West New York, New Jersey facts for kids

Quick facts for kids West New York, New Jersey
Town
60th Street in West New York
Seal
West New York, New Jersey Location in Hudson County, New Jersey Show map of Hudson County, New Jersey West New York, New Jersey Location in New Jersey Show map of New Jersey West New York, New Jersey Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	New Jersey
County	Hudson
Incorporated	July 8, 1898
Government
• Type	Walsh Act
• Body	Board of Commissioners
Area
• Total	1.32 sq mi (3.42 km2)
• Land	0.99 sq mi (2.58 km2)
• Water	0.33 sq mi (0.85 km2)  25.11%
Area rank	466th of 565 in state 8th of 12 in county
Elevation	151 ft (46 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	52,912
• Estimate  (2023)	50,754
• Rank	770th in country (as of 2022) 37th of 565 in state 6th of 12 in county
• Density	53,231.4/sq mi (20,552.8/km2)
• Density rank	3rd of 565 in state 3rd of 12 in county
Time zone	UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT))
ZIP Code	07093
Area code(s)	201
FIPS code	3401779610
GNIS feature ID	0885438

West New York is a town in the northern part of Hudson County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, situated upon the New Jersey Palisades. As of the 2020 United States census, the town's population was 52,912, an increase of 3,204 (+6.4%) from the 2010 census count of 49,708, which in turn reflected an increase of 3,940 (+8.6%) from the 45,768 counted in the 2000 census. The Census Bureau's Population Estimates Program calculated that the city's population was 51,981 in 2022, ranking the city the 770th-most-populous in the country.

With more than 52,800 inhabitants per square mile (20,400/km²) of land according to the 2010 census, West New York was the second-most densely populated municipality in the United States, among places with a population above 50,000, behind neighboring Union City.

History

West New York was incorporated as a town by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on July 8, 1898, replacing Union Township, based on the results of a referendum held three days earlier. West New York underwent a massive growth at the beginning of the 20th century, driven by development of textile industries that made North Hudson the "Embroidery Capital of the United States".

The town was populated mainly with Italian Americans and German Americans. Throughout the 1960s, West New York had an influx of Cuban émigrés to the area, leading it to once being called Havana on the Hudson; the city has a majority Hispanic population.

High-rise apartments, some of which place among the tallest buildings in North Hudson, were built along Boulevard East, adding to the population of the town and giving it one of the highest population densities in the country.

Since the 1980s, the Hudson Waterfront, which the Weehawken Terminal had been a part of, has been redeveloped from an industrial to a residential and recreational area, for instance, with the creation of the Hudson River Waterfront Walkway.

Geography

The Hudson River and Manhattan skyline seen from the west

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town had a total area of 1.33 square miles (3.44 km²), including 0.99 square miles (2.58 km²) of land and 0.33 square miles (0.86 km²) of water (25.11%).

The ZIP Code for West New York is 07093. West New York is part of the New York metropolitan area and is at the heart of the North Hudson, New Jersey, region. West New York is bordered on the north by Guttenberg, on the east by the Hudson River, on the south by Union City and Weehawken, and on the west by North Bergen.

West New York is one of North Hudson's communities atop The Palisades above the Hudson River, and home to the highest point in the county. Its Hudson Waterfront has been known as Bulls Ferry since before the American Revolutionary War. Bergenline Avenue is its main commercial thoroughfare, while the wide two-way 60th Street is a major cross-town thoroughfare, and site of Town Hall. More than half of U.S. Presidents have streets bearing their name in the town.

The town borders the municipalities of Guttenberg, North Bergen, Union City and Weehawken in Hudson County; and the New York City borough of Manhattan across the Hudson River.

Demographics

One of 41 municipalities statewide where a majority of residents do not speak English as their primary language, Spanish is spoken at home by more than half of the residents of West New York, according to data from the United States Census Bureau's 2012-2016 American Community Survey data. The town had 83.6% of residents not speaking English as their dominant language, the second highest in the state.

