Hillsdale, New Jersey

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Borough of Hillsdale, New Jersey
Map highlighting Hillsdale's location within Bergen County. Inset: Bergen County's location within New Jersey
Census Bureau map of Hillsdale, New Jersey
Country	United States
State	New Jersey
County	Bergen
Incorporated	March 25, 1898 as Township April 24, 1923 as Borough
Government
- Type	Borough
- Mayor	Dennis S. Deutsch (D, 2007)
- Administrator	Harold Karns
Area
- Total	3.0 sq mi (7.7 km˛)
- Land	3.0 sq mi (7.7 km˛)
- Water	0.0 sq mi (0.0 km˛)
Elevation	69 ft (21 m)
Population (2006)
- Total	10,053
- Density	3,383.2/sq mi (1,306.9/km˛)
Time zone	U.S. EST (UTC-5)
- Summer (DST)	U.S. EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code	07642
Area code(s)	201
FIPS code	34-31920
GNIS feature ID	0877122
Website: http://www.hillsdalenj.org

Hillsdale is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 10,087.

The area that is now Hillsdale was originally formed as Hillsdale Township on March 25, 1898, from portions of Washington Township. Portions of the township were taken on April 30, 1906, to create River Vale. Hillsdale was reincorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 2, 1923, based on the results of a referendum held on April 24, 1923.

Geography

Hillsdale is located at 41°0′27″N, 74°2′33″W (41.007389, -74.042472).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 3.0 square miles (7.7 km˛), all of it land. Apparently this analysis ignores the many streams that flow through and the small portion of Woodcliff Lake that lies inside the borough.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 10,087 people, 3,502 households, and 2,850 families residing in the borough. The population density was 3,383.2 people per square mile (1,306.9/km˛). There were 3,547 housing units at an average density of 1,189.7/sq mi (459.6/km˛). The racial makeup of the borough was 92.41% White, 0.85% African American, 0.07% Native American, 5.08% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.86% from other races, and 0.69% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.25% of the population.

There were 3,502 households out of which 38.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.8% were married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.6% were non-families. 15.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.87 and the average family size was 3.20.

In the borough the population was spread out with 26.0% under the age of 18, 5.1% from 18 to 24, 29.0% from 25 to 44, 25.1% from 45 to 64, and 14.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 95.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.8 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $82,904, and the median income for a family was $90,861. Males had a median income of $65,052 versus $43,558 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $34,651. About 2.5% of families and 3.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.9% of those under age 18 and 3.0% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

Hillsdale is governed by the Borough form of new Jersey municipal government. The mayor is directly elected and serves a four-year term of office. The Borough Council consists of six members who serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year.

The Mayor of Hillsdale Borough is Dennis S. Deutsch (D, term of office ends December 31, 2007). Members of the Hillsdale Borough Council are Council President Kenneth Rush (D, 2007), Max Arnowitz (D, 2008), Frank Prospero (D, 2007), John Sapanara (R, 2009), Donna Schiavone (R, 2009) and Andrew Weinstein (R, 2008).

In elections held on November 6, 2007, voters filled the position of mayor and two seats on the borough council. Republican Councilmember John Sapanara (1,791 votes) was elected as mayor, unseating the Democratic incumbent Dennis S. Deutsch (1,278). On the borough council, Republican challengers Jonathan M. De Joseph (1,604) and William V. Kirk (1,523) knocked off sitting Democrats Frank Prospero (1,475) and Council President Kenneth Rush (1,444). Council control will shift from a 3-3 split with a Democratic mayor as tiebreaker in 2007 to a 5-1 Republican majority when the new council is seated in January 2008.

On Election Day, November 7, 2006, voters re-elected Republicans John Sapanara (2,038 votes) and Donna Schiavone (1,905) to their second three-year terms in office. Democrats Frank Garra (1,653) and Peter Philip (1,497) came in third and fourth respectively. The Republican sweep maintains the 3-3 split between Democrats and Republicans on the Council.

Federal, state and county representation

Hillsdale is in the Fifth Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 39th Legislative District.

New Jersey's Fifth Congressional District, covering the northern portions of Bergen County, Passaic County and Sussex County and all of Warren County, is represented by Scott Garrett (R, Wantage Township). New Jersey is represented in the Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Bob Menendez (D, Hoboken).

For the 2008-2009 Legislative Session, the 39th district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Gerald Cardinale (R, Demarest) and in the Assembly by John E. Rooney (R, Northvale) and Charlotte Vandervalk (R, Hillsdale). The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).

Bergen County's County Executive is Dennis McNerney (D). The executive, along with the Board of Chosen Freeholders administer all county business. Bergen County's Freeholders are Chairman Tomas J. Padilla (D, Park Ridge), Vice-Chairman Elizabeth Calabrese (D, Wallington), David L. Ganz (D, Fair Lawn), James M. Carroll (D, Demarest), Bernadette P. McPherson (D, Rutherford), Julie O'Brien (D) and Connie Wagner (D).

Other countywide elected officials are Sheriff Leo McGuire (D), Surrogate Court Judge Mike Dressler (D, Cresskill) County Clerk Kathleen Donovan (R, Rutherford).

Politics

As of April 1, 2006, out of a 2004 Census estimated population of 10,138 in Hillsdale, there were 6,729 registered voters (66.4% of the population, vs. 55.4% in all of Bergen County). Of registered voters, 1,133 (16.8% vs. 20.7% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 2,001 (29.7% vs. 19.2% countywide) were registered as Republicans and 3,592 (53.4% vs. 60.1% countywide) were registered as Undeclared. There were three voters registered to other parties.

On the national level, Hillsdale leans strongly toward the Republican Party. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 56% of the vote here, defeating Democrat John Kerry, who received around 43%.

Education

The Hillsdale Public Schools system (with 2005-06 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) consists of Ann Blanche Smith School, with 388 students in Pre-K through 4th grade; Meadowbrook Elementary School with 418 students in grades K-4; and George G. White Middle School with 613 students in grades 5-8.

Public school students in grades 9 - 12 attend Pascack Valley High School along with students from neighboring River Vale, as part of the Pascack Valley Regional High School District.

St. John's Academy is a Catholic school serving children in prekindergarten through eighth grade.

Transportation

Public Transportation

Hillsdale is served by New Jersey Transit on the Pascack Valley Line at the Hillsdale train station. The station is located at Broadway and Hillsdale Avenue.

This line runs north-south to Hoboken Terminal with connections via the Secaucus Junction transfer station to New Jersey Transit one-stop service to New York Penn Station and to other NJ Transit rail service. Connections are available at the Hoboken Terminal to other New Jersey Transit rail lines, the PATH train at the Hoboken PATH station, New York Waterways ferry service to the World Financial Center and other destinations and Hudson-Bergen Light Rail service.

The Pascack Valley Line is a single-track line with passing sidings providing service to and from Hoboken and New York Penn Station(via Secaucus Junction). The service formerly operated only during rush hour but as of October 2007, all day service is available in both directions.

Roads

County Route 503 (Kinderkamack Road) passes through Hillsdale. The Garden State Parkway also passes through Hillsdale, but there is no interchange on the parkway within the borough. Other main roads in Hillsdale include Broadway, Hillsdale Avenue, and Wierimus Road.

Notable residents

Notable current and former residents of Hillsdale include: