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North Caldwell, New Jersey
Borough
A home in North Caldwell, used for outside shots in the TV show The Sopranos.
A home in North Caldwell, used for outside shots in the TV show The Sopranos.
Official seal of North Caldwell, New Jersey
logo
Location in Essex County and the state of New Jersey.
Location in Essex County and the state of New Jersey.
Census Bureau map of North Caldwell, New Jersey
Census Bureau map of North Caldwell, New Jersey
North Caldwell, New Jersey is located in Essex County, New Jersey
North Caldwell, New Jersey
North Caldwell, New Jersey
Location in Essex County, New Jersey
North Caldwell, New Jersey is located in New Jersey
North Caldwell, New Jersey
North Caldwell, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
North Caldwell, New Jersey is located in the United States
North Caldwell, New Jersey
North Caldwell, New Jersey
Location in the United States
Country  United States
State  New Jersey
County Essex
Incorporated March 31, 1898
Named for James Caldwell
Government
 • Type Borough
 • Body Borough Council
Area
 • Total 3.07 sq mi (7.96 km2)
 • Land 3.07 sq mi (7.95 km2)
 • Water 0.01 sq mi (0.01 km2)  0.16%
Area rank 332nd of 565 in state
15th of 22 in county
Elevation
420 ft (130 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 6,694
 • Estimate 
(2023)
6,574
 • Rank 325th of 565 in state
20th of 22 in county
 • Density 2,182.0/sq mi (842.5/km2)
 • Density rank 282nd of 565 in state
18th of 22 in county
Time zone UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT))
ZIP Code
07006 – Caldwell
Area code(s) 201 and 973
FIPS code 3401352620
GNIS feature ID 0878839

North Caldwell is a small town, called a borough, located in the northwestern part of Essex County, New Jersey. It's a quiet residential area, often considered a suburb of New York City. In 2020, about 6,694 people lived there. This was a small increase from 2010.

The borough became an official town on March 31, 1898. It was formed from parts of what was then Caldwell Township. North Caldwell gets its name from James Caldwell, a Presbyterian minister.

New Jersey Monthly magazine has recognized North Caldwell as one of the best places to live in New Jersey. In 2010, it was ranked 10th, and in 2013, it moved up to 3rd place. A study by Bloomberg in 2017 also listed North Caldwell as one of the richest towns in the United States.

History of North Caldwell

North Caldwell was once part of a larger area known as the Horseneck Tract. This area included several towns we know today, like Caldwell, West Caldwell, and Verona. In 1702, settlers bought this large piece of land, which was about 14,000 acres (57 square kilometers), from the Lenape Native Americans. They paid for it with goods worth about $325. The name "Horse Neck" came from the language of the first Dutch settlers. This land covered a big part of western Essex County, stretching from the First Mountain to the Passaic River.

In 1982, North Caldwell, along with three other towns in Essex County, voted to change its official type of government from a borough to a township. This was done to get more financial help from the government. However, on January 1, 1992, North Caldwell changed back to being a borough.

The town was also home to the Essex County Penitentiary, a jail built in 1872. It was used until 2004. Later, the land was sold and turned into a neighborhood with homes.

Geography and Location

North Caldwell covers a total area of about 3.07 square miles (7.96 square kilometers). Almost all of this area is land, with only a very small amount of water. The highest point in all of Essex County is found in North Caldwell, at a spot called Hilltop, which is about 420 feet (128 meters) high.

North Caldwell shares its borders with several other towns. These include Caldwell, Cedar Grove, Essex Fells, Fairfield Township, Verona, and West Caldwell, all within Essex County. It also borders Little Falls and Wayne, which are in Passaic County.

Population and People

Historical population
Census Pop.
1900 297
1910 595 100.3%
1920 683 14.8%
1930 1,492 118.4%
1940 1,572 5.4%
1950 1,781 13.3%
1960 4,163 133.7%
1970 6,733 61.7%
1980 5,832 −13.4%
1990 6,706 15.0%
2000 7,375 10.0%
2010 6,183 −16.2%
2020 6,694 8.3%
2023 (est.) 6,574 6.3%
Population sources: 1900–1920
1900–1910 1910–1930
1940–2000 2000
2010 2020

In 2010, North Caldwell had 6,183 people living in 2,092 households. Most households (78.1%) were married couples. The average household had about 2.96 people. About 27.3% of the population was under 18 years old. The average age of people in North Caldwell was 43.8 years.

Education in North Caldwell

The North Caldwell Public Schools system teaches students from pre-kindergarten up to sixth grade. For the 2023–24 school year, the district had 691 students and 70.2 teachers. This means there were about 9.8 students for every teacher.

The schools in the district are:

  • Grandview School, which has 395 students in grades PreK–3.
  • Gould School, which has 283 students in grades 4–6.

Gould / Mountain School was recognized in 2020 as one of the top schools in New Jersey by the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program.

North Caldwell is also part of the West Essex Regional School District. This district serves students from North Caldwell, Fairfield, Essex Fells, and Roseland. It includes students from seventh through twelfth grades.

The schools in this regional district are:

  • West Essex Middle School, with 622 students in grades 7-8.
  • West Essex High School, with 1,055 students in grades 9-12.

North Caldwell has three representatives on the nine-member school board for this high school district.

Transportation

2018-07-18 11 14 30 View south along Essex County Route 527 (Mountain Avenue) just north of Pine Place in North Caldwell, Essex County, New Jersey
County Route 527 in North Caldwell

As of 2010, North Caldwell had about 35.53 miles (57.18 kilometers) of roads. Most of these roads are maintained by the town itself. The main roads that go through North Caldwell are County Route 527 and County Route 506.

For public transportation, NJ Transit offers bus service. The Route 29 bus connects North Caldwell to Newark.

Notable People from North Caldwell

Many interesting people have lived in or are connected to North Caldwell. Here are a few:

  • Martin Brodeur (born 1972), a famous former goalie for the New Jersey Devils hockey team.
  • Rob Burnett (born 1962), a producer and writer known for his work on the Late Show with David Letterman.
  • David Chase (born 1945), the person who created the TV show The Sopranos.
  • Ken Daneyko (born 1964), another former defenseman for the New Jersey Devils.
  • Josh Gottheimer (born 1975), a Congressman who represents New Jersey.
  • Wyclef Jean (born 1969), a well-known hip hop and R&B music artist.
  • Jamie Langenbrunner (born 1975), a winger who played for the New Jersey Devils.
  • Joe Piscopo (born 1951), a comedian and actor famous for his time on Saturday Night Live.
  • Josh Saviano (born 1976), an actor who played "Paul Pfeiffer" in the TV show The Wonder Years.
  • Thea White (1940–2021), a voice actress best known as Muriel Bagge in Courage the Cowardly Dog.
  • Richard Wilbur (1921–2017), a poet and critic who won two Pulitzer Prizes.

See also

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