Union Township, New Jersey
Township
Connecticut Farms Presbyterian Church
Flag Seal
Location of Union Township in Union County highlighted in yellow (left). Inset map: Location of Union County in New Jersey highlighted in black (right).
Census Bureau map of Union Township, Union County, New Jersey
Union Township Location in Union County Show map of Union County, New Jersey Union Township Location in New Jersey Show map of New Jersey Union Township Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Coordinates: 40°41′43″N 74°16′09″W / 40.695266°N 74.269078°W / 40.695266; -74.269078[1][2]
Country	United States
State	New Jersey
County	Union
Incorporated	November 23, 1808
Government [6]
• Type	Township
• Body	Township Committee
• Mayor	Manuel Figueiredo (D, term ends December 31, 2024)[3]
• Administrator	Donald J. Travisano[4]
• Municipal clerk	Eileen Birch[5]
Area [1]
• Total	9.08 sq mi (23.52 km2)
• Land	9.05 sq mi (23.44 km2)
• Water	0.03 sq mi (0.08 km2)  0.35%
• Rank	219th of 565 in state 3rd of 21 in county[1]
Elevation [7]	125 ft (38 m)
Population  (2020)[8][9]
• Total	59,728
• Estimate  (2022)[8][10]	60,620
• Rank	28th of 565 in state 2nd of 21 in county[11]
• Density	6,599.0/sq mi (2,547.9/km2)
• Rank	76th of 565 in state 9th of 21 in county[11]
Time zone	UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT))
ZIP Codes	07083: Union[12] 07088: Vauxhall[13]
Area code	908
FIPS code	3403974480[1][14][15]
GNIS feature ID	0882212[1][16]
Website	www.uniontownship.com

Union Township is a township in Union County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. In the 18th century, the area that is now Union was then called Connecticut Farms. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 59,728,^[8][9] an increase of 3,086 (+5.4%) from the 2010 census count of 56,642,^[17][18] which in turn reflected an increase of 2,237 (+4.1%) from the 54,405 counted in the 2000 census.^[19]

History

Settled in 1667, Union was the third English speaking settlement in New Jersey after Elizabeth and Newark, with the area that is now Union then called Connecticut Farms.^[20]

Union Township was the site of the Battle of Connecticut Farms. On June 6, 1780, British troops, led by Hessian General Wilhelm von Knyphausen, boarded boats on Staten Island bound for Elizabeth, New Jersey. At midnight, 5,000 troops started to land. They expected the Continental Army to give little resistance, believing that they were tired of the war and were poorly fed and paid. They also expected the citizens of New Jersey to welcome them. They were wrong on both counts and were unable to make their way to and through the Hobart Gap.^[21]

Union Township was incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on November 23, 1808, from portions of Elizabeth Township, while the area was still part of Essex County. It became part of the newly formed Union County on March 19, 1857. Portions of the township have been taken to form Linden Township (March 4, 1861), Roselle Park, (March 22, 1901), Kenilworth (May 13, 1907) and Hillside (April 3, 1913).^[22][23] In 1946, a group of residents pushed for the township's name to be changed to "Connecticut Farms", citing the potential benefits to area residents and businesses from the broad awareness of the historical significance of the name.^[24]

The Self-Master Colony was a private experiment in housing the homeless; built on the Hoyt family mansion in Union Township in 1908. The colony was founded by Andress Small Floyd and his wife Lillian, lasting until 1938.^[25]

Geography

The Township of Union is located on the northern edge of Union County and is bordered by eight municipalities: Hillside to the east, Elizabeth to the southeast, Roselle Park and Kenilworth to the south and Springfield Township to the west. Northwest of the township lies Millburn, to the north lies Maplewood and to the northeast lies Irvington, all in Essex County.^[26][27][28]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 9.08 square miles (23.52 km²), including 9.05 square miles (23.44 km²) of land and 0.03 square miles (0.08 km²) of water (0.35%).^[1][2]

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Battle Hill, Connecticut Farms, Galloping Hill, Headlentown, Putnam Manor, Salem, Townley and Vauxhall.^[29]

