Middlesex County, New Jersey
Middlesex County is a county located in north-central New Jersey, United States. In 2019, the Census Bureau estimated the county's population at 825,062, making it the state's second-most populous county, an increase of 4.1% from 809,858 in the 2010 census. Middlesex is part of the New York metropolitan area, and its county seat is New Brunswick. The center of population of the state of New Jersey is located in Middlesex County, in East Brunswick Township, just east of the New Jersey Turnpike. The 2000 Census showed that the county ranked 63rd in the United States among the wealthiest counties by median household income. The Bureau of Economic Analysis ranked the county as having the 143rd-highest per capita income of all 3,113 counties in the United States as of 2009. Middlesex County holds the nickname, The Greatest County in the Land.
The county was primarily settled due to its ideal location near the Raritan River and was established as of March 7, 1683, as part of the Province of East Jersey and was partitioned as of October 31, 1693, into the townships of Piscataway, Perth Amboy, and Woodbridge. Somerset County was established on May 14, 1688, from portions of Middlesex County. 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. Middlesex County hosts an extensive park system totaling more than.
Geography
According to the 2010 Census, the county had a total area of, including of land and of water. The county is named after the historic English county of Middlesex.Bisected by the Raritan River, the county is topographically typical of Central Jersey in that it is largely flat. The elevation ranges from sea level to above sea level on a hill scaled by Major Road/ Sand Hill Road near Route 1 in South Brunswick Township.
Adjacent counties
- Somerset County – northwest
- Union County – north
- Richmond County, New York – northeast
- Monmouth County – southeast
- Mercer County – southwest
Demographics
As of 2017 Census estimates, there were 201,243 people of Asian descent in Middlesex County accounting for 24% of the county's total population. At 61.57% of the population of Asian descent, Indian Americans accounted for 12.93% of the county's total population in 2010, increasing to 127,875 by 2017, more than that of the other Asian sub-groups combined.
Census 2010
Census 2000
As of the 2000 United States Census there were 750,162 people, 265,815 households, and 190,855 families residing in the county. The population density was 2,422 people per square mile. There were 273,637 housing units at an average density of 884 per square mile. The racial makeup of the county was 68.42% White, 9.13% Black or African American, 0.20% Native American, 13.89% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 5.71% from other races, and 2.60% from two or more races. 13.59% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Among residents listing their ancestry, 16.1% were of Italian, 13.8% Irish, 10.2% German and 9.8% Polish ancestry according to the 2000 Census.There were 265,815 households out of which 34.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.00% were married couples living together, 10.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.20% were non-families. 22.40% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.23.
In the county, the population was spread out with 23.70% under the age of 18, 9.50% from 18 to 24, 32.80% from 25 to 44, 21.70% from 45 to 64, and 12.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.50 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $61,446, and the median income for a family was $70,749. Males had a median income of $49,683 versus $35,054 for females. The per capita income for the county was $26,535. About 4.2% of families and 6.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.2% of those under age 18 and 6.0% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Middlesex County is governed by a Board of Chosen Freeholders, whose seven members 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 Freeholder Director and Deputy Director. The Freeholder Director appoints Freeholders to serve as Chairpersons and members on the various committees which oversee county departments. 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. 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., Middlesex County's Freeholders are:
- Freeholder Director Ronald G. Rios
- Freeholder Deputy Director Charles E. Tomaro
- Kenneth Armwood
- Charles Kenny
- Leslie Koppel
- Shanti Narra
- Blanquita B. Valenti
- County Clerk Elaine M. Flynn
- Sheriff Mildred S. Scott
- Surrogate Kevin J. Hoagland
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. 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. The Assignment Judge for Vicinage 8 is Alberto Rivas.
The 6th and 12th Congressional Districts cover the county.
The county is part of the 12th, 14th, 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th and 22nd Districts in the New Jersey Legislature.
Politics
As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 455,044 registered voters in Middlesex County, of which 169,718 were registered as Democrats, 57,711 were registered as Republicans and 227,355 were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 260 voters registered to other parties.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 80s. However, since the 1990s, Middlesex County has become a Democratic stronghold at the national level, mirroring the state's heavy swing to the Democrats.
