn of the century, Closter changed from being sprawling estates and farms into a middle and upper middle class suburban town...
(452; $684,000) and Ridgewood
Ridgewood, New Jersey
Ridgewood is a village in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the village population was 24,958. Ridgewood is an affluent suburban bedroom community of New York City, located approximately northwest of Midtown Manhattan.The Village of Ridgewood was...
(470; $675,000).
Education
Bergen has several colleges and universities:- Bergen Community CollegeBergen Community CollegeBergen Community College is an accredited, co-educational, two-year, public, community college located in Bergen County, New Jersey. Its primary campus is in Paramus where it was built on 9 holes of the Orchard Hills Golf Course, cutting Orchard Hills' size down in half...
– ParamusParamus, New JerseyParamus is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 26,342. A suburb of New York City, Paramus is located between 15–20 miles northwest of Midtown Manhattan and approximately west of Upper Manhattan.Paramus is one of... - Berkeley CollegeBerkeley CollegeBerkeley College is a proprietary higher education institution founded in 1931, specializing in business and professional studies.-Academic programs:...
– ParamusParamus, New JerseyParamus is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 26,342. A suburb of New York City, Paramus is located between 15–20 miles northwest of Midtown Manhattan and approximately west of Upper Manhattan.Paramus is one of... - Dover Business CollegeDover Business CollegeDover Business College is a vocational school and technical college with campuses in Dover and Clifton, New Jersey.Previously, the Clifton campus was located in Paramus on Route 4.-External links:* - official site - Clifton campus - Dover campus...
– ParamusParamus, New JerseyParamus is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 26,342. A suburb of New York City, Paramus is located between 15–20 miles northwest of Midtown Manhattan and approximately west of Upper Manhattan.Paramus is one of... - Fairleigh Dickinson UniversityFairleigh Dickinson UniversityFairleigh Dickinson University is a private university founded as a junior college in 1942. It now has several campuses located in New Jersey, Canada, and the United Kingdom.-Description:...
– TeaneckTeaneck, New JerseyTeaneck is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, and a suburb in the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 39,776, making it the second-most populous among the 70 municipalities in Bergen County....
and HackensackHackensack, New JerseyHackensack is a city in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States and the county seat of Bergen County. Although informally called Hackensack, it was officially named New Barbadoes Township until 1921. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 43,010.... - Felician CollegeFelician CollegeFelician College is a private Roman Catholic college with two campuses, located in Lodi and Rutherford, New Jersey.It was founded as the Immaculate Conception Normal School by the Felician Sisters in 1923, and became Immaculate Conception Junior College in 1942. With the authorization of its first...
– LodiLodi, New JerseyLodi is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 24,136. The borough of Lodi is governed under the 1923 Municipal Manager Law.Lodi owes its name to the Italian city of Lodi...
and RutherfordRutherford, New JerseyRutherford is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 18,061. It is an inner-ring suburb of New York City, located west of Midtown Manhattan.... - Saint Peter's College – Englewood CliffsEnglewood Cliffs, New JerseyEnglewood Cliffs is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 5,281. The borough houses the world headquarters of CNBC and the American headquarters of Unilever, and is home to both Ferrari and Maserati North America.Englewood Cliffs...
- Ramapo CollegeRamapo CollegeRamapo College of New Jersey is a public liberal arts and professional studies institution of the New Jersey system of higher education.- Location :...
– MahwahMahwah, New JerseyMahwah is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 25,890. The name Mahwah is derived from the Lenni Lenape word "mawewi" which means "Meeting Place" or "Place Where Paths Meet".The area that is now Mahwah was...
Bergen has some 45 public high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
s, see this list. It also has at least 23 private
Private school
Private schools, also known as independent schools or nonstate schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students' tuition, rather than relying on mandatory...
high schools, see this list.
Bergen County Academies
Bergen County Academies
The Bergen County Academies is a magnet public high school located in Hackensack that serves the high school population of Bergen County, New Jersey. The school was conceived by the late Dr. John Grieco. The current principal is Russell Davis; Raymond Bath is the vice principal; Dr...
, the county's public magnet
Magnet school
In education in the United States, magnet schools are public schools with specialized courses or curricula. "Magnet" refers to how the schools draw students from across the normal boundaries defined by authorities as school zones that feed into certain schools.There are magnet schools at the...
high school in Hackensack, is recognized by U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report is an American news magazine published from Washington, D.C. Along with Time and Newsweek it was for many years a leading news weekly, focusing more than its counterparts on political, economic, health and education stories...
as one of the best high schools in the United States. According to 2011 Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
statistics, Bergen County Academies students registered an average SAT
SAT
The SAT Reasoning Test is a standardized test for college admissions in the United States. The SAT is owned, published, and developed by the College Board, a nonprofit organization in the United States. It was formerly developed, published, and scored by the Educational Testing Service which still...
score of 2100, the second highest of any U.S. high school; overall, Newsweek ranked BCA 23rd nationally and second in New Jersey. Bloomberg Businessweek cites Bergen County Academies as New Jersey's best high school.