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 49,708 people, 18,852 households, and 11,783 families in the town. The population density was 49,341.7 per square mile (19,050.9/km²). There were 20,018 housing units at an average density of 19,870.5 per square mile (7,672.0/km²). The racial makeup was 62.04% (30,839) White, 4.60% (2,289) Black or African American, 1.50% (744) Native American, 6.01% (2,986) Asian, 0.05% (24) Pacific Islander, 20.19% (10,038) from other races, and 5.61% (2,788) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 78.08% (38,812) of the population.

Of the 18,852 households, 28.6% had children under the age of 18; 37.6% were married couples living together; 16.8% had a female householder with no husband present and 37.5% were non-families. Of all households, 29.5% were made up of individuals and 10.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.23.

21.0% of the population were under the age of 18, 9.7% from 18 to 24, 35.4% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34.8 years. For every 100 females, the population had 98.4 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 96.8 males.

As of the 2010 United States census, West New York had the third-highest percentage of Hispanics in the state, at 78.1%, accounting for 2.5% of the state's Hispanic population. Though Native Americans comprise less than 1% of the city's population, they doubled in the 2000s, and combined with Union City's Native Americans comprise 38% of the county's Native American population.

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $44,657 (with a margin of error of ± $2,850) and the median family income was $42,534 (± $3,689). Males had a median income of $36,768 (± $2,414) versus $30,688 (± $1,952) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $24,419 (± $1,215). About 15.8% of families and 18.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.6% of those under age 18 and 25.6% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Bergenline Avenue is the main shopping district of North Hudson. West New York's Urban Enterprise Zone, one of seven established by legislation in 1996, covers portions of Bergenline Avenue from 49th to 67th Streets.

Portions of town are part of an Urban Enterprise Zone, including portions of Bergenline Avenue from 49th to 67th Streets. West New York was selected in 1996 as one of a group of seven zones added to participate in the program. In addition to other benefits to encourage employment and investment within the UEZ, shoppers can take advantage of a reduced 3.3125% sales tax rate (half of the 6+5⁄8% rate charged statewide) at eligible merchants. Established in May 1996, the town's Urban Enterprise Zone status expires in May 2027.

Until the 1880s, the primary commercial area of West New York was Palisade Avenue. An influential citizen named Henry Kohlmeier who lived there objected to the noise created by horse-drawn public coaches, which led to the route being transferred one block west to what is now Bergenline Avenue (formerly Lewis Street), which runs parallel to Palisade Avenue, and which remains the city's main commercial thoroughfare. Currently the longest commercial avenue in the state, boasting over 300 retail stores and restaurants, Bergenline runs through not only the entire length of West New York from north to south, but also through Union City, Guttenberg and North Bergen, making it the main commercial strip for North Hudson. Also known as the "Miracle Mile", Bergenline's largest concentration of retail and chain stores begins at the intersection of 32nd Street in Union City, and continues north until 92nd Street in North Bergen. Bergenline Avenue is also used as the route for local parades, such as the annual Memorial Day Parade Cuban Day Parade and Dominican-American Parade.

Points of interest

Excelsior Engine Co. No. 2 Firehouse

• Excelsior Engine Co. No. 2 Firehouse on Polk Street, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2022.

Sports

In 1898, the Brooklyn Bridegrooms played two games at the West New York Field Club Grounds. The New York Giants played one game at the field in 1898 and four in 1899.

In 2011, Formula One announced plans to host a street race on a 3.2-mile (5.1 km) in West New York and Weehawken called Grand Prix of America, which would begin in June 2013.

Education

Harry L Bain School

West New York is served by the West New York School District for pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. The district is one of 31 former Abbott districts statewide that were established pursuant to the decision by the New Jersey Supreme Court in Abbott v. Burke which are now referred to as "SDA Districts" based on the requirement for the state to cover all costs for school building and renovation projects in these districts under the supervision of the New Jersey Schools Development Authority.

As of the 2019–20 school year, the district, comprised of nine schools, had an enrollment of 8,545 students and 593.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 14.3:1. Schools in the district (with 2019–20 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Early Childhood School with 502 students in Pre-K, Public School #1 with 860 students in grades K–6, Public School #2 with 716 students in grades K–6, Robert Menendez Elementary School (School #3) with 574 students in grades K–6, Albio Sires Elementary School (School #4) with 678 students in grades K–6, Public School #5 with 673 students in grades K–6, Harry L. Bain Elementary School (School #6) with 675 students in grades K–6, West New York Middle School with 1,125 students in grades 7–8. and Memorial High School with 2,079 students in grades 9–12.

