Middlesex County, New Jersey: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 10:08, 20 June 2024

Middlesex County
County
The main campus of Rutgers University, New Jersey's flagship of higher education, in New Brunswick, a center for the sciences, arts, and cultural activities, and the county seat of Middlesex County
Flag Seal
Nickname: The Greatest County in the Land^[1]
Location within the U.S. state of New Jersey
New Jersey's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 40°26′N 74°25′W / 40.44°N 74.41°W / 40.44; -74.41
Country	United States
State	New Jersey
Founded	1683
Named for	Middlesex, England
Seat	New Brunswick^[2]
Largest municipality	Edison (population) Monroe Township (area)
Government
• Commissioner director	Ronald G. Rios (D, term ends December 31, 2024)
Area ^[3]
• Total	322.87 sq mi (836.2 km²)
• Land	309.22 sq mi (800.9 km²)
• Water	13.65 sq mi (35.4 km²) 4.2%
Population (2020)^[4]^[5]
• Total	863,162 (3rd in NJ)
• Estimate (2023)^[4]^[6]	863,623
• Density	2,794.2/sq mi (1,078.8/km²)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional districts	6th, 12th
Website	www.co.middlesex.nj.us

The county was primarily settled due to its optimal location along the Raritan River.^[18] Middlesex was originally formed as one of four administrative districts within Province of East Jersey in 1675, together with Bergen, Essex and Monmouth districts. Middlesex County was formed within East Jersey on March 7, 1683.^[19] The population increased so the county was partitioned on October 31, 1693, into the townships of Piscataway, Perth Amboy, and Woodbridge. Adjacent Somerset County was established on May 14, 1688, created from portions of Middlesex County.^[19]

The county's first court met in June 1683 in Piscataway, and held session at alternating sites over the next century in Perth Amboy, Piscataway, and Woodbridge before relocating permanently to New Brunswick in 1778.^[20] Despite its status as a residential, commercial, and industrial stronghold and a centrally accessible transportation hub, Middlesex is also home to an extensive public park system with expansive greenways, totaling more than 6,300 acres (2,500 ha).^[21] Middlesex County is most demographically notable as the U.S. county with the highest concentration of Asian Indians, at nearly 20% in 2020, spanning the county's boundaries between Little India, Edison/Iselin in the north and Monroe Township at its southern tip.

Geography and climate[edit]

Middlesex has a hot-summer humid continental climate (Dfa) which borders a humid subtropical climate (Cfa) on Raritan Bay and Arthur Kill. Average monthly temperatures in downtown New Brunswick range from 31.9 °F (−0.1 °C) in January to 75.6 °F (24.2 °C) in July, while in South Amboy they range from 32.3 °F (0.2 °C) in January to 75.9 °F (24.4 °C) in July.^[22] In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of New Brunswick have ranged from a low of 22 °F (−6 °C) in January to a high of 86 °F (30 °C) in July, although a record low of −13 °F (−25 °C) was recorded in January 1984 and a record high of 103 °F (39 °C) was recorded in July 1999. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 2.98 inches (76 mm) in February to 5.08 inches (129 mm) in July.^[23]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of the 2020 Census, the county had a total area of 322.87 square miles (836.2 km²), of which 309.22 square miles (800.9 km²) was land (95.8%) and 13.65 square miles (35.4 km²) was water (4.2%).^[3] The county is named after the historic English county of Middlesex.^[24]

Another area with higher elevation in the county is the Perth Amboy Moraine, left by the southern limit of the Laurentide Ice Sheet. Only the far northeastern area of the county was glaciated, and the Perth Amboy Moraine stretches from Perth Amboy, through Woodbridge, Edison and Metutchen, and stradles the border of Edison and South Plainfield before exiting the county. The area includes peaks of over 200 feet.^{[citation needed]}

Demographics[edit]

