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township in New Jersey, United States
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Saddle Brook is a township in Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 14,294, an increase of 635 (+4.6%) from the 2010 census count of 13,659, which in turn reflected an increase of 504 (+3.8%) from the 13,155 counted in the 2000 census.
Before European settlement, the earliest people in the area were the Lenape Native Americans.
Saddle River Township was created on March 20, 1716, consisting of all of the territory in Bergen County west of the Saddle River, making it one of the oldest municipalities in Bergen County, within the area that had been known as New Barbadoes Township, which itself had been set off from Essex County and added to Bergen County in 1710. It was incorporated on February 21, 1798, by the Township Act of 1798 as one of the initial group of 104 townships incorporated in New Jersey. The historic name of the township was from the Saddle River, a tributary of the Passaic River, which in turn was named for a stream and valley in Saddell, Argyll, Scotland. It was bounded on the north by Ridgewood, south by Lodi, east by the Saddle River and west by the Passaic River. In 1724, the Township formally seceded from New Barbadoes.
After its formation in 1716, Saddle River Township was split up in 1772 by royal decree, with the northernmost half becoming Franklin Township, named after the last royal governor of New Jersey, William Franklin, son of Benjamin Franklin. Pompton Township was established in 1797 from parts of both Franklin and Saddle River Townships west of the Ramapo River, leaving sections of both townships disconnected to the west of Pompton Township. West Milford Township was formed from the discontinuous, western sections of both Franklin and Saddle River townships in 1834. Saddle Brook was among the initial group of 104 municipalities formally incorporated under the Township Act of 1798.
In the initial wave of "Boroughitis" in which 26 new boroughs were created in 1894 alone and two more in 1895, Glen Rock (on September 14, 1894) and Lodi (December 22, 1894) split off from Saddle River Township, followed shortly thereafter by Wallington (January 2, 1895). Garfield (March 15, 1898), East Paterson (April 18, 1916; renamed to Elmwood Park, effective January 1, 1973) and Fair Lawn (April 5, 1924) subsequently split off.
Saddle Brook adopted its current name on November 8, 1955, replacing Saddle River Township.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 2.76 square miles (7.14 km2), including 2.69 square miles (6.97 km2) of land and 0.06 square miles (0.17 km2) of water (2.32%).
The township borders the Bergen County municipalities of Elmwood Park, Fair Lawn, Garfield, Lodi, Paramus and Rochelle Park.
Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Coalberg and Passaic Junction.
The 2010 United States census counted 13,659 people, 5,286 households, and 3,690 families in the township. The population density was 5,080.2 per square mile (1,961.5/km2). There were 5,485 housing units at an average density of 2,040.0 per square mile (787.6/km2). The racial makeup was 84.35% (11,521) White, 2.31% (316) Black or African American, 0.16% (22) Native American, 8.21% (1,121) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 3.19% (436) from other races, and 1.78% (243) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 12.20% (1,666) of the population.
Of the 5,286 households, 28.1% had children under the age of 18; 54.7% were married couples living together; 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present and 30.2% were non-families. Of all households, 25.3% were made up of individuals and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.13.
20.2% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 27.3% from 25 to 44, 28.4% from 45 to 64, and 16.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.4 years. For every 100 females, the population had 91.4 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 88.2 males.
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $79,279 (with a margin of error of +/− $6,351) and the median family income was $92,861 (+/− $9,495). Males had a median income of $60,214 (+/− $5,753) versus $44,243 (+/− $3,010) for females. The per capita income for the township was $33,674 (+/− $2,295). About none of families and 3.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.6% of those under age 18 and 4.2% of those age 65 or over.
Same-sex couples headed 40 households in 2010, an increase from the 15 counted in 2000.
As of the 2000 United States census there were 13,155 people, 5,062 households, and 3,578 families residing in the township. The population density was 4,830.8 inhabitants per square mile (1,865.2/km2). There were 5,161 housing units at an average density of 1,895.2 per square mile (731.7/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 90.73% White, 1.39% Black, 0.04% Native American, 4.74% Asian, 1.70% from other races, and 1.41% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.27% of the population.
