East Brunswick, New Jersey
East Brunswick is a township in Middlesex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The suburban bedroom community is part of the New York metropolitan area and is located on the southern shore of the Raritan River, directly adjacent to New Brunswick and located roughly away from New York City. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 49,715, its highest decennial count ever and an increase of 2,203 from the 2010 census count of 47,512, which in turn reflected an increase of 756 from the 46,756 counted in the 2000 census.
East Brunswick was incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 28, 1860, from portions of both Monroe Township and North Brunswick. Portions of the township were taken to form Washington town within the township, Helmetta, Milltown and Spotswood.
Since the 2000 census, the United States Census Bureau calculated that New Jersey's center of population was located in the township.
History
The general area of central New Jersey was originally occupied by the Lenape Native Americans. According to a 1677 bill of sale now in the New Jersey State Museum in Trenton, New Jersey, Thomas Lawrence, a New York baker, purchased thousands of acres of land from local Native Americans named Querameck, Kesyacs, Isarick, Metapis, Peckawan, and Turantecas.In this document, the area is called Piscopeek, which later become known as Lawrence Brook, after its purchaser. Around the late 17th century, settlers began arriving in the northern part of East Brunswick, and by the mid-19th century, a small settlement had formed in the southeastern part, known as the Old Bridge section of the town, an area that was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977, the Old Bridge Historic District.
The area today known as East Brunswick was incorporated in 1860 from parts of North Brunswick and Monroe townships, including the community of Old Bridge. Originally a farming community, suburban settlement started in the 1930s with improved road access. Large scale housing and road construction, especially after World War II, transformed East Brunswick into a more suburban community. The extension of the New Jersey Turnpike to East Brunswick in 1952 led to a sharp spike in population growth, with the 1950 Census population of 5,699 more than tripling to 19,965 as of the 1960 enumeration.
In the early 1970s, a citizens group called Concerned Citizens of East Brunswick sued the New Jersey Turnpike Authority over a proposed major widening project. The citizens group effectively won the case, gaining concessions in turnpike design, scale and mitigation measures for noise and air quality. The citizens group presented technical data from their own experts and prevailed in what was one of the earliest technical confrontations regarding urban highway design related to environmental factors in U.S. history.
East Brunswick was also the site of the gunfight at Turnpike exit 9 shortly after midnight on May 2, 1973, in which a car being driven by Zayd Malik Shakur, with Assata Shakur and Sundiata Acoli as passengers, was stopped on the New Jersey Turnpike State Trooper James Harper, backed up by Trooper Werner Foerster in a second patrol vehicle. After Zayd Shakur was asked to step out of the car to address a discrepancy in his identification, a shootout ensued in which Trooper Foerster was shot twice in the head with his own gun and killed, Zayd Shakur was killed, and both Assata Shakur and Trooper Harper were wounded.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 22.36 square miles, including 21.78 square miles of land and 0.57 square miles of water.The township lies on exit 9 of the New Jersey Turnpike. Its Municipal Building, named for 1970s Mayor Jean Walling, is located southwest of New York City's Times Square and northeast of Center City, Philadelphia. It takes approximately 45–60 minutes to reach Midtown Manhattan in New York City or Center City, Philadelphia, depending on traffic and destination. Route 18 runs through the eastern part of the township, as it serves as a vital route in Central Jersey for access to the Jersey Shore and interior parts of the state. East Brunswick's pristine suburbs and its convenience to major highways for leisure and for work, have contributed to it being a popular place for New York City commuters.
File:2024-04-26 15 40 55 View southwest up Weston's Mill Pond from the spillway near the northeast end of the Mill Pond Trail within Frank G. Helyar Woods at the Rutgers Gardens in New Brunswick, Middlesex County, New Jersey.jpg|thumb|left|Westons Mill Pond, with Rutgers University on the right and East Brunswick on the left
East Brunswick is located in the heart of the Raritan Valley region, as the township is located right on the southern shore of the Raritan River. The Lawrence Brook, a major tributary of the Raritan River, runs along the western border of the township. Farrington Lake and Westons Mill Pond are sections of the Lawrence Brook that have been widened by the presence of man-made dames. The South River, another major tributary of the Raritan River, runs along the eastern border of the township near the historic village of Old Bridge. The Manalapan Brook's watershed encompasses much of the southern half of the township near Spotswood and Monroe, whereas the aforementioned Lawrence Brook's watershed encompasses much of the northern half of the township near Milltown and the other Brunswicks.
Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Brookview, Dunhams Corner, Fairview Knolls, Farrington Lake Heights, Gillilandtown, Halls Corner, Herberts, Herberts Corner, Herbertsville, Jamesburg Park,, Lawrence Brook, Lawrence Brook Manor, Newton Heights, Old Bridge, Orchard Heights, Patricks Corner, Paulas Corner, Tanners Corner, Washington Heights and Westons Mills., Country Lane
The township borders the Middlesex County municipalities of Edison, Helmetta, Milltown, Monroe Township, New Brunswick, North Brunswick, Old Bridge Township, Sayreville, South River, South Brunswick and Spotswood.
Climate
East Brunswick sits at the border between a humid continental climate according to the 0-degree-Celsius isotherm and a humid subtropical climate.Demographics
2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 47,512 people, 16,810 households, and 13,179 families in the township. The population density was. There were 17,367 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup was 69.36% White, 3.98% Black or African American, 0.10% Native American, 22.80% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.68% from other races, and 2.06% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.70% of the population.Of the 16,810 households, 37.2% had children under the age of 18; 65.8% were married couples living together; 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present and 21.6% were non-families. Of all households, 19.0% were made up of individuals and 8.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.81 and the average family size was 3.23.
24.1% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 23.0% from 25 to 44, 32.1% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42.5 years. For every 100 females, the population had 93.6 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 90.4 males.
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that median household income was $100,655 and the median family income was $110,948. Males had a median income of $80,527 versus $54,162 for females. The per capita income for the township was $41,518. About 3.0% of families and 3.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.4% of those under age 18 and 6.4% of those age 65 or over.
2000 census
As of the 2000 United States census, there were 46,756 people, 16,372 households, and 13,081 families residing in the township. The population density was 2,129.7/mi2. There were 16,640 housing units at an average density of 758.0/mi2. The racial makeup of the township was 77.56% White, 2.83% African American, 0.09% Native American, 16.27% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.12% from other races, and 2.12% from two or more races. 4.19% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.Of the 16,372 households, 40.5% included children under the age of 18, 68.6% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.1% were non-families. 17.2% 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 2.84 and the average family size was 3.23.
In the township the population was spread out, with 26.0% under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 26.9% from 45 to 64, and 11.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.1 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $75,956, and the median income for a family was $86,863. Males had a median income of $60,790 versus $38,534 for females. The per capita income for the township was $33,286. 2.8% of the population and 2.1% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 3.1% of those under the age of 18 and 5.4% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
Ancestries included Italian, Irish, Polish, German, Russian, United States.