Bergenfield, New Jersey
Bergenfield is a borough in Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 28,321, an increase of 1,557 from the 2010 census count of 26,764, which in turn reflected an increase of 517 from the 26,247 counted in the 2000 census.
New Jersey Monthly magazine ranked Bergenfield as its 211th best place to live in its 2010 rankings of the "Best Places To Live" in New Jersey. The magazine ranked Bergenfield as its 231st best place to live in its 2008 rankings of the "Best Places To Live".
NeighborhoodScout named Bergenfield as the safest municipality in the nation in 2012 with more than 25,000 residents and in both 2013 and 2014 they named it as the 2nd safest town in the US only behind Franklin, Massachusetts.
In 2019, Bergenfield has dropped in their ratings, falling to number 4.
History
Bergenfield was formed on the basis of a referendum held on June 25, 1894, from portions of Englewood Township and Palisades Township. The borough was formed during the "Boroughitis" phenomenon then sweeping through Bergen County, in which 26 boroughs were formed in the county in 1894 alone. The borough was named for its location in Bergen County.Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 2.91 square miles, including 2.90 square miles of land and 0.01 square miles of water.The borough borders the Bergen County municipalities of Cresskill, Dumont, Englewood, New Milford, Teaneck and Tenafly.
Demographics
Bergenfield has been called the Little Manila of Bergen County. Of the 14,224 Filipino population in the county as a whole enumerated in the 2000 Census, 3,133 lived in Bergenfield. By the 2010 Census, 4,569 Bergenfield residents listed themselves as being of Filipino ancestry, and increasing further to 5,062 by 2016.A growing Jewish community in Bergenfield and neighboring Teaneck is comprised of Modern Orthodox Jews.
2020 census
2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 26,764 people, 8,852 households, and 6,816 families in the borough. The population density was. There were 9,200 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup was 52.42% White, 7.70% Black or African American, 0.31% Native American, 25.60% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 10.12% from other races, and 3.80% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race were 26.52% of the population.Of the 8,852 households, 35.5% had children under the age of 18; 58.7% were married couples living together; 13.7% had a female householder with no husband present and 23.0% were non-families. Of all households, 19.4% 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 3.02 and the average family size was 3.46.
23.9% of the population was under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 26.1% from 25 to 44, 28.4% from 45 to 64, and 13.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.0 years. For every 100 females, the population had 91.7 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 88.8 males.
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that median household income was $82,546 and the median family income was $99,963. Males had a median income of $52,891 versus $50,443 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $35,034. About 3.9% of families and 5.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.2% of those under age 18 and 7.1% of those age 65 or over.
Same-sex couples headed 62 households in 2010, an increase from the 51 counted in 2000.
2000 census
As of the 2000 United States census there were 26,247 people, 8,981 households, and 6,753 families residing in the borough. The population density was. There were 9,147 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the borough was 62.90% White, 6.90% African American, 0.24% Native American, 20.41% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 6.47% from other races, and 3.06% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race were 17.05% of the population.There were 8,981 households, out of which 36.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.8% were married couples living together, 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.8% were non-families. 20.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.9% 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 3.41.
In the borough 24.8% of the population was under the age of 18, 7.3% was from 18 to 24, 31.0% from 25 to 44, 23.2% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% was 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.2 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $62,172, and the median income for a family was $71,187. Males had a median income of $42,074 versus $35,137 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $24,706. About 2.6% of families and 3.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.6% of those under age 18 and 3.8% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
, a major producer of jazz recordings that was established in 1949, had its offices in Bergenfield from the mid-1960s until its sale in 1972.Arts and culture
The infamous group suicide of the "Bergenfield Four" took place in March 1987 and received worldwide attention. The victims were four local high schoolers, ages sixteen to nineteen, and their mutual deaths by carbon monoxide were followed by a rash of copycat attempts. The suicides are examined in sociological perspective in Donna Gaines' Teenage Wasteland. References in the arts include the Tom Russell song "Bergenfield", and the Alice Donut song "New Jersey Exit".The Royal Teens were a 1950s rock and roll band from the borough that was best known as one-hit wonders for their song "Short Shorts". The Knickerbockers were a 1960s band that took their name from Knickerbocker Road in nearby Tenafly. Mucky Pup was a hardcore and heavy metal band from Bergenfield.
