West Essex
Encyclopedia
- For alternative places, see the disambiguation page for West EssexWest Essex (disambiguation)West Essex can refer to:* West Essex in the USA* West of East Saxony in Germany* West Essex in England* West of the East of the Kingdom of Essex* Wessex* Wessex culture in Ancient Britain* Essex West , Ontario, Canada...
West Essex is the far northwestern region of Essex County
Essex County, New Jersey
Essex County is a county located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the United States 2010 Census, the population was 783,969, ranking it third in the state after Bergen County and Middlesex County; Essex County's population has declined from 786,147 as of the bureau's...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, bordering Passaic County
Passaic County, New Jersey
Passaic County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 501,226. Its county seat is Paterson...
and Morris County
Morris County, New Jersey
Morris County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey, about west of New York City. According to the United States 2010 Census, the population was 492,276. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Morristown....
.
It is considered to be one of the more affluent parts of the county, as opposed to very poor eastern Essex cities such as Newark
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
, East Orange
East Orange, New Jersey
East Orange is a city in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census the city's population 64,270, making it the state's 20th largest municipality, having dropped 5,554 residents from its population of 69,824 in the 2000 Census, when it was the state's 14th most...
, and Irvington
Irvington, New Jersey
Irvington is a township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township had a total population of 53,926, a decline of 11.2% from the 60,695 residents enumerated in the 2000 Census.-Geography:...
. As opposed to these city settings, the towns in West Essex are more suburban. Most of the towns have typically been white ethnically, where Newark and its bordering cities all have black majorities. Many often use the "East Essex" vs "West Essex" argument to show the contrast between the two parts of the county, although this is generally considered to be a huge oversimplification of reality, as the county is no more than ten miles from the farthest point "west" to the farthest point "east" and there are several towns in the county that have much more of a cross-pollination of ethnic and racial groups than can be seen in many other places. For example, middle and upper class blacks often strive to (and do) move west out of Newark. Working class blacks often work in West Essex. On the other hand, given Newark's recent revitalization, many upper class whites who live in West Essex commute to corporations, such as Prudential
Prudential Financial
The Prudential Insurance Company of America , also known as Prudential Financial, Inc., is a Fortune Global 500 and Fortune 500 company whose subsidiaries provide insurance, investment management, and other financial products and services to both retail and institutional customers throughout the...
, in Newark. West Essex also has substantial Hispanic and Asian populations. The towns that separate Newark and East Orange from the West Essex area, such as South Orange
South Orange, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 16,964 people, 5,522 households, and 3,766 families residing in the township. The population density was 5,945.3 people per square mile . There were 5,671 housing units at an average density of 1,987.5 per square mile...
, Maplewood
Maplewood, New Jersey
Maplewood is a township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 23,867.-History:...
, West Orange
West Orange, New Jersey
West Orange is a township in central Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 46,207...
, Bloomfield
Bloomfield, New Jersey
Bloomfield is a township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 47,315. It surrounds the Bloomfield Green Historic District.-History:...
, and Montclair
Montclair, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 38,977 people, 15,020 households, and 9,687 families residing in the township. The population density was 6,183.6 people per square mile . There were 15,531 housing units at an average density of 2,464.0 per square mile...
have a balance of black and white people, and of different classes, generally unseen in smalltown America.
Towns Typically Considered In West Essex
- CaldwellCaldwell, New JerseyCaldwell is a borough located in northwestern Essex County, New Jersey, about outside of New York. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 7,822....
; West CaldwellWest Caldwell, New JerseyWest Caldwell is an township located in the West Essex area in northwestern Essex County, New Jersey. It is located approximately west of Manhattan and six miles northwest of Newark...
; RoselandRoseland, New JerseyRoseland is a borough in western Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 5,819...
; Essex FellsEssex Fells, New JerseyAs of 2010 Essex Fells had a population of 2,113. The racial and ethnic composition of the population was 93.5% non-Hispanic white, 1.1% black or African-American, 1.0% Chinese, 1.2% other Asian, 1.9% reporting two or more races and 2.0% Hispanic or Latino....
; North CaldwellNorth Caldwell, New Jersey-Local government:North Caldwell is governed under the Borough form of New Jersey municipal government. The government consists of a Mayor and a Borough Council comprising six council members, with all positions elected at large. A Mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office...
