borough
A borough is an administrative division in various English language, English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely.
History
...
in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 19,637, an increase of 846 (+4.5%) from the 2010 census count of 18,791, which in turn reflected an increase of 573 (+3.1%) from the 18,218 counted in the 2000 census.
Hawthorne was originally part of the now-defunct Manchester Township, which was later subdivided to create Hawthorne, Haledon, North Haledon, Prospect Park, Totowa, The Heights/Columbia Heights District of Fair Lawn and most of the First Ward of Paterson. The Borough of Hawthorne was incorporated from portions of Manchester Township by an act of the
New Jersey Legislature
The New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and ...
Nathaniel Hawthorne
Nathaniel Hawthorne (né Hathorne; July 4, 1804 – May 19, 1864) was an American novelist and short story writer. His works often focus on history, morality, and religion.
He was born in 1804 in Salem, Massachusetts, from a family long associat ...
.
Geography
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
Bergen County
Bergen County is the List of counties in New Jersey, most populous County (United States), county in the U.S. state of New Jersey.2010 United States census counted 18,791 people, 7,454 households, and 4,949 families in the borough. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...
was . There were 7,756 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup was 88.62% (16,652)
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 4.28% (804) from other races, and 1.80% (339) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 15.42% (2,897) of the population.
Of the 7,454 households, 29.5% had children under the age of 18; 50.7% were married couples living together; 11.4% had a female householder with no husband present and 33.6% were non-families. Of all households, 27.6% were made up of individuals and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.12.
21.4% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 28.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.2 years. For every 100 females, the population had 92.7 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 89.4 males.
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010
American Community Survey
The American Community Survey (ACS) is an annual demographics survey program conducted by the United States Census Bureau. It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the United States census, decennial census ...
median household income
The median income is the income amount that divides a population into two groups, half having an income above that amount, and half having an income below that amount. It may differ from the mean (or average) income. Both of these are ways of und ...
was $72,985 (with a margin of error of +/− $6,585) and the median family income was $83,136 (+/− $7,364). Males had a median income of $64,906 (+/− $7,150) versus $44,641 (+/− $2,852) for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year.
In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the borough was $33,872 (+/− $1,921). About 4.9% of families and 7.1% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 11.4% of those under age 18 and 7.2% of those age 65 or over.
Same-sex couples headed 48 households in 2010, a 50% increase from the 32 counted in 2000.
2000 census
As of the 2000 United States census there were 18,218 people, 7,260 households, and 4,929 families residing in the borough. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...
was . There were 7,419 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the borough was 93.75%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 0.75%
African American
African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 1.58% from other races, and 1.88% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
. Accessed August 14, 2012.
There were 7,260 households, out of which 28.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.1% were
married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.1% were non-families. 26.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.07.
In the borough the population was spread out, with 21.8% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 33.5% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 15.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.7 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $55,340, and the median income for a family was $65,451. Males had a median income of $46,270 versus $33,277 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year.
In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the borough was $26,551. About 2.6% of families and 3.4% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 4.0% of those under age 18 and 5.4% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Local government
The Borough of Hawthorne is governed under the Faulkner Act, formally known as the Optional Municipal Charter Law, within the Mayor-Council system of municipal government.''2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book'',
Rutgers University
Rutgers University ( ), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a Public university, public land-grant research university consisting of three campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's C ...
Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 151. The township is one of 71 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this form of government. The governing body is comprised of the mayor and the seven-member borough council. A Charter Study Commission, formed in the 1980s after two major commercial businesses left the borough, led to a recommendation for the adoption of a mayor–council form in which there are four wards to give residents a representative in each area of the community, in addition to a mayor and two
at-large
At large (''before a noun'': at-large) is a description for members of a governing body who are elected or appointed to represent a whole membership or population (notably a city, county, state, province, nation, club or association), rather tha ...
members of the borough council, all of whom are directly elected by residents, with all members of the governing body serving four-year terms of office. After residents approved the commission's recommendations, the first election under the mayor–council form was held in 1989. The four ward seats are up for vote together and the three at-large seats and the mayoral position up for vote together two years later. All elections are held on a partisan basis as part of the November general election.History Borough of Hawthorne. Accessed April 13, 2020. "The work of a charter study commission culminated in a vote to adopt the mayor/council form. This created four wards to give residents a representative in each area of the community and the right to directly elect their mayor. The first election under the mayor/council form was held in 1989."
, the
Mayor
In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...
of the Borough of Hawthorne is Republican John V. Lane, whose term of office ends December 31, 2025.Mayor Borough of Hawthorne. Accessed July 13, 2022. "July 13, 2022" Members of the Hawthorne Borough Council are Bruce A. Bennett (R, at-large, 2025), Rayna Laiosa (R, Ward 2, 2023), Frank E. Matthews (R, Ward 4, 2023), Dominic Mele (R, at-large, 2025), Ann Marie Sasso (R, at-large, 2025), Michael Sciarra (R, Ward 3, 2023; elected to serve an unexpired term) and Joseph R. Wojtecki (D, Ward 1, 2023).''Passaic County 2021 Directory'' Passaic County, New Jersey, updated as of April 2021. Accessed July 1, 2022.2021 General Election November 2, 2021 Official Results Passaic County, New Jersey, updated November 18, 2021. Accessed January 1, 2022.November 3, 2020 Summary Report Official Results Passaic County, New Jersey, updated November 20, 2020. Accessed January 1, 2021.2019 General Election November 5, 2019 Summary Report Passaic County Official Results Passaic County, New Jersey, updated November 18, 2019. Accessed January 1, 2020.
In January 2020, the borough council appointed Michael Sciarra to fill the Ward 3 expiring in December 2023 that had been won by Garret G. Sinning, who died two weeks after winning re-election; Sciarra served on an interim basis until the November 2020 general election, when voters chose him to serve the balance of the term of office.
On July 29, 2008, former mayor Patrick Botbyl announced he would resign effective August 15, 2008. A special election was held on November 4, 2008, in which Republican Richard Goldberg defeated Democrat Joseph Wojtecki to become the mayor of Hawthorne for the remainder of Botbyl's term.
Emergency services
The Hawthorne Police Department is Led by its Chief James W. Knepper, who oversees two Captains, six Lieutenants, six Sergeants, 18 patrol and traffic officers and three detectives. The Police Headquarters is located at 445 Lafayette Avenue. The police department maintains several special units including K-9, motorcycle, quality of life, education and firearms. The department runs many community programs such as the Junior Police Academy, Citizen's Police Academy, ROAR Education, and a high school Criminal Justice program.
The Hawthorne Volunteer Fire Department, established in 1916, is an all-volunteer department, which maintains five stations. HFD staffs three Engines (Engine 1, Engine 3, Engine 4), one Platform Aerial (Tower 2), and a Heavy Rescue (Rescue 5). HFD has one Department Chief and five Assistant Chiefs. The Fire Department Headquarters is located at 828 Lafayette Avenue.
The Hawthorne Volunteer Ambulance Corps is an independent non-profit corporation dedicated to providing emergency medical services (EMS) to the Borough of Hawthorne and surrounding communities since 1932. HVAC maintains three full-size BLS units, one First Responder/Command Vehicle, and one chief's vehicle. The EMS Headquarters is located at 970 Goffle Road.
The Passaic County S.P.C.A. Humane Police Department is a law enforcement agency that is specifically empowered to enforce animal cruelty laws throughout Passaic County. Operating since the 1890s, the Passaic County S.P.C.A. relocated to Hawthorne in October 2017. The PCSPCA Humane Police Department maintains two black and white patrol vehicles. PCSPCA Headquarters is located at 794 Lafayette Avenue.
New Jersey Redistricting Commission
The New Jersey Redistricting Commission is a constitutional body of the government of New Jersey tasked with redrawing the state's Congressional election districts after each decade's census. Like Arizona, Idaho, Hawaii, Montana, and Washington ...
New Jersey Department of State
The secretary of state of New Jersey oversees the Department of State, which is one of the original state offices. The Secretary is responsible for overseeing New Jersey State Council on the Arts, artistic, cultural, and New Jersey Historical Com ...
. Accessed September 1, 2023.
Politics
As of March 2011, there were a total of 12,060 registered voters in Hawthorne, of which 2,938 (24.4% vs. 31.0% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 3,934 (32.6% vs. 18.7%) were registered as Republicans and 5,181 (43.0% vs. 50.3%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 7 voters registered as Libertarians or Greens.Voter Registration Summary - Passaic
New Jersey Department of State
The secretary of state of New Jersey oversees the Department of State, which is one of the original state offices. The Secretary is responsible for overseeing New Jersey State Council on the Arts, artistic, cultural, and New Jersey Historical Com ...
Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed January 16, 2013. Among the borough's 2010 Census population, 64.2% (vs. 53.2% in Passaic County) were registered to vote, including 81.7% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 70.8% countywide).
In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...
received 49.9% of the vote (4,195 cast), ahead of Republican
Mitt Romney
Willard Mitt Romney (born March 12, 1947) is an American businessman and retired politician. He served as a United States Senate, United States senator from Utah from 2019 to 2025 and as the 70th governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007 ...
with 48.9% (4,114 votes), and other candidates with 1.2% (101 votes), among the 8,480 ballots cast by the borough's 12,679 registered voters (70 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 66.9%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III (August 29, 1936 – August 25, 2018) was an American statesman and United States Navy, naval officer who represented the Arizona, state of Arizona in United States Congress, Congress for over 35 years, first as ...
received 4,618 votes (50.6% vs. 37.7% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 4,256 votes (46.6% vs. 58.8%) and other candidates with 78 votes (0.9% vs. 0.8%), among the 9,132 ballots cast by the borough's 12,101 registered voters, for a turnout of 75.5% (vs. 70.4% in Passaic County). In the 2004 presidential election, Republican
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician and businessman who was the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Bush family and the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he i ...
received 4,614 votes (52.7% vs. 42.7% countywide), ahead of Democrat
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is an American attorney, politician, and diplomat who served as the 68th United States secretary of state from 2013 to 2017 in the Presidency of Barack Obama#Administration, administration of Barac ...
with 3,863 votes (44.1% vs. 53.9%) and other candidates with 52 votes (0.6% vs. 0.7%), among the 8,753 ballots cast by the borough's 11,624 registered voters, for a turnout of 75.3% (vs. 69.3% in the whole county).
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican
Chris Christie
Christopher James Christie (born September 6, 1962) is an American politician and former United States Attorney, federal prosecutor who served as the 55th governor of New Jersey from 2010 to 2018. A member of the Republican Party (United States) ...
received 62.0% of the vote (3,385 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 36.9% (2,015 votes), and other candidates with 1.2% (63 votes), among the 5,586 ballots cast by the borough's 12,874 registered voters (123 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 43.4%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 3,139 votes (53.7% vs. 43.2% countywide), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 2,324 votes (39.8% vs. 50.8%), Independent Chris Daggett with 265 votes (4.5% vs. 3.8%) and other candidates with 36 votes (0.6% vs. 0.9%), among the 5,844 ballots cast by the borough's 11,836 registered voters, yielding a 49.4% turnout (vs. 42.7% in the county).
pre-kindergarten
Pre-kindergarten (also called pre-K or PK) is a voluntary classroom-based preschool program for children below the age of five in the United States, Canada, Turkey and Greece (when kindergarten starts). It may be delivered through a preschool ...
through
twelfth grade
Twelfth Grade (also known as Grade 12, Senior Year, Standard 12, 12th Standard, 12th Class, or Class 12th or Class 12) is the twelfth and final Educational stage, year of Formal education, formal or compulsory education. It is typically the final ...
. As of the 2022–23 school year, the district, comprised of five schools, had an enrollment of 2,229 students and 218.1 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a
student–teacher ratio
The student–teacher ratio or student–faculty ratio refers to the number of students who attend a school or university divided by the number of teachers or staff in the institution. For example, a student–teacher ratio of 10:1 indicates that ...
National Center for Education Statistics
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is the principal federal agency responsible for collecting, analyzing, and reporting data on education in the United States. Established under , it operates within the Institute of Education S ...
. Accessed February 1, 2024. Schools in the district (with 2022–23 enrollment data from the
National Center for Education Statistics
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is the principal federal agency responsible for collecting, analyzing, and reporting data on education in the United States. Established under , it operates within the Institute of Education S ...
) are
Jefferson Elementary School with 266 students in grades PreK-5,
Roosevelt Elementary School with 545 students in grades K-5,
Washington Elementary School with 257 students in grades K-5,
Lincoln Middle School with 517 students in grades 6-8 and
Hawthorne High School with 602 students in grades 9-12.
