ZIP Code 08854

The name may be derived from the area's earliest European settlers who came from near the Piscataqua River. The area was appropriated in 1666 by Quakers and Baptists who had left the Puritan colony in New Hampshire. Piscataway Township was formed on December 18, 1666, and officially incorporated by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798. The community, the fifth-oldest municipality in New Jersey, has grown from Native American territory, through a colonial period and is one of the links in the earliest settlement of the Atlantic Ocean seacoast that ultimately led to the formation of the United States. At the 2010 United States Census, the population was 56,044, an increase of 5,562 (+11.0%) from 50,482 at the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 3,393 (+7.2%) from 47,089 in 1990. Raritan Township (March 17, 1870, now Edison), Dunellen (October 28, 1887), Middlesex (April 9, 1913) and South Plainfield (March 10, 1926) are all located in the township. SHI Stadium, home field for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team, is in Pisc ataway, as is part of the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. On February 8, 1777, a battle running between 2,000 British and Hessian troops under the command of General Charles Lord Cornwallis took place between the local militia led by Colonel Charles Scott and a separate militia commanded by Nathaniel Warner.

History

Piscataway Township is the fifth-oldest municipality in New Jersey and among the fifty oldest municipalities in the United States. The earliest settlers of the area were the Lenape Native Americans; a group of four European settlers coming from New Hampshire acquired 40,000 acres (16,000 ha) of land in 1666 that had been occupied by Native Americans. On February 8, 1777, the Battle of Quibbletown, a running battle took place between approximately 2,000 British and Hessian troops under the command of British General Charles Lord Cornwallis and the local patriot militia led by Colonel Charles Scott and a separate militia commanded by Brigadier General Nathaniel Warner. The town name came from these early pioneers who originally came from the town of Piscataqua. The Lenape had established defined trails that European settlers used to travel through the wilderness area and branch out to new lands. Over time, many of these primitive trails became the main routes of travel between communities and became the basis of roads that still exist today. The trails along the Raritan River were named after a local Indian tribe called theRaritangs. The first proprietary Governor of the Province of New Jersey, Philip Carteret, granted 12 new settlers from Massachusetts a 100 square mile allotment of land that was later founded as the townships of PISCataway and Woodbridge. In short, these articles were mainly designed to provide liberty and land ownership for new families and to allow them to establish their own government representatives and religious freedoms.

Geography

Piscataway is 45 minutes southwest of New York City and 53 minutes northeast of Philadelphia. It is bordered by nine municipalities: Dunellen, Edison, Highland Park, Middlesex, New Brunswick and South Plainfield. The township lies on the south side of the Raritan Valley, a line of cities in Central Jersey. The original settlement of Piscatawaystown is located in present-day Edison. Camp Kilmer, constructed starting in 1941 on 1,500 acres (610 ha), was activated in June 1942 by the United States Army as a staging area and part of an installation of the New York Port of Embarkation. It was the largest processing center for troops heading overseas and returning from World War II, processing over 2.5 million soldiers. The New Market section historically comprised the Quaker village of Quibbletown. The early name of the village originated from the fact that settlers of different religious denominations quibbled about whether the Sabbath should be observed on Saturday or on Sunday in the village. The Arbor and New Brunswick Highland sections of Pisecataway were historically African American neighborhoods. Significant portions of the township make up the Livingston and Busch Campuses of Rutgers University. It also includes Franklin Township and South Bound Brook in Somerset County; and Plainfield in Union County. In 2010, Society Hill (with a 2010 Census population of 3,829) is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Pisc ataway Township.

Demographics

As of the 2000 U.S. Census there were 50,482 people, 16,500 households, and 12,325 families residing in the township. The racial makeup of the township was 48.81% White, 20.31% African American, 0.21% Native American, 24.80% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 3.08% from other races, and 2.77% from two or more races. 12.49% of Piscataway's residents identified themselves as being of Indian American ancestry, which was the fourth highest of any municipality in the United States and the third highest in New Jerseybehind Edison (17.75%) and Plainsboro Township (16.97%)of all places with 1,000 or more residents identifying their ancestry. The median household income was $88,428 (with a margin of error of +/ $3,958) and the median family income was ($95,483) in 2010. The per capita income for the borough was $31,254 (+/ $1,335). About 2.5% of families and 4.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.9% of those under age 18 and 5.5%. The average household size was 2.91 and the average family size was 3.33. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 96.8 males. In the township, the median age was 33.0 years.

