Woodbridge Township, New Jersey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Woodbridge Township, New Jersey
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Township
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The New Jersey Turnpike (Interstate 95) in Woodbridge Township, near its intersection with the Garden State Parkway
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| Motto(s):
The Best Town Around
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Location of Woodbridge Township in Middlesex County highlighted in red (right). Inset map: Location of Middlesex County in New Jersey highlighted in black (left).
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Census Bureau map of Woodbridge Township, New Jersey
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 Woodbridge Township, New Jersey
Location in Middlesex County, New Jersey
Woodbridge Township, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Woodbridge Township, 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 | Middlesex | |
| Settled | 1664 | |
| Chartered | June 1, 1669 | |
| Incorporated | February 21, 1798 | |
| Named for | John W. Woodbridge | |
| Government | ||
| • Type | Faulkner Act (mayor–council) | |
| • Body | Township Council | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 24.61 sq mi (63.74 km2) | |
| • Land | 23.26 sq mi (60.24 km2) | |
| • Water | 1.35 sq mi (3.50 km2) 5.50% | |
| Area rank | 110th of 565 in state 5th of 25 in county |
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| Elevation | 59 ft (18 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 103,639 | |
| • Estimate
(2023)
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103,194 | |
| • Rank | 7th of 565 in state 2nd of 25 in county |
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| • Density | 4,456.1/sq mi (1,720.5/km2) | |
| • Density rank | 137th of 565 in state 11th of 25 in county |
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| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST)) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT)) | |
| ZIP Codes |
07095 – Woodbridge
07001 – Avenel 07064 – Port Reading 07067 – Colonia 07077 – Sewaren 07095 – Woodbridge 08830 – Iselin 08832 – Keasbey 08840 – Menlo Park Terrace 08861 – Hopelawn 08863 – Fords |
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| Area code | 732 | |
| FIPS code | 34-82000 | |
| GNIS ID | 882165 | |
Woodbridge Township is a township located in northern Middlesex County, New Jersey. It's a busy center for transportation and business in central New Jersey. Many people who work in New York City live here, making it a major bedroom suburb. Woodbridge Township is home to the meeting point of the New Jersey Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway. These are the two busiest highways in the state. The main office for the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, which runs these highways, is also in Woodbridge.
In 2020, Woodbridge Township had a population of 103,639 people. This makes it the seventh-most-populated town in New Jersey. Its population has grown steadily over the years.
Contents
History of Woodbridge Township
Woodbridge Township is the oldest original township in New Jersey. It received a special paper called a royal charter from King Charles II of England on June 1, 1669. This charter gave it official recognition.
Some of the first settlers arrived in 1664. One important early settler was Jonathan Singletary Dunham. He built the very first gristmill (a mill for grinding grain) in New Jersey right here in Woodbridge. The township was named after Reverend John W. Woodbridge, who settled in the area.
Over time, parts of Woodbridge Township were used to create other towns. For example, Rahway, Edison Township, and Carteret were all once part of Woodbridge.
In 1982, Woodbridge made news for a unique rule. It was the first place in the U.S. to ban people from using Walkman cassette players in public while doing things like riding a bike or crossing the street. This rule was later removed in 2022.
Geography and Communities
Woodbridge Township covers about 24.61 square miles (63.74 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.
The township shares borders with several other towns. These include Carteret, Edison, Perth Amboy, and Sayreville in Middlesex County. It also borders Clark, Linden, and Rahway in Union County. Its eastern border is with Staten Island in New York City, across the Arthur Kill waterway.
Woodbridge has a humid subtropical climate, which means it has hot, humid summers and mild winters.
Neighborhoods in Woodbridge
Woodbridge Township is made up of many different neighborhoods and communities. Even though they are all part of the township, some have their own ZIP Codes. Some of the well-known communities include:
Other smaller areas within the township are Hopelawn, Keasbey, and Menlo Park Terrace.
Economy and Business
Woodbridge Township is home to some important businesses.
- Woodbridge Center is a very large shopping mall. It is the third-biggest mall in New Jersey.
- Wakefern Food Corporation, the company that owns ShopRite supermarkets, has its main office in Keasbey, which is part of Woodbridge Township.
Parks and Recreation
Woodbridge Township has many great places for outdoor activities and fun.
- Heards Brook Park is a beautiful park with a wooded area, picnic tables, and basketball courts. You can enjoy lovely views of Heards Brook here.
- Ernest L. Oros Wildlife Preserve is a 67-acre nature preserve along the Woodbridge River. It's a great spot for hiking, boating, and bird watching. Many different bird species, like great blue herons and bald eagles, can be seen here. You might also spot raccoons and red foxes. The preserve also has a special Butterfly Garden.
