Iselin, New Jersey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Iselin, New Jersey
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Location of Iselin in Middlesex County highlighted in red (left). Inset map: Location of Middlesex County in New Jersey highlighted in orange (right).
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 Iselin, New Jersey
Location in Middlesex County, New Jersey
Iselin, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Iselin, New Jersey
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  New Jersey |
| County | Middlesex |
| Township | Woodbridge |
| Named for | Adrian Georg Iselin |
| Area | |
| • Total | 3.15 sq mi (8.17 km2) |
| • Land | 3.15 sq mi (8.16 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) 0.03% |
| Elevation | 30 ft (9 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 20,088 |
| • Density | 6,373.1/sq mi (2,460.7/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT)) |
| ZIP Code |
08830
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| Area code(s) | 732/848 |
| FIPS code | 34-34470 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2389973 |
Iselin is a community in New Jersey, located within Woodbridge Township in Middlesex County. It is considered a census-designated place (CDP), which means it's a specific area defined by the U.S. Census Bureau for statistical purposes. In 2020, about 20,088 people lived there.
Before it was called Iselin, this area was known as Perrytown and Unionville. It got its current name from Adrian Iselin, a banker and generous person from New York City. In the 1870s, he started a special school for girls from wealthy families in the area. He also helped pay for a new train station. This station was later replaced by a newer one called Metropark to the south. The town next to Iselin is Edison.
Contents
About Iselin's Location
Iselin covers a total area of about 3.19 square miles (8.26 square kilometers). Almost all of this area is land, with only a tiny bit of water.
Downtown Iselin: Little India
The main downtown area of Iselin is known as "Little India" or "Oak Tree Road." This area is bordered by the Garden State Parkway to the west and Route 27 to the east.
Years ago, in the 1980s, this area was not doing very well. But in the early 1990s, many people from India started moving to the area. This led to the downtown becoming lively again! Empty stores were filled, and new shops were built. Now, "Little India" is famous for its delicious Indian food, sweets, clothing (especially saris), jewelry, music, and other unique goods.
Metropark Area
There's an area called Metropark in the southwestern part of Iselin. It mostly has office parks and large office buildings. This area also extends into neighboring Edison. The NJ Transit and Amtrak train station, Metropark station, is named after this area.
Besides the train station, Metropark is home to many large companies. Some of these include Ansell Limited, Siemens, Tata Consultancy Services, Mott MacDonald, and Ernst & Young. Many other big businesses also have offices here.
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1990 | 16,141 | — | |
| 2000 | 16,698 | 3.5% | |
| 2010 | 18,695 | 12.0% | |
| 2020 | 20,088 | 7.5% | |
| Population sources: 1990-2010 2000 2010 2020 |
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In 2010, about 18,695 people lived in Iselin. There were 6,445 households and 4,892 families. The population density was about 5,861 people per square mile.
Many different groups of people live in Iselin. In 2010, about 46% of the people were Asian, 41% were White, and 6.7% were Black or African American. About 7% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
South Asian Community
Iselin is a major center for Indian American culture. The "Little India" area on Oak Tree Road is a very important business street for South Asian culture. It runs through Iselin and part of Edison Township. This area is the largest and most diverse South Asian cultural center in the United States.
In Middlesex County, election ballots are even printed in English, Spanish, Gujarati, Hindi, and Punjabi. This shows how many different languages are spoken there. In 2017, about 42.6% of people in Iselin identified as Indian American. This is the highest percentage for any census-designated place in the U.S.
Schools in Iselin
Students in Iselin attend public schools that are part of the Woodbridge Township School District. Several schools are located right in Iselin:
- Indiana Avenue School #18
- Kennedy Park School #24
- Robert Mascenik School #26
- Oak Tree Road School #29
Iselin also has:
- Iselin Middle School
- John F. Kennedy Memorial High School
Oak Tree Road School #29 opened in 2018. It was the first new public school in Woodbridge in almost 50 years! Before that, the building was used as a school by St. Cecelia's Church.
Famous People from Iselin
Many interesting people have connections to Iselin:
- Tom DeSanto (born 1968): He is a film producer and screenwriter. He is known for his work on the first two X-Men movies.
- Robbie E (born 1983): He is a professional wrestler.
- Chris Smith (born 1953): He has been a U.S. Representative for New Jersey's 4th congressional district since 1981.
