Hightstown, New Jersey

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 1.242 square miles (3.218 km²), including 1.211 square miles (3.137 km²) of land and 0.031 square miles (0.081 km²) of water (2.52%).

The borough is an independent municipality surrounded entirely by East Windsor Township, making it part one of 21 pairs of "doughnut towns" in the state, where one municipality entirely surrounds another.

Hightstown is at the central-most point of New Jersey and is roughly equidistant from Philadelphia and New York City.

Climate

The record low temperature recorded in the borough was −16 °F (−27 °C) on January 28, 1935. The record high was 105 °F (41 °C) on July 9, 1936.

2010 Census

The 2010 United States Census counted 5,494 people, 1,976 households, and 1,352 families residing in the borough. The population density was 4,536.0 per square mile (1,751.4/km²). The borough contained 2,108 housing units at an average density of 1,740.4 per square mile (672.0/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 69.44% (3,815) White, 8.05% (442) Black or African American, 0.56% (31) Native American, 4.08% (224) Asian, 0.15% (8) Pacific Islander, 13.56% (745) from other races, and 4.17% (229) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 30.29% (1,664) of the population.

Out of a total of 1,976 households, 32.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.2% were married couples living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.6% were non-families. 24.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.73 and the average family size was 3.23.

In the borough, 23.9% of the population were under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 31.1% from 25 to 44, 26.7% from 45 to 64, and 9.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36.9 years. For every 100 females the census counted 99.5 males, but for 100 females at least 18 years old, it was 100.1 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $66,250 (with a margin of error of ± $8,281) and the median family income was $72,583 (± $13,355). Males had a median income of $49,861 (± $9,561) versus $42,361 (± $14,837) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $32,976 (± $3,402). About 8.2% of families and 8.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.2% of those under age 18 and 1.1% of those age 65 or over.

2000 Census

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 5,216 people, 2,001 households, and 1,300 families residing in the borough. The population density was 4,251.9 people per square mile (1,637.3/km²). There were 2,081 housing units at an average density of 1,696.4 per square mile (653.2/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 76.53% White, 8.51% African American, 0.36% Native American, 2.28% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 9.64% from other races, and 2.59% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 20.05% of the population.

There were 2,001 households out of which 30.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.7% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.0% were non-families. 27.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.15.

In the borough the population was spread out with 22.5% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 36.8% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and 10.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 103.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.2 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $64,299, and the median income for a family was $72,092. Males had a median income of $46,375 versus $35,428 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $28,605. About 4.3% of families and 7.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.1% of those under age 18 and 4.4% of those age 65 or over.

As of the 2000 Census, 6.31% of Hightstown's residents identified themselves as being of Ecuadorian ancestry, which was the second highest of any municipality in New Jersey and the sixth highest percentage of Ecuadorian people in any place in the United States with 1,000 or more residents identifying their ancestry.

Local government

Hightstown is governed under the Borough form of New Jersey municipal government. The governing body consists of a Mayor and a Borough Council comprising six council members, with all positions elected at-large on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. 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 in a three-year cycle. The Borough form of government used by Hightstown, the most common system used in the state, is a "weak mayor / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can veto ordinances subject to an override by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council.

As of 2016, the Mayor of the Borough of Hightstown is Democrat Lawrence D. Quattrone, whose term of office ends on December 31, 2018. Borough Council members are Council President Denise S. "Denny" Hansen (D, 2016), Susan Bluth (D, 2015; serving an unexpired term), Seth A. Kurs (D, 2015; serving an unexpired term), Steven Misiura (D, 2016), Connor Montferrat (R, 2017) and Charles "Lee" Stults (R, 2017).

In January 2015, the council selected former council president Susan Bluth to fill the vacant council seat expiring in December 2015 of Larry Quattrone, who left office when he was sworn in as mayor.

Seth Kurs was appointed in April 2014 from among three prospective candidates to fill the vacant seat expiring in 2015 of Gail Doran, who had resigned earlier in the month, citing personal reasons. The term of the appointment ran through November 14, 2014, after which Seth Kurs was elected in the general election to complete the remaining unexpired term through December 31, 2015.

Federal, state and county representation

Hightstown is located in the 12th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 14th state legislative district. Prior to the 2011 reapportionment following the 2010 Census, Hightstown had been in the 12th state legislative district. Prior to the 2010 Census, Hightstown had been part of the 4th Congressional District, a change made by the New Jersey Redistricting Commission that took effect in January 2013, based on the results of the November 2012 general elections.

New Jersey's Twelfth Congressional District is represented by Bonnie Watson Coleman (D, Ewing Township). New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Cory Booker (D, Newark, term ends 2021) and Bob Menendez (D, Paramus, 2019).

For the 2016–2017 session (Senate, General Assembly), the 14th Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Linda R. Greenstein (D, Plainsboro Township) and in the General Assembly by Daniel R. Benson (D, Hamilton Township, Mercer County) and Wayne DeAngelo (D, Hamilton Township). The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham Township). The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).

Mercer County is governed by a County Executive who oversees the day-to-day operations of the county and by a seven-member Board of Chosen Freeholders that acts in a legislative capacity, setting policy. All officials are chosen at-large in partisan elections, with the executive serving a four-year term of office while the freeholders serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either two or three seats up for election each year. As of 2014, the County Executive is Brian M. Hughes (D, term ends December 31, 2015; Princeton). Mercer County's Freeholders are Freeholder Chair Andrew Koontz (D, 2016; Princeton), Freeholder Vice Chair Samuel T. Frisby, Sr. (2015; Trenton), Ann M. Cannon (2015; East Windsor Township), Anthony P. Carabelli (2016; Trenton), John A. Cimino (2014, Hamilton Township), Pasquale "Pat" Colavita, Jr. (2015; Lawrence Township) and Lucylle R. S. Walter (2014; Ewing Township) Mercer County's constitutional officers are County Clerk Paula Sollami-Covello (D, 2015), Sheriff John A. Kemler (D, 2014) and Surrogate Diane Gerofsky (D, 2016).

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 2,891 registered voters in Hightstown, of which 1,105 (38.2%) were registered as Democrats, 542 (18.7%) were registered as Republicans and 1,241 (42.9%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 3 voters registered to other parties.

In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 64.6% of the vote (1,369 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 33.4% (707 votes), and other candidates with 2.0% (42 votes), among the 2,308 ballots cast by the borough's 3,062 registered voters (190 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 75.4%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 66.8% of the vote (1,504 cast), ahead of Republican John McCain with 30.4% (685 votes) and other candidates with 1.6% (36 votes), among the 2,253 ballots cast by the borough's 2,962 registered voters, for a turnout of 76.1%. In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 59.3% of the vote (1,254 ballots cast), outpolling Republican George W. Bush with 36.4% (771 votes) and other candidates with 0.9% (25 votes), among the 2,116 ballots cast by the borough's 2,776 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 76.2.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 57.9% of the vote (765 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 38.8% (512 votes), and other candidates with 3.3% (44 votes), among the 1,341 ballots cast by the borough's 2,961 registered voters (20 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 45.3%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 46.2% of the vote (700 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 44.8% (679 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 7.1% (107 votes) and other candidates with 1.1% (16 votes), among the 1,514 ballots cast by the borough's 2,908 registered voters, yielding a 52.1% turnout.

Education

Students in public school for pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade attend the East Windsor Regional School District, a comprehensive public school district serving students from East Windsor Township and Hightstown Borough. Public school students in seventh through twelfth grades from Roosevelt Borough (a community in Monmouth County that had a 2010 Census population of 882) are sent to the district's schools as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Roosevelt Public School District.

As of the 2011-12 school year, the district's six schools had an enrollment of 5,054 students and 373.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 13.53:1. Schools in the district (with 2011-12 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics.) are Walter C. Black Elementary School (525 students; in grades K-5), Perry L. Drew Elementary School (558; K-5), Ethel McKnight Elementary School (636; K-5), Grace N. Rogers Elementary School (699; PreK-5), Melvin H. Kreps Middle School grades 6 - 8 with 1,233 students and Hightstown High School with 1,403 students in grades 9 - 12.

Hightstown is also home to the Peddie School, a coeducational, independent high school founded in 1864.

Roads and highways

Hightstown is located at the cross-roads of several major roads. The main highway through the borough is Route 33 (which is also concurrent with County Route 539 and County Route 571). U.S. Route 130 just barely passes through the northwest corner, but is usually accessible by Route 33, CR 571 and CR 539. Route 133 (the Hightstown Bypass) is north of the borough. Hightstown is also immediately adjacent to exit 8 of the New Jersey Turnpike (Interstate 95) in East Windsor.

As of May 2010, the borough had a total of 16.74 miles (26.94 km) of roadways, of which 12.70 miles (20.44 km) were maintained by the municipality, 2.74 miles (4.41 km) by Mercer County and 1.30 miles (2.09 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

The history of the Hightstown Bypass dates back to when it was originally planned as Route 92. Running from Route 33, it would have crossed U.S. Route 130 and traveled northwest to a proposed interchange with the then-proposed Somerset Freeway. Decades of lengthy battles resulted in both plans being canceled, and the only surviving section was the bypass of Hightstown itself. This freeway, which opened to the public in November 1999, was ultimately given the designation of Route 133 and runs from CR 571 to Route 33. It only has two interchanges and has traffic signals at both ends. Without a proper connection to the New Jersey Turnpike, the bypass has not lived up to its original expectations and congestion through Hightstown still largely remains. However, with the widening of the Turnpike, Exit 8 was relocated from its original location (immediately at the border of Hightstown) further into East Windsor near Twin Rivers that connects directly to the end point of Route 133 with a grade-separated interchange along Route 33 that was completed in September 2013. This connection was to encourage Turnpike traffic to use the bypass by giving a more direct route to other parts of the region, such as Princeton, and having to avoid downtown Hightstown. Discussions have been made of potentially extending the bypass further south to provide a connection with U.S. Route 130 south of Hightstown, however this section would more than likely carry the Route 33 designation.

Public transportation

Public transportation is provided by the Route 130 Connection shuttle, as well as the Princeton Junction Shuttle.

There is also direct service to New York, as well as other New Jersey communities on the Suburban Coach route 300 to the Port Authority Bus Terminal, Grand Central Terminal and other destinations in Midtown Manhattan and the 600 route to Downtown Manhattan / Wall Street.

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Hightstown include: