Passaic County, New Jersey

Passaic County, New Jersey
Seal
Location in the state of New Jersey
New Jersey's location in the U.S.
Founded	February 7, 1837
Seat	Paterson
Largest city	Paterson
Area  - Total  - Land  - Water	197 sq mi (510 km²) 185 sq mi (479 km²) 12 sq mi (31 km²), 5.97%
Population  - (2010)  - Density	501,226 2,709/sq mi (1,046/km²)
Website	www.PassaicCountyNJ.org

Bergen and Passaic counties, 1872

Passaic County ( /pəˈseɪ.ɨk/ pə-say-ik) 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. It is part of the New York City Metropolitan Area.

Passaic County was created on February 7, 1837, from portions of both Bergen County and Essex County.

Geography

The highest point is any one of six areas on Bearfort Ridge in West Milford Township at approximately 1,480 ft (451 m) above sea level. The lowest elevation is approximately 30 ft (9 m) along the Passaic River in Clifton.

The southeastern, more populous half of the county is either flat near the river or mildly hilly. The northwestern section is rugged and mountainous.

Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1840	16,734		—
1850	22,569		34.9%
1860	29,013		28.6%
1870	46,416		60.0%
1880	68,860		48.4%
1890	105,046		52.6%
1900	155,202		47.7%
1910	215,902		39.1%
1920	259,174		20.0%
1930	302,129		16.6%
1940	309,353		2.4%
1950	337,093		9.0%
1960	406,618		20.6%
1970	460,782		13.3%
1980	447,585		−2.9%
1990	453,060		1.2%
2000	489,049		7.9%
2010	501,226		2.5%
historical census data source:

As of the census of 2000, there were 489,049 people, 163,856 households, and 119,614 families residing in the county. The population density was 2,639 people per square mile (1,019/km²). There were 170,048 housing units at an average density of 918 per square mile (354/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 62.32% White, 13.22% Black or African American, 0.44% Native American, 3.69% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 16.24% from other races, and 4.05% from two or more races. 29.95% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 16.3% were of Italian, 6.8% Irish, 5.3% German and 5.2% Polish ancestry according to Census 2000.

In 2005 Non-Hispanic whites were estimated to constitute 48.9% of Passaic County's population. This included large numbers of Egyptians. 15.3% of the population was African-American. 4.4% of the population was Asian. 33.9% of the population was Latino. The large amount of Hispanics present in Passaic County can be attributed to the fact that the majority of residents in Paterson and Passaic are Hispanic, and a substantial minority are in Clifton. Throughout the other parts of Passaic county, however, there is a relatively low number of Hispanics present. This last number represented an increase of over 15,000 in the Latino population of the county.

As of the 2000 census There were 163,856 households out of which 35.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.50% were married couples living together, 16.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.00% were non-families. 22.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.92 and the average family size was 3.42.

In the county the population was spread out with 26.10% under the age of 18, 9.30% from 18 to 24, 31.30% from 25 to 44, 21.30% from 45 to 64, and 12.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 94.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.80 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $49,210, and the median income for a family was $56,054. Males had a median income of $38,740 versus $29,954 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,370. About 9.40% of families and 12.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.30% of those under age 18 and 9.20% of those age 65 or over.

Law and government

In Passaic County's commission form of government, the Board of Chosen Freeholders discharge both executive and legislative responsibilities. Seven Freeholders are elected at-large for three-year terms on a staggered basis. A Freeholder Director and Freeholder Deputy Director are elected from among the seven Freeholders at an annual reorganization meeting in January. The Freeholders select a County Administrator who, in the role of chief administrative officer, supervises the day-to-day operation of county government and its departments.

Passaic County operates through six standing committees of the Board of Chosen Freeholders. They are Administration & Finance; Health, Education and Community Affairs; Public Works and Buildings & Grounds; Law & Public Safety; Human Services and Planning and Economic Development. The Freeholders also appoint individuals to departments, agencies, boards and commissions for the effective administration of county government.