Municipalities
Boroughitis
Boroughitis was a political phenomenon that spread throughout the U.S. state of New Jersey in the late 19th century, which led groups of residents to unite to form boroughs from within and among the many townships that were the prevalent form of local government at the time. This phenomenon was...
phenomenon, triggered by a number of loopholes in state laws that allowed boroughs to levy lower taxes and send more members to the county's board of freeholders. There was a 10-year period in which many of Bergen County's townships disappeared into the patchwork of boroughs that exist today, before the state laws governing municipal incorporation were changed.
|
Montvale, New Jersey Montvale is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 7,844.Montvale was incorporated as a borough on August 31, 1894, from portions of Orvil Township and Washington Township, at the height of the "Boroughitis" craze then... (Borough) Moonachie, New Jersey Moonachie is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, in the Hackensack River watershed. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 2,708.... (Borough) New Milford, New Jersey New Milford is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 16,341.New Milford was incorporated as a borough on March 11, 1922, from what remained of Palisades Township, based on the results of a referendum held on April 18,... (Borough) North Arlington, New Jersey North Arlington is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 15,392... (Borough) Northvale, New Jersey Northvale is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 4,640.Northvale was formed on March 15, 1916, from the remaining portions of Harrington Township, based on the results of a referendum held on April 4, 1916. With the... (Borough) Norwood, New Jersey As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 5,711 people. The population density was 2,083.3 people per square mile. The racial makeup of the borough was 69.3% Caucasian, 27.2% Asian, 1.4% African American, 0.0% Native American, 1.0% from other races, and 1.2% from two or more races. Hispanics... (Borough) Oakland, New Jersey Oakland is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 12,754.Oakland was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 8, 1902, from portions of Franklin Township.-History:The Van Allen House... (Borough) Old Tappan, New Jersey As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 5,750 people. The population density was 1,725.7 people per square mile. The racial makeup of the borough was 74.8% Caucasian, 22.2% Asian, 0.7% African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.6% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Hispanics... (Borough) Oradell, New Jersey Oradell is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. At the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 7,978. The borough's territory includes a dam on the Hackensack River that forms the Oradell Reservoir... (Borough) Palisades Park, New Jersey Palisades Park is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 19,622.... (Borough) Paramus, New Jersey Paramus is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 26,342. A suburb of New York City, Paramus is located between 15–20 miles northwest of Midtown Manhattan and approximately west of Upper Manhattan.Paramus is one of... (Borough) Park Ridge, New Jersey Park Ridge is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. Park Ridge had a population of 8,645 as of the 2010 United States Census.... (Borough) Ramsey, New Jersey Ramsey is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. It is a suburb of New York City, located northwest of Midtown Manhattan. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 14,473.... (Borough) Ridgefield, New Jersey There were 4,020 households out of which 32.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.7% were married couples living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.2% were non-families. 23.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.8% had someone... (Borough) Ridgefield Park, New Jersey Ridgefield Park is a village in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. The population was 12,729 at the 2010 United States Census. Of 566 municipalities statewide, Ridgefield Park is only one of three with a village type of government in New Jersey, along with Loch Arbour and Ridgewood.The... (Village) Ridgewood, New Jersey Ridgewood is a village in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the village population was 24,958. Ridgewood is an affluent suburban bedroom community of New York City, located approximately northwest of Midtown Manhattan.The Village of Ridgewood was... (Village) River Edge, New Jersey River Edge is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 11,340.The community was incorporated as the borough of Riverside by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on June 30, 1894, from portions of Midland Township, at the... (Borough) River Vale, New Jersey River Vale is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 9,659. The community was ranked #29 on the 100 Best Places to Live 2007 survey published by CNN/Money magazine.... (Township) Rochelle Park, New Jersey Rochelle Park is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 5,530.... (Township) Rockleigh, New Jersey Rockleigh is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the borough population was 531.Rockleigh was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 13, 1923 from portions of Northvale.New Jersey Monthly magazine ranked... (Borough) Rutherford, New Jersey Rutherford is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 18,061. It is an inner-ring suburb of New York City, located west of Midtown Manhattan.... (Borough) Saddle Brook, New Jersey Saddle Brook is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 13,659.... (Township) Saddle River, New Jersey Saddle River is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 3,152. Saddle River has the second-highest per-capita income in the state... (Borough) South Hackensack, New Jersey South Hackensack Township is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 2,378.... (Township) Teaneck, New Jersey Teaneck is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, and a suburb in the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 39,776, making it the second-most populous among the 70 municipalities in Bergen County.... (Township) Tenafly, New Jersey Tenafly is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 14,488. Tenafly is an affluent suburb of New York City.... (Borough) Teterboro, New Jersey Teterboro is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 67, making it the fourth smallest municipality, by population, in New Jersey.... (Borough) Upper Saddle River, New Jersey Upper Saddle River is an affluent borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 8,208. It is not to be confused with the neighboring borough of Saddle River.-History:... (Borough) Waldwick, New Jersey Waldwick is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 9,625.-Geography:Waldwick is located at .... (Borough) Wallington, New Jersey Wallington is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 11,335.Wallington was created as a borough on January 2, 1895 , at the height of the "Boroughitis" fever then sweeping through Bergen County... (Borough) Westwood, New Jersey Westwood is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 10,908.... (Borough) Wood-Ridge, New Jersey Wood-Ridge is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 7,626.Wood-Ridge was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on December 6, 1894, from portions of Bergen Township, based on the results of... (Borough) Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey Woodcliff Lake is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the borough population was 5,730.Woodcliff Lake is also the name of the reservoir that lies primarily within the borough, with a small part of it located in neighboring Hillsdale.The borough is an... (Borough) Wyckoff, New Jersey Wyckoff is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 16,696. As of the 2000 Census, Wyckoff ranked 54th in 100 highest-income places in the United States... (Township) |
Historical municipalities
Over the history of the county, there have been various municipality secessions, annexations, and renamings. The following is a partial list of former municipalities, ordered by year of incorporation.
|
Eastwood, New Jersey Eastwood was a Borough that existed for a brief period of time in Bergen County, New Jersey at the height of the "Boroughitis" fever that engendered the creation of 26 new municipalities in the county during 1894... , 1894 |
Educational and cultural
- New Jersey Naval MuseumNew Jersey Naval MuseumThe New Jersey Naval Museum , located along the Hackensack River in Hackensack, New Jersey, is dedicated to New Jersey's Navy heritage and naval history in general. The prominent element in the collection is the USS Ling , a long Balao-class submarine of World War II...
, Hackensack — There the USS Ling is moored in the Hackensack RiverHackensack RiverThe Hackensack River is a river, approximately 45 miles long, in the U.S. states of New York and New Jersey, emptying into Newark Bay, a back chamber of New York Harbor. The watershed of the river includes part of the suburban area outside New York City just west of the lower Hudson River,...
and is available for tours as a museum shipMuseum shipA museum ship, or sometimes memorial ship, is a ship that has been preserved and converted into a museum open to the public, for educational or memorial purposes...
. - Aviation Hall of Fame and Museum of New JerseyAviation Hall of Fame and Museum of New JerseyThe Aviation Hall Of Fame & Museum of New Jersey was founded in 1972 and preserves New Jersey's aviation and space heritage. The museum displays historic aircraft, space equipment, artifacts, photographs, art and a model collection, many of which were donations from private sources. It is the first...
, Teterboro AirportTeterboro AirportTeterboro Airport is a general aviation relief airport located in the Boroughs of Teterboro, Moonachie, and Hasbrouck Heights in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. It is owned and operated by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey... - Bergen Museum of Art & ScienceBergen Museum of Art & ScienceThe Bergen Museum of Art & Science is located in downtown Hackensack, New Jersey. The museum relocated from the Bergen Mall in 2010 is currently undergoing re-organization and renovation of its new space.-See also:*Anderson Outkitchen*New Bridge Landing...
, Hackensack - Meadowlands Environment CenterMeadowlands Environment CenterThe Meadowlands Environment Center is an educational facility in the New Jersey Meadowlands in Lyndhurst, New Jersey. It is currently operated by Ramapo College of New Jersey, under the auspices of the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission .The center is at the Richard W...
, Lyndhurst - Tenafly Nature CenterTenafly Nature CenterThe Tenafly Nature Center is a non-profit member-supported nature preserve. Its mission is to protect almost of woodland, all of its inhabitants and teach the next generations to do the same. It is located at 313 Hudson Avenue, Tenafly, New Jersey, in Bergen County. It sits on top of the...
