Central Jersey facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Central Jersey
With 15 travel lanes and six shoulder lanes, Driscoll Bridge on the Garden State Parkway in Central Jersey is one of the world's widest and busiest motor vehicle bridges; the bridge crosses Raritan River near Raritan Bay.
Country	United States
State	New Jersey
Largest municipalities by population	Elizabeth Lakewood Woodbridge Township Edison Hamilton Trenton Middletown Township Old Bridge Township Franklin Township Union Piscataway New Brunswick Perth Amboy Howell Township Plainfield
Population  (2020)	3,580,999

Central Jersey, also called Central New Jersey, is the middle part of the state of New Jersey. Many people in New Jersey see it as its own special area, different from North Jersey and South Jersey. In 2020, about 3.5 million people lived here.

Central Jersey usually includes Middlesex, Monmouth, Mercer, Somerset, and Hunterdon counties. Sometimes, parts of Union and Ocean counties are also included. In 2023, a new law officially recognized Central Jersey. This law says it includes at least Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, and Somerset counties.

Two of New Jersey's busiest highways, the New Jersey Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway, meet in Woodbridge, which is in Central Jersey. Trenton, the state capital, is also located here.

What is Central Jersey?

Where is Central Jersey Located?

The counties often included in Central Jersey are highlighted in green.

Central Jersey is right in the middle of a huge urban area called the Northeast megalopolis. This means it's close to many big cities. It is also part of the New York metropolitan area, which is the largest metropolitan area in the United States.

Some parts of Central Jersey, especially Mercer County, are also close to the Delaware Valley and the city of Philadelphia. However, Mercer County is officially considered part of the New York area.

Rivers and Bays

The Raritan Valley is an area along the Raritan River and its branches. It includes towns like Bridgewater, Somerville, New Brunswick, and Edison.

The Raritan Bayshore is a coastal area in Middlesex and Monmouth Counties. It stretches along the Raritan Bay to Sandy Hook, which is near the Atlantic Ocean. Towns here include Sayreville, Woodbridge, and Middletown.

Central Jersey's Past

Colonial Times

This map shows how New Jersey was once divided into West New Jersey (yellow) and East New Jersey (green).

Long ago, from 1674 to 1702, New Jersey was split into two parts: West New Jersey and East New Jersey. The line between them, called the Keith Line, went right through the middle of what is now Mercer County. This old border still affects some county lines today.

Because New Jersey was located between the big cities of New York and Philadelphia, Benjamin Franklin famously called it "a barrel tapped at both ends." This meant it was easy to travel through and trade goods.

Travelers from New York would take boats across the Hudson River and then switch to horse-drawn carriages. They would travel through Central Jersey on old roads like Old York Road and parts of the King's Highway. These roads actually followed paths that Native American Lenape people used long before.

Raritan Landing, near New Brunswick, became an important port for trade. Also, two of the first colleges in America, Princeton University and Rutgers University, were founded in Central Jersey before the American Revolution.

American Revolution Battles

Central Jersey was a very important place during the American Revolution. Many major battles happened here because of its location between New York City and Philadelphia. Today, you can visit many of these battle sites, which are now state parks. These include Washington Crossing State Park, Princeton Battlefield State Park, and Monmouth Battlefield State Park.

At the Middlebrook encampment in Bridgewater, the first official flag of the United States was flown on June 14, 1777.

Economy and Fun in Central Jersey

Jobs and Industries

Central Jersey is known for being a wealthy area. Many of its counties have high average incomes.

In the past, Central Jersey was a big center for manufacturing, with many factories. However, many of these factories have now closed or moved.

Today, telecommunications and high-tech industries are important. The Bell Labs Holmdel Complex is famous for many inventions in communication. Now, it helps new tech companies grow. Companies like Verizon Wireless, AT&T Communications, and Bell Labs are located here.

Healthcare and Medicine

Central New Jersey is a world leader in the pharmaceuticals industry, which makes medicines. New Brunswick is even called "the Healthcare City" because it has many hospitals and medical schools, like Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. Big pharmaceutical companies like Johnson & Johnson, Merck, and Bristol-Myers Squibb Company have offices and labs in the region.

Shopping and Schools

Freehold Raceway Mall in Freehold Township is one of the largest shopping malls in New Jersey.

Central Jersey has many large shopping malls, including Freehold Raceway Mall, Woodbridge Center, and Menlo Park Mall.

Nassau Hall at Princeton University was once the largest academic building in the American colonies.

The region is home to famous universities. Princeton University is one of the top universities in the world. Rutgers-New Brunswick is the main campus of New Jersey's state university. Other colleges include Monmouth University, Rider University, and The College of New Jersey.

Fun Things to Do

Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson has many famous rollercoasters, including Kingda Ka, one of the tallest in the world.

Central New Jersey offers many fun things for visitors and residents. You can visit Six Flags Great Adventure, a huge theme park with exciting roller coasters. The Jersey Shore in Monmouth and northern Ocean counties has many boardwalks and beaches.

The city of New Brunswick has a lively music scene. Famous music venues like the Stone Pony and PNC Bank Arts Center host many concerts. You can also enjoy plays at places like the McCarter Theater.

Transportation

Interstate 195 is sometimes called the "Central Jersey Expressway."

Central Jersey has many ways to get around. Major highways like the Garden State Parkway, New Jersey Turnpike, and Interstate 287 run through the area. Interstate 195 is even called the "Central Jersey Expressway" because it goes from Trenton to the Jersey Shore.

Train lines like the Northeast Corridor Line and Raritan Valley Line connect Central Jersey towns to bigger cities like New York. There are also ferries that can take you from the Raritan Bayshore to New York City.

For air travel, Trenton-Mercer Airport offers commercial flights. There are also smaller airports for private planes.

Diverse Communities

Asian Indian Population

Central New Jersey has a very large Asian Indian community. Middlesex County has the highest number of Asian Indians in the U.S. The world's largest Hindu temple outside India, called Swaminarayan Akshardham, opened in Robbinsville in 2014.

Indian cuisine is popular in Central Jersey.

The Oak Tree Road area in Edison and Iselin is known as "Little India." It's a busy street with many South Asian shops and restaurants. Many Indian pharmaceutical and technology companies have also set up their U.S. headquarters in Central New Jersey.

Chinese and Korean Populations

Central New Jersey has also seen a big increase in its Chinese population, including many from Taiwan. Many Chinese American families send their children to Mandarin language schools in Edison.

The region is also home to a large Korean American community. You can find Korean grocery stores like H Mart and several Korean churches in towns like Edison and Somerset.