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.Table 7. Population for the Counties and Municipalities in New Jersey: 1990, 2000 and 2010, New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, February 2011. Accessed May 1, 2023.
History
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.Snyder, John P. The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968, p. 86. Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. Accessed May 30, 2024. 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.Hutchinson, Viola L. The Origin of New Jersey Place Names, New Jersey Public Library Commission, May 1945. Accessed September 30, 2015.Edwards, Richard. Industries of New Jersey, Part 1, p. 121. Historical Publishing Company, 1882. Accessed September 30, 2015. 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).Harvey, Cornelius Burnham. Genealogical History of Hudson and Bergen Counties, New Jersey, p. 11, New Jersey Genealogical Publishing Company, 1900. Accessed December 17, 2013. "For a period of sixteen years following the passage of this act few boroughs were organized in the State, only three of them being in Bergen County.... As it was twenty-six boroughs were created in the county from January 23, 1894, to December 18, of the same year." 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.Honeyman, Abraham Van Doren. Index-analysis of the Statutes of New Jersey, 1896-1909: Together with References to All Acts, and Parts of Acts, in the 'General Statutes' and Pamphlet Laws Expressly Repealed: and the Statutory Crimes of New Jersey During the Same Period, p. 245. New Jersey Law Journal Publishing Company, 1910. Accessed September 30, 2015.
Saddle Brook adopted its current name on November 8, 1955, replacing Saddle River Township.
Geography 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.Areas touching Saddle Brook, MapIt. Accessed March 5, 2020.Bergen County Map of Municipalities, Bergen County, New Jersey. Accessed March 5, 2020.New Jersey Municipal Boundaries, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed November 15, 2019.
Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Coalberg and Passaic Junction.Locality Search, State of New Jersey. Accessed May 21, 2015.
Demographics
2020 census +Saddle Brook township, Bergen County, New Jersey – Racial and ethnic compositionRace / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 2000Pop 2010Pop 2020% 2000% 2010% 2020White alone (NH)11,40010,4189,55486.66%76.27%66.84%Black or African American alone (NH)1622684421.23%1.96%3.09%Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)5860.04%0.06%0.04%Asian alone (NH)6111,1021,2194.64%8.07%8.53%Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)0020.00%0.00%0.01%Other race alone (NH)2040620.15%0.29%0.43%Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)1321572611.00%1.15%1.83%Hispanic or Latino (any race)8251,6662,7486.27%12.20%19.22%Total13,15513,65914,294 100.00%100.00%100.00%
2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 13,659 people, 5,286 households, and 3,690 families in the township. The population density was . There were 5,485 housing units at an average density of . 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.DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics from the 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates for Saddle Brook Township, Bergen County, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed February 2, 2012.
Same-sex couples headed 40 households in 2010, an increase from the 15 counted in 2000.Lipman, Harvy; and Sheingold, Dave. "North Jersey sees 30% growth in same-sex couples", The Record, August 14, 2011, backed up by the Internet Archive as of February 3, 2013. Accessed September 7, 2014.
2000 census 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 . There were 5,161 housing units at an average density of . 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.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Saddle Brook Township, Bergen County, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed March 13, 2013.DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Saddle Brook township, Bergen County, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed March 13, 2013.
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.Italian Ancestry , EPodunk. Accessed December 17, 2013.
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.
Government Local government 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,"The Faulkner Act: New Jersey's Optional Municipal Charter Law", New Jersey State League of Municipalities, July 2007. Accessed December 17, 2013. after voters approved a referendum supporting the change in June 1990.Romano, Jay. "Governing Towns: Voters Seek Changes", The New York Times, November 4, 1990. Accessed December 17, 2013. "In addition, Saddle Brook residents will elect a new mayor and five-member council because of a change of government referendum passed last June, and residents of Plainfield are now waiting for their change-of-government referendum to be officially placed on the ballot." The township is one of 71 (of the 564) municipalities statewide that use this form of government.Inventory of Municipal Forms of Government in New Jersey , Rutgers University Center for Government Studies, July 1, 2011. Accessed June 1, 2023.Cerra, Michael F. "Forms of Government: Everything You've Always Wanted to Know, But Were Afraid to Ask", New Jersey State League of Municipalities, March 2007. Accessed January 1, 2025. 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.2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 160."Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey" , p. 10. Rutgers University Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.