Edison, New Jersey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Edison, New Jersey
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Township
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Edison Station
JFK Medical Center
Little India
Roosevelt Hospital
St. Thomas Aquinas High School
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| Nickname(s):
"Birthplace of the Modern World"
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| Motto(s):
"Let There Be Light"
"Birthplace of Recorded Sound" |
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Location of Edison in Middlesex County highlighted in red (left). Inset map: Location of Middlesex County in New Jersey highlighted in orange (right).
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Census Bureau map of Edison, New Jersey
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 Edison, New Jersey
Location in Middlesex County, New Jersey
Edison, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Edison, New Jersey
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  New Jersey |
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| County | Middlesex | ||
| Settled | 1651 | ||
| Incorporated | March 17, 1870 (as Raritan Township) | ||
| Renamed | November 10, 1954 (as Edison Township) | ||
| Named for | Thomas Edison | ||
| Government | |||
| • Type | Faulkner Act Mayor-Council | ||
| • Body | Township Council | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 30.69 sq mi (79.49 km2) | ||
| • Land | 30.06 sq mi (77.86 km2) | ||
| • Water | 0.63 sq mi (1.63 km2) 2.05% | ||
| Area rank | 88th of 565 in state 4th of 25 in county |
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| Elevation | 39 ft (12 m) | ||
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 107,588 | ||
| • Estimate
(2023)
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106,836 | ||
| • Rank | 6th of 565 in state 1st of 25 in county |
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| • Density | 3,578.2/sq mi (1,381.6/km2) | ||
| • Density rank | 187th of 565 in state 14th of 25 in county |
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| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST)) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT)) | ||
| ZIP Codes |
08817, 08818, 08820, 08837, 08899
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| Area code(s) | 732 and 908 | ||
| FIPS code | 3402320230 | ||
| GNIS feature ID | 0882166 | ||
Edison is a township in Middlesex County, New Jersey. It is in Central New Jersey near the Raritan River. Edison is a busy area with many businesses, including Menlo Park Mall and Little India. It is also a place where many people live and travel to work in New York City.
In 2020, Edison was the sixth-largest town in New Jersey. Its population was 107,588 people. This was an increase of over 7,600 people since the 2010 census.
The area was first called Raritan Township. It became an official township on March 17, 1870. Parts of it were later used to form Metuchen and Highland Park. The name was changed to Edison Township on November 10, 1954. This was to honor the famous inventor Thomas Edison. He had his main laboratory in the Menlo Park part of the township.
Contents
History of Edison
Early Times
The first people to live in this area were the Raritan people. They were a group of Lenape Native Americans. They lived here and traveled to the coast.
European settlers arrived in the 1600s. The first village was Piscatawaytown. Some old buildings from that time are still standing. These include the Laing House of Plainfield Plantation, the Benjamin Shotwell House, and the Homestead Farm at Oak Ridge. These are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The community was known as "Raritan Township." This is different from the Raritan Township in Hunterdon County today.
The Edison Years
In 1876, Thomas Edison built his home and lab in a place called "Menlo Park" in Raritan Township. This area is now Edison State Park. People called him "the Wizard of Menlo Park."
Edison was a very busy inventor. Before he passed away in 1931 at age 83, he had 1,093 patents. Some of his inventions include the phonograph (for recording sound), the motion-picture camera, and the incandescent light bulb. He also invented a mechanical vote counter and batteries for electric cars.
His Menlo Park lab was special because it was one of the first places to focus on making inventions that people could actually use and buy. It was here that he created the phonograph and a light bulb that could be sold. Christie Street was the first street in the world to use electric lights. Later, Edison moved his home and lab to West Orange in 1886.
20th Century Changes
Near Piscatawaytown, there was an area known as "Nixon." It was named after Lewis Nixon, a local leader. During World War I, a large chemical factory called the Nixon Nitration Works was built there. In 1924, there was a huge explosion and fire at the factory. It caused a lot of damage and sadly, 20 people lost their lives.
In 1954, the township's name was officially changed to Edison. This was to honor Thomas A. Edison. There was also a suggestion to change the name to Nixon, but it did not pass.
In 1959, the Menlo Park Mall opened. It is a large shopping mall on U.S. Route 1.
21st Century Growth
Edison has grown very quickly in New Jersey. In 2000, it was the fifth most populated town in the state.
Edison is a diverse community. More than 75 different ethnic groups live there. It has a large Jewish community near Highland Park, with many synagogues. There is also a growing Indian community with several temples. Because of its many residents from India and China, Edison has sister city agreements with Shijiazhuang, China, and Baroda, India.
