Harrison, New Jersey

Harrison is a town in the western part of Hudson County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is part of the New York metropolitan area and sits close to the bigger city of Newark, just 8 miles (13 km) from New York City.

Once, Harrison was known for its many factories and was called “the beehive of industry.” Today, the town is changing. It is growing with more homes and new jobs, especially near the Passaic River.

In the year 2020, during a big count of people called the 2020 United States census, 19,450 people lived in Harrison. This was a big jump from the 13,620 people counted in 2010. By 2024, experts thought the population had grown even more, to about 22,182 people.

History

Colonial era to 19th century

Harrison started as part of a large land grant given to William Sandford in 1668. Over time, the land was passed down and divided among his family. In 1729, parts of the land were given to three of his sons. Roads and bridges were built in the area during the 1700s, connecting it to nearby towns.

In 1826, Lodi Township was formed, and in 1840, Harrison became part of the new Hudson County. The township of Harrison was officially created on April 16, 1840, and many believe it was named after President William Henry Harrison, who was elected that year.

19th century to present

In 1852, Union Township (now Lyndhurst) was created from part of Harrison. In 1869, Harrison became an official town. During World War II, Harrison became known as "The Beehive of Industry" because many large factories, such as Edison Lamp Works and Worthington Pump and Machinery, were located there. Thousands of workers came to Harrison each day. Today, Harrison is changing from a place known for factories to a town where more people live and work in services.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the town of Harrison has a total area of 1.33 square miles (3.44 km²). This includes 1.21 square miles (3.14 km²) of land and 0.12 square miles (0.30 km²) of water.

Harrison borders East Newark and Kearny in Hudson County, and it is next to Newark across the Passaic River in Essex County.

Demographics

Racial and ethnic composition

2020 census

In the 2020 census, Harrison had 19,450 people living there. The population density was 16,061.1 persons per square mile.

The median age was 32.1 years. About 17.2% of the residents were under 18 years old, and 9.2% were 65 or older. For every 100 females, there were 107.7 males, and for every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 107.8 males aged 18 and over.

All residents lived in urban areas.

There were 8,111 households, with 26.0% having children under 18. About 36.7% were married couples, 27.1% had a male householder without a spouse, and 27.1% had a female householder without a spouse. Around 30.2% of households were made up of individuals, and 5.0% had someone living alone who was 65 or older.

There were 8,594 housing units, with 5.6% being empty. The rate for empty homes owned by people was 0.8%, and for rented homes, it was 4.8%.

Income and poverty

The median household income in Harrison was $68,494.00.

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 13,620 people in Harrison, living in 4,869 households and 3,262 families. The population density was 11,319.3 per square mile (4,370.4/km²). There were 5,228 housing units, with an average density of 4,344.9 per square mile (1,677.6/km²). The racial makeup included 58.30% White, 2.18% Black or African American, 0.56% Native American, 16.28% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 18.48% from other races, and 4.19% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race made up 44.18% of the population.

Of the households, 31.8% had children under 18; 44.2% were married couples living together; 15.0% had a female householder without a husband present, and 33.0% were non-families. About 22.1% of households were made up of individuals, and 7.8% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.80, and the average family size was 3.23.

About 20.8% of the population was under 18, 10.9% from 18 to 24, 35.0% from 25 to 44, 24.0% from 45 to 64, and 9.3% were 65 or older. The median age was 34.0 years. For every 100 females, there were 105.7 males, and for every 100 females aged 18 and older, there were 105.7 males.

2000 census

In the 2000 United States census, there were 14,424 people living in Harrison, in 5,136 households and 3,636 families. The population density was 11,811.1 inhabitants per square mile (4,560.3/km²). There were 5,254 housing units at an average density of 4,302.2 per square mile (1,661.1/km²). The racial makeup was 66.10% White, 0.98% African American, 0.40% Native American, 11.89% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 15.96% from other races, and 4.65% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race made up 36.97% of the population.

In 2000, 7.22% of residents said they had Chinese ancestry, the fifth-highest percentage in New Jersey for places with 1,000 or more people.

There were 5,136 households, with 33.7% having children under 18. About 49.8% were married couples living together, 13.9% had a female householder without a husband present, and 29.2% were non-families. Some 22.5% of households were made up of individuals, and 8.7% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.81, and the average family size was 3.27.

The ages of the people were spread out, with 21.5% under 18, 10.6% from 18 to 24, 36.8% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 10.3% who were 65 or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 104.0 males, and for every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 101.2 males.

The median income for a household was $41,350, and for a family, it was $48,489. Males earned $33,069 on average, while females earned $26,858. The per capita income was $18,490. About 10.1% of families and 12.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.5% of those under 18 and 10.8% of those 65 or older.

