West New York, NJ
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West New York is a
town A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city. The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...
in the northern part of
Hudson County Hudson County is a List of counties in New Jersey, county in the U.S. state of New Jersey, its smallest and most densely populated. Lying in the northeast of the state and on the west bank of the North River (Hudson River), Hudson River, the No ...
, in the
U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...
of
New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...
, 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 The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The U.S. Census Bureau is part of the U ...
's
Population Estimates Program The Population Estimates Program (PEP) is a program of the U.S. Census Bureau that publishes annual population estimates and estimates of birth, death, and international migration rates for people in the United States. In addition to publishing t ...
calculated that the city's population was 51,981 in 2022, ranking the city the 770th-most-populous in the country. With more than 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 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 ...
on July 8, 1898, replacing Union Township, based on the results of a referendum held three days earlier.Snyder, John P
''The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968''
Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 149. Accessed May 30, 2024.
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 American Italian Americans () are Americans who have full or partial Italians, Italian ancestry. The largest concentrations of Italian Americans are in the urban Northeastern United States, Northeast and industrial Midwestern United States, Midwestern ...
s and
German American German Americans (, ) are Americans who have full or partial German ancestry. According to the United States Census Bureau's figures from 2022, German Americans make up roughly 41 million people in the US, which is approximately 12% of the pop ...
s. Throughout the 1960s, West New York had an influx of Cuban
émigré An ''émigré'' () is a person who has emigrated, often with a connotation of political or social exile or self-exile. The word is the past participle of the French verb ''émigrer'' meaning "to emigrate". French Huguenots Many French Hugueno ...
s 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 The Hudson River Waterfront Walkway, also known as the Hudson River Walkway, is a promenade along the Hudson Waterfront in New Jersey. The ongoing and incomplete project located on Kill van Kull and the western shore of Upper New York Bay and t ...
.


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 ...
, 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 The New York metropolitan area, also called the Tri-State area and sometimes referred to as Greater New York, is the List of cities by GDP, largest metropolitan economy in the world, with a List of U.S. metropolitan areas by GDP, gross metropo ...
and is at the heart of the
North Hudson, New Jersey North Hudson is the area in the northern part of Hudson County, New Jersey, situated on the west bank of the Hudson River, mostly atop the Hudson Palisades. It comprises Weehawken, Union City, West New York, Guttenberg, and North Bergen. Wi ...
, region. West New York is bordered on the north by Guttenberg, on the east by the
Hudson River The Hudson River, historically the North River, is a river that flows from north to south largely through eastern New York (state), New York state. It originates in the Adirondack Mountains at Henderson Lake (New York), Henderson Lake in the ...
, on the south by Union City and
Weehawken Weehawken is a Township (New Jersey), township in the North Hudson, New Jersey, northern part of Hudson County, New Jersey, Hudson County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is located on the Hudson Waterfront and Hudson Palisades overlooking ...
, 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 The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...
. 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 Weehawken is a Township (New Jersey), township in the North Hudson, New Jersey, northern part of Hudson County, New Jersey, Hudson County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is located on the Hudson Waterfront and Hudson Palisades overlooking ...
in Hudson County; and the
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
borough of
Manhattan Manhattan ( ) is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the County statistics of the United States#Smallest, larg ...
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 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 ...
's 2012-2016
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 ...
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 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 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 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 ...
, 4.60% (2,289) Black or African American, 1.50% (744) Native American, 6.01% (2,986) Asian, 0.05% (24)
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 ...
, 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 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 ...
showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars)
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 $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 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 $24,419 (± $1,215). About 15.8% of families and 18.1% 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 23.6% of those under age 18 and 25.6% of those age 65 or over.