Historical population
Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1790	15,956		—
1800	17,890		12.1%
1810	20,381		13.9%
1820	21,470		5.3%
1830	23,157		7.9%
1840	21,893	*	−5.5%
1850	28,635		30.8%
1860	34,812		21.6%
1870	45,029		29.3%
1880	52,286		16.1%
1890	61,754		18.1%
1900	79,762		29.2%
1910	114,426		43.5%
1920	162,334		41.9%
1930	212,208		30.7%
1940	217,077		2.3%
1950	264,872		22.0%
1960	433,856		63.8%
1970	583,813		34.6%
1980	595,893		2.1%
1990	671,780		12.7%
2000	750,162		11.7%
2010	809,858		8.0%
2020	863,162		6.6%
2023 (est.)	863,623	^[4]^[6]	0.1%
Historical sources: 1790-1990^[26] 1970-2010^[27] 2000^[9] 2010^[8]^[10] 2020^[4]^[5] * = Lost territory in previous decade.^[19]

Indian community[edit]

Middlesex County is prominently known for its significant concentration of Indians. The growing Little India is a Desi-focused commercial strip in Middlesex County, the U.S. county with the highest concentration of Indians.^[28]^[29]^[30] The Oak Tree Road strip runs for about one-and-a-half miles through Edison and neighboring IselininWoodbridge Township, near the area's sprawling Chinatown and Koreatown, running along New Jersey Route 27.^[31] It is the largest and most diverse Desi cultural hub in the United States.^[32]^[33] Monroe Township in Middlesex County has experienced a particularly rapid growth rate in its Indian American population, with an estimated 5,943 (13.6%) as of 2017,^[34] which was 23 times the 256 (0.9%) counted as of the 2000 Census; and Diwali is celebrated by the township as a Hindu holiday. Carteret's Punjabi Sikh community, variously estimated at upwards of 3,000, is the largest concentration of Sikhs in New Jersey.^[35] In Middlesex County, election ballots are printed in English, Spanish, Gujarati, Hindi, and Punjabi.^[36]

2020 census[edit]

As of the Census of 2020, the county had 863,162 people, 285,906 households, and 209,808 families. The population density was 2,794 inhabitants per square mile (1,078.8/km²). There were 315,521 housing units at an average density of 1,021.4 per square mile (394.4/km²). The county's racial makeup was 41.9% White, 9.8% African American, 0.53% Native American, 26.5% Asian, and 9.06% from two or more races. HispanicorLatino of any race were 22.4% of the population.

There were 285,906 households, of which 34.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.9% were married couples living together, 24.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 14.2% had a male householder with no wife present and 26.6% were non-families. 14.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.80 and the average family size was 3.32.

About 21.6% of the county's population was under age 18, 9.3% was from age 18 to 24, 40.1% was from age 15 to 44, and 15.5% was age 65 or older. The median age was 39.3 years. The gender makeup of the county was 49.4% male and 50.5% female. For every 100 females, there were 97.8 males.

The county's median household income was $93,418, and the median family income was $107,149. About 8.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.1% of those under age 18 and 8.8% of those age 65 or over.^[37]

2010 census[edit]

The 2010 United States census counted 809,858 people, 281,186 households, and 203,016 families in the county. The population density was 2,621.6 per square mile (1,012.2/km²). There were 294,800 housing units at an average density of 954.3 per square mile (368.5/km²). The racial makeup was 58.60% (474,589) White, 9.69% (78,462) Black or African American, 0.34% (2,777) Native American, 21.40% (173,293) Asian, 0.03% (251) Pacific Islander, 6.99% (56,569) from other races, and 2.95% (23,917) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 18.40% (148,975) of the population.^[8]

Of the 281,186 households, 34.4% had children under the age of 18; 55.9% were married couples living together; 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present and 27.8% were non-families. Of all households, 22.5% were made up of individuals and 8.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.8 and the average family size was 3.29.^[8]

22.9% of the population were under the age of 18, 10.2% from 18 to 24, 28.3% from 25 to 44, 26.3% from 45 to 64, and 12.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.2 years. For every 100 females, the population had 96.4 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 94 males.^[8]

Economy[edit]

Major non-governmental employers in Middlesex County include the following, grouped by ranges of employees:^[39]^[40]

History[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Government[edit]

County government[edit]

Middlesex County is governed by a Board of Commissioners, which is comprised of seven members who are elected at-large on a partisan basis to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either two or three seats coming up for election each year as part of the November general election. At an annual reorganization meeting held in January, the board selects from among its members a Commissioner Director and deputy director. The Commissioner Director appoints commissioners to serve as chairpersons and members on the various committees which oversee county departments.^[41] Middlesex County also elects three "constitutional officers" whose existence is laid out in the New Jersey Constitution. The County Clerk and Surrogate serve five-year terms and the Sheriff serves a three-year term of office.^[42]^[43]^[44] In 2016, freeholders were paid $23,438 and the freeholder director was paid an annual salary of $24,428, though Ronald Rios has accepted a salary of $8,340 as director.^[45]

