Montclair, New Jersey
Montclair is a township in Essex County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Situated on the cliffs of the Watchung Mountains, Montclair is a commercial and cultural hub of North Jersey and a diverse bedroom community of New York City within the New York metropolitan area. The township is home to Montclair State University, the state's second-largest university.
As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 40,921, an increase of 3,252 from the 2010 census count of 37,669, which in turn reflected a decline of 1,308 from the 38,977 counted in the 2000 census. As of 2010, it was the 60th-most-populous municipality in New Jersey.
History
Montclair was initially formed as a township on April 15, 1868, from portions of Bloomfield Township, so that a second railroad could be built to Montclair. After a referendum held on February 21, 1894, Montclair was reincorporated as a town, effective February 24, 1894. It derives its name from the French mont clair, meaning "clear mountain" or "bright mountain."In 1980, after multiple protests filed by Montclair officials regarding inequities built into the federal revenue-sharing system for local governments, Montclair voters passed a referendum changing its form of government to being a township, becoming the third of more than a dozen Essex County municipalities to reclassify their governmental organization in order to take advantage of federal revenue sharing policies that allocated townships a greater share of government aid to municipalities on a per capita basis.
Before cannabis was legalized for sale for both medical and recreational use in 2022, the state's first marijuana dispensary opened in Montclair in December 2012, joining Bellmawr, Cranbury, Egg Harbor Township, and Woodbridge Township as one of the five municipalities that had authorized the sale of medical cannabis.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 6.25 square miles, including 6.24 square miles of land and 0.01 square miles of water.Montclair is on the east side of the First Mountain of the Watchung Mountains. Some higher locations in the township provide excellent views of the surrounding area and of the New York City skyline about away.
Named localities in the township include Church Street, Frog Hollow, South End, Upper Montclair, and Watchung Plaza.
Montclair is split between two ZIP Codes. The central and southern parts of the township are designated 07042. Upper Montclair lies north of Watchung Avenue and has a separate ZIP code, 07043. Because the ZIP codes do not exactly match municipal boundaries, a few homes near the borders with neighboring towns fall into the ZIP codes for those communities. A few homes in some adjoining municipalities use one of the two ZIP codes assigned to Montclair, as does HackensackUMC Mountainside, whose campus straddles the border with Glen Ridge. Small areas in the southeast of the township fall into the Glen Ridge ZIP code 07028.
Several streams flow eastward through Montclair: Toney's Brook in the center, Nishuane Brook in the southeast, Wigwam Brook in the southwest, Pearl Brook in the northwest, and Yantacaw Brook in the northeast—all in the Passaic River watershed. Yantacaw and Toney's brooks are dammed in parks to create ponds. Wigwam, Nishuane, and Toney's brooks flow into the Second River, and the others flow into the Third River. Montclair lies just north of the northernmost extent of the Rahway River watershed.
Montclair borders the municipalities of Bloomfield, Cedar Grove, Glen Ridge, Orange, Verona, and West Orange in Essex County; and Clifton and Little Falls in Passaic County.
The southern border of Montclair is a straight line between Eagle Rock, on the ridge of the First Watchung Mountain, and the point where Orange Road begins at the foot of Ridgewood Avenue. The eastern border is roughly a straight line between that point and a point just southwest of where Broad Street crosses the Third River. The western border runs roughly along the ridge of the First Watchung Mountain between Eagle Rock and the Essex County/Passaic County border. The northern border is the border between those two counties.
Climate
Montclair has a temperate climate, with warm-to-hot, humid summers and cool-to-cold winters, as is characteristic of the Köppen climate classification humid continental climate. January tends to be the coldest month, with average high temperatures in the upper 30s Fahrenheit and lows averaging 21. July, the warmest month, features high temperatures in the mid-80s and lows in the 70s, with an average high of 86 degrees. From April to June and from September to early November, Montclair experiences temperatures from the lower 60s to the lower 70s.Montclair gets approximately of rain per year, above the United States average of. Snowfall is common from December to early March and totals about annually. The number of days each year in Montclair with any measurable precipitation is 90; the area has an average of 202 sunny days.
Montclair is one or two degrees warmer than the neighboring municipalities of Verona and Cedar Grove because of the mountain between them, which sometimes blocks winds and clouds, including warmer air from the ocean to the east.
