East Rutherford, NJ

East Rutherford is a borough in Bergen County of New Jersey. It is an inner-ring suburb of New York City, located west of Midtown Manhattan. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 10,022, an increase of 1,109 (+12.4%) from the 2010 census count of 8,913, which in turn reflected an increase of 197 (+2.3%) from the 8,716 counted in the 2000 census.

Under the terms of an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 17, 1889, a portion of the old Union Township was incorporated under the name of Boiling Springs Township.Snyder, John P
''The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968''
Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 77 re East Rutherford, p. 76 re Boiling Springs Township. Accessed July 29, 2012. The new township took its name from a spring in the community. On March 28, 1894, the Borough of East Rutherford was created, based on the results of a referendum held the previous day, and Boiling Springs Township was dissolved. While there was no change in its borders, the name and form of government were changed. The borough was the second formed during the "Boroughitis" phenomenon then sweeping through Bergen County, in which 26 boroughs were formed in the county in 1894 alone.

East Rutherford is the home of the Meadowlands Sports Complex, which includes Meadowlands Arena and MetLife Stadium, and used to be the location of Giants Stadium. The arena is best known as the former home of the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League and of the New Jersey Nets of the National Basketball Association, and for hosting college basketball, arena football, concerts, and other events. MetLife Stadium is home of the New York Giants and New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL), the New York Guardians of the XFL, and hosted Super Bowl XLVIII, which made East Rutherford the smallest city ever to host a Super Bowl. East Rutherford will be one of 16 venues chosen to host games for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with eight matches including the final at MetLife Stadium (New York/New Jersey Stadium). Giants Stadium, which hosted the Giants and Jets until 2009, was also the original home of the New York Red Bulls of Major League Soccer. East Rutherford is the only municipality with fewer than 10,000 residents to have been home to five professional sports teams simultaneously, as well as the smallest city to host any professional sports team within its city limits.

The borough is also the site of American Dream Meadowlands, a large shopping center and entertainment complex that was originally named "Xanadu" which opened on October 25, 2019.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 4.04 square miles (10.47 km²), including 3.71 square miles (9.61 km²) of land and 0.33 square miles (0.85 km²) of water (8.14%).

East Rutherford is bounded on the north by the boroughs of Carlstadt and Wallington and to the south by the borough of Rutherford in Bergen County; by Secaucus in Hudson County; and by Passaic. The Passaic River is the western boundary, and the Hackensack River is the eastern boundary. The area in which East Rutherford is located is the valley of the Passaic and Hackensack rivers.

Carlton Hill is an unincorporated community located within the township.

Demographics

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 8,913 people, 3,792 households, and 2,226 families in the borough. The population density was . There were 4,018 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup was 73.04% (6,510) White, 4.50% (401) Black or African American, 0.22% (20) Native American, 13.93% (1,242) Asian, 0.03% (3) Pacific Islander, 5.83% (520) from other races, and 2.43% (217) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 17.54% (1,563) of the population.

Of the 3,792 households, 24.2% had children under the age of 18; 42.9% were married couples living together; 11.6% had a female householder with no husband present and 41.3% were non-families. Of all households, 33.5% were made up of individuals and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 3.06.

18.1% of the population were under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 33.2% from 25 to 44, 26.6% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.8 years. For every 100 females, the population had 93.0 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 92.5 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $62,471 (with a margin of error of +/− $8,225) and the median family income was $71,357 (+/− $10,225). Males had a median income of $57,511 (+/− $8,669) versus $48,502 (+/− $2,269) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $32,467 (+/− $2,752). About 5.9% of families and 6.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.2% of those under age 18 and 13.4% of those age 65 or over.

Same-sex couples headed 19 households in 2010, a decline from the 27 counted in 2000.

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States census, there were 8,716 people, 3,644 households, and 2,157 families residing in the borough. The population density was . There were 3,771 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the borough was 79.68% White, 3.72% African American, 0.11% Native American, 10.69% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 3.21% from other races, and 2.54% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.65% of the population.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for East Rutherford borough, New Jersey
, United States Census Bureau. Accessed July 29, 2012.DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for East Rutherford borough, Bergen County, New Jersey
United States Census Bureau. Accessed July 29, 2012.

There were 3,644 households, out of which 25.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.4% were married couples living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.8% were non-families. 33.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 3.05.

In the borough, the age distribution of the population shows 19.4% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 36.5% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.8 males. The median income for a household in the borough was $50,163, and the median income for a family was $59,583. Males had a median income of $40,798 versus $36,047 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $28,072. About 7.4% of families and 9.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.1% of those under age 18 and 11.6% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

East Rutherford is home to the Hudson Group, a retailer which operates a chain of newsstands, bookstores, fast food restaurants, and other retail stores chiefly at airports and train stations. Contract manufacturing organization Cambrex Corporation is based in East Rutherford.

The East Rutherford Operations Center handles currency in the area covered by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, a task that includes removing and destroying 5 million currency notes every day.

The Dawn Bible Students Association moved to East Rutherford in 1944. The organization has a worldwide outreach and publishes many Bible-based books as well as ''The Dawn'' magazine.

Government

Local government

East Rutherford is governed under the borough form of New Jersey municipal government, which is used in 218 municipalities (of the 564) statewide, making it the most common form of government in New Jersey. The governing body is comprised of a mayor and a borough council, with all positions elected at-large on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. A mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The borough council includes six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle.''2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book'', Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 165. The borough form of government used by East Rutherford is a "weak mayor / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can veto ordinances subject to an override by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council.

, East Rutherford's Mayor is Democrat Jeffrey Lahullier, whose term of office ends December 31, 2027.Mayor Jeffrey Lahullier
Borough of East Rutherford. Accessed April 21, 2024. The borough council members are Council President Michael C. Lorusso (D, 2024), Daniel Alvarez Jr. (D, 2024), Jason Bulger (D, 2025), George W. Cronk (D, 2025), Jesse L. De Rosa (D, 2026) and Edward C. Ravettine (D, 2026).''2024 County and Municipal Directory''
Bergen County, New Jersey