- Woodbridge River Park is another large park covering 40 acres. It's perfect for canoeing because it has many channels and backwaters.
- Middlesex Greenway is a 3.5-mile long trail built on an old railroad line. It's great for biking and walking.
- Merrill Park is a big 179-acre park with sports facilities, playgrounds, and paths for biking and walking.
- Parker Press Park is located in Woodbridge Proper. It has a restored building with an old working printing press, showing how books were made long ago. The park also hosts summer concerts.
- Woodbridge Community Center offers a gym, miniature golf, batting cages, a pool, and two "Arenas" for roller skating and ice skating.
- Joseph Medwick Park is a county park shared with Carteret. It's part of a larger plan to create green spaces along the Rahway River.
Education in Woodbridge
The Woodbridge Township School District serves all students from pre-kindergarten up to twelfth grade. The schools in the district are officially recognized by the Middle States Association.
The district has 25 schools in total. There are three main high schools:
- Colonia High School
- John F. Kennedy Memorial High School
- Woodbridge High School
These high schools offer many different courses, including advanced classes and programs for college preparation or job skills.
Transportation Hub
Woodbridge Township is a very important place for transportation in New Jersey. Many major roads and highways pass through it.
Roads and Highways
The Garden State Parkway runs for about 7.5 miles through the township. The New Jersey Turnpike (Interstate 95) also goes through Woodbridge Township. Both of these are major highways that connect different parts of the state.
Other important roads include U.S. Route 1 and U.S. Route 9. These two routes even merge together north of the township.
The Driscoll Bridge on the Garden State Parkway and the Edison Bridge on U.S. Route 9 both cross the Raritan River. They connect Woodbridge Township with Sayreville to the south. The Driscoll Bridge is one of the widest and busiest bridges in the world!
Did you know? The very first cloverleaf interchange (a special type of highway exit) in the world opened in Woodbridge in 1929.
Public Transportation
Woodbridge Township has three train stations:
- Metropark
- Avenel
- Woodbridge
You can catch NJ Transit trains from these stations. Metropark also offers Amtrak services, which can take you to major cities like New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C.
NJ Transit also provides bus services from Woodbridge to places like Midtown Manhattan and Elizabeth, along with local bus routes.
Woodbridge Floodplain and Environment
Woodbridge Township is located in an area that can sometimes experience flooding. This is because it is surrounded by water on three sides: the Arthur Kill to the east, and the Raritan River to the south, and the Rahway River to the north. Also, much of the land is low, sometimes only five feet above sea level.
About 19% of Woodbridge Township is in areas that are prone to flooding. This means that during heavy rains or high tides, some parts of the township can get wet. Flooding can happen from the tides or from rivers overflowing.
After Hurricane Sandy in 2012, Woodbridge Township worked to help areas that were badly flooded. They started buying properties in flood-prone areas to remove buildings. The plan is to turn these areas back into natural floodplains with trees and plants. This helps the land absorb extra water and protects other areas from future flooding.
Points of Interest
- The Jonathan Singletary Dunham House is a historic home built near the site of New Jersey's first grist mill. Jonathan Singletary Dunham was an important early settler.
- J. J. Bitting Brewing Co. is a restaurant located in a restored 100-year-old brick building. It used to be a coal and feed depot.
- St. James Catholic Church was founded in 1860 and is one of the largest churches in the area.
Notable People from Woodbridge
Many interesting people have lived in or are connected to Woodbridge Township:
- Joseph Bloomfield (1753–1823), who was the fourth Governor of New Jersey.
- John Carlson (born 1990), a professional ice hockey player for the Washington Capitals.
- Kelsey Grammer (born 1955), a famous actor known for shows like Frasier and Cheers.
- Jack H. Jacobs (born 1945), a Medal of Honor recipient.
- Eric LeGrand (born 1990), a football player, writer, and speaker.
- Jim McGreevey (born 1957), a former mayor of Woodbridge and a former Governor of New Jersey.
- James Parker (1714–1770), a colonial American printer who set up New Jersey's first permanent printing press in Woodbridge.
- Richie Sambora (born 1959), a former member of the famous rock band Bon Jovi.
- Tico Torres (born 1953), the drummer for the rock band Bon Jovi.
- Dagmara Wozniak (born 1988), an Olympic sabre fencer.
Images for kids
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Census Bureau map of Woodbridge Township, New Jersey
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Map of racial distribution in Woodbridge, 2020 U.S. census. Each dot is one person: ⬤ White ⬤ Black ⬤ Asian ⬤ Hispanic ⬤ Multiracial ⬤ Native American/Other
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Flood hazard zones in Woodbridge Township
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Woodbridge area inundated by Woodbridge River after Hurricane Sandy
See also
In Spanish: Municipio de Woodbridge (Nueva Jersey) para niños