Demographics
The township has long been known for its ethnic diversity, a feature that has attracted many to the community. Its African-American community was once stable at around 30% of the population for decades, but has declined in both absolute and proportional terms in the 21st century, to 27% in 2010 and then to 22% in 2020. At the same time, the township’s Hispanic population has increased, accounting for more than 10% of residents in 2020.Montclair has attracted many New Yorkers. Many residents work for major media organizations in New York City, including The New York Times and Newsweek. A March 11, 2007, posting in the blog Gawker.com listed some of those who work in the media and live in Montclair. Many residents are commuters to New York City and the metro area.
2020 census
| Race / Ethnicity | Pop 1990 | Pop 2000 | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 1990 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
| White alone | 24,013 | 22,268 | 21,920 | 22,593 | 63.65% | 57.13% | 58.12% | 55.25% |
| Black or African American alone | 11,464 | 12,194 | 9,902 | 9,008 | 30.39% | 31.29% | 26.25% | 22.02% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone | 79 | 57 | 39 | 36 | 0.21% | 0.15% | 0.10% | 0.09% |
| Asian alone | 840 | 1,214 | 1,416 | 2,045 | 2.23% | 3.11% | 3.76% | 5.00% |
| Pacific Islander alone | N/A | 12 | 8 | 11 | N/A | 0.03% | 0.02% | 0.03% |
| Some Other Race alone | 84 | 220 | 237 | 444 | 0.22% | 0.56% | 0.63% | 1.08% |
| Mixed Race/Multi-Racial | N/A | 1,017 | 1,337 | 2,480 | N/A | 2.61% | 3.55% | 6.07% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1,249 | 1,995 | 2,810 | 4,304 | 3.31% | 5.12% | 7.47% | 10.53% |
| Total | 37,729 | 38,977 | 37,669 | 40,921 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 37,669 people, 15,089 households, and 9,446 families in the township. The population density was. There were 15,911 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup was 62.16% White, 27.16% Black or African American, 0.16% Native American, 3.81% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 2.19% from other races, and 4.50% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race were 7.46% of the population.Of the 15,089 households, 33.9% had children under the age of 18; 46.1% were married couples living together; 13.2% had a female householder with no husband present and 37.4% were non-families. Of all households, 30.9% 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 2.47 and the average family size was 3.15.
25.5% of the population were under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 26.7% from 25 to 44, 30.3% from 45 to 64, and 11.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.9 years. For every 100 females, the population had 87.2 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 82.2 males.
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that median household income was $95,696 and the median family income was $126,983. Males had a median income of $83,589 versus $66,063 for females. The per capita income for the township was $53,572. About 4.6% of families and 2.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.0% of those under age 18 and 4.6% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
Montclair has six distinct commercial zones:- Montclair Center, also known as Downtown Montclair, centered on the intersection of Bloomfield Avenue, South Fullerton Avenue, Glenridge Avenue, and Church Street, is the township's main commercial zone. This intersection is also known as Six Corners. It is home to some of Montclair's largest stores and restaurants and features many upscale restaurants and boutiques near the center of this commercial district. Near the eastern end of this district is Lackawanna Plaza, which once housed the Lackawanna railway station. There is a post office one block to the north of this area. In 2015, Montclair Center won the Great American Main Street Award from the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
- Upper Montclair, in the north of the town, is the second-largest commercial zone. The center is the intersection of Valley Road and Bellevue Avenue and incorporates the surrounding areas. The Upper Montclair Business District is home to several restaurants, shops, and in more recent times, chain stores. Upper Montclair is home to the Upper Montclair railway station, a post office, and Anderson Park, a 14.85-acre parcel of land donated by Montclair resident Charles W. Anderson in 1903. It was called Montclair Park until 1909 when the township requested the name change. The park was designed by John Charles Olmsted, the stepson of Frederick Law Olmsted.
- Watchung Plaza is located around the intersection of Watchung Avenue and Park Street and is on the divide between two Montclair ZIP Codes, 07042 and 07043. It is home to many "Mom and Pop Stores" and other small businesses. Watchung Plaza has its own post office. It is served by the Watchung Avenue station.
- Walnut Street, built around the Walnut Street train station. In the spring, summer, and fall it is home to the Montclair Farmer's Market. This commercial zone is home to many restaurants and cafes as well as home to Montclair Brewery, New Jersey's first black-owned microbrewery, and Montclair's only operating brewery.
- South End, in the south of town, at the intersection of Cedar Avenue and Orange Road.
- Valley Road, between Chestnut Street and Claremont Avenue, is known locally as "Frog Hollow." This area has some strip mall-style shops on one side, and on the other side, window shops with residential apartments on top of them.