Edison, New Jersey

Edison is a township in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. It is in Central New Jersey in the Raritan Valley region. Edison is a busy place with shops and homes. Many people live there and work in New York City. Popular spots include Menlo Park Mall and Little India.

Edison is one of the bigger places in the state. Many people live there.

The area became a township in 1870. It was later named Edison Township in 1954 to honor inventor Thomas Edison, who had his main laboratory there.

History

The area now called Edison was first home to the Raritan people of the Lenape Native Americans.

European settlers came in the 1600s, and the area was called Raritan Township. In 1876, inventor Thomas Edison built his home and lab in a place called Menlo Park. There, he made important inventions like the phonograph and the incandescent light bulb. Edison moved his lab to West Orange in 1886.

In 1954, the township was renamed Edison to honor the inventor. The Menlo Park Mall opened in 1959 and became a big shopping center. Today, Edison is a diverse community known for its safety, good schools, and many fun places to visit.

Geography

Edison, New Jersey, covers an area of 30.69 square miles. Most of it is land, and a small part is water. It is located in the Raritan Valley region and surrounds the borough of Metuchen. Edison shares borders with several other towns, including East Brunswick, Highland Park, New Brunswick, and Piscataway.

The township includes many different neighborhoods and areas. It is positioned about halfway between Midtown Manhattan and Trenton, New Jersey’s capital. Although mostly flat, Edison has some hilly parts, especially near the Perth Amboy Moraine. The highest point in Edison is about 220 feet above sea level, while the lowest point is at sea level along the Raritan River. The Robinsons Branch of the Rahway River flows through the area.

Climate

Edison has a humid subtropical climate. Summers are warm and rainy, and winters are cool to cold, often bringing snow. The temperature in Edison can vary, with record lows around −17 °F and highs up to 106 °F.

Demographics

Edison is a very diverse place where many different cultures live together. It has one of the largest Asian communities in the United States. Many people from India, China, and other parts of Asia live there. Oak Tree Road is a famous street in Edison with many shops, restaurants, and festivals that celebrate Asian traditions. There are also many Jewish families in Edison.

The number of people living in Edison has grown over the years. In 2020, more than 100,000 people lived in Edison, making it one of the biggest towns in New Jersey. Most families in Edison are made up of parents and children, and many people are working and helping each other in their communities.

Economy

Edison used to be a place where big companies made things like cars and air conditioners. But in the 2000s, many of these factories closed and moved away.

Now, Edison has offices and stores for important companies. You can find video games, food, and big delivery services here. There is also a large convention center for events.

Sports

Plainfield Country Club is a private club that has hosted important golf events. It held the 1987 U.S. Women's Open and The Barclays golf tournament. It was also the first place to hold the PGA Tour FedEx Cup playoff event.

Parks and recreation

Oak Tree Pond is a special place. It was where the Battle of Short Hills happened during the American Revolutionary War. Today, it is a park.

Roosevelt Park is a large park. It covers 196 acres and has a nice lake. The park was created in 1917 and is the oldest county park in Middlesex County. Other parks nearby are Edison State Park and Dismal Swamp.

Government

Local government

Edison Township uses special rules called the Faulkner Act. It has a Mayor and a Council with seven members. The mayor and council members are chosen by voters every four years.

As of 2026, the mayor of Edison is Samip "Sam" Joshi. The Township Council includes leaders like Joseph Coyle and Robert Kentos.

Federal, state, and county representation

Edison is part of the 6th Congressional District. It is represented in the United States Congress by Frank Pallone. In the New Jersey Legislature, Edison is part of the 18th legislative district.

Middlesex County, where Edison is located, has its own leaders called the Board of County Commissioners.

Politics

Edison has many voters who support the Democratic Party. In past elections, Democratic candidates like Barack Obama and John Kerry have received more votes than Republican candidates.

Education

Edison, New Jersey, has many schools for children of all ages. Public schools are managed by the Edison Township Public Schools. These schools include pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. The district has two main high schools: Edison High School in the south and J.P. Stevens High School in the north. Each high school area has several elementary and middle schools.

Besides public schools, Edison also has private schools such as St. Thomas Aquinas High School and others run by religious groups or special education programs. There are also colleges like Middlesex College and vocational schools for older students. The township has three public library branches for community use.

Infrastructure

Transportation

Roads and highways

Edison is a transport hub with many highways passing through. These highways connect Edison to big cities like New York City, Boston, Philadelphia, Trenton, and Washington, D.C. Edison is about 25 miles from Newark Liberty International Airport.

As of May 2010, Edison had over 300 miles of roads. Some roads are kept up by the township, some by Middlesex County, and others by state groups like the New Jersey Department of Transportation and the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.

Important roads in Edison include Route 27, Route 440, U.S. Route 1, and Interstate 287. Interstate 287 ends at Interstate 95 in Edison. The New Jersey Turnpike also runs through Edison.

Public transportation

Edison station is served by NJ Transit trains going north to Newark Penn Station and New York Penn Station, and south to Trenton Transit Center. Some people in North Edison are closer to Metropark station or Metuchen station.

NJ Transit also runs buses in Edison, going to Elizabeth and other nearby places.

The Taiwanese airline China Airlines runs a private bus from Edison to John F. Kennedy International Airport for its flights to Taipei, Taiwan.

Healthcare

JFK Medical Center is a hospital in Edison with 498 beds. It opened in 1967.

Roosevelt Care Center is a long-term care facility that opened in 1936.

Edison has volunteer emergency medical teams that help people in need.

Telecommunications

Edison uses area codes 732 and 848. Area code 848 was added so that more numbers could be used without splitting the area.

Edison has several phone offices that handle local calls. In 1982, calls within Edison were made local to make it easier for people to call each other. In 1997, ten-digit dialing started with the new area code 732.

Sister cities

Edison has special connections with two cities around the world. These are called sister cities. They are:

• Shijiazhuang in Hebei, China
• Vadodara in Gujarat, India

Notable people

See also: Category:People from Edison, New Jersey

Edison, New Jersey, has been home to many interesting people. Some of them include:

• Peter J. Barnes Jr. who worked with the state government.
• Peter J. Barnes III who also works with the state government.
• Tyus Battle who plays college basketball.
• Brandon Bielak who plays baseball for the Houston Astros.
• Gayleatha B. Brown who served as an ambassador for the United States.
• David Bryan the keyboard player for the band Bon Jovi.
• Michael Campbell who played football for the New York Jets.
• Leonte Carroo who played football for the Miami Dolphins.
• Jun Choi who was the Mayor of Edison.
• Rich Clementi who competes in mixed martial arts.
• Ken Cuccinelli who was the Attorney General of Virginia.
• Jerry Dior who designed the logo for Major League Baseball.
• Tom Dwan who is a professional poker player.
• Bernard J. Dwyer who served in the United States House of Representatives.
• Thomas Edison the famous inventor the town is named after.
• Katherine Polk Failla who works as a judge.
• Darren Fenster who coaches baseball.
• Gail Fisher who was an actress.
• Rich Gaspari who was a professional bodybuilder.
• Greg Gigantino who coaches college football.
• Frank Guinta who served in the U.S. House of Representatives.
• Halsey the singer-songwriter.
• John Jay Hoffman who was an attorney general of New Jersey.
• Alexander Julien who is a musician.
• Clarence Lewis who played football for the Tennessee Titans.
• Pamela Long who was a singer.
• Paul Matey who works as a judge.
• Patrick McDonnell who creates the comic Mutts.
• Earl Schenck Miers who wrote about the American Civil War.
• Victor Mitchell who served in the Colorado House of Representatives.
• Akash Modi who is an Olympic gymnast.
• Brittany Murphy who was an actress.
• Jim Norton who is a comedian.
• Margie Palatini who writes books for children.
• Robert Pastorelli who was an actor.
• Zach Perez who plays soccer.
• Marc Pisciotta who played baseball.
• Mark L. Polansky who was an astronaut.
• Bernard Purdie who is a drummer.
• Retta who is an actress known for Parks and Recreation.
• Jim Rose who is a sports anchor.
• Matt Salzberg who started several companies.
• Susan Sarandon who is an actress.
• Jasmin Singer who works for animal rights.
• Janet Smith who ran long races.
• Chris Snee who played football for the New York Giants.
• George A. Spadoro who was a mayor of Edison.
• Joel Stein who writes for the Los Angeles Times.
• Robert T. Stevens who was a businessman.
• Anthony Stolarz who plays ice hockey.
• Jim Stoops who played baseball.
• Jennifer Sung who is a lawyer.
• Marques Townes who plays basketball.
• Karl-Anthony Towns who plays basketball for the New York Knicks.
• Mike Vallely who is a skateboarder and singer.
• Gary Vaynerchuk who is an entrepreneur.
• Jeffrey A. Warsh who worked with the state government.
• Darrin Winston who played baseball.
• Jeremy Zuttah who played football.

Notable places

Edison, New Jersey, has many interesting places to see and learn about. One of these is Advian, which in 2012 had a big solar power system covering 17 acres. There is also Bonhamtown, where a battle happened during the American Revolutionary War. Camp Kilmer, an army post from World War II, was partly in what is now Edison.

Other notable spots include the Dismal Swamp, a protected wetland area shared with nearby towns. Roosevelt Park, a large park next to Menlo Park Mall, covers 196 acres. Menlo Park Mall is a big shopping center with lots of stores. Oak Tree Road is famous for its many Indian shops and restaurants.

You can also visit the Thomas Alva Edison Memorial Tower and Museum in Menlo Park, where the famous inventor worked on creating the incandescent light bulb and the phonograph. Additionally, Tastee Sub Shop is a well-loved sandwich place that even President Barack Obama visited in 2010.