Several scenes for the Harlem Globetrotter 1954 film Go, Man, Go! were filmed at Franklin School, and along nearby Prospect Avenue. Those scenes included actors Dane Clark and Patricia Breslin. Many of the school's 5th grade boys were used as extras.
On May 4, 2006, the ABC show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition came to Bergenfield to build a home for the Llanes family on New Bridge Road. The episode aired as the pre-season two-hour special originally broadcast on September 17, 2006. The Llanes sold their home in 2012 and went to live with relatives because their taxes increased beyond their ability to pay, having risen from under $6,500 in 2007 to more than $15,000 five years later due to the increased assessed value of the home following the renovation.
Sports
On July 22, 2007, the Team Bergenfield Roller Hockey Club, won the NARCh National Roller Hockey Championship defeating the Nor-Cal Patriots 6–5 in Estero, Florida. Team Bergenfield went 6–0–1 in the tournament en route to winning the Men's Silver Championship. The team formed in Bergenfield in 1994 and is one of the longest running roller hockey clubs in the United States.Government
Local government
Bergenfield is governed under the borough form of New Jersey municipal government, which is used in 218 municipalities statewide, making it the most common form of government in New Jersey. The governing body is comprised of a mayor and a borough council, 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 includes 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 Bergenfield 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., the mayor of Bergenfield is Democrat Arvin Amatorio, whose term of office ends December 31, 2027; a former borough council member, Amatorio unseated Republican Norman Schmelz in the 2019 election. Members of the Borough Council are Council President Ora Kornbluth, Domingo Almonte, Salvador S. "Buddy" Deauna, Hernando Rivera-Mejia , Thomas A. Lodato and Marc Pascual.
In March 2023, the borough council appointed Domingo Almonte to fill the seat expiring in December 2023 that had been held been held by Rafael Marte.
In January 2020, the borough council selected Marc Pascual to fill the seat expiring in December 2020 that had been held by Arvin Amatorio until he stepped down to take office as mayor.
In January 2017, the borough council selected Rafael Marte to fill the seat expiring in December 2017 that had been held by Chris Tully until he resigned from office earlier that month.
Federal, state and county representation
Bergenfield is located in the 5th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 38th state legislative district.Politics
As of 2022, there were 18,848 registered voters in Bergenfield. As of 2011, there were a total of 14,083 registered voters in Bergenfield, of which 5,139 were registered as Democrats, 2,151 were registered as Republicans and 6,782 were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 11 voters registered as Libertarians or Greens. Among the borough's 2010 Census population, 52.6% were registered to vote, including 69.2% of those ages 18 and over.In the 2016 presidential election, Democrat Hillary Clinton received 7,395 votes, ahead of Republican Donald Trump with 3,745 votes and other candidates with 305 votes, among the 11,653 ballots cast by the borough's 16,298 registered voters for a turnout of 71.5%. In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 6,665 votes, ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 3,773 votes and other candidates with 91 votes, among the 10,624 ballots cast by the borough's 15,285 registered voters, for a turnout of 69.5%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 6,410 votes, ahead of Republican John McCain with 4,561 votes and other candidates with 70 votes, among the 11,138 ballots cast by the borough's 14,721 registered voters, for a turnout of 75.7%.
In the 2017 gubernatorial election, Democrat Phil Murphy received 66.5% of the vote, ahead of Republican Kim Guadagno with 32.3%, and other candidates with 1.1%, among the 5,891 ballots cast by the borough's 15,631 registered voters, for a turnout of 37.7%. In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 59.2% of the vote, ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 40.0%, and other candidates with 0.8%, among the 6,214 ballots cast by the borough's 14,629 registered voters, for a turnout of 42.5%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 3,463 ballots cast, ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 2,599 votes, Independent Chris Daggett with 276 votes and other candidates with 29 votes, among the 6,420 ballots cast by the borough's 14,488 registered voters, yielding a 44.3% turnout.