, Tenafly - The Puffin Foundation, Teaneck
- The Maywood Station MuseumMaywood Station MuseumThe Maywood Station Museum is located in the 1872-built New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway station in Maywood, New Jersey, United States. The station underwent an extensive restoration by the volunteer, 5013 non-profit beginning in July 2002 and officially opened as a museum in September 2004...
, Maywood
Commercial and entertainment
- MetLife Stadium, which replaced Giants StadiumGiants StadiumGiants Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA, in the Meadowlands Sports Complex. Maximum seating capacity was 80,242. The building itself was 230.5 m long, 180.5 m wide and 44 m high from service level to the top of the seating bowl and 54 m high to...
, in East Rutherford, is the home of the New York GiantsNew York GiantsThe New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
and the New York JetsNew York JetsThe New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the National Football LeagueNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. At a construction cost of approximately $1.6 billion, it is the most expensive sports stadium ever built. - American Dream Meadowlands, under construction in East Rutherford, will be one of the largest and most expensive retail and entertainment complexes ever built.
- Izod Center, East Rutherford (formerly known as the Continental Airlines Arena and the Brendan Byrne Arena)
- Meadowlands RacetrackMeadowlands RacetrackThe Meadowlands Racetrack is a horse racing track at the MetLife Sports Complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey, United States.The track hosts both thoroughbred racing and harness racing...
, East Rutherford - Westfield Garden State PlazaWestfield Garden State PlazaWestfield Garden State Plaza is an upscale shopping mall in Paramus, Bergen County, New Jersey, United States, owned and managed by the Westfield Group and located at the intersection of Route 4 and Route 17 near the Garden State Parkway...
, Paramus, is one of the largest and highest revenue producing shopping mallShopping mallA shopping mall, shopping centre, shopping arcade, shopping precinct or simply mall is one or more buildings forming a complex of shops representing merchandisers, with interconnecting walkways enabling visitors to easily walk from unit to unit, along with a parking area — a modern, indoor version...
s in the United States. - The Shops at Riverside, shopping mall, Hackensack (formerly known as Riverside Square Mall)
- Paramus ParkParamus ParkParamus Park is a shopping center located on From Road in Paramus, New Jersey, United States, sandwiched between Route 17 and the Garden State Parkway, a little more than two miles north of Route 4. The mall is owned by General Growth Properties and offers a Gross leasable area of...
, shopping mall, Paramus - The Outlets at Bergen Town Center, shopping mall, Paramus (formerly known as Bergen Mall)
- Fashion Center, shopping mall, Paramus
- H MartH MartH Mart is an American supermarket chain operated by the Hanahreum Group, headquartered in Lyndhurst, New Jersey. The chain, with locations throughout the United States, specializes in providing Asian foods. The chain operates Super H Mart stores...
, Korean shopping plaza and supermarket, Ridgefield - Mitsuwa MarketplaceMitsuwa Marketplaceis a Japanese supermarket chain in America, with locations in California, New Jersey, and Illinois.-California:Mitsuwa has six stores in three metropolitan areas in California:San Francisco Bay Area*San Jose – 675 Saratoga Ave, San Jose, CA 95129...
, Japanese shopping plaza and supermarket, Edgewater - Bergen County is also home to numerous corporate offices and headquartersHeadquartersHeadquarters denotes the location where most, if not all, of the important functions of an organization are coordinated. In the United States, the corporate headquarters represents the entity at the center or the top of a corporation taking full responsibility managing all business activities...
.
State parks
- Ramapo Mountain State ForestRamapo Mountain State ForestRamapo Mountain State Forest is a 4,200 acre state forest in Bergen and Passaic Counties in New Jersey. The park is operated and maintained by the New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry....
, Mahwah - Palisades Interstate Park, Fort Lee, Englewood Cliffs, Tenafly, Alpine
State-owned historical sites
- New Bridge LandingNew Bridge LandingNew Bridge was a prosperous mill hamlet, centered upon a bridge strategically placed at the narrows of the Hackensack River. In the American Revolution New Bridge Landing was the site of a pivotal bridge crossing the Hackensack River, where General George Washington led his troops in retreat from...
, New Milford, River Edge and Teaneck - The HermitageThe Hermitage (New Jersey)The Hermitage, located in Ho-Ho-Kus, New Jersey, is a fourteen-room Gothic Revival home built in 1847-48 from designs by William H. Ranlett for Elijah Rosencrantz, Jr. Members of the Rosencrantz family owned The Hermitage estate from 1807 to 1970...