Government

Harrison uses a special way of running its town called the Town form of government. This form is used by only nine towns in New Jersey out of 564. The leaders are a mayor and a Town Council. They are all chosen by the people in elections. The mayor is chosen by everyone in the town and serves for four years. The Town Council has eight members, two from each part, or "ward," of the town. They also serve four-year terms but the elections happen in a way that not all seats are up for vote at the same time.

The town is split into four wards, and each ward has two council members. The mayor leads the government and works with the council. The mayor can agree or disagree with council decisions, but the council can override the mayor’s disagreement if enough members agree. Council meetings happen on the first Tuesday of each month at 7:00 pm, except in the summer months.

Emergency services

Police

In the 1870s, a man named Phillip Mulligan and four constables kept watch over the town. Later, Mulligan became known as "Police Justice," and in 1885, rules were made to start a proper police department. The first police officers were hired in 1891, including Michael Rodgers, the father of a future mayor.

The Harrison Police Department is now led by Chief David Strumolo, who began his role in March 2018. The department has 39 officers and includes several teams such as Patrol, Detective, and Community Policing. They take part in community events and meetings.

The department was one of many Hudson County agencies that helped after the January 2009 crash of Flight 1549.

Fire

The Harrison Fire Department works from a station on Sussex Street and has a fleet of fire vehicles, including three engines and one ladder truck. Because of budget limits, they often have one engine and one ladder truck on duty with a few firefighters each. The department aims to have 29 firefighters.

EMS

Since January 1, 2014, Monmouth Ocean Hospital Service Corporation (MONOC) has provided emergency ambulance service for Harrison and the nearby area of East Newark. MONOC pays a monthly fee to use a building on Cleveland Avenue that was previously used by Harrison’s own emergency services.

Education

The Harrison Public Schools serve students from kindergarten through twelfth grade. The district has four schools and had about 2,400 students in the 2018–19 school year. The schools include a program for young children, an elementary school, an intermediate school, a middle school, and Harrison High School.

Civic organizations

The Harrison Lions Club began on July 25, 1951. It is part of a big group called Lions Clubs International, which helps people see better and supports many community projects. The club helps with projects in the area and around the world.

Transportation

Roads and highways

As of May 2010, the town had a total of 18.15 miles (29.21 km) of roads. Some were kept up by the town, some by Hudson County, and some by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

Interstate 280 goes right through the middle of the town. Going west, it connects to Route 21, the Garden State Parkway, and Interstate 80. Going east, it leads to Route 7 and the New Jersey Turnpike.

Plans are being made to improve Interstate 280 in the middle of Harrison with new roads, a new exit, and a bridge. This will help people get to Harrison Avenue, the PATH station, and Sports Illustrated Stadium more easily.

Public transportation

The Harrison station on the PATH rapid transit system takes people to Newark, Jersey City, Hoboken, and New York City. The station was first built in 1913 and moved to its current spot in 1936. Big work on the station started in January 2013 and finished on June 15, 2019.

The Northeast Corridor, a train line built in the 1800s by the Pennsylvania Railroad and now owned by Amtrak, runs through the city. It is used by NJ Transit trains. There used to be a train stop in Harrison, but it was closed because it was easier for people to catch trains in Newark at Penn Station.

Buses serve Harrison, with NJ Transit offering rides within New Jersey.

The nearest airport in New Jersey with regular flights is Newark Liberty International Airport, located 4.8 miles (7.7 km) away in Newark and Elizabeth.

Harrison Waterfront Development Plan

The Harrison Waterfront Redevelopment Plan asked builders to create ideas that use the Harrison PATH Station and the Passaic River. This area covers 275 acres, which is 35% of the whole town. The plan wants to combine these ideas with designs that show Harrison's history in industry, culture, and nature. The goal is to create a new identity for Harrison with mixed-use, transit-friendly, and walkable development, making it a special place for people to visit.

Sports Illustrated Stadium

Harrison is home to Sports Illustrated Stadium, where the New York Red Bulls and Gotham FC play their games. The stadium opened in 2010 after some delays. It cost $200 million to build and can hold around 25,000 people. The stadium has a special roof that covers all the seats but leaves the field open. It is located near the Passaic River and offers a view of the New York and Newark skyline. You can get there using public transportation, including the PATH train station in Harrison.

Notable people

See also: Category:People from Harrison, New Jersey

Harrison, New Jersey, has been home to many interesting people. Some of them became famous in music, sports, and other fields.

For example, there was Angelo M. "Chubby" Cifelli, a singer and songwriter who had a hit song in 1967. Dave D'Errico was a professional soccer player, and Sam Dente played baseball in the major leagues from 1947 to 1955. Daisy Fuentes became well-known as a model and TV host.

Many others from Harrison made contributions in politics, sports, and the arts, showing the town's rich history and diverse community.