Democrat Bill Clinton carried the county in 1992 and it has remained reliably blue in every election since. In the nationally close 2000 election, Democrat Al Gore won the county decisively with 59.9% of the vote to Republican George W. Bush's 36.1%, a Democratic victory margin of 23.7%, while winning the state overall by a 56-40 margin. In the 2004 U.S. presidential election, many of the suburban counties surrounding New York City, including Middlesex County, swung Republican in response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks, but Democrat John Kerry still carried the county comfortably by a 13.6% margin over George W. Bush, Kerry taking 56.3% of the vote to Bush's 42.8%, while Kerry carried the state overall by 6.7% over Bush. In 2008, 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. In 2012, 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%. Like much of the New York City metro area, Middlesex County was one of the few parts of the country to actually swing even harder in Obama's favor in 2012 compared to 2008, even as he lost ground nationally, indicating a long-term trend toward Democratic dominance in Middlesex County.
In the 2005 Gubernatorial Election, the county went to Democrat Jon Corzine by a 56-39 margin; while in the 2009 Gubernatorial Election, Republican Chris Christie received 47% of the vote, defeating incumbent Democrat Corzine, who received around 45%.
Sheriffs
Thomas N. Acken served as the sheriff in 1891. Joseph Spicuzzo served in 2014 and was arrested for bribery. Mildred S. Scott is the current sheriff.Transportation
Middlesex County hosts various county roads, state routes, US routes, and interstate highways, as well as toll highways., the county had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality, by Middlesex County and by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.County roads include County Route 501, County Route 514, County Route 516, County Route 520, County Route 522, County Route 527, County Route 529, County Route 531, County Route 535 and County Route 539.
The state routes are: Route 18, Route 26, Route 27, Route 28, Route 32, Route 33, Route 34, Route 35, Route 91, Route 171, Route 172, Route 184 and Route 440.
U.S. Routes include: U.S. Route 1, U.S. Route 9, U.S. Route 1/9 and U.S. Route 130.
The county also includes some limited access highways and Interstates as well. Middlesex County hosts the southern end of the Middlesex Freeway which then turns into Route 440 that connects to the Outerbridge Crossing. The Garden State Parkway passes through the eastern edge of the county, which features nine interchanges and the northern start/end of the split-roadways. The New Jersey Turnpike carries Interstate 95 through the center of the county. The Turnpike has five interchanges in Middlesex County: Exit 12 in Carteret, Exit 11 in Woodbridge Township, Exit 10 in Edison, Exit 9 in East Brunswick and Exit 8A in Monroe Township.
The NJDOT 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 Township.
The Turnpike Authority planned to build Route 92, which was to start near the intersection of Ridge Road & Route 1 in South Brunswick Township to Interchange 8A in Monroe Township. This plan was cancelled on December 1, 2006.
The southern end of the "dual-dual" configuration used to be one mile south of Interchange 8A at the border of Cranbury Township and Monroe Township. It was relocated to Exit 6 in Mansfield Township in Burlington County after the Turnpike widening project was completed in early November 2014.
Public transportation
provides Middlesex County with frequent commuter rail service along the North Jersey Coast Line, Northeast Corridor Line, and Raritan Valley Line. The North Jersey Coast Line runs through the eastern part of the county. The Northeast Corridor Line runs through the northern and central part of the county. The Raritan Valley Line serves Dunellen and is accessible to other communities along the county's northern border with Union and Somerset counties.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 Brunswick or Metropark station. The Acela service also occasionally stops at Metropark.
Bus service in Middlesex County is provided by New Jersey Transit, Coach USA's Suburban Transit, the extensive Rutgers Campus bus network, the MCAT shuttle system, and DASH buses. There are bus routes that serve all townships in the county on weekdays, and studies are being conducted to create the New Brunswick Bus Rapid Transit system.
