Edison, New Jersey

Edison is a township in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. It is located in Central New Jersey within the Raritan Valley region. Edison is both a busy commercial area and a place where people live and travel to work in New York City. Popular spots include Menlo Park Mall and Little India.

According to the 2020 United States census, Edison was the state's sixth-most-populous municipality, with a population of 107,588 people. This was an increase from the 2010 census, which counted 99,967 people, and from the 2000 census, which counted 97,687 people.

The area now known as Edison was first incorporated as Raritan Township on March 17, 1870. It was later renamed Edison Township on November 10, 1954, to honor the famous inventor Thomas Edison, who had his main laboratory there.

History

The area now known as Edison was first home to the Raritan people of the Lenape Native Americans. In 1646, their leader Chief Matouchin led a group of warriors.

European settlers arrived in the 17th century, and the area was first called Raritan Township. In 1876, the famous inventor Thomas Edison built his home and laboratory in a place called Menlo Park. There, he created important inventions like the phonograph and the incandescent light bulb. Edison later moved his lab to West Orange in 1886.

In 1954, the township was renamed Edison to honor the famous inventor. The Menlo Park Mall opened in 1959, becoming a major shopping center. Today, Edison is a diverse community with people from many backgrounds and is known for its safety, good schools, and many places to enjoy.

Geography

Edison, New Jersey, covers an area of 30.69 square miles, with most of it being land and a small part being 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 experiences a humid subtropical climate, with warm, rainy summers and cool to cold winters that often bring snow. The temperature in Edison can vary widely, with record lows around −17 °F and highs up to 106 °F.

Demographics

Edison is a very diverse place with many different cultures living 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 the year 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 has been a place where many big companies made things, like cars and air conditioners. But starting in the 2000s, many of these factories closed and moved away.

Today, Edison is where important companies have offices and stores. Video games, food, and big delivery services all have places 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 in both 2011 and 2015.

Parks and recreation

Oak Tree Pond is an important place because it was the site of the Battle of Short Hills, a small battle during the American Revolutionary War. Today, it is a park.

Roosevelt Park is a big park covering 196 acres, with a lovely lake. It was set up in 1917 and is the oldest county park in Middlesex County. Other parks in the area include Edison State Park and Dismal Swamp.

Government

Local government

Edison Township uses a special set of rules called the Faulkner Act, also known as the Optional Municipal Charter Law. It follows the Mayor-Council form of government, which started on January 1, 1958. This way of running the town includes a mayor and a council with seven members. The council members and the mayor are chosen by voters in elections that happen every four years.

As of 2026, the mayor of Edison is Samip "Sam" Joshi, a Democrat, and his term ends on December 31, 2029. The Township Council includes leaders like Joseph Coyle and Robert Kentos, among others.

Federal, state, and county representation

Edison is part of the 6th Congressional District in New Jersey. 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 group of leaders called the Board of County Commissioners.

Politics

Edison has many voters who support the Democratic Party. In past elections for president, Democratic candidates like Barack Obama and John Kerry have received more votes than Republican candidates. However, in the 2024 election, the Republican candidate, Donald Trump, received the highest percentage of votes for his party in many years in Edison.

Education

Edison, New Jersey, has many schools for children of all ages. Public schools are managed by the Edison Township Public Schools, which includes schools from 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 to serve students.

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 available 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 the township. 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 very 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.