2000 census

As of the 2000 United States census, there were 45,768 people, 16,719 households, and 11,034 families residing in the town. The population density was 44,995.1/mi2 (17,324.6/km2). There were 17,360 housing units at an average density of 17,066.8/mi2 (6,571.3 km2). The racial makeup of the town was 60.09% White, 3.55% African American, 0.67% Native American, 2.93% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 25.16% from other races, and 7.57% from two or more races. 78.74% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for West New York town, New Jersey
,
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 November 13, 2012.
DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for West New York town, Hudson County, New Jersey
,
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 November 13, 2012.
There were 16,719 households, out of which 31.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.9% were married couples living together, 16.9% had a woman whose husband did not live with her, and 34.0% were non-families. 27.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.30. In the town, the age distribution of the population showed 22.3% under the age of 18, 10.9% from 18 to 24, 34.1% from 25 to 44, 19.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.5 males. The median income for a household in the town was $31,980, and the median income for a family was $34,083. Males had a median income of $26,703 versus $22,326 for females. The per capita income for the town was $16,719. 18.9% of the population and 16.1% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 25.4% were under the age of 18 and 22.3% were 65 or older. As of the 2000 Census, West New York was ranked as #52 on a list of cities with the highest percentage of renters. 80.1% of West New York residents lived in renter-occupied housing units, vs. 33.8% nationwide.


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 A sales tax is a tax paid to a governing body for the sales of certain goods and services. Usually laws allow the seller to collect funds for the tax from the consumer at the point of purchase. When a tax on goods or services is paid to a govern ...
rate (half of the % 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 Memorial Day (originally known as Decoration Day) is a federal holiday in the United States for mourning the U.S. military personnel who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. It is observed on the last Monday of May. It i ...
Parade Cuban Day Parade and Dominican-American Parade.


Points of interest

* Excelsior Engine Co. No. 2 Firehouse on Polk Street, listed on the
National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...
in 2022.


Sports

In 1898, the Brooklyn Bridegrooms played two games at the West New York Field Club Grounds. 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 ...
played one game at the field in 1898 and four in 1899. In 2011,
Formula One Formula One (F1) is the highest class of worldwide racing for open-wheel single-seater formula Auto racing, racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The FIA Formula One World Championship has been one ...
announced plans to host a street race on a in West New York and
Weehawken Weehawken is a Township (New Jersey), township in the North Hudson, New Jersey, northern part of Hudson County, New Jersey, Hudson County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is located on the Hudson Waterfront and Hudson Palisades overlooking ...
called Grand Prix of America, which would begin in June 2013.


Government


Local government

Since 1931, West New York has been governed under the Walsh Act form of New Jersey municipal government. The town is one of 30 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use the commission form of government. The governing body is comprised of a five-member commission, whose members are elected at-large in
non-partisan Nonpartisanship, also known as nonpartisanism, is a lack of affiliation with a political party and a lack of political bias. While an ''Oxford English Dictionary'' definition of ''partisan'' includes adherents of a party, cause, person, etc., ...
elections to serve four-year terms of office on a concurrent basis as part of the May municipal election. Each Commissioner is assigned to head one of five departments. The Commission selects one of its members to serve as mayor.''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. 142.
, the five members of the West New York Board of Commissioners are Mayor Albio Sires, Marcos Arroyo, Victor Barrera, Marielka Diaz and Adam Parkinson, all serving concurrent terms of office ending May 15, 2027.Directory
Town of West New York. Accessed March 1, 2023.
Elected Officials
Hudson County, New Jersey Hudson County is a county in the U.S. state of New Jersey, its smallest and most densely populated. Lying in the northeast of the state and on the west bank of the Hudson River, the North Jersey county is part of the state's Gateway Region an ...
Clerk. Accessed March 1, 2023.
2023 Municipal Election May 9, 2023 Official Results
Updated May 17, 2023. Accessed May 17, 2023.
In the May 2011 municipal election, the "Together We Can" slate of five candidates led by Roque took all five seats on the Town Council, knocking off the slate of incumbents led by then-mayor Silverio Vega. At the town council's reorganization meeting, the five commissioners unanimously voted to appoint Roque to a four-year term as Mayor of West New York. In February 2015, Cosmo Cirillo was selected to fill the vacant seat of Rubin Vargas, making Cirillo the youngest commissioner on town history at the age of 27.


Federal, state and county representation

West New York is located in the 8th Congressional DistrictPlan Components Report
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 ...
, December 23, 2011. Accessed February 1, 2020.
and is part of New Jersey's 33rd state legislative district.


Politics

As of March 2011, there were a total of 19,438 registered voters in West New York, of which 10,510 (54.1%) were registered as Democrats, 2,460 (12.7%) were registered as Republicans and 6,456 (33.2%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 12 voters registered to other parties. 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 77.5% of the vote (9,682 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 21.8% (2,725 votes), and other candidates with 0.7% (85 votes), among the 12,605 ballots cast by the town's 21,268 registered voters (113 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 59.3%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 69.6% of the vote (9,071 cast), ahead of Republican
John McCain John Sidney McCain III (August 29, 1936 â€“ 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 ...
with 29.0% (3,773 votes) and other candidates with 0.6% (78 votes), among the 13,026 ballots cast by the town's 21,023 registered voters, for a turnout of 62.0%. In the 2004 presidential election, 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 ...
received 60.8% of the vote (7,229 ballots cast), outpolling 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 ...
with 36.4% (4,329 votes) and other candidates with 0.3% (54 votes), among the 11,883 ballots cast by the town's 18,058 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 65.8. In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Democrat Barbara Buono received 55.9% of the vote (3,188 cast), ahead of 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) ...
with 42.4% (2,416 votes), and other candidates with 1.6% (94 votes), among the 5,978 ballots cast by the town's 22,092 registered voters (280 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 27.1%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 71.2% of the vote (5,328 ballots cast), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 25.5% (1,907 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 1.3% (97 votes) and other candidates with 0.9% (67 votes), among the 7,481 ballots cast by the town's 19,045 registered voters, yielding a 39.3% turnout.


Education

West New York is served by the West New York School District for
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 ...
. The district is one of 31 former
Abbott district ''Abbott'' districts are school districts in New Jersey that are provided remedies to ensure that their students receive public education in accordance with Constitution of New Jersey, the state constitution. They were created in 1985 as a resul ...
s statewide that were established pursuant to the decision by the
New Jersey Supreme Court The Supreme Court of New Jersey is the supreme court, highest court in the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, the Supreme Court of New Jersey is the final judicial authority on all cases in the state court system, including cases cha ...
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 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 ...
of 14.3:1.District information for West New York Board of Education
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 April 1, 2021.
Schools in the district (with 2019–20 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 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, Public 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 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 ...
, 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

, the town had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality, 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 Interstate 95 (I-95) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, running from U.S. Route 1 (US 1) in Miami, Florida, north to the Houlton–Woodstock Border Crossing between Maine and the ...
(the
New Jersey Turnpike The New Jersey Turnpike (NJTP) is a system of controlled-access highway, controlled-access toll roads in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The turnpike is maintained by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA).The Garden State Parkway, although ma ...
), U.S. Route 1/9 and
New Jersey Route 495 Route 495 is a state highway in Hudson County, New Jersey, in the United States that connects the New Jersey Turnpike (Interstate 95 in New Jersey, Interstate 95) at exits 16E-17 in Secaucus, New Jersey, Secaucus to New York State Route 495 (NY ...
are major highways located in adjacent municipalities.


Public transportation

NJ Transit bus service is available 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 ...
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 The George Washington Bridge Bus Station is a commuter Bus station, bus terminal at the east end of the George Washington Bridge in the Washington Heights, Manhattan, Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. The bus stati ...
. Travel to other New Jersey communities, including
Jersey City Jersey City is the List of municipalities in New Jersey, second-most populous
, 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 NY Waterway, or New York Waterway, is a private transportation company running ferry and bus service in the Port of New York and New Jersey and in the Hudson Valley. The company utilizes public-private partnership with agencies such as the Por ...
ferry terminal. Regular ferry crossings of the
Hudson River The Hudson River, historically the North River, is a river that flows from north to south largely through eastern New York (state), New York state. It originates in the Adirondack Mountains at Henderson Lake (New York), Henderson Lake in the ...
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 Newark Liberty International Airport is a major international airport serving the New York metropolitan area. The airport straddles the boundary between the cities of Newark, New Jersey, Newark in Essex County, New Jersey, Essex County and E ...
, located away in Newark and Elizabeth. New York City's
LaGuardia Airport LaGuardia Airport ( ) – colloquially known as LaGuardia or simply LGA – is a civil airport in East Elmhurst, Queens, East Elmhurst, Queens, New York City, situated on the North Shore (Long Island), northwestern shore of Long Island, bord ...
is away in
Queens Queens is the largest by area of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Queens County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. Located near the western end of Long Island, it is bordered by the ...
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 Jersey City is the List of municipalities in New Jersey, second-most populous
. Local weeklies include the free bilingual paper, ''Hudson Dispatch Weekly'', a former daily, ''
The West New York Reporter ''The Hudson Reporter'' was a newspaper chain based in Hudson County, New Jersey mainly focus on local politics and community news. The oldest newspaper in the chain was the ''Hoboken Reporter'', founded in 1983. The chain stopped publication on ...
'', 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 Weehawken is a Township (New Jersey), township in the North Hudson, New Jersey, northern part of Hudson County, New Jersey, Hudson County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is located on the Hudson Waterfront and Hudson Palisades overlooking ...
, 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 Jersey City is the List of municipalities in New Jersey, second-most populous
and
Manhattan Manhattan ( ) is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the County statistics of the United States#Smallest, larg ...
.Paul, Mary; and Matzner, Caren
"Scores of artists find a place in N. Hudson WNY, Union City, Weehawken, and North Bergen becoming 'NoHu'"
''
The Hudson Reporter ''The Hudson Reporter'' was a newspaper chain based in Hudson County, New Jersey mainly focus on local politics and community news. The oldest newspaper in the chain was the ''Hoboken Reporter'', founded in 1983. The chain stopped publication on ...
'', May 6, 2008. Accessed November 14, 2019.


Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with West New York include: * Christine Elizabeth Abrahamsen (1916–1995), author of science fiction and gothic novels * Nick Acocella (1943–2020), political journalist and author * Ronald Alexander (1917–1995), playwright best known for writing Broadway comedic plays * George Alvarez, actor known for the soap operas ''
General Hospital ''General Hospital'' (often abbreviated as ''GH'') is an American daytime television soap opera created by Frank and Doris Hursley which has been broadcast on American Broadcasting Company, ABC since April 1, 1963. Originally a half-hour seria ...
'', ''
Port Charles ''Port Charles'' (commonly abbreviated as ''PC'') is an American television soap opera that aired on ABC from June 1, 1997, to October 3, 2003. It was a spin-off of the series ''General Hospital'', which has been running since 1963 and takes p ...
'' and ''
Guiding Light ''Guiding Light'' (known as ''The Guiding Light'' before 1975) is an American radio and television soap opera. ''Guiding Light'' aired on CBS for 57 years between June 30, 1952, and September 18, 2009, overlapping a 19-year broadcast on radio ...
'' * Jose Arango (born 1937), politician who represented the 33rd Legislative District in the
New Jersey General Assembly The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature. Since the election of 1967 (1968 session), the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts f ...
from 1984 to 1986 * Manuela Arbeláez (born 1988), model and actress who has appeared on ''
The Price Is Right ''The Price Is Right'' is an American television game show where contestants compete by guessing the prices of merchandise to win cash and prizes. A 1972 revival by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman of their The Price Is Right (1956 American game ...
'' * Oscar L. Auf der Heide (1874–1945), politician who represented the New Jersey's 11th congressional district from 1925 to 1933 and the 14th congressional district from 1933 to 1935 *
Tyson Beckford Tyson Beckford (born December 19, 1970) is a Jamaican Americans, Jamaican-American model and actor best known as a Ralph Lauren Polo model. He was also the host of both seasons of the Bravo (American TV network), Bravo program ''Make Me a Superm ...
(born 1970), male supermodel * Warren Boroson (born 1935), financial journalist, author and playwright * James J. Braddock (1905–1974), heavyweight boxing champion * Rob Byrnes (born 1958), author and blogger * Sebastian Capozucchi (born 1995), professional
footballer A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby lea ...
who plays as a defender for
USL League One USL League One (USL1) is a professional men's association football, soccer league in the United States that had its inaugural season in 2019 USL League One season, 2019. The United States soccer league system, Division III league is operated ...
club Chattanooga Red Wolves * Frank Cumiskey (1912–2004), Olympic silver medal-winning gymnast * Vincent J. Dellay (1907–1999), Congressman who represented * Emil Draitser (born 1937), author of 12 books and 135 short stories, professor of Russian at
Hunter College Hunter College is a public university in New York City, United States. It is one of the constituent colleges of the City University of New York and offers studies in more than one hundred undergraduate and postgraduate fields across five schools ...
Staab, Amanda. "From Communist Russia to WNY", ''The Union City Reporter'', March 1, 2009, Pages 3 and 8 * Ruth Brewer Eisenberg (1902–1996), pianist who was "Ivory" of the inter-racial piano duo Ebony and Ivory * Amber Lee Ettinger (born 1982), actress and internet celebrity who rose to fame in 2007 as "Obama Girl" * Zulima Farber (born 1946), former
New Jersey Attorney General The attorney general of New Jersey is a member of the executive cabinet of the state and oversees the New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety, Department of Law and Public Safety. The office is appointed by the governor of New Jersey, confi ...
* Ada Ferrer (born 1962), historian, writer and professor * Noli Francisco (1941–2017), professional poker player * Morton Freedgood (1913–2006), author of the novel '' The Taking of Pelham One Two Three'' * Alan Gewirth (1912–2004),
philosopher Philosophy ('love of wisdom' in Ancient Greek) is a systematic study of general and fundamental questions concerning topics like existence, reason, knowledge, Value (ethics and social sciences), value, mind, and language. It is a rational an ...
, a professor of philosophy at the
University of Chicago The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, or UChi) is a Private university, private research university in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Its main campus is in the Hyde Park, Chicago, Hyde Park neighborhood on Chicago's South Side, Chic ...
and author of '' Reason and Morality'' * Don Guardian (born 1953), politician who has represented the 2nd Legislative District in the
New Jersey General Assembly The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature. Since the election of 1967 (1968 session), the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts f ...
since 2022 * Walter Hendl (1917–2007), conductor, composer and pianist * Arthur Imperatore Sr. (1925–2020), businessman who founded the
