Passaic, New Jersey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Passaic, New Jersey
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City
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St. Mary's General Hospital in Passaic, New Jersey
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Location of Passaic 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 Passaic, New Jersey
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 Passaic, New Jersey
Location in Passaic County, New Jersey
Passaic, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Passaic, 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 |
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| Settled | 1679 | |
| Incorporated | April 2, 1873 | |
| Government | ||
| • Type | Faulkner Act (mayor-council) | |
| • Body | City Council | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 3.24 sq mi (8.39 km2) | |
| • Land | 3.13 sq mi (8.11 km2) | |
| • Water | 0.11 sq mi (0.28 km2) 3.33% | |
| Area rank | 326th of 565 in state 11th of 16 in county |
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| Elevation | 98 ft (30 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 70,537 | |
| • Estimate
(2023)
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68,903 | |
| • Rank | 552nd in country (as of 2023) 16th of 565 in state 3rd of 16 in county |
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| • Density | 22,514.2/sq mi (8,692.8/km2) | |
| • Density rank | 7th of 565 in state 1st of 16 in county |
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| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST)) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT)) | |
| ZIP Code |
07055
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| Area code(s) | 973 | |
| FIPS code | 3403156550 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 0885342 | |
Passaic is a city in Passaic County, New Jersey. It's located north of Newark on the Passaic River. The city and river get their name from a Lenape word meaning "valley" or "place where the land splits."
As of 2020, Passaic had a population of 70,537 people. This makes it the 16th most populated city in New Jersey. It's also one of the most densely populated cities in the United States.
Contents
History of Passaic
Passaic started as a Dutch settlement in 1679. It was first called Acquackanonk. In the 1800s, the city grew into a center for making textiles and metal products.
A busy trading area developed around a dock at what is now Main Avenue. This spot was known as Acquackanonk Landing. In 1854, Alfred Speer helped change the name to Passaic Village. He even convinced the U.S. Postmaster General to use the new name.
Passaic became an official village in 1871. It then became a city on April 2, 1873. The Okonite company, which made insulated wires, had its main factory here for many years. Their wires were used in early telegraph cables and for Thomas Edison's first power plant.
In 1926, a big textile strike happened in Passaic. About 36,000 factory workers stopped working. They were protesting against lower wages. The workers managed to keep their wages the same.
Passaic is known as "The Birthplace of Television." In 1931, an early TV station, W2XCD, started broadcasting from Passaic. It was one of the first stations to send TV signals to homes. It was also the first to broadcast a full movie. Later, Allen B. DuMont opened DuMont Laboratories in Passaic in 1937. He then started the DuMont Television Network in 1946, which was the world's first commercial TV network.
In 1992, a different place called Passaic Township in Morris County changed its name. It became Long Hill Township. This was to avoid confusion with the City of Passaic.
Passaic has had many local newspapers over the years. Today, it is served by two regional newspapers, The Record and Herald News.
Geography and Climate
Passaic covers about 3.24 square miles (8.39 square kilometers). Most of this area is land.
The city's only land border is with Clifton. Clifton surrounds Passaic to the north, south, and west. The Passaic River forms the city's eastern border. Across the river are other towns like East Rutherford, Garfield, Rutherford, and Wallington.
Several bridges connect Passaic to its neighbors across the river. For example, the Gregory Avenue Bridge connects Passaic to Wallington. Passaic is also about 10 miles from New York City. It's about 12 miles from Newark Airport.
The City's Features
Passaic has several shopping and business areas. Main Avenue is a major street with many shops and restaurants. These businesses show the city's diverse population.
The city has many beautiful churches. These include St. John's Lutheran Church and First Presbyterian of Passaic.
Passaic Park
The Passaic Park area is home to many Orthodox Jewish families. This community is growing fast. It has over 20 yeshivas (religious schools) and many kosher food stores.
Passaic Park is known for its large park and big homes. These homes are built in different styles, like Queen Anne and Tudor. There are also several apartment buildings and co-ops here. Carlton Tower is the tallest building in the city, with 21 floors.
Climate
Passaic has a climate with hot, humid summers. The winters are usually mild to cool. This type of climate is called a humid subtropical climate.
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 6,532 | — | |
| 1890 | 13,028 | 99.4% | |
| 1900 | 27,777 | 113.2% | |
| 1910 | 54,773 | 97.2% | |
| 1920 | 63,841 | 16.6% | |
| 1930 | 62,959 | −1.4% | |
| 1940 | 61,394 | −2.5% | |
| 1950 | 57,702 | −6.0% | |
| 1960 | 53,963 | −6.5% | |
| 1970 | 55,124 | 2.2% | |
| 1980 | 52,463 | −4.8% | |
| 1990 | 58,041 | 10.6% | |
| 2000 | 67,861 | 16.9% | |
| 2010 | 69,781 | 2.8% | |
| 2020 | 70,537 | 1.1% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 68,903 | −1.3% | |
| Population sources: 1880–1920 1880–1890 1880–1900 1890–1910 1910 1880–1930 1940–2000 2000 2010 2020 |
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Passaic is a very diverse city. In 2010, about 71% of the population was Hispanic or Latino. This was one of the highest percentages in New Jersey.
The city is home to a large and growing Orthodox Jewish community. There are over 1,300 families, with an estimated 15,000 people. This community has many schools and kosher food stores.
Economy
Passaic is part of a special program called an Urban Enterprise Zone (UEZ). This program helps businesses grow and create jobs in the city. Because of this, shoppers can pay a lower sales tax rate at certain stores. This program helps bring money back into the city to improve the area.
Education
Public Schools
The Passaic City School District serves students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. The district has 17 schools. It serves over 14,500 students.
The Passaic school district is an "SDA District." This means the state helps pay for school building and renovation projects. This ensures that students have good places to learn.
Some of the schools in the district include:
- Thomas Jefferson School No. 1 (K–8)
- Martin Luther King Jr. School No. 6 (Pre-K–8)
- William B. Cruise Veterans Memorial School No. 11 (K–8)
- Passaic Academy for Science and Engineering (6–11)
- Passaic High School (9–12)
Passaic County Community College opened a new campus in Passaic in 2008. This campus helps students from the city get a college education. The college's nursing program is also located here.
Private and Religious Schools
Passaic has several private and religious schools.
- St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic School is an elementary school. It was founded in 1943.
- The Collegiate School is a private school. It teaches students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade.
- The Yeshiva Gedola of Passaic is a school for men who want to study Talmud.
- Noble Leadership Academy is an Islamic school downtown. It serves students from pre-kindergarten to 12th grade.
Emergency Services
Passaic has its own police, fire, and ambulance services to keep residents safe.
Police
The Passaic Police Department works to protect the city. In 2016, Deputy Chief Luis Guzman became the first Dominican-American to lead the department.
Fire Department
The Passaic Fire Department (PFD) has over 100 firefighters. It was started in 1869 and became a paid department in 1909. The PFD has two fire stations. They are equipped with fire engines and ladder trucks. They also have special vehicles for hazardous materials and rescue.
Ambulance Services
Ambulance service in Passaic is provided by MONOC. This is a non-profit group that also helps other towns.
Hatzolah of Passaic/Clifton EMS is a group of volunteers. They help with medical emergencies, especially in the Passaic Park area. They also assist the city's police and EMS when needed.
Office of Emergency Management
The Office of Emergency Management (OEM) helps organize how the city responds to emergencies. This includes big storms or other disasters. The OEM works with the police, fire, and ambulance departments. They also use volunteers from the Community Emergency Response Team.
Transportation
_from_the_southern_overpass_for_Passaic_County_Route_624_(River_Drive)_in_Passaic,_Passaic_County,_New_Jersey.jpg)
Passaic has many roads and highways. Route 21 is the main highway that goes through the city. Other major highways like New Jersey Route 3, the Garden State Parkway, and I-80 are nearby. There are six bridges that cross the Passaic River in the city.
Public Transportation
NJ Transit and Community Coach provide local bus services. These buses connect Passaic to nearby cities like Paterson, Newark, and Clifton. Some bus routes also go to New York City.
NJ Transit's Passaic train station is in the Passaic Park area. From here, you can take a train to Hoboken Terminal or Secaucus Junction. At Secaucus, you can connect to trains going to New York Penn Station in New York City or Newark Airport. Trains also go north to places like Paterson and Ridgewood.
There are also commuter jitney buses. These buses travel along Main Avenue. They offer frequent rides to places like Paterson and New York City.
Films Shot in Passaic
- 2009: The TV show Mercy was filmed at the old St. Mary's Hospital.
- 2006: The movie Be Kind Rewind was directed by Michel Gondry in Passaic.
Notable people
See also
In Spanish: Passaic (Nueva Jersey) para niños
