Raritan, New Jersey
Encyclopedia
Raritan is a Borough
in Somerset County
, New Jersey
, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the borough population was 6,881.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the borough has a total area of 2 square miles (5.2 km²), all of it land. Raritan is in Raritan Valley (a line of cities in central NJ). Raritan is in the western division of Raritan Valley along with Branchburg and Bridgewater.
by act of the New Jersey Legislature
on April 3, 1868. After a series of bitter lawsuits between Raritan and Bridgewater in the 1930s and 1940s, the Legislature allowed Raritan to become an independent Borough by an Act on May 12, 1948, based on the results of a referendum passed on June 12, 1948. The new borough incorporated the old town and an additional portion of Bridgewater Township.
of 2000, there were 6,338 people, 2,556 households, and 1,671 families residing in the borough. The population density
was 3,113.8 people per square mile (1,199.6/km2). There were 2,644 housing units at an average density of 1,299.0 per square mile (500.4/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 87.74% White, 0.93% African American, 0.08% Native American, 8.17% Asian, 0.16% Pacific Islander, 1.64% from other races
, and 1.28% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.41% of the population.
There were 2,556 households out of which 30.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.0% were married couples
living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.6% were non-families. 29.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.08.
In the borough the population was spread out with 22.3% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 35.0% from 25 to 44, 20.0% from 45 to 64, and 16.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 92.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.1 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $51,122, and the median income for a family was $59,962. Males had a median income of $46,071 versus $35,704 for females. The per capita income
for the borough was $26,420. About 5.5% of families and 6.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.0% of those under age 18 and 12.8% of those age 65 or over.
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. The Borough Council consists of six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year.
, the Mayor
of the Borough of Raritan is Jo-Ann Liptak (term expires December 31, 2011). Members of the Raritan Borough Council are Anthony Soriano, Jr. (2013), Victor J. Laggini, Jr. (2011), Denise Carra (2011), Gregory Lobell (2012), Stefanie Gara (2012) and Paul Giraldi (2013).
Rocco Miele was Raritan's first mayor, serving from its founding in 1948 to 1953.
Raritan is in the
, together with students from Bridgewater Township
. Approximately 1,000 students of the 8,800 students in the district are from Raritan. All of the school facilities are in Bridgewater, except for John F. Kennedy School, which is in Raritan. Schools in the district (with 2008-09 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics
) are six K-4 elementary schools —
Adamsville School (540 students),
Bradley Gardens School (353),
Crim School (466),
Hamilton School (462),
John F. Kennedy School (494),
Milltown School (549) and
Van Holten School (475) — both
Eisenhower Intermediate School (859) and
Hillside Intermediate School (604) for grades 5&6,
Bridgewater-Raritan Middle School (1,480) for grades 7&8 and
Bridgewater-Raritan High School
(2,845) for grades 9-12.
During the 1999-2000 school year, Bridgewater-Raritan High School was recognized with the Blue Ribbon School
Award of Excellence by the United States Department of Education
, the highest award an American school can receive from the federal government.
train station offers New Jersey Transit
service on the Raritan Valley Line
. The station is north of the town center on Thompson Street. The station building is south of the tracks in the main parking lot and was built in the early 1890s. There are also three other small lots for this station. Raritan is the last station to the west that is serviced by all Raritan Valley Line trains.
Notable births in Raritan:
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....
in 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....
, 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 United States 2010 Census, the borough population was 6,881.
Geography
Raritan is located at 40.571302°N 74.637405°W (40.571302, -74.637405).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 borough has a total area of 2 square miles (5.2 km²), all of it land. Raritan is in Raritan Valley (a line of cities in central NJ). Raritan is in the western division of Raritan Valley along with Branchburg and Bridgewater.
History
Raritan Town was originally established as a subdivision within Bridgewater TownshipBridgewater Township, New Jersey
Bridgewater Township is a township in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. , the township population was 44,464.Bridgewater Township was originally created by Royal Charter on April 4, 1749, from portions of the Northern precinct, and was incorporated as one of New Jersey's initial group of...
by 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 April 3, 1868. After a series of bitter lawsuits between Raritan and Bridgewater in the 1930s and 1940s, the Legislature allowed Raritan to become an independent Borough by an Act on May 12, 1948, based on the results of a referendum passed on June 12, 1948. The new borough incorporated the old town and an additional portion of Bridgewater Township.
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 6,338 people, 2,556 households, and 1,671 families residing in the borough. 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 3,113.8 people per square mile (1,199.6/km2). There were 2,644 housing units at an average density of 1,299.0 per square mile (500.4/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 87.74% White, 0.93% African American, 0.08% Native American, 8.17% Asian, 0.16% Pacific Islander, 1.64% 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 1.28% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.41% of the population.
There were 2,556 households out of which 30.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.0% 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, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.6% were non-families. 29.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.08.
