Fairfield, New Jersey
Encyclopedia
Fairfield is a township
in far northwestern Essex County
, New Jersey
, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the township population was 7,466. Fairfield is the least densely populated town in Essex County.
The first Europeans to settle in the area were Dutch and the place was called Gansegat. Later it was part of Horse Neck and officially part of Newark Township. What is now Fairfield was formed on February 16, 1798, as Caldwell Township from portions of Acquackanonk Township and Newark Township
. The area was named for Rev. James Caldwell. It was incorporated as one of New Jersey's initial 104 townships by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature
on February 21, 1798. Portions of the township were taken to create Livingston
(February 8, 1813), Fairmount Township (March 11, 1862, now part of West Orange
), Caldwell borough
(February 10, 1892), Verona Township (February 17, 1892, now known and including what is now Cedar Grove
), North Caldwell
(March 31, 1898), Essex Fells
(March 31, 1902) and West Caldwell
(February 24, 1904). On November 6, 1963, Caldwell Township was renamed as Fairfield Township, based on the results of a referendum passed the previous day. Fairfield was reincorporated as borough
on June 8, 1964. In 1979, Fairfield again became a township to take advantage of federal revenue sharing policies.
Essex County Airport
is located in Fairfield.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the township has a total area of 10.4 square miles (26.9 km²), all of it land. Fairfield is the least dense municipality in Essex County.
of 2000, there were 7,063 people, 2,296 households, and 1,981 families residing in the township. The population density
was 675.8 people per square mile (261.0/km2). There were 2,326 housing units at an average density of 222.5 per square mile (85.9/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 95.63% White, 0.52% African American, 0.10% Native American, 2.82% Asian, 0.40% from other races
, and 0.54% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.45% of the population.
There were 2,296 households out of which 33.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 74.7% were married couples
living together, 8.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 13.7% were non-families. 10.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.04 and the average family size was 3.29.
In the township the population was spread out with 22.0% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 28.1% from 45 to 64, and 15.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 95.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.3 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $83,120, and the median income for a family was $90,998. Males had a median income of $56,106 versus $39,032 for females. The per capita income
for the township was $32,099. About 2.3% of families and 2.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.2% of those under age 18 and 2.2% of those age 65 or over.
form of New Jersey government under the Faulkner Act
. The Mayor exercises executive power of the municipality, appoints department heads with Council approval, prepares the annual budget and has veto over ordinances subject to override by 2/3 of all members of Council. The Council exercises legislative power of municipality and approves appointment of department heads.
Members of the Fairfield Township Council are Mayor
James Gasparini, Council President Thomas Morgan, Joseph Cifelli, John LaForgia and Michael McGlynn.
received 2797 votes here (about 70%), while Democrat Barack Obama
received 1137 (about 28%).
serves public school students in Pre-K through sixth grade. Schools in the district (with 2008–09 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics
) are Adlai E. Stevenson Elementary School for pre-kindergarten through third grade (427 students) and
Winston Churchill School for students in fourth through sixth grade (316).
Students in public school for grades 7–12 attend the West Essex Regional School District
, a regional school district serving students from four municipalities in western Essex County
, New Jersey
. Communities served by the district's schools are Essex Fells, Fairfield, North Caldwell
and Roseland
. Schools in the district (with 2008-09 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics
) are
West Essex Junior High School (grades 7–8; 569 students) and
West Essex High School
(grades 9–12; 1,014 students).
StenoTech Career Institute is a technical school in Fairfield that offers court reporting and medical transcription
training.
, which was an area that consisted of what are now the municipalities of Caldwell
, West Caldwell
, North Caldwell
, Fairfield, Verona
, Cedar Grove
, Essex Fells
, Roseland
, and portions of Livingston
and West Orange
.
In 1702, settlers purchased the 14000 acres (56.7 km²) Horseneck Tract — the reason for this name has never been determined, but historians agree that it is not because of its shape — from the Lenape
Native Americans for goods equal to $325. This purchase encompassed much of western Essex County, from the First Mountain
to the Passaic River
.
, Route 159, Interstate 80
all pass through the Township.
Township (New Jersey)
A township, in the context of New Jersey local government, refers to one of five types and one of eleven forms of municipal government. As a political entity, a township is a full-fledged municipality, on par with any town, city, borough, or village, collecting property taxes and providing...
in far northwestern 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...
, 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...
, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the township population was 7,466. Fairfield is the least densely populated town in Essex County.