As of 2010, Passaic County's Freeholders are:

• Freeholder Director Bruce James (2012, D-Clifton)
• Freeholder Deputy Director Pat Lepore (2011, D-Woodland Park)
• Deborah E. Ciambrone (2013, R-Wayne)
• Terry Duffy (2011, D-West Milford)
• Greyson P. Hannigan (2012, D-Paterson)
• Michael Marrotta (2013, R-Wayne)
• Edward O'Connell (2013, R-Wanaque)

Currently, the majority of Passaic County's Freeholders are Democrats. The party has been the majority party on the Board of Chosen Freeholders since 1998. The three Republicans on the Board were all elected in 2009, and took office in January 2010.

Four federal Congressional Districts cover the county, with most of the northern portion of the county in New Jersey's 5th congressional district, represented by Scott Garrett (R) and most of the southern portion of the county in New Jersey's 8th congressional district, represented by Bill Pascrell (D). The borough of Hawthorne is in New Jersey's 9th congressional district, represented by Steve Rothman (D), and a portion of the borough of Bloomingdale is in New Jersey's 11th congressional district, represented by Rodney Frelinghuysen (R).

Politics

In the 2004 U.S. Presidential election, John Kerry carried the county by a 11.5% margin over George W. Bush, with Kerry carrying the state by 6.7% over Bush.

Highlands protection

In 2004, the New Jersey Legislature passed the Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act, which regulates the New Jersey Highlands region. The northwestern area of the county, comprising the municipalities of Bloomingdale, Pompton Lakes, Ringwood, Wanaque and West Milford, was included in the highlands preservation area and is subject to the rules of the act and the Highlands Water Protection and Planning Council, a division of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. Some of the territory in the protected region is classified as being in the highlands preservation area, and thus subject to additional rules.

Municipalities

labeled outline map of municipalities

• Bloomingdale (borough)
  • Macopin (community)
• Clifton (city)
• Haledon (borough)
• Hawthorne (borough)
• Little Falls (township)
• North Haledon (borough)
• Passaic (city)
• Paterson (city)
• Pompton Lakes (borough)
• Prospect Park (borough)
• Ringwood (borough)
• Totowa (borough)
• Wanaque (borough)
  • Haskell (community)
• Wayne (township)
  • Packanack Lake (community)
  • Pines Lake (community)
  • Preakness (community)
• West Milford (township)
  • Hewitt (community)
  • Newfoundland (community)
  • Oak Ridge (community)
• Woodland Park (formerly West Paterson) (borough)

Transportation

New Jersey Transit's Main Line serves the eastern part of Passaic County. Numerous New Jersey Transit bus routes serve Passaic County as well.

The major highways that travel through Passaic County are Interstate 287, Interstate 80, US Route 202, US Route 46, Route 23, Route 21, Route 20, Route 19, Route 4, Route 3, and the Garden State Parkway.

Education

• Passaic County Community College, founded in 1971, serves students from Passaic County at campuses in Paterson, Wanaque and Wayne.
• William Paterson University, established in 1855, is a public university located in Wayne. As of Fall 2005, there are 9,110 undergraduate students and 1,860 graduate students enrolled in the university.
• Montclair State University, founded in 1908, is a public university located in Montclair, Little Falls and Clifton. As of Fall 2004, there are about 9,600 full-time and 2,200 part-time undergraduate and 3,800 graduate students.

Media

Passaic County is served by New York City-based commercial television & radio stations and New Jersey Network public television.

• The West Milford Messenger, community newspaper in West Milford area
• The Record, Suburban Trends and AIM West Milford, a weekly community newspaper

Points of interest

• Garret Mountain Reservation in Paterson and Woodland Park
• Great Falls State Park in Paterson
• Dey Mansion Washington's Headquarters, Preakness, Wayne Township
• High Mountain Park Preserve in Wayne
• Lambert Castle in Paterson
• Paterson Museum, housed in the Rogers Locomotive and Machine Works in Paterson
• Skylands, the New Jersey State Botanical Garden in Ringwood Borough
• Yogi Berra Stadium in Little Falls
• Ringwood Manor State Park in Ringwood
• Long Pond Iron Works in West Milford, New Jersey

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Passaic County, New Jersey

External links

• Passaic County web site