In the borough the population was spread out with 22.3% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 35.0% from 25 to 44, 20.0% from 45 to 64, and 16.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 92.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.1 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $51,122, and the median income for a family was $59,962. Males had a median income of $46,071 versus $35,704 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 borough was $26,420. About 5.5% of families and 6.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.0% of those under age 18 and 12.8% of those age 65 or over.
Local government
Raritan is governed under the BoroughBorough (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 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. The Borough Council consists of six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year.
, the Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of the Borough of Raritan is Jo-Ann Liptak (term expires December 31, 2011). Members of the Raritan Borough Council are Anthony Soriano, Jr. (2013), Victor J. Laggini, Jr. (2011), Denise Carra (2011), Gregory Lobell (2012), Stefanie Gara (2012) and Paul Giraldi (2013).
Rocco Miele was Raritan's first mayor, serving from its founding in 1948 to 1953.
Federal, state and county representation
Raritan is in the 11th Congressional district.Raritan is in the
Education
Students from Raritan attend the Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School DistrictBridgewater-Raritan Regional School District
The Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District is a regional public school district serving the municipalities of Bridgewater Township and Raritan Borough in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. All of the school facilities are in Bridgewater, except for John F...
, together with students from Bridgewater Township
Bridgewater Township, New Jersey
Bridgewater Township is a township in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. , the township population was 44,464.Bridgewater Township was originally created by Royal Charter on April 4, 1749, from portions of the Northern precinct, and was incorporated as one of New Jersey's initial group of...
. Approximately 1,000 students of the 8,800 students in the district are from Raritan. All of the school facilities are in Bridgewater, except for John F. Kennedy School, which is in Raritan. 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 six K-4 elementary schools —
Adamsville School (540 students),
Bradley Gardens School (353),
Crim School (466),
Hamilton School (462),
John F. Kennedy School (494),
Milltown School (549) and
Van Holten School (475) — both
Eisenhower Intermediate School (859) and
Hillside Intermediate School (604) for grades 5&6,
Bridgewater-Raritan Middle School (1,480) for grades 7&8 and
Bridgewater-Raritan High School
Bridgewater-Raritan High School
Bridgewater-Raritan Regional High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school. It is the single high school of the Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District serving students from Bridgewater Township and Raritan in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States...
(2,845) for grades 9-12.
During the 1999-2000 school year, Bridgewater-Raritan High School was recognized with the Blue Ribbon School
Blue Ribbon Schools Program
The Blue Ribbon Schools Program is a United States government program created in 1981 to honor schools which have achieved high levels of performance or significant improvements with emphasis on schools serving disadvantaged students. The program centers around a self-assessment conducted by the...
Award of Excellence by the United States Department of Education
United States Department of Education
The United States Department of Education, also referred to as ED or the ED for Education Department, is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government...
, the highest award an American school can receive from the federal government.
Transportation
The RaritanRaritan (NJT station)
Raritan is a New Jersey Transit railroad station on the Raritan Valley Line, in Raritan, New Jersey, north of the town center on Thompson Street. The station building is south of the tracks in the main parking lot and was built in the early 1890s...
train station offers 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...
service on the Raritan Valley Line
Raritan Valley Line
The Raritan Valley Line is a diesel-engine-powered commuter rail service operated by New Jersey Transit , originating out of Pennsylvania Station, located in Newark, New Jersey, with most trains terminating at the Raritan station, located in Raritan, New Jersey.Some weekday trains continue further...
. The station is north of the town center on Thompson Street. The station building is south of the tracks in the main parking lot and was built in the early 1890s. There are also three other small lots for this station. Raritan is the last station to the west that is serviced by all Raritan Valley Line trains.
Notable residents
Notable current and former residents of Raritan include:- John BasiloneJohn BasiloneJohn Basilone was a United States Marine Gunnery Sergeant who received the Medal of Honor for his actions at the Battle of Guadalcanal during World War II...
(1916–45), awarded the Medal of HonorMedal of HonorThe Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
for his actions at the Battle of Guadalcanal. - Ben CarnevaleBen CarnevaleBernard Louis "Ben" Carnevale was an American college men's basketball coach.-Early years:Born in Raritan, New Jersey, Carnevale was a graduate of Somerville High School in Somerville, New Jersey...
(1915–2008), basketball coach inducted into the Basketball Hall of FameBasketball Hall of FameThe Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, located in Springfield, Massachusetts, United States, honors exceptional basketball players, coaches, referees, executives, and other major contributors to the game of basketball worldwide...
in 1970.
Notable births in Raritan:
- Isaac BrokawIsaac BrokawIsaac Brokaw was a clockmaker from New Jersey. Brokaw was born in Raritan in Somerset County, but would leave for Elizabethtown where he would work as an apprentice under Aaron Miller, a renowned clock maker. He would later marry Miller's daughter, Elizabeth Miller...
(March 9, 1746 – September 16, 1826) a New Jersey clockmaker.
External links
- Raritan Borough official web site
- Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District
- Data for the Bridgewater-Raritan 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...