Fairfield Township, Essex County, New Jersey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Fairfield Township, New Jersey
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Township
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Aerial view of Fairfield in Essex County
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Location of Fairfield Township in Essex County highlighted in red (right). Inset map: Location of Essex County in New Jersey highlighted in orange (left).
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Census Bureau map of Fairfield Township, Essex County, New Jersey
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 Fairfield Township, New Jersey
Location in Essex County, New Jersey
Fairfield Township, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Fairfield Township, 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 | Essex | |
| Incorporated | February 16, 1798 (as Caldwell Township) | |
| Renamed | November 6, 1963 (as Fairfield Township) | |
| Government | ||
| • Type | Faulkner Act Small Municipality | |
| • Body | Township Council | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 10.35 sq mi (26.80 km2) | |
| • Land | 10.13 sq mi (26.23 km2) | |
| • Water | 0.22 sq mi (0.57 km2) 2.14% | |
| Area rank | 207th of 565 in state 4th of 22 in county |
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| Elevation | 174 ft (53 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 7,872 | |
| • Estimate
(2023)
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7,941 | |
| • Rank | 296th of 565 in state 18th of 22 in county |
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| • Density | 777.3/sq mi (300.1/km2) | |
| • Density rank | 410th of 565 in state 22nd of 22 in county |
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| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST)) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT)) | |
| ZIP Code |
07004
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| Area code(s) | 973 | |
| FIPS code | 3401322385 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 1729722 | |
Fairfield is a township in far northwestern Essex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 7,872, an increase of 406 (+5.4%) from the 2010 census count of 7,466, which in turn reflected an increase of 403 (+5.7%) from the 7,063 counted in the 2000 census. Fairfield was the least densely populated town in Essex County in 2020.
The first Europeans to settle in the area were Dutch and the place was called Gansegat. Later it was part of Horse Neck and officially part of Newark Township. What is now Fairfield was formed on February 16, 1798, as Caldwell Township from portions of Acquackanonk Township and Newark Township. The area was named for Rev. James Caldwell. It was incorporated as one of New Jersey's initial 104 townships by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798. Portions of the township were taken to create Livingston (February 8, 1813), Fairmount Township (March 11, 1862, now part of West Orange), Caldwell borough (February 10, 1892), Verona Township (February 17, 1892, now known and including what is now Cedar Grove), North Caldwell (March 31, 1898), Essex Fells (March 31, 1902) and West Caldwell (February 24, 1904). On November 6, 1963, Caldwell Township was renamed as Fairfield Township, based on the results of a referendum passed the previous day. Fairfield was reincorporated as borough on June 8, 1964. In 1978, the borough passed a referendum reincorporating itself as a township, becoming the second of more than a dozen Essex County municipalities to reclassify themselves as townships in order take advantage of federal revenue sharing policies that allocated townships a greater share of government aid to municipalities on a per capita basis.
Contents
History
The Dutch, including many acculturated French Huguenots, initially settled this area of the Passaic River Valley after purchasing it from the Native Americans. They named it "Gansegat" which is Dutch for "duck's pond".
The Horseneck Tract was an 18,000-acre (7,300 ha) area that consisted of what are now the municipalities of Fairfield, Caldwell, West Caldwell, North Caldwell, Verona, Cedar Grove, Essex Fells, Roseland, and portions of Livingston and West Orange. Later in 1702, English settlers purchased 14,000 acres (57 km2) of the Horseneck Tract without approval of the Proprietary Authorities from the Lenape Native Americans for goods equal to $325. When Proprietary Authorities began eviction proceedings against the settlers, the Horseneck Riots took place. This purchase encompassed much of western Essex County, from the First Mountain to a point on the Passaic River at Pine Brook NJ. The reason for the Horseneck name has never been determined, but historians agree that it is not because of its shape.
The Van Ness House, constructed about 1720, is a historic home added in 1977 to the National Register of Historic Places. The Fairfield Dutch Reformed Church dates back to 1720, and its current structure is another historic site, built in 1804.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 10.35 square miles (26.80 km2), including 10.13 square miles (26.23 km2) of land and 0.22 square miles (0.57 km2) of water (2.14%). Fairfield has the lowest population density of any municipality in Essex County. Fairfield Township is located in the northwest corner of Essex County. The township is bisected by Interstate 80 and Route 46.
Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Clinton and Clinton Park.
Great Piece Meadows is a swamp covering 1,170 acres (470 ha).
The township borders North Caldwell and West Caldwell in Essex County; East Hanover Township, Lincoln Park and Montville in Morris County; and Little Falls and Wayne in Passaic County.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1810 | 2,235 | — | |
| 1820 | 2,020 | * | −9.6% |
| 1830 | 2,004 | −0.8% | |
| 1840 | 2,184 | 9.0% | |
| 1850 | 2,377 | 8.8% | |
| 1860 | 2,688 | 13.1% | |
| 1870 | 2,727 | * | 1.5% |
| 1880 | 3,167 | 16.1% | |
| 1890 | 3,638 | 14.9% | |
| 1900 | 1,619 | * | −55.5% |
| 1910 | 704 | * | −56.5% |
| 1920 | 717 | 1.8% | |
| 1930 | 989 | 37.9% | |
| 1940 | 1,392 | 40.7% | |
| 1950 | 1,906 | 36.9% | |
| 1960 | 3,310 | 73.7% | |
| 1970 | 6,884 | 108.0% | |
| 1980 | 7,987 | 16.0% | |
| 1990 | 7,615 | −4.7% | |
| 2000 | 7,063 | −7.2% | |
| 2010 | 7,466 | 5.7% | |
| 2020 | 7,872 | 5.4% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 7,941 | 6.4% | |
| Population sources: 1800–1920 1840 1850–1870 1850 1870 1880–1890 1890–1910 1910–1930 1940–2000 2000 2010 2020 * = Lost territory in previous decade. |
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2020 census
| Race / Ethnicity | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
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| White alone (NH) | 6,800 | 6,562 | 83.10% | 79.88% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 46 | 38 | 0.62% | 0.46% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 3 | 0 | 0.04% | 0.00% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 183 | 355 | 2.35% | 4.35% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 0 | 1 | 0.00% | 0.01% |
| Some Other Race alone (NH) | 0 | 24 | 0.00% | 0.29% |
| Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) | 50 | 159 | 0.65% | 1.95% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 384 | 733 | 5.24% | 9.07% |
| Total | 7,466 | 7,872 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 7,466 people, 2,645 households, and 2,103 families in the township. The population density was 725.1 per square mile (280.0/km2). There were 2,723 housing units at an average density of 264.5 per square mile (102.1/km2). The racial makeup was 94.84% (7,081) White, 0.68% (51) Black or African American, 0.28% (21) Native American, 2.53% (189) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 0.74% (55) from other races, and 0.92% (69) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.14% (384) of the population.
Of the 2,645 households, 31.6% had children under the age of 18; 67.0% were married couples living together; 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present and 20.5% were non-families. Of all households, 18.0% were made up of individuals and 11.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.82 and the average family size was 3.22.
22.6% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 21.4% from 25 to 44, 28.6% from 45 to 64, and 20.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44.5 years. For every 100 females, the population had 94.4 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 91.8 males.
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $97,361 (with a margin of error of +/− $11,797) and the median family income was $117,004 (+/− $7,881). Males had a median income of $69,081 (+/− $15,627) versus $51,198 (+/− $6,668) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $41,615 (+/− $5,217). About 0.5% of families and 2.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 6.8% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
Corporate residents of Fairfield Township include:
- Pharmaceutical firm Bradley Pharmaceuticals was headquartered here until the company was acquired by Nycomed in 2008.
- Cricket Hill, microbrewer of American Ale, Hopnotic IPA, and East Coast Lager.
- Telebrands, the direct marketing firm best known for its "As Seen on TV" products.
Education
The Fairfield School District serves public school students in pre-kindergarten through sixth grade. As of the 2022–23 school year, the district, comprised of two schools, had an enrollment of 694 students and 69.3 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 10.0:1. Schools in the district (with 2022–23 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Adlai E. Stevenson Elementary School with 309 students in pre-Kindergarten through third grade and Winston S. Churchill School with 384 students in fourth through sixth grade.
Students in public school for seventh through twelfth grades attend the West Essex Regional School District, a regional school district in western Essex County serving students from Essex Fells, Fairfield, North Caldwell and Roseland. Schools in the district (with 2022–23 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are West Essex Middle School with 599 students in grades 7-8 and West Essex High School with 1,043 students in grades 9-12. Seats on the nine-member board of education of the high school district are allocated based on population, with three seats assigned to Fairfield.
StenoTech Career Institute is a technical school in Fairfield, established in 1988, that offers court reporting and medical transcription training.
Transportation
Roads and highways
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As of May 2010[update], the borough had a total of 62.10 miles (99.94 km) of roadways, of which 40.18 miles (64.66 km) were maintained by the municipality, 13.14 miles (21.15 km) by Essex County and 8.78 miles (14.13 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.
U.S. Route 46, Route 159 and Interstate 80 all pass through the Township.
Public transportation
NJ Transit provides bus service to Newark on the 29 and 71 routes.
Lakeland Bus Lines offers service to and from the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan on its Route 46 route.
Essex County Airport, managed by the Essex County Improvement Authority, is located in Fairfield.
Notable people
People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Fairfield include:
- Robert Egan (born 1958), restaurateur and an interlocutor between the government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) and the United States
- David Greczek (born 1994), professional soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper, most recently for Swope Park Rangers in the United Soccer League
- Gurbir Grewal (born 1973), Attorney General of New Jersey
- John LoCascio (born 1991), defenseman for the Rochester Rattlers in Major League Lacrosse
- James F. Post (1818–1899), architect, builder, and contractor who designed and oversaw the construction of over 60 buildings, best known for his buildings in Wilmington, North Carolina
- Jake Siciliano (born 1998), actor
- Michelle Vizzuso (born 1977), field hockey player recognized by The Star-Ledger as the sport's top athlete of the 20th century