The first Europeans to settle in the area were Dutch and the place was called Gansegat. Later it was part of Horse Neck and officially part of Newark Township. What is now Fairfield was formed on February 16, 1798, as Caldwell Township from portions of Acquackanonk Township and Newark Township
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
. The area was named for Rev. James Caldwell. It was incorporated as one of New Jersey's initial 104 townships by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature
New 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...
on February 21, 1798. Portions of the township were taken to create Livingston
Livingston, New Jersey
Livingston is a township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 29,366.Livingston was incorporated as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 5, 1813, from portions of Caldwell Township and Springfield...
(February 8, 1813), Fairmount Township (March 11, 1862, now part of West Orange
West Orange, New Jersey
West Orange is a township in central Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 46,207...
), Caldwell borough
Caldwell, New Jersey
Caldwell is a borough located in northwestern Essex County, New Jersey, about outside of New York. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 7,822....
(February 10, 1892), Verona Township (February 17, 1892, now known and including what is now 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....
), North Caldwell
North Caldwell, New Jersey
-Local government:North Caldwell is governed under the Borough form of New Jersey municipal government. The government consists of a Mayor and a Borough Council comprising six council members, with all positions elected at large. A Mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office...
(March 31, 1898), Essex Fells
Essex Fells, New Jersey
As of 2010 Essex Fells had a population of 2,113. The racial and ethnic composition of the population was 93.5% non-Hispanic white, 1.1% black or African-American, 1.0% Chinese, 1.2% other Asian, 1.9% reporting two or more races and 2.0% Hispanic or Latino....
(March 31, 1902) and West Caldwell
West Caldwell, New Jersey
West Caldwell is an township located in the West Essex area in northwestern Essex County, New Jersey. It is located approximately west of Manhattan and six miles northwest of Newark...
(February 24, 1904). On November 6, 1963, Caldwell Township was renamed as Fairfield Township, based on the results of a referendum passed the previous day. Fairfield was reincorporated as borough
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....
on June 8, 1964. In 1979, Fairfield again became a township to take advantage of federal revenue sharing policies.
Essex County Airport
Essex County Airport
Essex County Airport is a public airport located two miles north of the central business district of Caldwell, a borough of northwestern Essex County in the U.S. state of New Jersey...
is located in Fairfield.
Geography
Fairfield is located at 40.879049°N 74.293781°W (40.879049, -74.293781).According to the United States 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 township has a total area of 10.4 square miles (26.9 km²), all of it land. Fairfield is the least dense municipality in Essex County.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 7,063 people, 2,296 households, and 1,981 families residing in the township. 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 675.8 people per square mile (261.0/km2). There were 2,326 housing units at an average density of 222.5 per square mile (85.9/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 95.63% White, 0.52% African American, 0.10% Native American, 2.82% Asian, 0.40% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.54% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.45% of the population.
There were 2,296 households out of which 33.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 74.7% were married couples
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, 8.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 13.7% were non-families. 10.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.04 and the average family size was 3.29.
In the township the population was spread out with 22.0% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 28.1% from 45 to 64, and 15.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 95.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.3 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $83,120, and the median income for a family was $90,998. Males had a median income of $56,106 versus $39,032 for females. The per capita income
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 township was $32,099. About 2.3% of families and 2.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.2% of those under age 18 and 2.2% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Fairfield Township operates under a Mayor-CouncilFaulkner Act (Mayor-Council)
The Faulkner Act, or Optional Municipal Charter Law, provides for New Jersey municipalities to adopt a Mayor-Council government.This form of government provides for election of a mayor and five, seven, or nine council members...
form of New Jersey government under the Faulkner Act
Faulkner Act (New Jersey)
The Optional Municipal Charter Law or Faulkner Act provides New Jersey municipalities with a variety of models of local government. This legislation is called the Faulkner Act in honor of the late Bayard H...
. The Mayor exercises executive power of the municipality, appoints department heads with Council approval, prepares the annual budget and has veto over ordinances subject to override by 2/3 of all members of Council. The Council exercises legislative power of municipality and approves appointment of department heads.
Members of the Fairfield Township Council are Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
James Gasparini, Council President Thomas Morgan, Joseph Cifelli, John LaForgia and Michael McGlynn.
Federal, state and county representation
Fairfield is in the 11th Congressional district and is part of New Jersey's 27th state legislative district.Politics
On the national level, Fairfield leans toward the Republican Party. In 2008, Republican John McCainJohn 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....
received 2797 votes here (about 70%), while Democrat Barack Obama
Barack 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...
received 1137 (about 28%).
Education
The Fairfield School DistrictFairfield School District
The Fairfield School District is a community public school district that serves students in prekindergarten through sixth grade from Fairfield Township, in Essex County, New Jersey, United States....
serves public school students in Pre-K through sixth grade. Schools in the district (with 2008–09 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics
National Center for Education Statistics
The National Center for Education Statistics is the part of the United States Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on education and public school district finance information in the United States...
) are Adlai E. Stevenson Elementary School for pre-kindergarten through third grade (427 students) and
Winston Churchill School for students in fourth through sixth grade (316).
Students in public school for grades 7–12 attend the West Essex Regional School District
West Essex Regional School District
The West Essex Regional School District is a regional public school district serving students in seventh through twelfth grade from four municipalities in western Essex County, New Jersey. Communities served by the district's schools are Essex Fells, Fairfield, North Caldwell and Roseland...
, a regional school district serving students from four municipalities in western 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...
, 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...
. Communities served by the district's schools are Essex Fells, Fairfield, North Caldwell
North Caldwell, New Jersey
-Local government:North Caldwell is governed under the Borough form of New Jersey municipal government. The government consists of a Mayor and a Borough Council comprising six council members, with all positions elected at large. A Mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office...
and Roseland
Roseland, New Jersey
Roseland is a borough in western Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 5,819...
. Schools in the district (with 2008-09 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics
National Center for Education Statistics
The National Center for Education Statistics is the part of the United States Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on education and public school district finance information in the United States...
) are
West Essex Junior High School (grades 7–8; 569 students) and
West Essex High School
West Essex High School
West Essex High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school in North Caldwell, New Jersey in the United States. The high school is part of the West Essex Regional School District, which serves students from four municipalities in western Essex County. Communities served by the district's...
(grades 9–12; 1,014 students).
StenoTech Career Institute is a technical school in Fairfield that offers court reporting and medical transcription
Medical transcription
Medical transcription, also known as MT, is an allied health profession, which deals in the process of transcription, or converting voice-recorded reports as dictated by physicians and/or other healthcare professionals, into text format.-History:...
training.
History
Fairfield was part of the Horseneck TractHorseneck Tract
The Horseneck Tract was an area in present-day Essex County, New Jersey, United States, that consisted of what are now the municipalities of Caldwell, West Caldwell, North Caldwell, Fairfield, Verona, Cedar Grove, Essex Fells, Roseland, and portions of Livingston and West Orange.On May 1, 1701...
, which was an area that consisted of what are now the municipalities of Caldwell
Caldwell, New Jersey
Caldwell is a borough located in northwestern Essex County, New Jersey, about outside of New York. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 7,822....
, West Caldwell
West Caldwell, New Jersey
West Caldwell is an township located in the West Essex area in northwestern Essex County, New Jersey. It is located approximately west of Manhattan and six miles northwest of Newark...
, North Caldwell
North Caldwell, New Jersey
-Local government:North Caldwell is governed under the Borough form of New Jersey municipal government. The government consists of a Mayor and a Borough Council comprising six council members, with all positions elected at large. A Mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office...
, Fairfield, Verona
Verona, New Jersey
Verona is a township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 13,332.In 2008, New Jersey Monthly magazine ranked Verona #1 in Essex County and #3 in New Jersey as "Top Places to Live in New Jersey".-History:Verona and several...
, 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....
, Essex Fells
Essex Fells, New Jersey
As of 2010 Essex Fells had a population of 2,113. The racial and ethnic composition of the population was 93.5% non-Hispanic white, 1.1% black or African-American, 1.0% Chinese, 1.2% other Asian, 1.9% reporting two or more races and 2.0% Hispanic or Latino....
, Roseland
Roseland, New Jersey
Roseland is a borough in western Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 5,819...
, and portions of Livingston
Livingston, New Jersey
Livingston is a township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 29,366.Livingston was incorporated as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 5, 1813, from portions of Caldwell Township and Springfield...
and West Orange
West Orange, New Jersey
West Orange is a township in central Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 46,207...
.
In 1702, settlers purchased the 14000 acres (56.7 km²) Horseneck Tract — the reason for this name has never been determined, but historians agree that it is not because of its shape — from 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...
Native Americans for goods equal to $325. This purchase encompassed much of western Essex County, from the First Mountain
Watchung Mountains
The Watchung Mountains are a group of three long low ridges of volcanic origin, between 400 ft. and 500 ft. high, lying parallel to each other in northern New Jersey in the United States...
to 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,...
.
Transportation
U.S. Route 46U.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...
, Route 159, Interstate 80
Interstate 80 in New Jersey
Interstate 80 is a major Interstate Highway in the United States, running from the New York City Metropolitan Area westward to San Francisco, California...
all pass through the Township.
External links
- Fairfield Township website
- Fairfield School District
- Data for the Fairfield School District, National Center for Education StatisticsNational Center for Education StatisticsThe National Center for Education Statistics is the part of the United States Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on education and public school district finance information in the United States...
- West Essex Regional School District
- Data for the West Essex Regional School District, National Center for Education StatisticsNational Center for Education StatisticsThe National Center for Education Statistics is the part of the United States Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on education and public school district finance information in the United States...