Country United States County Somerset Time zone Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) Elevation 22 m Local time Sunday 5:24 AM | State New Jersey Incorporated June 9, 1885 Area 7.27 km² Population 22,056 (2013) | |
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Area rank 352nd of 566 in state
14th of 21 in county Weather 1°C, Wind N at 16 km/h, 71% Humidity Area codes Area codes 732 and 848, Area code 908 | ||
North Plainfield is a borough in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 21,936, reflecting an increase of 833 (+3.9%) from the 21,103 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 2,283 (+12.1%) from the 18,820 counted in the 1990 Census.
Contents
- Map of North Plainfield NJ USA
- Geography
- Census 2010
- Census 2000
- Local government
- Federal state and county representation
- Politics
- Education
- Roads and highways
- Public transportation
- Noted residents
- References
Map of North Plainfield, NJ, USA
North Plainfield Township was created from portions of Warren Township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature passed on April 2, 1872. The borough of North Plainfield became an independent municipality on June 9, 1885. The name derives from Plainfield, which derived its name from a local estate or from its scenic location.
In 1902, the New Jersey Legislature approved measures that would have allowed the borough to become part of Union County (a measure repealed in 1903) and to allow for a merger of North Plainfield with the City of Plainfield subject to the approval of a referendum by voters in both municipalities.
North Plainfield is home to the Washington Park Historic District.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 2.807 square miles (7.270 km2), including 2.794 square miles (7.237 km2) of land and 0.013 square miles (0.032 km2) of water (0.45%).
The borough is bordered by Watchung to the north, Green Brook Township to the southwest, and Plainfield to the south in Union County.
North Plainfield is in the northern division of the Raritan Valley along with Green Brook.
Census 2010
The 2010 United States Census counted 21,936 people, 7,448 households, and 5,266 families residing in the borough. The population density was 7,850.0 per square mile (3,030.9/km2). The borough contained 7,848 housing units at an average density of 2,808.5 per square mile (1,084.4/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 55.01% (12,066) White, 18.85% (4,134) Black or African American, 0.29% (63) Native American, 5.81% (1,275) Asian, 0.05% (12) Pacific Islander, 16.00% (3,510) from other races, and 3.99% (876) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 44.21% (9,699) of the population.
Out of a total of 7,448 households, 35.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.3% were married couples living together, 15.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.3% were non-families. 22.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.94 and the average family size was 3.40.
In the borough, 24.5% of the population were under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 33.0% from 25 to 44, 25.2% from 45 to 64, and 8.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35.1 years. For every 100 females the census counted 100.8 males, but for 100 females at least 18 years old, it was 98.5 males.
The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $67,815 (with a margin of error of +/- $2,878) and the median family income was $70,359 (+/- $5,666). Males had a median income of $42,766 (+/- $2,549) versus $43,057 (+/- $3,208) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $27,529 (+/- $1,466). About 5.3% of families and 7.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.8% of those under age 18 and 6.7% of those age 65 or over.
Census 2000
As of the 2000 United States Census there were 21,103 people, 7,202 households, and 5,084 families residing in the borough. The population density was 7,565.0 people per square mile (2,920.4/km2). There were 7,393 housing units at an average density of 2,650.2 per square mile (1,023.1/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 63.06% White, 13.38% African American, 0.28% Native American, 5.04% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 13.68% from other races, and 4.48% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 32.77% of the population.
There were 7,202 households out of which 37.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.7% were married couples living together, 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.4% were non-families. 23.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.90 and the average family size was 3.40.
In the borough the population was spread out with 25.8% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 36.5% from 25 to 44, 19.6% from 45 to 64, and 9.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 97.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.8 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $55,322, and the median income for a family was $62,875. Males had a median income of $39,662 versus $30,816 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $22,791. About 4.4% of families and 6.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.5% of those under age 18 and 10.4% of those age 65 or over.
As of the 2000 Census, 5.39% of North Plainfield's residents identified themselves as being of Ecuadorian ancestry, which was the fourth highest of any municipality in New Jersey and the eighth highest percentage of Ecuadorian people in any place in the United States with 1,000 or more residents identifying their ancestry.
Local government
The Borough of North Plainfield is governed within the Faulkner Act under the Mayor-Council system of municipal government (Plan E), implemented based on the recommendations of a Charter Study Commission as of January 1, 1977. This form provides for a strong-mayor type of government, in which the mayor has executive functions and the legislative branch is the Borough Council. The Councilmembers and Mayor are elected in even years to four-year terms of office in partisan elections on an at-large basis for staggered terms, with four council seats up for election and then the mayor and the other three council seats two years later. The Municipal Judge is appointed by the Mayor with the advice and consent of the Council, and serves for three years. The Mayor runs the Borough on a day-to-day basis and ensures the enforcement of the legislation passed by the Council.