NY Waterway NY Waterway, or New York Waterway, is a private transportation company running ferry and bus service in the Port of New York and New Jersey and in the Hudson Valley. The company utilizes public-private partnership with agencies such as the Por ...
service * Christopher Jackman (1916–1991), politician who served in both houses 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 ...
, and was Speaker of the
New Jersey General Assembly The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature. Since the election of 1967 (1968 session), the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts f ...
from 1978 until 1982 * Angelica M. Jimenez (born 1965), politician who has served in the
New Jersey General Assembly The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature. Since the election of 1967 (1968 session), the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts f ...
since 2012, where she represents the 32nd Legislative District * King Kamali (born 1972), IFBB professional
bodybuilder Bodybuilding is the practice of progressive resistance exercise to build, control, and develop one's muscles via hypertrophy. An individual who engages in this activity is referred to as a bodybuilder. It is primarily undertaken for aesthetic ...
*
AJ Lee April Jeanette Mendez (born March 19, 1987) is an American author, screenwriter and retired professional wrestler. She is best known for her time in WWE under the ring name AJ Lee. Mendez began her professional wrestling career in 2007 in New ...
(born 1987), actress and retired professional wrestler, best known for her time in WWE * Herb Maack (1917–2007), former
Brooklyn Dodgers (AAFC) The Brooklyn Dodgers were an American football team that played in the All-America Football Conference (AAFC) from 1946 Brooklyn Dodgers (AAFC) season, 1946 to 1948 Brooklyn Dodgers (AAFC) season, 1948. The team is unrelated to the Brooklyn Dod ...
player and college football head coach * Ray Machado, Cuban-American musician and founder of the Cuban fusion band Máxima Alerta * John Mahnken (born 1922), former professional
basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...
player * Harold Martin (1918–2010), member of the
New Jersey General Assembly The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature. Since the election of 1967 (1968 session), the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts f ...
* Maytee Martinez (born 1991), Cuban American model, designer and television personality *
Edward James Olmos Edward James Olmos (born February 24, 1947) is an American actor. He is best known for his roles as Detective List of Blade Runner (franchise) characters#Gaff, Gaff in ''Blade Runner'' (1982) and its sequel ''Blade Runner 2049'' (2017), Lieuten ...
(born 1947), actor who lived in West New York from 1979 to 1987, while he built his stage career following his emigration from
East Los Angeles East Los Angeles (), or East L.A., is an unincorporated community and census designated place (CDP) situated within Los Angeles County, California, United States. According to the United States Census Bureau, East Los Angeles is designated as ...
* Harry Otis (1886–1976), pitcher who played in five games for the Cleveland Naps in 1909 * Nelson J. Perez (born 1961),
prelate A prelate () is a high-ranking member of the Minister (Christianity), Christian clergy who is an Ordinary (church officer), ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin , the past participle of , which me ...
of the
Roman Catholic Church The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
who serves as the 10th archbishop of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia * Artie Pitt (1913–2002) gymnast who competed in eight events at the
1936 Summer Olympics The 1936 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XI Olympiad () and officially branded as Berlin 1936, were an international multi-sport event held from 1 to 16 August 1936 in Berlin, then capital of Nazi Germany. Berlin won the bid to ...
* Gene Prebola (born 1938),
tight end The tight end (TE) is an offense (sports), offensive position in American football, arena football, and Canadian football. It is a hybrid that combines the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a receiver (football), receiv ...
who played in the NFL for the
Oakland Raiders The Oakland Raiders were a professional American football team based in Oakland, California, from its founding in 1960 to 1981, and again from 1995 to 2019 before Oakland Raiders relocation to Las Vegas, relocating to the Las Vegas metropolitan ...
,
Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC West, West division. The team is headquartered in E ...
and
New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The team p ...
* Caridad Rodriguez (born 1947), former member of the New Jersey General Assembly * Jeff Roehl (born 1980), offensive lineman who played 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 ...
* Louis Romano (1930–2000), member of the
New Jersey General Assembly The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature. Since the election of 1967 (1968 session), the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts f ...