As of 2024, Middlesex County's Commissioners (with terms for director and deputy ending every December 31) are:^[41]^[46]^[47]

Commissioner	Party, Residence, Term
Director Ronald G. Rios	D, Carteret, 2024^[48]
Deputy Director Shanti Narra	D, North Brunswick, 2024^[49]
Claribel A. "Clary" Azcona-Barber	D, New Brunswick, 2025^[50]
Charles Kenny	D, Woodbridge Township, 2025^[51]
Leslie Koppel	D, Monroe Township, 2024^[52]
Chanelle Scott McCullum	D, Piscataway, 2025^[53]
Charles E. Tomaro	D, Edison, 2026^[54]

Article VII Section II of the New Jersey State Constitution requires each county in New Jersey have three elected administrative officials known as "constitutional officers." These officers are the County Clerk and County Surrogate (both elected for five-year terms of office) and the County Sheriff (elected for a three-year term).^[55] Middlesex county's constitutional officers are:^[46]^[56]

Title	Representative
County Clerk	Nancy Pinkin (D, East Brunswick, 2025)^[57]^[58]
Sheriff	Mildred S. Scott (D, Piscataway, 2025)^[59]^[60]
Surrogate	Claribel Cortes (D, North Brunswick, 2026)^[61]^[62]

Republicans have not won countywide in Middlesex County since 1991. The Middlesex County Prosecutor has been Yolanda Ciccone since June 2020.^[63] Middlesex County constitutes Vicinage 8 of the New Jersey Superior Court; the vicinage is seated at the Middlesex County Courthouse, at 56 Paterson Street in New Brunswick.^[64] The Middlesex Vicinage also has facilities for the Family Part at the Middlesex County Family Courthouse at 120 New Street, also in New Brunswick; there are also other facilities in New Brunswick and Perth Amboy for Probation.^[64] The Assignment Judge for Vicinage 8 is Alberto Rivas.^[64]

Federal representatives[edit]

State representatives[edit]

The 25 municipalities of Middlesex County are part of seven legislative districts.

District	Senator^[71]	Assembly^[71]	Municipalities
12th	Owen Henry (R)	Alex Sauickie (R) Robert D. Clifton (R)	Helmetta, Old Bridge, and Spotswood. The remainder of this district covers portions of Burlington County, Monmouth County and Ocean County.
14th	Linda R. Greenstein (D)	Wayne DeAngelo (D) Tennille McCoy (D)	Cranbury Township, Jamesburg, Monroe Township, and Plainsboro. The remainder of this district covers portions of Mercer County.
16th	Andrew Zwicker (D)	Mitchelle Drulis (D) Roy Freiman (D)	South Brunswick. The remainder of this district covers portions of Hunterdon County, Mercer County, and Somerset County.
17th	Bob Smith (D)	Kevin Egan (D) Joseph Danielsen (D)	New Brunswick, North Brunswick, and Piscataway. The remainder of this district covers portions of Somerset County.
18th	Patrick J. Diegnan (D)	Robert Karabinchak (D) Sterley Stanley (D)	East Brunswick, Edison, Highland Park, Metuchen, Milltown, South Plainfield, and South River.
19th	Joe F. Vitale (D)	Craig Coughlin (D) Yvonne Lopez (D)	Carteret, Perth Amboy, Sayreville, South Amboy, and Woodbridge.
21st	Jon Bramnick (R)	Nancy Munoz (R) Michele Matsikoudis (R)	Dunellen and Middlesex Borough. The remainder of this district covers portions of Somerset County, Morris County, and Union County.

Law enforcement[edit]

Thomas N. Acken served as the sheriff in 1891. Joseph Spicuzzo served in 2014 and was arrested for bribery.^[72] Mildred S. Scott is the current county sheriff, she was sworn in on January 1, 2011, as the first female sheriff of Middlesex County and the first African-American sheriff in the state of New Jersey.^[73]

Politics[edit]

United States presidential election results for Middlesex County, New Jersey^[74]
Year	Republican	Democratic	Third party
No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	143,467	38.19%	226,250	60.22%	5,975	1.59%
2016	122,953	37.42%	193,044	58.76%	12,560	3.82%
2012	107,310	35.55%	190,555	63.13%	3,995	1.32%
2008	123,695	38.43%	193,812	60.21%	4,367	1.36%
2004	126,492	42.76%	166,628	56.33%	2,685	0.91%
2000	93,545	36.14%	154,998	59.88%	10,306	3.98%
1996	82,433	31.90%	145,201	56.20%	30,752	11.90%
1992	108,701	38.10%	128,824	45.16%	47,746	16.74%
1988	143,422	54.30%	117,149	44.35%	3,548	1.34%
1984	160,221	59.82%	104,905	39.17%	2,727	1.02%
1980	122,354	50.73%	97,304	40.34%	21,548	8.93%
1976	113,539	47.14%	122,859	51.01%	4,466	1.85%
1972	149,033	61.41%	88,397	36.42%	5,264	2.17%
1968	96,515	42.79%	103,339	45.82%	25,676	11.38%
1964	63,370	29.39%	151,196	70.12%	1,052	0.49%
1960	83,025	41.60%	116,095	58.18%	436	0.22%
1956	100,071	60.54%	64,538	39.05%	677	0.41%
1952	73,577	50.32%	70,234	48.03%	2,413	1.65%
1948	49,810	42.86%	61,634	53.04%	4,766	4.10%
1944	45,232	42.12%	60,504	56.35%	1,642	1.53%
1940	41,709	38.26%	67,140	61.59%	164	0.15%
1936	32,959	34.57%	61,679	64.69%	702	0.74%
1932	32,673	40.45%	45,997	56.94%	2,111	2.61%
1928	38,714	52.35%	34,908	47.20%	328	0.44%
1924	34,556	62.28%	16,373	29.51%	4,553	8.21%
1920	29,334	69.70%	11,618	27.60%	1,136	2.70%
1916	11,851	53.51%	9,975	45.04%	320	1.44%
1912	4,743	25.78%	8,186	44.49%	5,470	29.73%
1908	11,270	57.51%	7,966	40.65%	359	1.83%
1904	10,117	57.22%	6,996	39.57%	569	3.22%
1900	9,347	55.19%	7,191	42.46%	399	2.36%
1896	9,304	58.73%	5,976	37.72%	563	3.55%

As of August 1, 2020, there were a total of 545,795 registered voters in Middlesex County, of which 229,982 (42.1%) were registered as Democrats, 84,258 (15.4%) were registered as Republicans and 224,058 (41.1%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 7,497 (1.4%) voters registered to other parties.^[75] After being a Republican stronghold in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Middlesex County leaned Democratic for much of the 20th century beginning with Franklin Roosevelt's victory in the county in 1932. Throughout the twentieth century, in close elections, the county would always vote Democratic, sometimes by solid margins, but the county was willing to flip Republican in the midst of nationwide Republican landslides in the 1970s and 1980s. However, since the 1990s, Middlesex County has become a Democratic stronghold at the national level.^{[citation needed]}

In2008, Barack Obama carried Middlesex County by a much larger 21.8% margin over John McCain, Obama taking 60.2% of the vote to McCain's 38.4%, while Obama won New Jersey overall by 15.5% over McCain.^[76]In2012, Obama won an even more commanding victory in the county, receiving 63.2% of the vote to Republican Mitt Romney's 35.6%, a Democratic victory margin of 27.6%, while carrying New Jersey overall by 17.8%.^[77] Like much of the New York City metropolitan area, Middlesex County was one of the few parts of the country to swing even harder in Obama's favor in 2012 compared to 2008, even as he lost ground nationally. Some credit the swing towards Obama to his response towards Superstorm Sandy, which hit the New York City metro area in late October 2012, just a few days before the election.^[78]In2016, Democrat Hillary Clinton carried Middlesex County by a tighter 21.4% margin over Republican Donald Trump, while Clinton won New Jersey overall by 14.1% over Trump. In 2020, Democrat Joe Biden carried Middlesex County by a margin of 22.03%, a slight improvement from 2016, with Biden taking 60.22% of the vote to Donald Trump's 38.19%.^[79]