CNN Money magazine ranked Edison as a great place to live. In 2006, it was the 28th most livable small city in the U.S. and second in New Jersey. In 2009, U.S. News & World Report said Edison was one of "America's 10 Best Places to Grow Up." This was because of its low crime, good schools, green spaces, and fun activities. In 2014, parenting.com named Edison the safest city in America.
Geography of Edison
Edison covers about 30.69 square miles (79.49 km2). Most of this is land, with a small amount of water.
Edison is in the Raritan Valley area of central New Jersey. It completely surrounds the town of Metuchen. This makes it one of New Jersey's "doughnut towns," where one town is completely inside another. Edison shares borders with several other towns. These include East Brunswick, Highland Park, New Brunswick, Piscataway, Sayreville, South Plainfield, and Woodbridge in Middlesex County. It also borders Clark, Plainfield, and Scotch Plains in Union County.
Edison has many different areas and neighborhoods. Some well-known places within the township are Bonhamtown, Clara Barton, Menlo Park, Nixon, and Stelton.
Edison is about 27 miles from Midtown Manhattan in New York City. It is also about 27 miles from Trenton, New Jersey's capital.
The land in Edison is mostly flat. However, there are some hilly parts, especially along the Perth Amboy Moraine. This area was formed by an ancient ice sheet. The highest point in Edison is about 220 feet high on Grandview Avenue. The lowest point is at sea level on the Raritan River.
The Robinsons Branch of the Rahway River flows through Edison.
Climate
Edison has a humid subtropical climate. This means it gets a lot of rain throughout the year. Summers are usually hot and humid. Winters are cool to cold, and it snows every year.
The coldest temperature ever recorded in Edison was -17°F (-27°C) in February 1934. The hottest temperature was 106°F (41°C) in July 1936 and August 1949.
Demographics
Asian Community
Edison is a major center for Asian American culture. In 2020, 50.0% of the people in Edison were of Asian descent.
Indian Community
Oak Tree Road is a popular shopping area for people of South Asian heritage. It runs through Edison and nearby Iselin. This area is the largest and most diverse South Asian cultural center in the United States. In Middlesex County, election ballots are printed in English, Spanish, Gujarati, Hindi, and Punjabi.
In 2020, 34.9% of Edison residents identified as Indian American. This was an increase from 28.3% in 2010. In the 2000 Census, Edison had the highest percentage of Indian-American people of any town in the U.S. with over 1,000 residents.
Chinese Community
Edison also has a large Chinese population. There are several Chinese-language schools and cultural groups in the town. Near the borders with Highland Park and Rutgers University's Livingston Campus, you can find many Chinese food places. These include Kam Man Food, 99 Ranch Market, and various dim sum and tea shops. There is also a pan-Asian supermarket called H Mart.
Edison celebrates the Lunar New Year with a parade. It usually goes from Division Street to Papaianni Park.
Jewish Community
Edison is home to a large Jewish community, especially those who follow Orthodox traditions. In December 2024, the world's largest gathering of rabbis outside of Israel took place at the New Jersey Convention and Exposition Center in Edison.
Economy
Manufacturing
In the past, Edison had many factories. These included Ford Motor Company's car plant, which made Rangers, Mustangs, and other cars. Frigidaire had an air-conditioner plant, and Siemens also had a facility here.
Starting in the 2000s, many factories in Central New Jersey closed. They moved their production overseas. The Ford plant was taken down by 2008. New businesses like Sam's Club, Topgolf, and Starbucks now stand there.
Businesses in Edison
Majesco Entertainment, a video game company, has its main office in Edison. Other companies have large warehouses here. These include the Italian food company Colavita, an Amazon fulfillment center, and regional centers for FedEx and UPS.
Edison also has the New Jersey Convention and Exposition Center. This is the state's largest private convention center. It is located within the Raritan Center Business Park. Raritan Center is the biggest industrial park east of the Mississippi River. The U.S. headquarters for Zylog Systems is in Edison. So are the headquarters for e-commerce companies Boxed and Bare Necessities.
Sports
Plainfield Country Club is a private golf club in Edison. It has hosted major golf tournaments. These include the 1987 U.S. Women's Open and The Barclays golf tournament in 2011 and 2015.
Parks and Recreation
Oak Tree Pond was the site of the Battle of Short Hills. This was a small battle during the American Revolutionary War. The area was turned into a park, which helped resolve a land development issue.
Roosevelt Park is a large park covering 196 acres. It includes an 8-acre lake called Roosevelt Park Lake. The park was created in 1917. It is the oldest county park in Middlesex County.