As of 2016, the Mayor of North Plainfield is Democrat Michael Giordano Jr., whose term of office ends December 31, 2016. Members of the North Plainfield Borough Council are Council President Douglas M. Singleterry (D, 2018), Council Vice President Lawrence La Ronde (D, 2018), Everett Merrill (D, 2018), Keiona R. Miller (D, 2016), Frank Righetti (D, 2016), Wendy Schaefer (D, 2018) and Frank A. "Skip" Stabile, III (D, 2016).
Federal, state and county representation
North Plainfield is located in the 7th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 22nd state legislative district.
New Jersey's Seventh Congressional District is represented by Leonard Lance (R, Clinton 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 22nd Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Nicholas Scutari (D, Linden) and in the General Assembly by Jerry Green (D, Plainfield) and James J. Kennedy (D, Rahway). The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham Township). The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).
Somerset County is governed by a five-member Board of Chosen Freeholders, whose members are elected at-large to three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with one or two seats coming up for election each year. At an annual reorganization meeting held in the beginning of January, the board selects a Director and Deputy Director from among its members. As of 2016, Somerset County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director Patricia L. Walsh (R, Green Brook Township, term ends December 31, 2016), Freeholder Deputy Director Peter S. Palmer (R, Bernardsville, 2017), Patrick Scaglione (R, Bridgewater Township, 2018), Mark Caliguire (R, Skillman in Montgomery Township, 2018), and Brian D. Levine (R, Franklin Township, 2017), Constitutional officers elected on a countywide basis are County Clerk Brett A. Radi (R, Somerville, 2017), Sheriff Frank J. Provenzano (R, Raritan, 2016) and Surrogate Frank Bruno (R, Branchburg, 2018).
Politics
As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 9,738 registered voters in North Plainfield, of which 3,403 (34.9% vs. 26.0% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 1,582 (16.2% vs. 25.7%) were registered as Republicans and 4,746 (48.7% vs. 48.2%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 7 voters registered to other parties. Among the borough's 2010 Census population, 44.4% (vs. 60.4% in Somerset County) were registered to vote, including 58.8% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 80.4% countywide).
In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 72.9% of the vote (4,655 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 26.2% (1,671 votes), and other candidates with 1.0% (61 votes), among the 6,432 ballots cast by the borough's 10,444 registered voters (45 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 61.6%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 4,938 votes (67.5% vs. 52.1% countywide), ahead of Republican John McCain with 2,219 votes (30.3% vs. 46.1%) and other candidates with 84 votes (1.1% vs. 1.1%), among the 7,317 ballots cast by the borough's 9,825 registered voters, for a turnout of 74.5% (vs. 78.7% in Somerset County). In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 3,861 votes (58.5% vs. 47.2% countywide), ahead of Republican George W. Bush with 2,650 votes (40.2% vs. 51.5%) and other candidates with 60 votes (0.9% vs. 0.9%), among the 6,597 ballots cast by the borough's 8,891 registered voters, for a turnout of 74.2% (vs. 81.7% in the whole county).
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Democrat Barbara Buono received 49.5% of the vote (1,681 cast), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 48.8% (1,658 votes), and other candidates with 1.7% (59 votes), among the 3,453 ballots cast by the borough's 10,602 registered voters (55 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 32.6%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 2,119 ballots cast (50.3% vs. 34.1% countywide), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 1,744 votes (41.4% vs. 55.8%), Independent Chris Daggett with 255 votes (6.1% vs. 8.7%) and other candidates with 46 votes (1.1% vs. 0.7%), among the 4,214 ballots cast by the borough's 9,840 registered voters, yielding a 42.8% turnout (vs. 52.5% in the county).
Education
The North Plainfield School District, serves public school students from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. As of the 2011-12 school year, the district's five schools had an enrollment of 3,182 students and 279.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.41:1. Schools in the district (with 2011-12 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are East End Elementary School (grades PreK-4; 376 students), Stony Brook Elementary School (K-4; 256), West End Elementary School (K-4; 561), Somerset Intermediate School (5&6; 491) and North Plainfield Middle School / North Plainfield High School (7-12; 1,503 in the two facilities combined).
Roads and highways
As of May 2010, the borough has a total of 49.77 miles (80.10 km) of roads, of which 39.28 miles (63.22 km) were maintained by the municipality, 7.22 miles (11.62 km) by the county and 3.27 miles (5.26 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.
Major roadways in the borough include U.S. Route 22. County Route 531 also passes through.
Public transportation
NJ Transit rail service is available at the Plainfield station on the Raritan Valley Line to Newark Penn Station, with connecting service to Hoboken Terminal and Penn Station New York.
NJ Transit bus service to and from the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan is available on the 114 and 117 routes, to Newark on the 65 and 66 routes, with local service on the 822 and 986 routes.
Noted residents
People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with North Plainfield include: