Little Falls, New Jersey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Little Falls, New Jersey
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Township
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Little Falls Town Hall
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Location of Little Falls in Passaic County highlighted in yellow (left). Inset map: Location of Passaic County in New Jersey highlighted in black (right).
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Census Bureau map of Little Falls, New Jersey
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 Little Falls, New Jersey
Location in Passaic County, New Jersey
Little Falls, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Little Falls, 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 | Passaic | |
| Incorporated | April 2, 1868 | |
| Government | ||
| • Type | Faulkner Act (mayor–council) | |
| • Body | Township Council | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 2.90 sq mi (7.43 km2) | |
| • Land | 2.80 sq mi (7.24 km2) | |
| • Water | 0.07 sq mi (0.19 km2) 2.54% | |
| Area rank | 345th of 565 in state 14th of 16 in county |
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| Elevation | 157 ft (48 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 13,360 | |
| • Estimate
(2023)
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14,399 | |
| • Rank | 193rd of 565 in state 8th of 16 in county |
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| • Density | 4,780.0/sq mi (1,845.6/km2) | |
| • Density rank | 120th of 565 in state 7th of 16 in county |
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| Economics | ||
| • Median income | $119,196 (± $15,166) (2018-2022) | |
| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST)) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT)) | |
| ZIP Code |
07424
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| Area code(s) | 973 | |
| FIPS code | 3403140620 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 0882313 | |
Little Falls is a township in Passaic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The township was named after a waterfall on the Passaic River at a dam near Beattie Mill. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 13,360, a decrease of 1,072 (−7.4%) from the 2010 census count of 14,432, which in turn reflected an increase of 3,577 (+33.0%) from the 10,855 counted in the 2000 census.
Contents
History
Little Falls traces its first European settlement to 1711, when seven Bergen Dutch settlers banded together to begin farming. The Speer Homestead dates from c. 1785 (and may have originally been built in 1680).
The Morris Canal, once an important artery of trade and transportation until 1925 between the Delaware and Hudson rivers, wound its way through the township, and vestiges of it still remain today, some parts of which form a greenway.
Little Falls was incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 2, 1868, from portions of Acquackanonk Township. On March 25, 1914, portions of the township were taken to form the borough of West Paterson (now Woodland Park).
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 2.87 square miles (7.43 km2), including 2.80 square miles (7.24 km2) of land and 0.07 square miles (0.19 km2) of water (2.54%).
Singac (with a 2010 Census population of 3,618) is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Little Falls Township.
The township has three main sub-divisions. Great Notch is the easternmost part of Little Falls. The downtown area is frequently referred to as "The Center of Town", mainly by longtime residents, and is usually referred to as simply Little Falls. Singac is in the westernmost portion of the township. Much of Singac borders the Passaic River.
Little Falls is bordered by the municipalities of Clifton, Totowa, Wayne, and Woodland Park in Passaic County, and Cedar Grove, Fairfield, Montclair, and North Caldwell in Essex County. It is located about 15 miles (24 km) west of New York City.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1870 | 1,282 | — | |
| 1880 | 1,404 | 9.5% | |
| 1890 | 1,890 | 34.6% | |
| 1900 | 2,908 | 53.9% | |
| 1910 | 3,750 | 29.0% | |
| 1920 | 5,161 | * | 37.6% |
| 1930 | 5,161 | 0.0% | |
| 1940 | 5,368 | 4.0% | |
| 1950 | 6,405 | 19.3% | |
| 1960 | 9,730 | 51.9% | |
| 1970 | 11,727 | 20.5% | |
| 1980 | 11,496 | −2.0% | |
| 1990 | 11,294 | −1.8% | |
| 2000 | 10,855 | −3.9% | |
| 2010 | 14,432 | 33.0% | |
| 2020 | 13,360 | −7.4% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 14,399 | −0.2% | |
| Population sources: 1870–1920 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) | 11,530 | 9,116 | 79.89% | 68.23% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 549 | 834 | 3.80% | 6.24% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 13 | 4 | 0.09% | 0.03% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 652 | 723 | 4.52% | 5.41% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 1 | 2 | 0.01% | 0.01% |
| Some Other Race alone (NH) | 34 | 68 | 0.24% | 0.51% |
| Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) | 225 | 349 | 1.56% | 2.61% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1,428 | 2,264 | 9.89% | 16.95% |
| Total | 14,432 | 13,360 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 14,432 people, 4,740 households, and 2,825 families in the township. The population density was 5,276.2 per square mile (2,037.2/km2). There were 4,925 housing units at an average density of 1,800.5 per square mile (695.2/km2). The racial makeup was 86.68% (12,510) White, 4.11% (593) Black or African American, 0.15% (22) Native American, 4.56% (658) Asian, 0.01% (1) Pacific Islander, 2.38% (344) from other races, and 2.11% (304) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.89% (1,428) of the population.
Of the 4,740 households, 22.8% had children under the age of 18; 45.8% were married couples living together; 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present and 40.4% were non-families. Of all households, 33.1% were made up of individuals and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 3.04.
13.7% of the population were under the age of 18, 29.4% from 18 to 24, 21.0% from 25 to 44, 22.8% from 45 to 64, and 13.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32.1 years. For every 100 females, the population had 81.9 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 78.2 males.
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $78,318 (with a margin of error of +/− $8,244) and the median family income was $92,462 (+/− $12,925). Males had a median income of $67,585 (+/− $7,860) versus $42,270 (+/− $3,385) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $34,505 (+/− $3,336). About 4.7% of families and 6.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.1% of those under age 18 and 10.2% of those age 65 or over.
Same-sex couples headed 42 households in 2010, an increase from the 33 counted in 2000.
Economy
Mountain View Diners Company operated from 1939 to 1957, manufacturing a total of 400 prefabricated diners that were shipped nationwide.
Parks and recreation
Montclair State University Ice Arena, is an ice rink which is located on the grounds of Montclair State University and is host to its ice hockey club. The facility also hosts other hockey leagues and teams and other on-ice sports.
Sports
The New Jersey Jackals of the Frontier League played at Yogi Berra Stadium, located in Little Falls, on the campus of Montclair State University. For the 2023 season, the team relocated to Hinchliffe Stadium in Paterson.
Education
For public school, students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade are educated by the Little Falls Township Public Schools. As of the 2018–19 school year, the district, comprised of three schools, had an enrollment of 865 students and 94.6 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 9.1:1. Schools in the district (with 2018–19 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Little Falls School #2 with 301 students in grades Pre-K–2, Little Falls School #3 with 184 students in grades 3–4 and Little Falls School #1 with 376 students in grades 5–8.
For ninth through twelfth grades, students in public school attend Passaic Valley Regional High School, which also serves students from Totowa and Woodland Park. The school facility is located in Little Falls. As of the 2018–19 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 1,186 students and 102.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.6:1. Seats on the high school district's nine-member board of education are allocated based on the population of the constituent municipalities, with three seats each assigned Little Falls, Totowa and Woodland Park.
Most of Montclair State University is located in Little Falls. During 2011, the university employed 66 residents on a full or part-time basis, who earned almost $3.5 million in total compensation.
Transportation
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Roads and highways
As of May 2010[update], the township had a total of 37.65 miles (60.59 km) of roadways, of which 24.55 miles (39.51 km) were maintained by the municipality, 10.87 miles (17.49 km) by Passaic County and 2.23 miles (3.59 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.
Little Falls is crisscrossed by several major roadways, including U.S. Route 46 and New Jersey Route 23. The Garden State Parkway and Interstate 80 run near the municipality. There are numerous crossings of the Upper Passaic River in town.
Public transportation
The Little Falls station and Montclair State University station of NJ Transit both serve Little Falls, offering service on the Montclair-Boonton Line to Hoboken Terminal in Hoboken, or from Montclair State University Station on Midtown Direct trains to New York City's Pennsylvania Station in Midtown Manhattan via the Secaucus Junction. The township was formerly served by the Great Notch station until NJ Transit closed it in January 2010 because of low ridership.
NJ Transit bus transportation is offered to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan on the 191, 194 and 195 routes. Newark, New Jersey, is served by routes 11 and 28 (on Saturdays and Sundays). Local routes are the 704 and 705 lines. In September 2012, as part of budget cuts, NJ Transit suspended service to Newark on the 75 line.
Little Falls is approximately 21 miles (34 km) from Newark Liberty International Airport and approximately 27 miles (43 km) from LaGuardia Airport in Flushing, Queens, New York.
Notable people
People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Little Falls include:
- David Blaine (born 1973), illusionist
- Tommy Breen (born 1981), sideshow performer and impresario.
- Frank DeCaro (born 1962), author and television personality
- Bobby Marks (born 1973), former National Basketball Association assistant general manager of the Brooklyn Nets
- Lloyd B. Marsh (1893–1971), politician who served as Secretary of State of New Jersey and Chairman of the New Jersey Republican State Committee
- Kit McClure (born 1951), saxophonist, trombonist and bandleader
- Leonard Schoonmaker (1882–1950), fencer who competed in the individual foil and épée events at the 1920 Summer Olympics
- Franklin E. Sigler (1924–1995), U.S. Marine who was the recipient of the congressional Medal of Honor for his actions during the Battle of Iwo Jima
- Robert Crooks Stanley (1876–1951), former chairman and president of International Nickel Company, known for discovering the alloy Monel
- Grif Teller (1899–1993), artist known for his paintings for the Pennsylvania Railroad
- Lois Utz (1932–1986), children's author
- Vikki Ziegler (born c. 1972), lawyer and author who was the focus of the reality television show Untying the Knot
In popular culture
- A delicatessen on Main Street in Little Falls was featured in the episode "House Arrest" from the second season of television series The Sopranos.
- The township was well known for the Colonial Inn, a hotel and lounge where comedian Jackie Gleason performed stand-up in the 1930s.
- The township is also mentioned in the Jonas Brothers documentary Chasing Happiness (2019). The family moved there in 2005 and the brothers wrote many of the songs included on their first album in their Little Falls home.
See also
In Spanish: Little Falls (Nueva Jersey) para niños