Among those resident who reported their ancestry in the 2000 census, the most common were Italian (35.7%), Irish (15.7%), Polish (13.1%) and German (11.0%). The number of residents who reported being of Italian ancestry in the 2000 census (adjusted for the total number of ancestries reported) was the 15th highest of any municipality in New Jersey.
There were 5,062 households, out of which 27.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.6% were married couples living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.3% were non-families. 25.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.11.
In the township the population was spread out, with 20.2% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 31.5% from 25 to 44, 23.6% from 45 to 64, and 18.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.1 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $63,545, and the median income for a family was $73,205. Males had a median income of $49,834 versus $34,542 for females. The per capita income for the township was $27,561. About 1.4% of families and 3.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.8% of those under age 18 and 5.6% of those age 65 or over.
Saddle Brook operates within the Faulkner Act (formally known as the Optional Municipal Charter Law) under the Mayor-Council system of municipal government (Plan 2), implemented by direct petition as of January 1, 1991, after voters approved a referendum supporting the change in June 1990. The township is one of 71 (of the 564) municipalities statewide that use this form of government. The township's governing body is comprised of the Mayor and the five-member Township Council. Members of the Township Council are elected at-large in partisan elections to four-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either two seats (plus the mayoral seat) or three seats up for election in even-numbered years as part of the November general election.
As of 2024, the Mayor of Saddle Brook is Democrat Robert D. White, whose term of office ends December 31, 2026. Members of the Township Council are Todd J. Accomando (D, 2026), Andrew M. Cimiluca (D, 2024), David Gierek (D, 2024), Florence Mazzer (D, 2024) and Sarah A. Sanchez (D, 2026).
In June 2017, David Gierek was chosen to fill the seat expiring in December 2020 that had been held by Joseph Camilleri until he resigned from office under the terms of an anti-nepotism ordinance, after his son was under consideration for hire by the township as a police officer; Gierek served on an interim basis until the November 2017 general election, when voters elected Gierek to serve the balance of the term of office.
Prior to 1969, the township committee chose a chairman to head the township committee. Below is a list of former chairmen and mayors of Saddle River Township and Saddle Brook:
Saddle Brook is located in the 9th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 38th state legislative district.
For the 119th United States Congress, New Jersey's 9th congressional district is represented by Nellie Pou (D, North Haledon) New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Democrats Cory Booker (Newark, term ends 2027) and Andy Kim (Moorestown, term ends 2031).
For the 2026–2027 session, the 38th legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Joseph Lagana (D, Paramus) and in the General Assembly by Lisa Swain (D, Fair Lawn) and Chris Tully (D, Bergenfield).
Bergen County is governed by a directly elected County Executive, with legislative functions performed by a Board of County Commissioners comprised of seven members who are elected at-large to three-year terms in partisan elections on a staggered basis, with either two or three seats coming up for election each November; a Chairman and Vice Chairman are selected from among its seven members at a reorganization meeting held every January. As of 2025, the county executive is James J. Tedesco III (D, Paramus), whose four-year term of office ends December 31, 2026.
Bergen County's Commissioners are Chair Mary J. Amoroso (D, Mahwah, 2025), Vice Chair Steven A. Tanelli (D, North Arlington, 2027), Chair Pro Tem Joan Voss (D, Fort Lee, 2026), Rafael Marte (D, Bergenfield, 2026), Germaine M. Ortiz (D, Emerson, 2025), Thomas J. Sullivan Jr. (D, Montvale, 2025) and Tracy Silna Zur (D, Franklin Lakes, 2027).
Bergen County's elected constitutional officials are Clerk John S. Hogan (D, Northvale, 2026), Sheriff Anthony Cureton (D, Englewood, 2027) and Surrogate Michael R. Dressler (D, Cresskill, 2026).
As of March 2011, there were a total of 8,377 registered voters in Saddle Brook Township, of which 2,890 (34.5% vs. 31.7% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 1,603 (19.1% vs. 21.1%) were registered as Republicans and 3,882 (46.3% vs. 47.1%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 2 voters registered as Libertarians or Greens. Among the township's 2010 Census population, 61.3% (vs. 57.1% in Bergen County) were registered to vote, including 76.8% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 73.7% countywide).
Text from the Wikipedia article “Saddle Brook, New Jersey”, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.