Neighborhoods

• Five Points, area around the junction of Galloping Hill Road, Chestnut Street, Salem Road, Delaware Avenue, Walton Avenue, and Tucker Avenue.
• Brookside Heights (Curryville), west of Vauxhall Road.
• Vauxhall, area of Union north of I-78 and west of Stuyvesant Avenue, with its own ZIP code 07088.
• Union Center, area around the intersection of Morris and Stuyvesant Avenues.
• Putnam Ridge, a section between Suburban Road, Morris Avenue, Twin Oaks Road, and Colonial Avenue.
• Putnam Manor, an historic section between Colonial Avenue and Salem Road.
• Orchard Park
• Parkside Manor, a three-road section off of Union Terrace.
• Larchmont Estates, area bordered by Larchmont Reservation (NW and NE edges), Morris Avenue (SW), Liberty Avenue (SE), and Joe Collins Park/Larchmont Reservation (NE edge).
• Battle Hill, area served by Battle Hill Elementary School in west Union, bordered by Rahway River (W edge), Morris Avenue (N), the west branch of the Elizabeth River (E), and Route 22 (S).
• Green Lane, new community between Kean University and Union Station.
• Fairway Drive, community bordering the Galloping Hill Golf Course.
• Rich Creek, the neighborhood of Richard Terrace

Demographics

2020 census

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 56,642 people, 19,556 households, and 14,276 families in the township. The population density was 6,244.3 per square mile (2,410.9/km²). There were 20,250 housing units at an average density of 2,232.4 per square mile (861.9/km²). The racial makeup was 53.78% (30,464) White, 28.98% (16,417) Black or African American, 0.14% (80) Native American, 10.60% (6,003) Asian, 0.04% (24) Pacific Islander, 4.06% (2,297) from other races, and 2.40% (1,357) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 14.94% (8,465) of the population.^[17]

Of the 19,556 households, 31.6% had children under the age of 18; 53.7% were married couples living together; 14.4% had a female householder with no husband present and 27.0% were non-families. Of all households, 23.0% were made up of individuals and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.82 and the average family size was 3.35.^[17]

21.1% of the population were under the age of 18, 10.7% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 28.2% from 45 to 64, and 14.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.6 years. For every 100 females, the population had 89.7 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 85.6 males.^[17]

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $73,722 (with a margin of error of +/− $4,858) and the median family income was $86,705 (+/− $3,822). Males had a median income of $54,811 (+/− $1,998) versus $47,144 (+/− $2,316) for females. The per capita income for the township was $31,135 (+/− $1,104). About 3.7% of families and 4.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.7% of those under age 18 and 5.6% of those age 65 or over.^[45]

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States census^[14] of 2000, there were 54,405 people, 19,534 households, and 14,162 families residing in the township. The population density was 5,968.1 inhabitants per square mile (2,304.3/km²). There were 20,001 housing units at an average density of 2,194.1 per square mile (847.1/km²). An example of a diverse municipality in the United States, the racial makeup of the township was 67.66% White, 19.76% African American, 0.15% Native American, 7.72% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 2.44% from other races, and 2.24% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.93% of the population.^[39][40]

There were 19,534 households, out of which 32.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.5% were married couples living together, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.5% were non-families. 23.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.25.^[39][40]

In the township the population was spread out, with 22.3% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 17.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.2 males.^[39][40]

The median income for a household in the township was $59,173, and the median income for a family was $68,707. Males had a median income of $45,299 versus $35,604 for females. The per capita income for the township was $24,768. About 3.0% of families and 4.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.6% of those under age 18 and 5.5% of those age 65 or over.^[39][40]

Government

Local government

Union Township is governed under the Township form of New Jersey municipal government, one of 141 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this form, the second-most commonly used form of government in the state.^[46] The Township Committee is composed of five members, who are elected directly by the voters at-large in partisan elections to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats coming up for election each year as part of the November general election in a three-year cycle.^[6][47] At an annual reorganization meeting, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor. The Mayor, in addition to voting as a member of the Township Committee, presides over the meetings of the committee and carries out ceremonial duties.

As of 2024^[update], members of the Union Township Committee are Mayor Manuel T. Figueiredo (D, term on committee ends December 31, 2024; term as mayor ends 2024), Deputy Mayor Joseph Florio (D, term on committee ends December 31, 2026; term as deputy mayor ends 2024), James Bowser, Jr. (D, 2025), Patricia Guerra-Frazier (D, 2025; appointed to serve an unexpired term through 2024 election), and Sandra Terrell (D, 2024; appointed to serve an unexpired term).^{[3][48][49][50][51]}

On March 26, 2024, Sandra Terrell was appointed to the Township Committee to fill the seat held by James Louis, who resigned on March 13 for personal reasons.^[52][53] Louis had been appointed on December 5, 2023 to fill the seat held by Michele Delisfort, who resigned on November 21 following her election as Union County commissioner.^[54][55]

On December 19, 2023, Patricia Guerra-Frazier was appointed to the Township Committee to fill the seat held by Suzette Cavadas, who resigned on December 12 for personal reasons.^[56][57]

Mayors of Union