Economy

Corporate residents of Piscataway include: American Standard Brands, Cintas, Colgate-Palmolive, Telcordia Technologies, Inersoll Rand, Pepsi Cola, and Siemens Hearing Instruments. The city is also home to the Gorgias Press, an academic publisher that specializes on Eastern Christianity. The town is home to a Coca-Cola bottling plant and an international shipping company, Hapag-Lloyd America. It is located on the banks of the Susquehanna River, which flows into the Potomac River and into the Allegheny River. It has a population of about 3,000. The population of the town is about 2,000 people. It was founded in the early 1900s and is now home to more than 1,000 residents. The area is known as "Piscataways" because of the number of people who live in the town. It also has a reputation for being a good place to work and raise a family. The community is also known for its quality of life, which is considered to be one of the best in the country. The water is clean and clear, and the town has a good reputation for its clean water and sewage treatment. The local economy is based on the shipping industry, which has been around since the 1800s. It's also the world's largest manufacturer of hearing aids, and a major supplier of bottled water to the U.S. and Europe. Its population is about 1,200. The average income is about $50,000 per year.

Sports

Shi Stadium was originally constructed in 1994 with 41,500 seats as the home of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team. It was expanded to a capacity of 52,454 in 2009 after a $100-million expansion. The venue was originally named the Rutgers Athletic Center, still called the RAC by many, and can accommodate 9,000 attendees. Yurcak Field is a multi-purpose soccer and lacrosse stadium, built in 1994, and holds 5,000 people. The stadium is officially named "The Soccer/Lacrosse Stadium at YurCak Field" in honor of Ronald N. YURcak, a 1965 All-American Rutgers lacrosse player. The athletic center was the home to the professional New Jersey Nets for the four seasons from 1977-1981 after moving from New York and before the Meadowlands Arena was completed.Louis Brown Athletic Center is the home for the Rutgers University men's and women's basketball teams. Rutgers University host their home games at this stadium. It can accommodate up to 10,000 fans and is located on the campus of Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey. It is also known as the "Home of the Black Knights" because of its proximity to the Rutgers campus. It has been home to both the Rutgers football team and the Rutgers men's basketball team for the past 20 years. It also hosts the Rutgers women's and men's lacrosse teams. The sports teams play their home matches at the stadium, which was built in the 1970s and 1980s.

Government

Piscataway is located in the 6th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 17th state legislative district. The Township Council has seven members, one representing each of four wards, and three at-large members. The Mayor and Council members serve four-year terms on a staggered basis. New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Democrats Cory Booker (Newark, term ends 2027) and Bob Menendez (Harrison, term end 2025). As of 2022, Middlesex County is governed by a Board of County Commissioners, whose seven members are elected at- Large on a partisan basis. At an annual reorganization meeting held in January, the board selects from among its members a commissioner director and deputy director. For the 2022-2023 session, the 17th Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented by Bob Smith (D, Piscataways) and in the General Assembly by Joseph Danielsen (D, Franklin Township, Somerset County) and Joseph V. Egan (D), New Brunswick. The township is one of 71 municipalities (of the 564) statewide governed under this form of government. The mayor is Democrat Brian C. Wahler, whose term of office ends December 31, 2024. In May 2021, the Township Council appointed Linwood D. Rouse to fill the at- large seat expiring in December 2024 that had been held by Chanelle Scott McCullum. In the November 2015 general election, Camille Fernicola was elected to serve the balance of theterm of office.

Emergency services

Piscataway is divided into four fire districts which are served by a total of two volunteer rescue squads and six volunteer fire companies. On weekdays and weekends from 6 am until 6 pm, Hackensack Meridian Health EMS staffs an ambulance. Rutgers University Police Department operates on its campuses within the township. The New Jersey State Police patrols the section of Interstate 287 that bisects the township, and Piscataways is home to the New Jersey National Guard. The township is located in the Bergen County portion of New Jersey, and is part of the Passaic County Sheriff's Office. It is the only township in New Jersey that is not part of a county sheriff's office or state attorney general's office. It has one fire department that combines both fire and EMS services, the River Road Rescue Squad, which operates in the district of River Road. It also has one volunteer fire company, the North Stelton Volunteer Fire Company, which offers both EMS and fire services. The town is also home to a fire marshal's office, the Fire Marshall's Office, and the township's emergency services center, which is located on the second floor of a building on the third floor of the fire marshall's building. It was built in the early 1900s and is one of the first towns in the state to be built on the site of a former rail yard. The first fire company was established in the mid-19th century. The current fire department was founded in the late 1930s.

Education

The Piscataway Township Schools serves students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grades. As of the 201819 school year, the district, comprised of 10 schools, had an enrollment of 7,161 students and 530.1 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a studentteacher ratio of 13.5:1. In addition to its high school, there are four schools for K3, two intermediate schools serving grades 45 and three middle schools for students in grades 68. Eighth grade students from all of Middlesex County are eligible to apply to attend the high school programs offered by the county-wide vocational school district. The district offers full-time career and technical education at its East Brunswick, Perth Amboy and Pisc ataway technical high schools, with no tuition charged to students for attendance. The school district also offers programs for students with behavioral disabilities, learning and/or language disabilities, and other special needs. It is a part of the New Jersey Department of Education's New Jersey School for the Performing Arts, which also offers classes in music, art, science, and technology. It also offers a number of other programs for children with behavioral and learning disabilities, including a day school for those with Autism and a day program for those who suffer from depression, ADHD, Conduct Disorder, or Anxiety Disorder. The high school is located in the town of Piscatsaway, New Jersey, which has a population of 2.3 million.