, Ho-Ho-Kus - Steuben HouseSteuben HouseThe Steuben House is a noted example of Bergen Dutch sandstone architecture, located at New Bridge Landing on the Hackensack River in River Edge, in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States.-History:...
, River Edge (at New Bridge Landing)
County parks
- Belmont Hill County Park, Garfield
- Campgaw Mountain ReservationCampgaw Mountain ReservationCampgaw Mountain Reservation is a 1351 acre county park of Bergen County, New Jersey. It is located mostly within Mahwah, but includes some areas of Oakland and Franklin Lakes. The park includes a ski area and the peak of Campgaw Mountain at a elevation.The ski area has two 2-person chairlifts...
, Mahwah - Dahnert's Lake County Park, Garfield
- Darlington County Park, Mahwah
- McFaul Environmental Center, Wyckoff
- Ramapo Mountain ReservationRamapo Mountain ReservationThe Ramapo Valley Reservation is a 3000+acre county park located in Mahwah, New Jersey in Bergen County, bordering Ringwood State Park to the north and the Ramapo Mountain State Forest to the south. It is also known as the Ramapo Reservation and the Ramapo Valley County Reservation...
, Mahwah - Overpeck County ParkOverpeck County ParkOverpeck County Park is an county park in Bergen County, New Jersey, with major sections in Leonia, Palisades Park, Ridgefield Park, and Teaneck, surrounding Overpeck Creek, a tributary of the Hackensack River....
, Leonia, Palisades Park, Ridgefield Park - Riverside County Park, Lyndhurst, North Arlington
- Pascack Brook County ParkPascack Brook County ParkPascack Brook County Park, 137 acre county park, is located on Emerson Road in Westwood, New Jersey, about a mile east of Westwood and half a mile upstream from the mouth of Pascack Brook...
, Westwood - Saddle Ridge Riding Area, Franklin Lakes
- Saddle River County ParkSaddle River County ParkSaddle River County Park is a county park in Bergen County, New Jersey, stretching from Ridgewood to Rochelle Park. The park is located along the Saddle River and consists of five sections, all of which are connected by a paved path that is open to both pedestrians and bicyclists.- Sections...
, Paramus, Glen Rock, Rochelle Park, Saddle Brook, Ridgewood - Samuel Nelkin County Park, Wallington
- Van Saun County ParkVan Saun County ParkVan Saun County Park is located in Paramus, New Jersey. The Park is home to the Bergen County Zoological Park. In addition, the park features picnic areas, a baseball field, a softball field, basketball and tennis courts, a soccerfield, a playground, a carousel , and pony rides. The zoo also...
, Paramus - Wood Dale County Park, Woodcliff Lake
- Bergen County Zoological Park, Paramus
County-owned historical sites
- Baylor MassacreBaylor MassacreA raid, widely known as the "Baylor Massacre" or the "Tappan Massacre", was a surprise attack on September 27, 1778, against the 3rd Regiment of Continental Light Dragoons under the command of Colonel George Baylor during the American Revolutionary War. It occurred in the present-day town of River...
site, River Vale - Camp Merritt, Cresskill
- Campbell-Christie HouseCampbell-Christie HouseThe Campbell-Christie House is a historic home that has been relocated to New Bridge Landing in River Edge, New Jersey.-History:Jacob Campbell, a stonemason, constructed a store southeast of the intersection of River Road and the highway leading from Old Bridge to South Church, now Henley Avenue,...
, River Edge - Easton Tower, Paramus
- Garretson Farm, Fair Lawn
- Gethsemane CemeteryGethsemane CemeteryThe Gethsemane Cemetery, is located in Little Ferry, New Jersey on an acre on a sandy hill just off U.S. Route 46 and Liberty Street. The cemetery was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 20, 1994.-Name:...
, Little Ferry - Washington Spring Garden, Paramus
- Wortendyke BarnWortendyke BarnWortendyke Barn, at 13 Pascack Road in Park Ridge, New Jersey, was built in 1770 and added to the National Register of Historic Places on August 2, 1972. The historic Dutch barn...
, Park Ridge
See also
- List of Registered Historic Places in Bergen County, New Jersey
- Koreatown, Palisades ParkKoreatown, Palisades ParkKoreatown, Palisades Park, or Palisades Park Koreatown, in the borough of Palisades Park, Bergen County, New Jersey, USA, in the New York City Metropolitan Area, is one of the largest and fastest growing ethnic Korean enclaves outside of Korea....
Further reading
- Frederick W. Bogert, "Bergen County, New Jersey, History and Heritage," Volume II, The Colonial Days, 1630–1775, Bergen County, N.J., The Bergen County Board of Chosen Freeholders, 1983