**Gubernatorial elections results**^[83]
Year	Republican	Democratic
2021	43.4% 90,297	55.9% 116,352
2017	40.3%' 70,940	57.2% 100,847
2013	58.3% 101,619	40.2% 70,225
2009	47.4% 94,506	45.0% 89,732
2005	39.2% 75,021	56.0% 107,076
2001	35.7% 66,149	62.7% 117,061
1997	39.3% 83,149	52.2% 110,354
1993	48.4%	49.0%
1989	35.1% 67,054	62.9% 120,157
1985	65.8% 113,020	33.1% 56,815
1981	47.6% 89,618	50.9% 95,592
1977	40.1% 72,477	57.9% 104,687
1973	25.6% 44,844	71.9% 125,871

Transportation[edit]

Middlesex County hosts various county roads, state routes, US routes, and interstate highways, as well as toll highways. As of May 2010, the county had a total of 2,584.38 miles (4,159.16 km) of roadways, of which 2,118.08 miles (3,408.72 km) were maintained by the municipality, 292.16 miles (470.19 km) by Middlesex County and 131.48 miles (211.60 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation, 41.49 miles (66.77 km) by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority and 1.17 miles (1.88 km) by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.^[84]^[85]

The county also includes some limited access highways and Interstates as well. Middlesex County hosts the southern end of I-287 which turns into Route 440 that connects to the Outerbridge Crossing. The Garden State Parkway passes through the eastern part of the county, which features nine interchanges and the northern start/end of the split-roadways (Express & Local Lanes). The New Jersey Turnpike carries I-95 through the center of the county. The Turnpike has five interchanges in Middlesex County: Exit 12 in Carteret, Exit 11 in Woodbridge, Exit 10 in Edison, Exit 9 in East Brunswick and Exit 8A in Monroe Township.^[86]

The New Jersey Department of Transportation is upgrading the Route 18 "avenue" to a freeway between the Route 1 interchange all the way up to the new 18 Extension in Piscataway.^[87]

The Turnpike Authority planned to build Route 92, which was to start near the intersection of Ridge Road & Route 1 in South Brunswick to Interchange 8A in Monroe Township. This plan was cancelled on December 1, 2006.

The southern end of the "dual-dual" configuration (inner car lanes and outer truck lanes) used to be one mile south of Interchange 8A at the border of Cranbury and Monroe Township. It was relocated to Exit 6 in Mansfield TownshipinBurlington County after the Turnpike widening project was completed in early November 2014.^[88]

Public transportation[edit]

Intercity rail service is provided by Amtrak. The routes that run through Middlesex County are the Acela Express, Keystone, Northeast Regional, and Vermonter services, although only the Keystone and Northeast Regional have regular stops within Middlesex County, at either New BrunswickorMetropark station. The Acela service also occasionally stops at Metropark.

Education[edit]

Higher education[edit]

K-12 schools[edit]

Healthcare[edit]

Hospitals
Hospital	Town	Type	Beds	Health Network
JFK Medical Center	Edison	Acute	498^[105]	Hackensack Meridian Health
PSE&G Children's Specialized Hospital	New Brunswick	Pediatric Rehabilitation	140^[106]	RWJBarnabas Health
Raritan Bay Medical Center (Old Bridge)	Old Bridge	Acute	113^[107]	Hackensack Meridian Health
Raritan Bay Medical Center (Perth Amboy)	Perth Amboy	Acute	388^[107]	Hackensack Meridian Health
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital	New Brunswick	Major Teaching	465^[108]	RWJBarnabas Health
The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children's Hospital	New Brunswick	Acute Pediatric	105^[109]	RWJBarnabas Health
Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey	New Brunswick	Research, Cancer		RWJBarnabas Health
St. Peter's University Hospital	New Brunswick	Acute Teaching	478^[110]	Saint Peters HCS
Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center	Plainsboro	Acute Teaching	305^[111]	Penn Medicine

Municipalities[edit]

The 25 municipalities in Middlesex County (with 2010 Census data for population, housing units and area in square miles) are:^[112] Other, unincorporated communities in the county are listed next to their parent municipality. Many of these areas are census-designated places that have been defined by the United States Census Bureau for enumeration purposes within a Township and for which 2010 population data is included in parentheses.

Contents