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Middlesex County, New Jersey facts for kids

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Middlesex County
The main campus of Rutgers University, New Jersey's flagship of higher education, in New Brunswick, a center for the sciences, arts, and cultural activities, and the county seat of Middlesex County
The main campus of Rutgers University, New Jersey's flagship of higher education, in New Brunswick, a center for the sciences, arts, and cultural activities, and the county seat of Middlesex County
Official seal of Middlesex County
Seal
Nickname(s): 
The Greatest County in the Land
Map of New Jersey highlighting Middlesex County
Location within the U.S. state of New Jersey
Map of the United States highlighting New Jersey
New Jersey's location within the U.S.
Country  United States
State  New Jersey
Founded 1683
Named for Historic English county of Middlesex
Seat New Brunswick
Largest city Edison (population)
Monroe Township (area)
Area
 • Total 322.83 sq mi (836.1 km2)
 • Land 308.91 sq mi (800.1 km2)
 • Water 13.91 sq mi (36.0 km2)  4.31%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 863,162 (2nd in NJ)
 • Density 2,794.2/sq mi (1,078.8/km2)
Time zone UTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional districts 6th, 12th


Middlesex County is located in central New Jersey, United States, extending inland from the Raritan Valley region to the northern portion of the Jersey Shore. As of the 2020 United States Census, the county's population was enumerated at 863,162, making Middlesex the state's third-most populous county. Middlesex County's population in 2020 represented a growth of 53,304 (6.6%) from the 809,858 residents counted at the 2010 census. Middlesex County is part of the New York metropolitan area and many communities within the county serve as commuter towns to and from New York City and other points north. The county is located in the middle of the Northeast megalopolis of the U.S. Its county seat is the city of New Brunswick, a center for the sciences, arts, and cultural activities, and the headquarters of the state's flagship academic institution, Rutgers University. The center of population of the state of New Jersey is also located within Middlesex County, in East Brunswick Township, just east of the New Jersey Turnpike. Middlesex County hosts an extensive transportation network, including several rail stations along the heavily traveled Northeast Corridor Line of the New Jersey Transit commuter rail system, as well as the intersection of the New Jersey Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway, the state's two busiest motor vehicle roadways, in Woodbridge Township. Middlesex County holds the nickname, The Greatest County in the Land.

The county was primarily settled due to its optimal location along the Raritan River and was established as of March 7, 1683 as part of the Province of East Jersey and was partitioned as of October 31, 1693 into the townships of Piscataway, Perth Amboy, and Woodbridge. Adjacent Somerset County was established on May 14, 1688, created from portions of Middlesex County. The county's first court met in June 1683 in Piscataway, and held session at alternating sites over the next century in Perth Amboy, Piscataway, and Woodbridge before relocating permanently to New Brunswick in 1778. Despite its status as a residential, commercial, and industrial stronghold and a centrally accessible transportation hub, Middlesex is also home to an extensive public park system with expansive greenways, totaling more than 6,300 acres (2,500 ha). Middlesex County is most demographically notable as the U.S. county with the highest concentration of Asian Indians, at nearly 20% in 2020, spanning the county's boundaries between Little India, Edison/Iselin in the north and Monroe Township at its southern tip.

Geography

According to the 2010 Census, the county had a total area of 322.83 square miles (836.1 km2), including 308.91 square miles (800.1 km2) of land (95.7%) and 13.91 square miles (36.0 km2) of water (4.3%). The county is named after the historic English county of Middlesex.

Bisected by the Raritan River, the county is topographically typical of Central Jersey in that it is largely flat. The elevation ranges from sea level to 300 feet (91 m) above sea level on a hill scaled by Major Road/ Sand Hill Road near Route 1 in South Brunswick Township.

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1790 15,956
1800 17,890 12.1%
1810 20,381 13.9%
1820 21,470 5.3%
1830 23,157 7.9%
1840 21,893 −5.5%
1850 28,635 30.8%
1860 34,812 21.6%
1870 45,029 29.3%
1880 52,286 16.1%
1890 61,754 18.1%
1900 79,762 29.2%
1910 114,426 43.5%
1920 162,334 41.9%
1930 212,208 30.7%
1940 217,077 2.3%
1950 264,872 22.0%
1960 433,856 63.8%
1970 583,813 34.6%
1980 595,893 2.1%
1990 671,780 12.7%
2000 750,162 11.7%
2010 809,858 8.0%
2020 863,162 6.6%
Historical sources: 1790-1990
1970-2010 2020
* = Lost territory in previous decade.

Asian community

Middlesex County is prominently known for its significant concentration of Asian Indians. The growing Little India is a South Asian-focused commercial strip in Middlesex County, the U.S. county with the highest concentration of Asian Indians. The Oak Tree Road strip runs for about one-and-a-half miles through Edison and neighboring Iselin in Woodbridge Township, near the area's sprawling Chinatown and Koreatown, running along New Jersey Route 27. It is the largest and most diverse South Asian cultural hub in the United States. Monroe Township in Middlesex County has experienced a particularly rapid growth rate in its Indian American population, with an estimated 5,943 (13.6%) as of 2017, which was 23 times the 256 (0.9%) counted as of the 2000 Census; and Diwali is celebrated by the township as a Hindu holiday. Carteret's Punjabi Sikh community, variously estimated at upwards of 3,000, is the largest concentration of Sikhs in New Jersey. In Middlesex County, election ballots are printed in English, Spanish, Gujarati, Hindi, and Punjabi.

As of 2017 Census estimates, there were 201,243 people of Asian descent in Middlesex County accounting for 24% of the county's total population. At 61.57% of the population of Asian descent, Indian Americans accounted for 12.93% (104,705 people) of the county's total population in 2010, increasing to 127,875 (15.3%, the highest of any U.S. county) by 2017, more than that of the other Asian sub-groups combined.

2020 Census

As of the Census of 2020, the county had 863,162 people, 285,906 households, and 209,808 families. The population density was 2,794 inhabitants per square mile (1,078.8/km2). There were 315,521 housing units at an average density of 1,021.4 per square mile (394.4/km2). The county's racial makeup was 41.9% White, 9.8% African American, 0.53% Native American, 26.5% Asian, and 9.06% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 22.4% of the population.

There were 285,906 households, of which 34.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.9% were married couples living together, 24.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 14.2% had a male householder with no wife present and 26.6% were non-families. 14.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.80 and the average family size was 3.32.

About 21.6% of the county's population was under age 18, 9.3% was from age 18 to 24, 40.1% was from age 15 to 44, and 15.5% was age 65 or older. The median age was 39.3 years. The gender makeup of the county was 49.4% male and 50.5% female. For every 100 females, there were 97.8 males.

The county's median household income was $93,418, and the median family income was $107,149. About 8.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.1% of those under age 18 and 8.8% of those age 65 or over.

2010 Census

As of the census of 2010, there were 809,858 people, 281,186 households, and 203,016 families residing in the county. The population density was 2,621.6 per square mile (1,012.2/km2). There were 294,800 housing units at an average density of 954.3 per square mile (368.5/km2)*. The racial makeup of the county was 58.60% (474,589) White, 9.69% (78,462) Black or African American, 0.34% (2,777) Native American, 21.40% (173,293) Asian, 0.03% (251) Pacific Islander, 6.99% (56,569) from other races, and 2.95% (23,917) from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic or Latino of any race were 18.40% (148,975) of the population.

There were 281,186 households out of which 34.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.9% were married couples living together, 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.8% were non-families. 22.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.8 and the average family size was 3.29.

In the county, the population was spread out with 22.9% under the age of 18, 10.2% from 18 to 24, 28.3% from 25 to 44, 26.3% from 45 to 64, and 12.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.2 years. For every 100 females there were 96.4 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and old there were 94 males.

Transportation

Middlesex County hosts various county roads, state routes, US routes, and interstate highways, as well as toll highways. As of May 2010, the county had a total of 2,584.38 miles (4,159.16 km) of roadways, of which 2,118.08 miles (3,408.72 km) were maintained by the municipality, 292.16 miles (470.19 km) by Middlesex County and 131.48 miles (211.60 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation, 41.49 miles (66.77 km) by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority and 1.17 miles (1.88 km) by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

County roads include CR 501, CR 514, CR 516 (only in Old Bridge), CR 520 (only in Old Bridge), CR 522, CR 527, CR 529, CR 531, CR 535, and CR 539 (only in Cranbury).

2018-05-20 10 18 51 View north along New Jersey State Route 444 (Garden State Parkway) just south of Exit 120 in Old Bridge Township, Middlesex County, New Jersey
Garden State Parkway northbound entering Middlesex County

The state routes are: Route 18, Route 26 (only in North Brunswick – entirely concurrent with Livingston Avenue), Route 27, Route 28, Route 32, Route 33 (only in Monroe Township), Route 34 (only in Old Bridge), Route 35, Route 91 (concurrent with Jersey Avenue in North Brunswick and entering New Brunswick), Route 171, Route 172 (only in New Brunswick), Route 184 and Route 440.

U.S. Routes include: Route 1, Route 9, Route 1/9 (only in Woodbridge) and Route 130.

The county also includes some limited access highways and Interstates as well. Middlesex County hosts the southern end of I-287 which turns into Route 440 that connects to the Outerbridge Crossing. The Garden State Parkway passes through the eastern part of the county, which features nine interchanges and the northern start/end of the split-roadways (Express & Local Lanes). The New Jersey Turnpike carries I-95 through the center of the county. The Turnpike has five interchanges in Middlesex County: Exit 12 in Carteret, Exit 11 in Woodbridge, Exit 10 in Edison, Exit 9 in East Brunswick and Exit 8A in Monroe Township.

The New Jersey Department of Transportation is upgrading the Route 18 "avenue" to a freeway between the Route 1 interchange all the way up to the new 18 Extension in Piscataway.

The Turnpike Authority planned to build Route 92, which was to start near the intersection of Ridge Road & Route 1 in South Brunswick to Interchange 8A in Monroe Township. This plan was cancelled on December 1, 2006.

The southern end of the "dual-dual" configuration (inner car lanes and outer truck lanes) used to be one mile south of Interchange 8A at the border of Cranbury and Monroe Township. It was relocated to Exit 6 in Mansfield Township in Burlington County after the Turnpike widening project was completed in early November 2014.

Public transportation

NJ Transit provides Middlesex County with frequent commuter rail service along the North Jersey Coast Line, Northeast Corridor Line, and Raritan Valley Line. The North Jersey Coast Line runs through the eastern part of the county. The Northeast Corridor Line runs through the northern and central part of the county. The Raritan Valley Line serves Dunellen and is accessible to other communities along the county's northern border with Union and Somerset counties.

Intercity rail service is provided by Amtrak. The routes that run through Middlesex County are the Acela Express, Keystone, Northeast Regional, and Vermonter services, although only the Keystone and Northeast Regional have regular stops within Middlesex County, at either New Brunswick or Metropark station. The Acela service also occasionally stops at Metropark.

Bus service in Middlesex County is provided by New Jersey Transit, Coach USA's Suburban Transit, the extensive Rutgers Campus bus network, the MCAT shuttle system, and DASH buses. There are bus routes that serve all townships in the county on weekdays, and studies are being conducted to create the New Brunswick Bus Rapid Transit system.

Municipalities

Middlesex County, New Jersey Municipalities
Index map of Middlesex County municipalities (click to see index key)
MiddlesexCounty 1947
1947 road map

Municipalities in Middlesex County (with 2010 Census data for population, housing units and area in square miles) are: Other, unincorporated communities in the county are listed next to their parent municipality. Many of these areas are census-designated places that have been defined by the United States Census Bureau for enumeration purposes within a Township and for which 2010 population data is included in parentheses.

Municipality Municipal
type
Population Housing
units
Total
area
Water
area
Land
area
Pop.
density
Housing
density
Unincorporated communities
Carteret Borough 22,844 8,148 5.00 0.58 4.42 5,171.1 1,844.4 Chrome
West Carteret
Cranbury Township 3,857 1,371 13.40 0.15 13.25 291.2 103.5 Cranbury CDP (2,181)
Cranbury Station
Wyckoffs Mills
Dunellen Borough 7,227 2,683 1.05 0.00 1.05 6,894.8 2,559.7
East Brunswick Township Township 47,512 17,367 22.27 0.57 21.70 2,189.6 800.4 Brookview
Dunhams Corner
East Spotswood
Fairview Knolls
Farrington Lake Heights
Gillilandtown
Halls Corner
Herberts
Jamesburg Park
Lawrence Brook Manor
Newton Heights
Orchard Heights
Patricks Corner
Paulas Corner
Tanners Corner
Washington Heights
Westons Mills
Edison Township Township 99,967 36,302 30.64 0.70 29.94 3,339.0 1,212.5 Bonhamtown
Clara Barton
Greensand
Haven Homes
Lahiere
Lincoln Park
Lindenau
Martins Landing
Menlo Park
New Dover
New Durham
Nixon
North Edison
Oak Tree
Phoenix
Potters
Pumptown
Raritan Manor
Sand Hills
Stelton
Valentine
Washington Park
Helmetta Borough 2,178 920 0.91 0.06 0.85 2,562.9 1,082.6
Highland Park Borough 13,982 6,203 1.82 0.01 1.81 7,728.1 3,428.5
Jamesburg Borough 5,915 2,267 0.88 0.01 0.88 6,741.8 2,583.9
Metuchen Borough 13,574 5,440 2.77 0.00 2.76 4,910.4 1,967.9 Jefferson Park
Robinvale
Middlesex Borough 13,635 5,148 3.54 0.02 3.52 3,876.2 1,463.5
Milltown Borough 6,893 2,698 1.60 0.04 1.55 4,443.0 1,739.0
Monroe Township Township 39,132 18,002 42.23 0.26 41.97 932.3 428.9 Applegarth
Clearbrook
Clearbrook Park CDP (2,667)
Concordia CDP (3,092)
Gravel Hill
Half Acre
Hoffman
Jamesburg Gardens
Matchaponix
Middlesex Downs
Mounts Mills
Old Church
Outcalt
Prospect Plains
Rossmoor CDP (2,666)
Shore Road Estates
Spotswood Manor
Texas
Tracy
Union Valley
Whittingham CDP (2,476)
Wyckoffs Mills
New Brunswick City 55,181 15,053 5.79 0.56 5.23 10,556.4 2,879.7 Edgebrook
Feaster Park
Lincoln Park
Raritan Gardens
Westons Mills
North Brunswick Township Township 40,742 15,045 12.27 0.27 12.00 3,396.2 1,254.1 Adams
Berdines Corner
Black Horse
Franklin Park
Georges Road
Maple Meade
Patricks Corner
Red Lion
Old Bridge Township Township 65,375 24,638 40.78 2.72 38.06 1,717.7 647.3 Browntown
Brownville CDP (2,383)
Brunswick Gardens
Cheesequake
Cottrell Corners
East Spotswood
Laurence Harbor CDP (6,536)
Madison Park CDP (7,144)
Matchaponix
Moerls Corner
Morristown
Old Bridge CDP (23,753)
Parlin
Redshaw Corner
Runyon
Sayerwood South
South Old Bridge
Texas
Perth Amboy City 50,814 16,556 5.96 1.26 4.70 10,806.8 3,521.0 Barber
Harbor Terrace
John J Delaney Homes
Maurer
William Dunlap Homes
Piscataway Township Township 56,044 17,777 19.03 0.19 18.83 2,975.5 943.8 Fieldville
New Market
Newtown
North Stelton
Possumtown
Randolphville
Raritan Landing
Riverview Manor
Society Hill CDP (3,829)
Plainsboro Township Township 22,999 10,089 12.21 0.42 11.78 1,951.6 856.1

Plainsboro Center CDP (2,712)
Princeton Meadows CDP (13,834)
Schalks
Scotts Corner

Sayreville Borough 42,704 16,393 18.70 2.86 15.84 2,695.7 1,034.8 Crossmans
Ernston
Gillespie
Laurel Park
MacArthur Manor
Melrose
Morgan
Morgan Heights
Parlin
Phoenix
Runyon
Sayre Woods
Sayreville Junction
Sayreville Station
South Amboy City 8,631 3,576 2.69 1.15 1.55 5,577.1 2,310.7 Mechanicsville
Thomas J Dohany Homes
South Brunswick Township Township 43,417 15,708 41.04 0.39 40.65 1,068.1 386.4 Cottageville
Dayton CDP (7,063)
Deans
Franklin Park
Fresh Ponds
Heathcote CDP (5,821)
Kendall Park CDP (9,339)
Kingston CDP (1,222)
Little Rocky Hill
Monmouth Junction CDP (2,887)
Sand Hills
South Brunswick Terrace
South Plainfield Borough 23,385 8,093 8.36 0.03 8.33 2,808.5 971.9 Avon Park
Samptown
South River Borough 16,008 5,957 2.92 0.15 2.77 5,781.4 2,151.4 Newton Heights
Spotswood Borough 8,257 3,242 2.47 0.20 2.27 3,642.2 1,430.1 Outcalt
Woodbridge Township Township 99,585 36,124 24.51 1.29 23.21 4,290.0 1,556.2 Avenel CDP (17,011)
Boynton Beach
Colonia CDP (17,795)
Edgars
Fords CDP (15,187)
Hazelton
Hopelawn
Iselin CDP (18,695)
Keasbey
Lynn Woodoaks
Menlo Park Terrace
Port Reading CDP (3,728)
Sand Hills
Sewaren CDP (2,756)
Shore View
Woodbridge CDP (19,265)
Woodbridge Oaks

County parks

Landscape at Thompson Park in Monroe Township
Thompson Park in Monroe Township.
  • Donaldson Park
  • Carteret Park
  • Carteret Waterfront Park
  • Edison Park
  • Fords Park
  • Johnson Park
  • Medwick Park
  • Merrill Park
  • Raritan Bay Waterfront Park
  • Roosevelt Park
  • Spring Lake Park
  • Thompson Park
  • Warren Park
  • Old Bridge Waterfront Walkway
  • Alvin P. Williams Memorial Park
  • Ambrose & Doty's Brooks Park
  • Davidson's Mill Pond Park
  • Ireland Brook Park
  • Jamesburg Park Conservation Area
  • John A. Phillips Open Space Preserve
  • John A. Phillips Park
  • Catherine Von Ohlen Park

Climate and weather

Weather chart for New Brunswick, New Jersey
J F M A M J J A S O N D
 
 
3.6
 
39
22
 
 
3
 
43
24
 
 
4.2
 
51
30
 
 
4.2
 
62
40
 
 
4.2
 
72
50
 
 
4.4
 
81
60
 
 
5.1
 
86
65
 
 
4.2
 
84
64
 
 
4.5
 
77
55
 
 
3.8
 
66
43
 
 
3.8
 
55
36
 
 
4.1
 
44
27
temperatures in °F
precipitation totals in inches
source: The Weather Channel

In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of New Brunswick have ranged from a low of 22 °F (−6 °C) in January to a high of 86 °F (30 °C) in July, although a record low of −13 °F (−25 °C) was recorded in January 1984 and a record high of 103 °F (39 °C) was recorded in July 1999. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 2.98 inches (76 mm) in February to 5.08 inches (129 mm) in July.

Higher education

  • Middlesex County College (Edison - main campus; New Brunswick, Perth Amboy)
  • Rutgers University New Brunswick Campus (New Brunswick, Piscataway)
  • Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences (New Brunswick)
  • Princeton University – Forrestal Campus (Plainsboro)
  • DeVry University (North Brunswick)
  • Chamberlain University (North Brunswick)
  • New Brunswick Theological Seminary (New Brunswick Campus)

Images for kids

See also

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