* Felix Roque, Former mayor of West New YorkFord, James
"NJ Mayor Out On Bail For Computer Hacking, But Bigger Drama Outside Court Hearing: After West New York Mayor Roque and son arrested, ex-wife falls unconscious, fireworks on courthouse steps"
WPIX WPIX (channel 11) is a television station in New York City, serving as the ''de facto'' flagship of The CW Television Network. Owned by Mission Broadcasting, the station is operated by CW majority owner Nexstar Media Group under a local market ...
, May 24, 2012. Accessed June 12, 2012. "'It's time for him to step aside and lead by example and move on,' said Jerry Lange, a former four-term town commissioner in West New York who had been defeated by Roque in the last election, on the courthouse steps."
* Frank Ruddle (1929–2013) cell and developmental biologist, born in West New York * Mathieu Schneider (born 1969), former professional ice hockey defenseman who played 1,289 games in the National Hockey League with ten different teams * Dick Seay (1904–1981),
Negro league baseball The Negro leagues were United States professional baseball leagues comprising teams of African Americans. The term may be used broadly to include professional black teams outside the leagues and it may be used narrowly for the seven relativel ...
all-star second baseman * Jeremy Shockey (born 1980), NFL football player who has played 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 Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. Since 1975, the team ...
and
Carolina Panthers The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The t ...
* Ozzie Silna (1932–2016), businessmen best known as being co-owner of the
American Basketball Association The American Basketball Association (ABA) was a major professional basketball league that operated for nine seasons from 1967 to 1976. The upstart ABA operated in direct competition with the more established National Basketball Association thr ...
's Spirits of St. Louis and the lucrative deal cut to fold that team during the ABA-NBA merger * John Skevin (1927–1993), politician who served in both houses 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 ...
* Albio Sires (born 1951), former mayor of West New York who serves in Congress representing * Isabel Toledo (1960–2019), fashion designer * Vito Valentinetti (1928–2021), professional pitcher who played for five MLB seasons * Silverio Vega (born 1956), former mayor of West New York who served in the New Jersey General Assembly * Armando Vilaseca, Commissioner of the Vermont Department of Education * Jessica Vosk (born 1983), Broadway actress who has starred as Elphaba in the Second National Tour of '' Wicked'' *
Gerard Way Gerard Arthur Way (born April 9, 1977) is an American singer, songwriter, and comic book writer. He is best known as the lead vocalist and co-founder of the Rock music, rock band My Chemical Romance. He released his debut solo album, ''Hesitan ...
(born 1977), musician, frontman of the alternative rock band
My Chemical Romance My Chemical Romance is an American Rock music, rock band from New Jersey. The band's current lineup consists of lead vocalist Gerard Way, lead guitarist Ray Toro, rhythm guitarist Frank Iero, and bassist Mikey Way. They are considered one of ...
* Jacqueline Walker (born 1941), politician who served in the
New Jersey General Assembly The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature. Since the election of 1967 (1968 session), the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts f ...
from 1984 to 1986 * Warren Wolf (1927–2019),
high school A secondary school, high school, or senior school, is an institution that provides secondary education. Some secondary schools provide both ''lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper secondary education'' (ages 14 to 18), i.e., ...
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
head coach A head coach, senior coach, or manager is a professional responsible for training and developing athletes within a sports team. This role often has a higher public profile and salary than other coaching positions. In some sports, such as associat ...
and politician who served as an
Ocean County Ocean County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey and the southernmost county in the New York metropolitan area. The county borders the Atlantic Ocean on the east and in terms of total area is the state's largest county. Its co ...
freeholder and a New Jersey State AssemblymanFalk, Steven
"Warren Wolf, legendary Brick, Lakewood coach, dead at 92"
''
Asbury Park Press The ''Asbury Park Press'', formerly known as the ''Shore Press'', ''Daily Press'', ''Asbury Park Daily Press'', and ''Asbury Park Evening Press'', is the third largest daily newspaper in the state of New Jersey. Established in 1879, it has been o ...
'', November 22, 2019. Accessed November 24, 2019. "Wolf, who was born in Jersey City on Aug. 1, 1927, grew up in West New York, Hudson County, and played football at Memorial High School in West New York."


References


External links

* {{Authority control 1898 establishments in New Jersey New Jersey populated places on the Hudson River New Jersey Urban Enterprise Zones North Hudson, New Jersey Populated places established in 1898 Towns in New Jersey Towns in Hudson County, New Jersey Walsh Act