North Plainfield, New Jersey

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Map of North Plainfield in Somerset County
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Map of North Plainfield in Somerset County

North Plainfield is a Borough in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 21,103.

Contents

[edit] Geography

North Plainfield is located at 40°37′22″N, 74°26′9″W (40.622735, -74.435784)GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 7.2 km² (2.8 mi²), all land.

[edit] Demographics

As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 21,103 people, 7,202 households, and 5,084 families residing in the borough. The population density was 2,920.4/km² (7,565.0/mi²). There were 7,393 housing units at an average density of 1,023.1/km² (2,650.2/mi²). The racial makeup of the borough was 63.06% White, 13.38% African American, 0.28% Native American, 5.04% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 13.68% from other races, and 4.48% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 32.77% of the population.

There were 7,202 households out of which 37.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.7% were married couples living together, 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.4% were non-families. 23.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.90 and the average family size was 3.40.

In the borough the population was spread out with 25.8% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 36.5% from 25 to 44, 19.6% from 45 to 64, and 9.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 97.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.8 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $55,322, and the median income for a family was $62,875. Males had a median income of $39,662 versus $30,816 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $22,791. About 4.4% of families and 6.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.5% of those under age 18 and 10.4% of those age 65 or over.

As of the 2000 census, 5.39% of North Plainfield's residents identified themselves as being of Ecuadorian ancestry, which was the fourth highest of any municipality in New Jersey and the eighth highest percentage of Ecuadorian people in any place in the United States with 1,000 or more residents identifying their ancestry.[1]

[edit] Government

[edit] Local government

The Borough of North Plainfield is governed under the Faulkner Act (Mayor-Council) system of municipal government, which provides for a strong-mayor type of government. North Plainfield has executive and legislative branches. The Council members and Mayor are elected at large for staggered terms and each serves for four years. The Municipal Judge is appointed by the Mayor with advice and consent of the Council, and serves for three years. The Mayor runs the Borough on a day to day basis and ensures the enforcement of the legislation passed by the Council.[2]

The Mayor of North Plainfield is Janice Allen.

[edit] Federal, state and county representation

North Plainfield is in the Seventh Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 22nd Legislative District.[3]

New Jersey's Seventh Congressional District, covering portions of Hunterdon County, Middlesex County, Somerset County and Union County, is represented by Mike Ferguson (R). New Jersey is represented in the Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Robert Menendez (D, Hoboken).

The 22nd legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Nicholas Scutari (D, Linden) and in the Assembly by Jerry Green (D, Plainfield) and Linda Stender (D, Scotch Plains). The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).

Somerset County is governed by a five-member Board of Chosen Freeholders. Somerset County's Freeholders are: Freeholder Director Rick Fontana, Freeholder Deputy Director Ken Scherer, Denise Coyle, Peter S. Palmer and Robert Zaborowski.

[edit] Education

The North Plainfield School District, serves 3,260 pupils from Pre-K through Grade 12. The district also houses a comprehensive Adult High School and an Adult Community School which offers educational programs for North Plainfield and neighboring community residents. The current budget is approximately 45 million.

North Plainfield High School, fully certified by the New Jersey Department of Education and accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, offers a comprehensive Program of Studies to its current 7-12 enrollment of 1,473 students. 81% of the class of 2005 entered college or other post-secondary education, 13% sought employment, and 6% pursued other options. The array of classes at Advanced Placement, high ability, college preparatory, and general levels includes opportunities for independent study, a shared-time vocational program with Somerset County Vocational and Technical High School, courses in conjunction with Satellite Education Resource Consortium, and courses offered through a Tech-Prep partnership developed with Raritan Valley Community College. During the last five school years, courses in Advanced Placement Calculus and Physics, Probability and Statistics, and Latin have also been offered either through other school districts in the Interactive Television (ITV) classroom or through the Florida Virtual Academy, an internet-based resource. A state-of-the-art Computer Assisted Drafting Lab, networked computer lab, and a comprehensive physical education facility opened in 1990-1991.

North Plainfield Middle School serves students in seventh and eighth grades.

Somerset School houses the fifth and sixth grade students. Its program, incorporating interdisciplinary approaches to instruction, encompasses a comprehensive curriculum. Team planning and team teaching are utilized to help build a sense of community and self-respect while preparing for high school study.

Three elementary buildings, East End, West End and Stony Brook, provide K-4 pupils with neighborhood elementary education and modern playground facilities. The University of Chicago mathematics program, an integrated language arts approach to communication skills, portfolio assessment on the kindergarten and first grade levels, and multi-cultural awareness characterize the current curricular thrust.[4]

[edit] Noted residents

[edit] References

  1. ^ Ecuadorian Communities, from Epodunk, accessed June 28, 2006
  2. ^ How Our Borough Government Works: The Borough Council, accessed November 2, 2006
  3. ^ League of Women Voters: 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, p. 61, accessed August 30, 2006
  4. ^ North Plainfiled School District Profile, accessed April 21, 2006

[edit] External links

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Municipalities of Somerset County, New Jersey
(County Seat: Somerville)
Boroughs Bernardsville | Bound Brook | Far Hills | Manville | Millstone | North Plainfield | Peapack-Gladstone | Raritan | Rocky Hill | Somerville | South Bound Brook | Watchung
Townships Bedminster | Bernards | Branchburg | Bridgewater | Franklin | Green Brook | Hillsborough | Montgomery | Warren
Communities Basking Ridge | Belle Mead | Blackwells Mills | Blawenburg | East Millstone | Flagtown | Griggstown | Harlingen | Lamington | Martinsville | Middlebush | Neshanic | North Branch | Pleasant Plains | Six Mile Run | Somerset | South Branch | Zarephath
Historic Houses Meadows Foundation | Old Dutch Parsonage | Wallace House
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