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 New Jersey, located in the northern part of Hudson County. It sits on top of the New Jersey Palisades, which are tall cliffs. In 2020, about 52,912 people lived here. This number has grown over the years, showing more people are choosing to live in West New York.

It's one of the most crowded towns in the United States for its size. This means many people live in a small area, making it a very lively place.

A Look Back in Time

West New York became a town on July 8, 1898. It took the place of Union Township. At the start of the 1900s, the town grew a lot. This growth was because of textile factories, which made the area known as the "Embroidery Capital of the United States."

The town was first home to many Italian American and German American families. In the 1960s, many Cuban families moved to the area. Because of this, West New York was sometimes called "Havana on the Hudson." Today, most of the people living here are of Hispanic background.

Tall apartment buildings were built along Boulevard East. These buildings added to the town's population. They also helped make West New York one of the most densely populated places in the country. Since the 1980s, the area along the Hudson Waterfront has changed. It used to be industrial, but now it has homes and fun places like the Hudson River Waterfront Walkway.

Exploring West New York's Location

The Hudson River and Manhattan skyline seen from the west

West New York covers about 1.33 square miles (3.44 square kilometers). Most of this is land, but some is water. The town's ZIP Code is 07093. It is part of the larger New York metropolitan area.

West New York is surrounded by other towns. To the north is Guttenberg. To the east is the Hudson River. To the south are Union City and Weehawken. To the west is North Bergen.

The town is on top of The Palisades, which are cliffs overlooking the Hudson River. It also has the highest point in Hudson County. The area along the Hudson River has been called Bulls Ferry since before the American Revolutionary War.

Bergenline Avenue is the main shopping street. 60th Street is a big street that goes across town and is where the Town Hall is located. Many streets in West New York are named after U.S. Presidents.

Who Lives in West New York?

West New York is one of the few places in New Jersey where most people speak a language other than English at home. More than half of the residents speak Spanish. In fact, about 83.6% of people in West New York do not speak English as their main language. This is the second highest percentage in the state.

2010 Census Snapshot

In 2010, there were 49,708 people living in West New York. There were 18,852 households, which are groups of people living together. About 28.6% of households had children under 18. Many different groups of people live here. About 78.1% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

The average age of people in West New York was 34.8 years old. About 21% of the population was under 18.

West New York's Economy

Bergenline Avenue is the main shopping area in North Hudson. A special area called an "Urban Enterprise Zone" covers parts of Bergenline Avenue. This zone helps businesses and creates jobs. Shoppers in this zone can pay a lower sales tax rate. This special status for West New York started in 1996 and will last until May 2027.

Before the 1880s, Palisade Avenue was the main shopping street. But a local resident complained about the noise from horse-drawn carriages. So, the main route moved one block west to Bergenline Avenue. This street is now the longest commercial avenue in New Jersey. It has over 300 stores and restaurants. Bergenline Avenue also runs through other towns like Union City and North Bergen. It is sometimes called the "Miracle Mile." Many local parades, like the annual Memorial Day Parade and Cuban Day Parade, take place on Bergenline Avenue.

Places to See

Excelsior Engine Co. No. 2 Firehouse

• The Excelsior Engine Co. No. 2 Firehouse on Polk Street is a historic building. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2022.

Sports in Town

In the late 1800s, baseball teams like the Brooklyn Bridegrooms and the New York Giants played games at the West New York Field Club Grounds.

In 2011, there were plans for a Formula One car race called the Grand Prix of America. It was planned to be a street race in West New York and Weehawken.

Learning in West New York

Harry L Bain School

The West New York School District serves students from pre-kindergarten all the way through twelfth grade. This district is special because the state helps cover the costs for school buildings and renovations.

As of the 2019–20 school year, the district had nine schools and about 8,545 students. This means there were about 14 students for every teacher. Schools in the district include:

• Early Childhood School (Pre-K)
• Public Schools #1, #2, #3, #5 (Grades K–6)
• Albio Sires Elementary School (School #4) (Grades K–6)
• Harry L. Bain Elementary School (School #6) (Grades K–6)
• West New York Middle School (Grades 7–8)
• Memorial High School (Grades 9–12)

There are also private schools in West New York. One is Academy of St. Joseph of the Palisades, which is a Catholic school for grades K-8. Other Catholic schools in nearby Union City merged into this academy. The American Training School for Medical Professionals is a school that teaches medical skills in two languages.

Emergency Services

West New York does not have its own fire department. Instead, it is part of the North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue. This group serves five different towns.

The West New York Emergency Medical Squad has 26 members. They work from two locations and use four emergency trucks. They help people who need medical attention. The Squad received praise for their help during the US Airways Flight 1549 plane crash in 2009.

Getting Around West New York

Roads and Highways

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

As of 2015, West New York had about 24 miles of roads. Most of these roads are taken care of by the town itself. The main roads that go through West New York are county highways. County Route 501 follows Kennedy Boulevard on the west side of town. County Route 505 follows Boulevard East on the east side. These roads run north and south. Larger highways like Interstate 95 are in nearby towns.

Public Transportation

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

NJ Transit offers many bus routes from West New York. You can take buses to Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan. Other buses go to the George Washington Bridge Bus Terminal. You can also travel to other New Jersey towns like Jersey City by bus.

The Bergenline Avenue station is part of the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail system. It is located near the border with Union City. The Weehawken Port Imperial station is also nearby. From there, you can take a NY Waterway ferry across the Hudson River.

Small commuter buses, called jitneys or dollar vans, also run along Bergenline Avenue. They offer quick trips to places like the Port Authority Bus Terminal and shopping centers. These buses are very frequent, sometimes coming every minute.

The closest airports with passenger flights are Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark and LaGuardia Airport in Queens, New York City.

Media and Culture

West New York is part of the New York media market. This means most New York City newspapers are available here. The Jersey Journal is a local newspaper from Jersey City. There are also free local weekly papers like Hudson Dispatch Weekly and The West New York Reporter. El Especialito is a Spanish language paper.

In the late 2000s, West New York and nearby towns became known as "NoHu." This area became a place for local artists, especially those from Latin America. This was partly because housing was cheaper here than in other art areas like Hoboken or Manhattan.

Famous People from West New York

See also

In Spanish: West New York para niños