| Highlands, New Jersey | |
|---|---|
| — Borough — | |
| Map of Highlands in Monmouth County. Inset: Location of Monmouth County in New Jersey. | |
| Census Bureau map of Highlands, New Jersey | |
| Coordinates: | |
| Country | United States |
| State | New Jersey |
| County | Monmouth |
| Incorporated | March 22, 1900 |
| Government[1] | |
| • Type | Faulkner Act (Small Municipality) |
| • Mayor | Frank Nolan |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.3 sq mi (3.4 km2) |
| • Land | 0.8 sq mi (2.0 km2) |
| • Water | 0.6 sq mi (1.5 km2) |
| Elevation[2] | 13 ft (4 m) |
| Population (2010)[3] | |
| • Total | 5,005 |
| • Density | 3,812.6/sq mi (1,472.1/km2) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 07732 |
| Area code(s) | 732 |
| FIPS code | 34-31500[4][5] |
| GNIS feature ID | 0885253[6] |
| Website | www.highlandsnj.com |
Highlands is a borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 5,005.[3] It is the home town of film maker, director, and comic book writer Kevin Smith. The eastern part of the town is built on a high bluff that overlooks Sandy Hook and the Atlantic Ocean. Atop this bluff are the Navesink Twin Lights.
Highlands was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 22, 1900, from portions of Middletown Township. Additional portions of Middletown Township were annexed in 1914.[7]
Highlands is part of the Bayshore Regional Strategic Plan, an effort by nine municipalities in northern Monmouth County to reinvigorate the area's economy by emphasizing the traditional downtowns, dense residential neighborhoods, maritime history, and the natural beauty of the Raritan Bayshore coastline.
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Highlands is located at (40.402308, -73.987982).[8]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 1.3 square miles (3.4 km2), of which 0.8 square miles (2.1 km2) is land and 0.6 square miles (1.6 km2), or 42.42%, is water.
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1930 | 1,877 |
|
|
| 1940 | 2,076 | 10.6% | |
| 1950 | 2,959 | 42.5% | |
| 1960 | 3,536 | 19.5% | |
| 1970 | 3,916 | 10.7% | |
| 1980 | 5,187 | 32.5% | |
| 1990 | 4,849 | −6.5% | |
| 2000 | 5,097 | 5.1% | |
| 2010 | 5,005 | −1.8% | |
| Population 1930 - 1990.[9] | |||
As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 5,097 people, 2,450 households, and 1,193 families residing in the borough. The population density was 6,689.2 people per square mile (2,589.4/km2). There were 2,820 housing units at an average density of 3,700.9 per square mile (1,432.6/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 95.10% White, 1.59% African American, 0.33% Native American, 1.00% Asian, 0.59% from other races, and 1.39% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.06% of the population.
There were 2,450 households out of which 19.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.4% were married couples living together, 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 51.3% were non-families. 41.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.08 and the average family size was 2.90.
In the borough the population was spread out with 18.8% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 36.8% from 25 to 44, 25.8% from 45 to 64, and 11.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 100.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.0 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $45,692, and the median income for a family was $50,985. Males had a median income of $50,296 versus $31,265 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $29,369. About 11.5% of families and 12.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.0% of those under age 18 and 11.7% of those age 65 or over.
Highlands is governed by a Faulkner Act form of New Jersey municipal government under the Small Municipality (Plan B). The officials that head the government are a mayor and four council members, who are elected at large in partisan elections to three-year terms on a staggered basis, with one or two seats coming up for election each year.[1] The current form of government was adopted in 1956.[10]
As of 2011[update], members of the Highlands Borough Council are Mayor Frank L. Nolan, Council President Richard O'Neil, Kevin Connelly, Christopher Francy and Rebecca Kane.[11] David "Bruce" Hilling was the Borough Administrator beginning in April 2007, but was terminated on April 6, 2011.[12]
Highlands is in the 6th Congressional district and is part of New Jersey's 11th state legislative district.[13]
New Jersey's Sixth Congressional District is represented by Frank Pallone (D, Long Branch). New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Bob Menendez (D, Hoboken).
11th legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature, which is represented in the New Jersey Senate by Sean T. Kean (R, Wall Township) and in the New Jersey General Assembly by Mary Pat Angelini (R, Ocean Township) and Dave Rible (R, Wall Township).[14] The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham).[15] The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).[16]
Monmouth County is governed by a Board of Chosen Freeholders consisting of five members who are elected at-large to serve three year terms of office on a staggered basis, with one or two seats up for election each year. [17] As of 2011, Monmouth County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director Robert D. Clifton (R, Matawan; term ends December 31, 2013)[18], Freeholder Deputy Director John P. Curley (R, Red Bank; 2012)[19], Thomas A. Arnone (R, Neptune City; 2013), Lillian G. Burry (R, Colts Neck Township; 2011)[20] and Amy A. Mallet (D, Fair Haven, 2011).[21][22][23]
The Highlands School District serves public school students in Kindergarten through sixth grade. Highlands Elementary School had an enrollment of 167 students in the 2008-09 school year.[24]
For grades 7-12, public school students attend Henry Hudson Regional High School, a comprehensive six-year high school and regional public school district that serves students from both Atlantic Highlands and Highlands.[25] The district served a total enrollment of 437 students in the 2008-09 school year.[26]
The Highlands-Sea Bright Bridge, a 1,240-foot (380 m) drawbridge built in 1932, connected Highlands in the west to Sea Bright, New Jersey in the east, across the Shrewsbury River. The eastern terminus was at the entrance to Sandy Hook. The span was part of Route 36. The bridge has been replaced with a fixed span instead of a drawbridge. The new bridge rises 65 feet (20 m) instead of the original span's 35 feet (11 m).[27][28]
SeaStreak offers ferry service to New York City at Conner's Ferry Landing. There are three morning trips, which stop at Pier 11 near Wall Street and then East 35th Street. Six ferry trips return each weekday evening.[29]
Academy Bus offers bus service to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan and to Wall Street.[29]NJT bus 834 travels to Red Bank.[30]
The Kevin Smith film Jersey Girl is set in Highlands.[31] In addition, Highlands' ZIP code (07732) is featured in the opening titles of Mallrats, and is Dante's ZIP code in Clerks: The Animated Series, although it is misattributed in the show to nearby Leonardo.