Edison State Park and Dismal Swamp are also located in the township.
Government
Local Government
Edison Township uses a Mayor-Council form of government. This means it has a mayor and a Township Council. The mayor and the seven council members are elected by the people. They serve four-year terms. Elections happen in November of odd-numbered years.
As of 2024, the Mayor of Edison is Samip "Sam" Joshi. His term ends on December 31, 2025. The Township Council members are Nishith Patel (Council President), Margot Harris (Council Vice President), Richard Brescher, Joseph Coyle, Ajay Patil, John Poyner, and Asaf Shmuel.
Antonia "Toni" Ricigliano was the first and only female mayor of Edison. Her term ended on December 31, 2013.
Recent Elections
In the 2017 mayoral election, Mayor Thomas Lankey was re-elected. He won against Keith Hahn.
In June 2016, Joseph Coyle was chosen by the Township Council. He filled a vacant seat on the council. Voters then elected him to serve the rest of the term in November 2016.
In 2005, Jun Choi won the mayoral election. He promised to improve the government. He became the youngest mayor in Edison's history at age 34.
Recently, Edison's politics have focused on how to plan the town's growth. The goal is to create "walkable" communities with businesses. They also want to keep open spaces and parks. This plan is called "Smart Growth."
There was a big debate about Walmart opening a store in central Edison. Even though Jun Choi had said he would stop it, Walmart won a lawsuit. The store eventually opened.
Law Enforcement
The town has the Edison Division of Police. It is led by Chief Thomas Bryan. In 2012, it had 168 officers. The Edison Auxiliary Police also help.
Representation in Government
Edison is part of the 6th Congressional District for the U.S. House of Representatives. For state laws, it is in New Jersey's 18th legislative district.
Politics
As of March 2011, Edison Township had 53,352 registered voters. Most voters were registered as Democrats (47.2%). About 11.7% were Republicans. The rest were not affiliated with a major party.
In the 2020 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 61.6% of the votes. Republican Donald Trump received 37.4%.
In the 2016 presidential election, Democrat Hillary Clinton received 61.0% of the votes. Republican Donald Trump received 36.2%.
In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 62.8% of the votes. Republican Mitt Romney received 36.3%.
In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 58.8% of the votes. Republican John McCain received 39.3%.
In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 55.2% of the votes. Republican George W. Bush received 43.1%.
In the 2021 gubernatorial election, Democrat Phil Murphy received 59.3% of the votes. Republican Jack Ciattarelli received 39.7%.
In the 2017 gubernatorial election, Democrat Phil Murphy received 58.5% of the votes. Republican Kim Guadagno received 39.4%.
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 58.6% of the votes. Democrat Barbara Buono received 39.3%.
Education
Public Schools
The Edison Township Public Schools serve students from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. The district has two high schools: Edison High School in the south and J.P. Stevens High School in the north.
As of the 2021–22 school year, the district had 19 schools and 16,268 students. There were 1,215 teachers, meaning about 13 students per teacher.
- Elementary Schools (K-5): Benjamin Franklin, Martin Luther King Jr., Lincoln, Lindeneau, John Marshall, Menlo Park, James Monroe, Washington, Woodbrook.
- Intermediate Schools: James Madison Primary (K-2) and James Madison Intermediate (3-5).
- Middle Schools (6-8): John Adams, Herbert Hoover, Thomas Jefferson, Woodrow Wilson.
- High Schools (9-12): Edison High School and J.P. Stevens High School.
J.P. Stevens High School is highly ranked in New Jersey. In 2016, U.S. News & World Report ranked it 41st in New Jersey and 905th nationally. Edison High School was ranked 59th in New Jersey and 2,015th nationally.
The Greater Brunswick Charter School is a K–8 school that serves students from Edison and nearby towns.
Students in eighth grade from all of Middlesex County can apply to the Middlesex County Magnet Schools. These schools offer special career and technical programs. Middlesex College is home to Edison Academy Magnet School.
Private Schools
Edison has several private schools. These include St. Thomas Aquinas High School (grades 9–12), St. Helena School (Pre-K–8), and St. Matthew School (Pre-K–8). These are part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Metuchen.
Jewish schools in Edison include Rabbi Jacob Joseph School, Rabbi Pesach Raymon Yeshiva (Pre-K–8, founded in 1945), and Yeshiva Shaarei Tzion (Pre-K–8, opened in 1992).
Other private schools are Lakeview School (for children with disabilities), Our Lady of Peace School, and Wardlaw-Hartridge School (Pre-K–12, founded in 1882).
The Huaxia Edison Chinese School teaches in Simplified Chinese on Sunday afternoons. The Edison Chinese School and Tzu Chi teach Traditional Chinese. J.P. Stevens High School offers Mandarin Chinese and Standard Hindi as elective languages.
Colleges
Lincoln Tech is a school in Edison that offers training for jobs. It has programs in nursing, medical fields, and computer applications.
Middlesex College is a public two-year college in Edison.
Rutgers University's Livingston campus is partly located in Edison. It is on the site of the former Camp Kilmer.
Libraries
Edison has three public library branches: The Main Branch, North Edison Branch, and the Clara Barton Branch.
Infrastructure
Transportation
Roads and Highways
Edison is a major transportation hub. Many highways pass through it, connecting to big cities like New York City, Boston, and Philadelphia. Newark Airport is about 25 miles away.
As of 2015, Edison had over 307 miles of roads. Most of these are maintained by the township.
Major state highways include Route 27 and Route 440. Route 1 also goes through Edison. I-287 passes through Edison and ends at I-95.
The New Jersey Turnpike (I-95) runs for about 5 miles through Edison. Exit 10 of the Turnpike is in Edison. It is a very busy interchange. It connects the New Jersey Turnpike to the New York State Thruway. This is important for truck drivers.
Public Transportation
Edison Station is in South Edison. NJ Transit trains go north to Newark Penn Station and New York Penn Station. Southbound trains go to Trenton. You can connect to Amtrak and SEPTA from there. Some people in North Edison might use Metropark Station or Metuchen Station instead.
NJ Transit also provides bus service. The 48 route goes to Elizabeth. Local bus routes include the 801, 804, 805, 810, 813, 814, and 819.
China Airlines offers a private bus service to JFK Airport. It picks up passengers from the Kam Man Food location in Edison.
Healthcare
JFK Medical Center is a hospital in Edison. It has 498 beds and was founded in 1967.
Roosevelt Care Center is a facility for long-term care. It was built in 1936.
Edison is served by the Raritan Valley Regional EMS. This group of emergency medical services merged in 2009. It includes Edison First Aid Squad #1, Edison First Aid Squad #2, and Clara Barton First Aid Squad. They have about 50 volunteer EMTs.
Telecommunications
Edison uses area codes 732 and 848 and 908 for phone numbers. Area Code 848 was added so that new numbers could be given without splitting the existing area code.
Edison has five Verizon Central offices that serve the township. In 1982, calls within the township were made local calls. In 1997, ten-digit dialing became required in Edison. This was when Area Code 732 was introduced.
Edison has Cablevision's Optimum cable television service.
Sister Cities
Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
Vadodara, Gujarat, India
Notable People
People who have lived in or are connected to Edison include:
- Tyus Battle (born 1997), a college basketball player.
- Brandon Bielak (born 1996), a baseball pitcher for the Houston Astros.
- David Bryan (born 1962), keyboardist and founding member of Bon Jovi.
- Leonte Carroo (born 1994), a wide receiver who played in the NFL.
- Thomas Edison (1847–1931), the famous inventor the township is named after.
- Halsey (born 1994), a popular singer-songwriter.
- Karl-Anthony Towns (born 1995), a professional basketball player for the New York Knicks.
- Mike Vallely (born 1970), a professional skateboarder and lead singer of Black Flag.
- Gary Vaynerchuk (born 1975), an entrepreneur and Internet personality.
- Jeremy Zuttah (born 1986), an offensive lineman who played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Notable Places
- Advian: In 2012, this site had one of the nation's largest rooftop solar installations.
- Bonhamtown: The site of a battle during the American Revolutionary War.
- Camp Kilmer: A World War II army post, partly located in Edison.
- Dismal Swamp: A preserved wetlands area.
- Edison station: A train station in South Edison on NJ Transit's Northeast Corridor Line.
- Kin-Buc Landfill: A former landfill and cleanup site where hazardous waste was dumped.
- Laing House of Plainfield Plantation: A historic home built in the early 1700s.
- Menlo Park Mall: A large shopping mall located at Route 1 and Parsonage Road.
- Oak Tree Road: Known for its many Indian stores and restaurants.
- Roosevelt Park: A 196-acre park next to Menlo Park Mall.
- Thomas Alva Edison Memorial Tower and Museum: Located in Edison State Park, where Thomas Edison invented the light bulb and phonograph.
- Tastee Sub Shop: A popular sandwich shop that President Barack Obama visited in 2010.
See also
In Spanish: Municipio de Edison (Nueva Jersey) para niños