Private schools in West New York include Academy of St. Joseph of the Palisades, a K-8 Catholic school, which is overseen by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark. In the wake of declining enrollment and lingering financial issues, Mother Seton Interparochial School (which had been formed in 2006 from the merger of St. Michael's and St. Anthony of Padua) and St. Augustine's School, both of which had been located in Union City, were closed by the Newark Archdiocese after the 2019–20 school year and merged into Academy of St. Joseph of the Palisades.

American Training School for Medical Professionals is a bilingual medical school founded in 1998 by Professor Dante Joa.

Emergency services

West New York does not have its own fire department, but is one of five municipalities served by the North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue.

The West New York Emergency Medical Squad consists of 26 people (as of May 2011) who are based at the EMS house on 62nd Street, which houses four trucks, to which each is assigned two workers. The Squad's second, larger facility, at 66th Street, opened May 11, 2011.

West New York's Emergency Medical Services was among the many Hudson County agencies that responded to the January 2009 crash of US Airways Flight 1549, for which they received accolades from the survivors.

Transportation

Roads and highways

County Route 505, also known as Anthony Defino Way, in West New York

As of May 2010^[update], the town had a total of 24.11 miles (38.80 km) of roadways, of which 21.92 miles (35.28 km) were maintained by the municipality, 2.19 miles (3.52 km) by Hudson County.

The only significant roads directly serving West New York are county highways. County Route 501 follows Kennedy Boulevard along the town's western border. County Route 505 follows Boulevard East and Anthony Defino Way on the east side of town. Both roads are oriented north–south. Interstate 95 (the New Jersey Turnpike), U.S. Route 1/9 and New Jersey Route 495 are major highways located in adjacent municipalities.

Public transportation

This New York Waterway ferry named West New York is not used on the routes which serve the town.

NJ Transit bus service is available to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan on the 128, 154, 156, 158, 159, 165, 166 and 168 routes. The 181 and 188 routes offer service to the George Washington Bridge Bus Terminal. Travel to other New Jersey communities, including Jersey City, is offered on the 22, 23, 84, 86, 88 and 89.

The Bergenline Avenue station of Hudson-Bergen Light Rail is located at the city line with Union City, while the Weehawken Port Imperial station is located on the Weehawken waterfront at the foot of Pershing Road near the NY Waterway ferry terminal. Regular ferry crossings of the Hudson River run daily.

Jitney commuter buses operate along Bergenline Avenue, providing service to the Port Authority Bus Terminal, the George Washington Bridge Bus Station, the Newport Centre and other local destinations. The county's most frequent route for dollar buses, jitneys operate along Bergenline Avenue as frequently as one bus every minute.

The closest airport in New Jersey with scheduled passenger service is Newark Liberty International Airport, located 13.6 miles (21.9 km) away in Newark and Elizabeth. New York City's LaGuardia Airport is 13.5 miles (21.7 km) away in Queens via the Lincoln Tunnel.

Media and culture

West New York is located within the New York media market, with most of its daily papers available for sale or delivery. The Jersey Journal is a local daily paper based in Jersey City. Local weeklies include the free bilingual paper, Hudson Dispatch Weekly, a former daily, The West New York Reporter, which is part of the Hudson Reporter group of local weeklies, and the Spanish language El Especialito. River View Observer is a monthly newspaper that covers the Hudson County waterfront market.

In the late 2000s, West New York, Weehawken, Union City and North Bergen came to be dubbed collectively as "NoHu", a North Hudson haven for local performing and fine artists, many of whom are immigrants from Latin America and other countries, in part due to lower housing costs compared to those in nearby art havens such as Hoboken, Jersey City and Manhattan.

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with West New York include:

Tyson Beckford

AJ Lee

Mathieu Schneider

See also

In Spanish: West New York para niños