; Fairfield
The above towns share much history and culture as having belonged to the Horseneck Tract
Horseneck Tract
The Horseneck Tract was an area in present-day Essex County, New Jersey, United States, that consisted of what are now the municipalities of Caldwell, West Caldwell, North Caldwell, Fairfield, Verona, Cedar Grove, Essex Fells, Roseland, and portions of Livingston and West Orange.On May 1, 1701...
. The towns of Caldwell and West Caldwell share a public school system with students in both towns attending James Caldwell High School in West Caldwell. The other four towns each have their own school district through sixth grade, however students from all four towns attend West Essex Regional Junior High School and West Essex High School
West Essex High School
West Essex High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school in North Caldwell, New Jersey in the United States. The high school is part of the West Essex Regional School District, which serves students from four municipalities in western Essex County. Communities served by the district's...
, both in North Caldwell, from seventh through twelfth grade. West Essex and James Caldwell high schools are rival schools. The six towns also share a local newspaper, Caldwell's The Progress, and residents within each of the six towns think nothing of regularly traveling from town to town. Other services connect the six towns, for example the West Caldwell public pools allow residents from the other five towns to become members for a higher fee, the three Caldwells share a post office, and emergency dispatching for Essex Fells is performed by North Caldwell. Fairfield and West Caldwell share control over the Essex County Airport
Essex County Airport
Essex County Airport is a public airport located two miles north of the central business district of Caldwell, a borough of northwestern Essex County in the U.S. state of New Jersey...
, which lies partially in both towns. Residents of Essex Fells, which has no commercial or industrial sectors, depend on strong commercial and industrial sectors from the other five towns.
- VeronaVerona, New JerseyVerona is a township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 13,332.In 2008, New Jersey Monthly magazine ranked Verona #1 in Essex County and #3 in New Jersey as "Top Places to Live in New Jersey".-History:Verona and several...
and Cedar GroveCedar Grove, New Jersey-Climate:Cedar Grove has a humid subtropical climate, with warm/hot humid summers and cool/cold winters. The climate is slightly colder overall during the summer than in New York City because there is no urban heat island effect....
, between West Essex and MontclairMontclair, New Jersey-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 38,977 people, 15,020 households, and 9,687 families residing in the township. The population density was 6,183.6 people per square mile . There were 15,531 housing units at an average density of 2,464.0 per square mile...
, are part of the West Essex region as well, as they belonged to the Horseneck TractHorseneck TractThe Horseneck Tract was an area in present-day Essex County, New Jersey, United States, that consisted of what are now the municipalities of Caldwell, West Caldwell, North Caldwell, Fairfield, Verona, Cedar Grove, Essex Fells, Roseland, and portions of Livingston and West Orange.On May 1, 1701...
, though the two communities are generally much more independent to themselves than the six communities to their west.
- LivingstonLivingston, New JerseyLivingston is a township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 29,366.Livingston was incorporated as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 5, 1813, from portions of Caldwell Township and Springfield...
, West OrangeWest Orange, New JerseyWest Orange is a township in central Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 46,207...
, and the Upper Montclair section of Montclair are also sometimes—though far more rarely and not by many people in any Essex County town—considered to be part of West Essex. Their similarities to West Essex lie almost solely on the fact that small portions of all three towns were long ago part of the Horseneck tract that makes up present-day West Essex. Though the three towns border other West Essex towns, the majority of the towns, especially their downtown areas, developed as suburban offshoots of the city of Newark, not from Horseneck development in any major way. However, it is worth noting that Livingston's local newspaper is called the West Essex Tribune.
- MillburnMillburn, New JerseyMillburn is a township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 20,149.Millburn Township was created as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 20, 1857, from portions of Springfield Township.Millburn also...
and Short HillsShort Hills, New JerseyShort Hills is an unincorporated area located within the township of Millburn, in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. It is a popular commuter town for residents who work in New York City...
(a hamlet of Millburn) lie to the south of Livingston which itself is south of mainstream West Essex. The town of Millburn, like Livingston, is geographically on the western border of Essex County. However, it is usually not considered by many to be part of "West Essex", which generally implies the northwestern area of Essex County that was originally known as Horseneck. The southwestern Essex County towns, like Livingston and Millburn, are generally considered to have developed as suburban Newark sprawl, as opposed to the Horseneck area which originally developed independently.