Higher education
- Middlesex County College
- Rutgers University New Brunswick Campus
- Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences
- Princeton University – Forrestal Campus
- DeVry University
- Chamberlain University
- New Brunswick Theological Seminary
Healthcare
| Hospital | Town | Type | Beds | Health Network |
| JFK Medical Center | Edison | Acute | 498 | Hackensack Meridian Health |
| PSE&G Children's Specialized Hospital | New Brunswick | Pediatric Rehabiltation | 140 | RWJBarnabas Health |
| Raritan Bay Medical Center | Old Bridge | Acute | 113 | Hackensack Meridian Health |
| Raritan Bay Medical Center | Perth Amboy | Acute | 388 | Hackensack Meridian Health |
| Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital | New Brunswick | Major Teaching | 465 | RWJBarnabas Health |
| The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children's Hospital | New Brunswick | Acute Pediatric | 105 | RWJBarnabas Health |
| Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey | New Brunswick | Research, Cancer | RWJBarnabas Health | |
| St. Peter's University Hospital | New Brunswick | Acute Teaching | 478 | Saint Peters HCS |
| Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center | Plainsboro | Acute Teaching | 305 | Penn Medicine |
Major employers
Major non-governmental employers in Middlesex County include the following, grouped by ranges of employees:- 9,010: Rutgers University
- 5,000 – 5,249: Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital
- 3,500 – 3,749: Bristol-Myers Squibb, Wakefern Food Corporation
- 3,000 – 3,249: Merrill Lynch & Company, Novo Nordisk
- 2,750 – 2,999: Johnson & Johnson, Prudential Insurance Company, Silverline Building Products, St. Peter's University Hospital, Telcordia Technologies
- 2,500 – 2,749: JFK Medical Center, Raritan Bay Medical Center
- 2,000 – 2,249: Pathmark
- 1,750 – 1,999: Home Depot, United Parcel Service
- 1,500 – 1,749: Amerada Hess Corporation, Dow Jones & Company, Siemens AG
- 1,250 – 1,499: AT&T, BASF
- 1,000 – 1,249: Aetna, Fujitsu, Prudential
- Undisclosed: Canon, Japanese company specializing in imaging products.
Municipalities
| Municipality | Map key | Municipal type | Population | Housing units | Total area | Water area | Land area | Pop. density | Housing density | Unincorporated communities |
| Carteret | 1 | Borough | 22,844 | 8,148 | 5.00 | 0.58 | 4.42 | 5,171.1 | 1,844.4 | Chrome West Carteret |
| Cranbury | 24 | Township | 3,857 | 1,371 | 13.40 | 0.15 | 13.25 | 291.2 | 103.5 | Cranbury CDP Cranbury Station Wyckoffs Mills |
| Dunellen | 14 | Borough | 7,227 | 2,683 | 1.05 | 0.00 | 1.05 | 6,894.8 | 2,559.7 | |
| East Brunswick Township | 20 | Township | 47,512 | 17,367 | 22.27 | 0.57 | 21.70 | 2,189.6 | 800.4 | Brookview Dunhams Corner East Spotswood Fairview Knolls Farrington Lake Heights Gillilandtown Halls Corner Herberts Jamesburg Park Lawrence Brook Manor Newton Heights Orchard Heights Patricks Corner Paulas Corner Tanners Corner Washington Heights Westons Mills |
| Edison Township | 17 | Township | 99,967 | 36,302 | 30.64 | 0.70 | 29.94 | 3,339.0 | 1,212.5 | Bonhamtown Clara Barton Greensand Haven Homes Lahiere Lincoln Park Lindenau Martins Landing Menlo Park New Dover New Durham Nixon North Edison Oak Tree Phoenix Potters Pumptown Raritan Manor Sand Hills Stelton Valentine Washington Park |
| Helmetta | 7 | Borough | 2,178 | 920 | 0.91 | 0.06 | 0.85 | 2,562.9 | 1,082.6 | |
| Highland Park | 11 | Borough | 13,982 | 6,203 | 1.82 | 0.01 | 1.81 | 7,728.1 | 3,428.5 | |
| Jamesburg | 8 | Borough | 5,915 | 2,267 | 0.88 | 0.01 | 0.88 | 6,741.8 | 2,583.9 | |
| Metuchen | 12 | Borough | 13,574 | 5,440 | 2.77 | 0.00 | 2.76 | 4,910.4 | 1,967.9 | Jefferson Park Robinvale |
| Middlesex | 15 | Borough | 13,635 | 5,148 | 3.54 | 0.02 | 3.52 | 3,876.2 | 1,463.5 | |
