Clifton, New Jersey

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Clifton is a city in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the city had a total population of 78,672.

Until 1917, Clifton was part of Acquackanonk Township which included both Paterson and Passaic.

Map of Clifton in Passaic County
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Map of Clifton in Passaic County

Contents

[edit] Geography

Clifton is located at 40°52′4″N, 74°9′16″W (40.867899, -74.154520)GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 29.5 km² (11.4 mi²). 29.3 km² (11.3 mi²) of it is land and 0.3 km² (0.1 mi²) of it (0.88%) is water.

Clifton is located 10 miles west of New York City off both Route 3 and Route 46. The city is also served by the Garden State Parkway, Route 19 and Route 21.

[edit] Demographics

As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 78,672 people, 30,244 households, and 20,354 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,688.1/km² (6,965.2/mi²). There were 31,060 housing units at an average density of 1,061.3/km² (2,749.9/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 76.22% White, 2.89% African American, 0.24% Native American, 6.44% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 9.60% from other races, and 4.57% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 19.84% of the population.

There were 30,244 households out of which 28.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.3% were married couples living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.7% were non-families. 27.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.20.

In the city the population was spread out with 21.6% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 30.7% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 17.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 91.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $50,619, and the median income for a family was $60,688. Males had a median income of $40,143 versus $32,090 for females. The per capita income for the city was $23,638. About 4.3% of families and 6.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.6% of those under age 18 and 5.2% of those age 65 or over.

Many Turkish, Albanian, and Ukrainian immigrants live in Clifton, along with a well-established Polish, Italian, and Irish working-class community. There are substantial numbers of various types of Hispanics, Arabs, Filipinos, Chinese, and Asian Indians as well. Recent demographic changes include a substantial influx of Orthodox Jews in the areas bordering Passaic, a major orthodox enclave.

[edit] Government

[edit] Local government

The City of Clifton is governed under the 1923 Municipal Manager Law.

The Mayor of Clifton is James Anzaldi. Members of the Municipal Council are Joseph Cupoli, Peter C. Eagler, Frank Fusco, Steven Hatala Jr., Gloria J. Kolodziej, and Matt Ward.[1]

[edit] Federal, state and county representation

Clifton is in the Eighth Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 34th Legislative District.[2]

New Jersey's Eighth Congressional District, covering the southern portion of Passaic County and northern sections of Essex County, is represented by Bill Pascrell Jr. (D, Paterson). New Jersey is represented in the Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Robert Menendez (D, Hoboken).

The 34th legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Nia Gill (D) and in the Assembly by Thomas P. Giblin (D, Montclair) and Sheila Y. Oliver (D, East Orange). The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).

Passaic County's Board of Chosen Freeholders are Freeholder Director Elease Evans of Paterson, Freeholder Deputy Director Sonia Rosado of Ringwood, Terry Duffy of West Milford, James Gallagher of Paterson, Bruce James of Clifton, Pat Lepore of West Paterson and Tahesha Way of Wayne.

[edit] Education

The Clifton Public Schools serve nearly 11,000 students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. Schools in the district are fourteen elementary schools serving grades K-5 ( School One, School Two, School Three, School Four [1], School Five, School Eight, School Nine, School Eleven, School Twelve, School Thirteen, School Fourteen, School Fifteen, School Sixteen, School Seventeen), two middle schools serving grades 6-8 ( Christopher Columbus Middle School and Woodrow Wilson Middle School) and Clifton High School for grades 9-12.

[edit] Interesting facts

  • The character of Rupert Pupkin in Martin Scorsese's film The King of Comedy comes from Clifton.[3]
  • Clifton High School's Marching Band, "The Showband of the Northeast", is well-known internationally.
  • Clifton Northern Little League Senior Girls won the City championship in 2005. They were undefeated the year before, but there was no city tournament that year.
  • Nash Park is named after George Valentine Nash.
  • The Clifton Mustangs High School were the North I, Group IV Football State Champs 2006, defeating Eastside High School (Paterson 26-0.[4]
  • The movie "Donnie Brasco," which starred Johnny Depp and Al Pacino was filmed partially in Clifton in 1997.
  • The movie World Trade Center was filmed at the intersection of Huron and Van Houten Avenues and on Olympia Street in the Clifton home of 9/11 survivor Will Jimeno.
  • FDNY Chaplain Father Mychael Judge, who was the first official death of the 9/11/01 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, lived in Clifton.
  • A Scene from The Sopranos was filmed in the parking lot of the Valley Regency in Clifton in the Spring of 2006.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Mayor and Municipal Council, accessed December 1, 2006
  2. ^ League of Women Voters: 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, p. 56, accessed August 30, 2006
  3. ^ King Of Comedy Script - Dialogue Transcript, accessed December 1, 2006
  4. ^ 2006 Football Tournament - North I, Group IV, NJSIAA, accessed December 4, 2006

[edit] External links

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Municipalities of Passaic County, New Jersey
(County Seat: Paterson)
Boroughs Bloomingdale | Haledon | Hawthorne | North Haledon | Pompton Lakes | Prospect Park | Ringwood | Totowa | Wanaque | West Paterson
Cities Clifton | Passaic | Paterson
Townships Little Falls | Wayne | West Milford
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State of New Jersey
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