St. Anthony School, a K–8
Catholic school
Catholic schools are Parochial school, parochial pre-primary, primary and secondary educational institutions administered in association with the Catholic Church. , the Catholic Church operates the world's largest parochial schools, religious, no ...
that opened in 1912, operates under the supervision of the
Roman Catholic Diocese of Paterson
The Diocese of Paterson () is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory, or diocese, of the Catholic Church in North Jersey, northern New Jersey. It is a suffragan diocese in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Roman Catholic Archdiocese ...
. Hawthorne Christian Academy is an interdenominational evangelical Christian school established in 1981 by the Hawthorne Gospel Church, serving students in preschool through twelfth grade.
Transportation
Roads and highways
, the borough had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality, by Passaic County and by the
New Jersey Department of Transportation
The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) is the agency responsible for transportation issues and policy in New Jersey, including maintaining and operating the state's highway and public road system, planning and developing transport ...
.
Several major roadways pass through the borough. Route 208 is the main state highway serving Hawthorne. Other significant roads passing through Hawthorne include County Route 504.
Secaucus Junction
Secaucus Junction (signed as Secaucus) is an intermodal transit hub served by New Jersey Transit Rail Operations, New Jersey Transit (NJ Transit) and Metro-North Railroad in Secaucus, New Jersey, Secaucus, New Jersey. It is one of the List of b ...
and Hoboken Terminal.
NJ Transit provides bus service on the 148 route to the
Port Authority Bus Terminal
The Port Authority Bus Terminal (colloquially known as the Port Authority and by its acronym PABT) is a bus station, bus terminal located in Manhattan in New York City. It is the busiest bus terminal in the world by volume of traffic, serving ab ...
in
Midtown Manhattan
Midtown Manhattan is the central portion of the New York City borough of Manhattan, serving as the city's primary central business district. Midtown is home to some of the city's most prominent buildings, including the Empire State Building, the ...
Drum Corps Associates
Drum Corps Associates (DCA) was a governing body for modern all-age and senior drum and bugle corps (modern), drum and bugle corps in North America. Its responsibilities included sanctioning competitions, certifying adjudicators, maintaining and e ...
, Headquartered at Hawthorne's
American Legion
The American Legion, commonly known as the Legion, is an Voluntary association, organization of United States, U.S. war veterans headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. It comprises U.S. state, state, Territories of the United States, U.S. terr ...
Post 199, the Hawthorne Caballeros have won six world championships and more than a dozen state titles.
Notable people
People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Hawthorne include:
* Bennie Borgmann (1898–1978), professional baseball and basketball player and coach who was inducted into the
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 1000 Hall of Fame Avenue in Springfield, Massachusetts. It serves as basketball's most complete library, in addition to promoting and pre ...
running back
A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive American football plays#Offensive terminology, handoffs from the quarterback to Rush (American football)#Offense ...
for the
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The ...
New Jersey Legislature
The New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and ...
. Accessed July 16, 2007.
*
Debbie Harry
Deborah Ann Harry (born Angela Trimble, July 1, 1945) is an American singer, songwriter and actress, best known as the lead vocalist of the band Blondie (band), Blondie. Four of her songs with the band reached on the US charts between 1979 and 1 ...
(born 1945),
rock and roll
Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock-n-roll, and rock 'n' roll) is a Genre (music), genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It Origins of rock and roll, originated from African ...
offensive lineman
In gridiron football, a lineman is a player who specializes in play at the line of scrimmage. The linemen of the team currently in possession of the ball are the offensive line (OL), while linemen on the opposing team are the defensive line ( ...
Arizona State University
Arizona State University (Arizona State or ASU) is a public university, public research university in Tempe, Arizona, United States. Founded in 1885 as Territorial Normal School by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, the university is o ...
Episcopal Diocese of Haiti
The Episcopal Diocese of Haiti ( or ''Dyosèz Ayiti'' or ''Diocèse d'Haïti'') is the Anglican Communion diocese consisting of the entire territory of Haiti. It is part of Province 2 of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America. Its ...
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'', March 5, 1984. Accessed October 20, 2020. "He was born in Hawthorne, N.J., and graduated from Morristown (N.J.) High School in 1922."