| Milltown | 9 | Borough | 6,893 | 2,698 | 1.60 | 0.04 | 1.55 | 4,443.0 | 1,739.0 | |
| Monroe Township | 23 | Township | 39,132 | 18,002 | 42.23 | 0.26 | 41.97 | 932.3 | 428.9 | Applegarth Clearbrook Clearbrook Park CDP Concordia CDP Gravel Hill Half Acre Hoffman Jamesburg Gardens Matchaponix Middlesex Downs Mounts Mills Old Church Outcalt Prospect Plains Rossmoor CDP Shore Road Estates Spotswood Manor Texas Tracy Union Valley Whittingham CDP Wyckoffs Mills |
| New Brunswick | 10 | City | 55,181 | 15,053 | 5.79 | 0.56 | 5.23 | 10,556.4 | 2,879.7 | Edgebrook Feaster Park Lincoln Park Raritan Gardens Westons Mills |
| North Brunswick Township | 21 | Township | 40,742 | 15,045 | 12.27 | 0.27 | 12.00 | 3,396.2 | 1,254.1 | Adams Berdines Corner Black Horse Franklin Park Georges Road Maple Meade Patricks Corner Red Lion |
| Old Bridge Township | 19 | Township | 65,375 | 24,638 | 40.78 | 2.72 | 38.06 | 1,717.7 | 647.3 | Browntown Brownville CDP Brunswick Gardens Cheesequake Cottrell Corners East Spotswood Laurence Harbor CDP Madison Park CDP Matchaponix Moerls Corner Morristown Old Bridge CDP Parlin Redshaw Corner Runyon Sayerwood South South Old Bridge Texas |
| Perth Amboy | 2 | City | 50,814 | 16,556 | 5.96 | 1.26 | 4.70 | 10,806.8 | 3,521.0 | Barber Harbor Terrace John J Delaney Homes Maurer William Dunlap Homes |
| Piscataway Township | 16 | Township | 56,044 | 17,777 | 19.03 | 0.19 | 18.83 | 2,975.5 | 943.8 | Fieldville New Market Newtown North Stelton Possumtown Randolphville Raritan Landing Riverview Manor Society Hill CDP |
| Plainsboro Township | 25 | Township | 22,999 | 10,089 | 12.21 | 0.42 | 11.78 | 1,951.6 | 856.1 | Plainsboro Center CDP Princeton Meadows CDP Schalks Scotts Corner |
| Sayreville | 4 | Borough | 42,704 | 16,393 | 18.70 | 2.86 | 15.84 | 2,695.7 | 1,034.8 | Crossmans Ernston Gillespie Laurel Park MacArthur Manor Melrose Morgan Morgan Heights Parlin Phoenix Runyon Sayre Woods Sayreville Junction Sayreville Station |
| South Amboy | 3 | City | 8,631 | 3,576 | 2.69 | 1.15 | 1.55 | 5,577.1 | 2,310.7 | Mechanicsville Thomas J Dohany Homes |
| South Brunswick Township | 22 | Township | 43,417 | 15,708 | 41.04 | 0.39 | 40.65 | 1,068.1 | 386.4 | Cottageville Dayton CDP Deans Franklin Park Fresh Ponds Heathcote CDP Kendall Park CDP Kingston CDP Little Rocky Hill Monmouth Junction CDP Sand Hills South Brunswick Terrace |
| South Plainfield | 13 | Borough | 23,385 | 8,093 | 8.36 | 0.03 | 8.33 | 2,808.5 | 971.9 | Avon Park Samptown |
| South River | 5 | Borough | 16,008 | 5,957 | 2.92 | 0.15 | 2.77 | 5,781.4 | 2,151.4 | Newton Heights |
| Spotswood | 6 | Borough | 8,257 | 3,242 | 2.47 | 0.20 | 2.27 | 3,642.2 | 1,430.1 | Outcalt |
| Woodbridge Township | 18 | Township | 99,585 | 36,124 | 24.51 | 1.29 | 23.21 | 4,290.0 | 1,556.2 | Avenel CDP Boynton Beach Colonia CDP Edgars Fords CDP Hazelton Hopelawn Iselin CDP Keasbey Lynn Woodoaks Menlo Park Terrace Port Reading CDP Sand Hills Sewaren CDP Shore View Woodbridge CDP Woodbridge Oaks |
County parks
- Donaldson Park
- Carteret Park
- Carteret Waterfront Park
- Edison Park
- Fords Park
- Johnson Park
- Medwick Park
- Merrill Park
- Raritan Bay Waterfront Park
- Roosevelt Park
- Spring Lake Park
- Thompson Park
- Warren Park
- Old Bridge Waterfront Walkway
- Alvin P. Williams Memorial Park
- Ambrose & Doty's Brooks Park
- Davidson's Mill Pond Park
- Ireland Brook Park
- Jamesburg Park Conservation Area
- John A. Phillips Open Space Preserve
- John A. Phillips Park
- Catherine Von Ohlen Park
Climate and weather
In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of New Brunswick have ranged from a low of in January to a high of in July, although a record low of was recorded in January 1984 and a record high of was recorded in July 1999. Average monthly precipitation ranged from in February to in July.