Transportation

As of May 2010, the township had a total of 206.70 miles (332.65 km) of roadways, of which 181.68 miles (292.39 km) were maintained by the municipality. Train service is not available in Piscataway, but service is available on the Raritan Valley Line at the Dunellen station and on the Northeast Corridor at the Edison station.Taiwanese airline EVA Air provides a private bus service to and from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City for customers based in New Jersey. This service stops in Pisecataway. The township is located on the New Jersey Turnpike (Interstate 95) in East Brunswick (Exit 9) and neighboring Edison (Exit 10). The township has a population of 2,816. It is located in the New York Metropolitan Statistical Area. The New Jersey Department of Transportation has a total road network of more than 20,000 miles (30,000 km) in New jersey. The municipality has a fleet of more that 1,000 vehicles. The town has an estimated population of 3,000. It has an area of 1,800 square miles (3,500 square km) and a population density of 1.2 per square mile (1.2/km) per square kilometer (3.1/sq mi) per mile (4.4/sq mile) of land. It was the site of the World War II Battle of the Bulge, which took place in 1942.

Air Quality, Water Quality, Superfund Sites & UV Index

The Air Quality index is in Piscataway, Middlesex County, New Jersey = 26.8. These Air Quality index is based on annual reports from the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The number of ozone alert days is used as an indicator of air quality, as are the amounts of seven pollutants including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and volatile organic chemicals. The Water Quality Index is 20. A measure of the quality of an area’s water supply as rated by the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The EPA has a complex method of measuring the watershed quality, using 15 indicators such as pollutants, turbidity, sediments, and toxic discharges. The Superfund Sites Index is 10. Higher is better (100=best). Based upon the number and impact of EPA Superfund pollution sites in the county, including spending on the cleanup efforts. The UV Index in Piscataway = 3.9 and is a measure of an area's exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. This is most often a combination of sunny weather, altitude, and latitude. The UV Index has been defined by the WHO (www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-the-ultraviolet-(uv)-index) and is uniform worldwide.

Employed

The most recent city population of 14,012 individuals with a median age of 36 age the population grows by 4.32% in Piscataway, Middlesex County, New Jersey population since 2000 and are distributed over a density of 3,235.3 residents per square mile of area (1,249.2/km²). There are average 2.85 people per household in the 17,268 households with an average household income of $85,611 a year. The unemployment rate in Alabama is 8.50% of the available work force and has dropped -3.55% over the most recent 12-month period and the projected change in job supply over the next decade based on migration patterns, economic growth, and other factors will increase by 24.40%. The number of physicians in Piscataway per 100,000 population = 254.3.

Weather

The annual rainfall in Piscataway = 48.4 inches and the annual snowfall = 27.7 inches. The annual number of days with measurable precipitation (over .01 inch) = 116. The average number of days per year that are predominantly sunny = 206. 86 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily high temperature for the month of July and 22.8 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily low temperature for the month of January. The Comfort Index (higher=better) is 47, where higher values mean a more pleasant climate. The Comfort Index measure recognizes that humidity by itself isn't the problem. (Have you noticed nobody ever complains about the weather being 'cold and humid?) It's in the summertime that we notice the humidity the most, when it's hot and muggy. Our Comfort Index uses a combination of afternoon summer temperature and humidity to closely predict the effect that the humidity will have on people.

Median Home Cost

The percentage of housing units in Piscataway, Middlesex County, New Jersey which are owned by the occupant = 67.75%. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, or room occupied as separate living quarters. The average age of homes = 36 years with median home cost = $286,410 and home appreciation of -6.03%. This is the value of the years most recent home sales data. Its important to note that this is not the average (or arithmetic mean). The median home price is the middle value when you arrange all the sales prices of homes from lowest to highest. This is a better indicator than the average, because the median is not changed as much by a few unusually high or low values. The property tax rate of $23.65 shown here is the rate per $1,000 of home value. If for simplification for example the tax rate is $14.00 and the home value is $250,000, the property tax would be $14.00 x ($250,000/1000), or $3500. This is the 'effective' tax rate.

Study

The local school district spends $8,363 per student. There are 13.1 students for each teacher in the school, 851 students for each Librarian and 593 students for each Counselor. 5.30% of the area’s population over the age of 25 with an Associate Degree or other 2-year college degree, 24.25% with a master’s degree, Ph.D. or other advanced college degree and 16.78% with high school diplomas or high school equivalency degrees (GEDs).