Westwood (known as "The Hub of the Pascack Valley"Brief History of Westwood, Borough of Westwood. Accessed March 28, 2007.) is a borough in Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Westwood is part of the New York metropolitan area.New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA Combined Statistical Area, United States Census Bureau. Accessed June 20, 2016. Many of its residents regularly commute to New York City for work and leisure, many using public transportation.Rondinaro, Gene. "In a Bergen Borough, Diversified Growth", The New York Times, September 1, 1996. Accessed June 20, 2016. "And at dawn, while harried commuters in other municipalities rise early only to stream onto crowded roadways en route to jobs in Manhattan across the Hudson River, residents often walk to the train station or a commuter bus for the one-hour trip."Table 4. Residence MCD/County to Workplace MCD/County Commuting Flows by Travel Mode for the United States and Puerto Rico Sorted by Residence Geography: 5-Year ACS, 2009-2013, United States Census Bureau. Accessed June 21, 2016. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 11,282, an increase of 374 (+3.4%) from the 2010 census count of 10,908, which in turn reflected a decline of 91 (−0.8%) from the 10,999 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.
Westwood was officially incorporated as a borough on May 8, 1894, from portions of Washington Township, early during the "Boroughitis" phenomenon then sweeping through Bergen County, in which 26 boroughs were formed in the county in 1894 alone.Snyder, John P. The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 88. Accessed May 30, 2024.Harvey, Cornelius Burnham. Genealogical History of Hudson and Bergen Counties, New Jersey, p. 11, New Jersey Genealogical Publishing Company, 1900. Accessed September 1, 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." Isaac D. Bogert served as the first mayor of the borough.Burrow, Megan. "Mayors portrait project is complete", Pascack Valley Community Life, February 18, 2010. Accessed September 1, 2013. "Westwood Heritage Society member Jim Gines, who bears a striking resemblance to Westwood's first mayor, Isaac D. Bogert, said it was lucky that the older pictures were preserved so well." In April 1909, Westwood was enlarged through the annexation of the "Old Hook" section of the borough of Emerson,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. 314. New Jersey Law Journal Publishing Company, 1910. Accessed October 27, 2015. and on September 24, 1957, portions of the borough were exchanged with Emerson.
History The Lenni-Lenape Native Americans inhabited this part of the state and shared it with the transient hunters and trappers until the permanent settlers began to enter in mid-18th century.History, Borough of Westwood. Accessed October 10, 2019. In the early 19th century, the area that would later become Westwood was within the larger political boundaries of Harrington Township, which had been established by royal charter in 1775. In 1840, the western half of Harrington Township became Washington Township, with the Hackensack River as the dividing line. Washington Township was an agrarian region with isolated farmsteads. Early families, including the Hoppers and Ackermans, are buried at the Old Hook Cemetery. An 18th-century mill was situated at the dammed stream near the intersection of today's Mill Street and First Avenue. This mill was on an important east west pathway and was the first on Musquapsink Brook.Durie, Howard I. Bogert's Mill, Westwood; The Earliest Pascack Mill Site, 1990; pp. 8, 23. The mill was largely destroyed after a fire set by an arsonist and was dismantled in 1910.McCabe & Associates. Master Plan: Historic Preservation Element, Borough of Westwood, April 2007. Accessed October 10, 2019.
A brief description of Washington Township written in 1844 described it as a township with six stores, four schools for 135 students, six grist mills, and 14 saw mills.Barber, John W.; and Howe, Henry. Historical Collections of the State of New Jersey, (1844); p. 85
The first wave of concentrated development took place as the result of the coming of the Hackensack and New York Railroad in 1870, which followed the route of today's Pascack Valley Line. On March 5, 1870, service began between Westwood and New York City (via Jersey City and a ferry ride). Several small hotels were built near the depot, and in 1872 several houses in the latest European-influenced styles began to be built along Centre Avenue.Oettinger Jr., Joseph. Westwood Time Line 1861-1905, 2006. Old maps show that growth occurred simultaneously on the land both to the east and west of the tracks. The commercial buildings included lumber and coal sheds, stores, and a bakery. There was a chapel on the corner of Third and Park Avenues. The triangular park that has played an important role as a place of community gatherings is also shown on the 1876 map.Walker's 1876 Atlas of Bergen County
By the 1880s, Westwood had four factories, several distilleries, a new school, a laundry and grocery store, and a new Reformed Church. In 1890, following a meeting of interested residents, those favoring the incorporation of Westwood as an independent borough conducted a petition drive. In 1894, Westwood separated from Washington Township and became an independent borough. Elected as the borough's first mayor was Isaac D. Bogert.Rogers, Georgia and Knopf, Edward. History of Westwood, Bergen County and New Jersey (Westwood, NJ: The Westwood Press, Inc., 1942); p. 32
In 1899, a water plant constructed by Cornelius S. DeBraun provided service to the houses that had been built along the borough's newly laid streets. By the time of the 1905 New Jersey Census, there were 234 dwellings housing a population of 1,044.Meeker, Ellis R. New Jersey: A Historical, Commercial and Industrial Review. (Elizabeth, N.J.: Commonwealth Publishing Co., 1906).
Lincoln High School was constructed around the turn of the 20th century, which also saw the introduction of electricity, telephones, and automobiles to the town. Underwood & Underwood Stereoscope Company opened a plant during the first decades of the 20th century, and many congregations established their first chapels, which were replaced in later years as the congregations grew in numbers and wealth. Following a typical pattern of development throughout the 20th century, the results are a mature railroad suburb almost covered with housing units, commercial, municipal and ecclesiastical buildings. The borough still retains the open space of the triangular park at its center.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 2.30 square miles (5.95 km2), including 2.26 square miles (5.85 km2) of land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km2) of water (1.74%).
The borough borders the Bergen County municipalities of Emerson, Hillsdale, River Vale And Washington Township.Areas touching Westwood, MapIt. Accessed March 15, 2020.Bergen County Map of Municipalities, Bergen County, New Jersey. Accessed March 15, 2020.New Jersey Municipal Boundaries, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed November 15, 2019.
As of 2026, the borough is a member of Local Leaders for Responsible Planning in order to address the borough's Mount Laurel doctrine-based housing obligations.
Demographics
Racial and ethnic composition +Westwood borough, New Jersey – Racial and ethnic compositionRace / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 2000Pop 2010Pop 2020% 2000% 2010% 2020White alone (NH)9,1118,2457,86182.83%75.59%69.68%Black or African American alone (NH)6244664485.67%4.27%3.97%Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)10560.09%0.05%0.05%Asian alone (NH)4828029284.38%7.35%8.23%Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)1060.01%0.00%0.05%Other race alone (NH)205330.18%0.05%0.29%Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)911223490.83%1.12%3.09%Hispanic or Latino (any race)6601,2631,6516.00%11.58%14.63%Total10,99910,90811,282 100.00%100.00%100.00%
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, Westwood had a population of 11,282. The median age was 43.0 years; 20.4% of residents were under the age of 18 and 19.7% were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 90.4 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 89.1 males age 18 and over.
100.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.0% lived in rural areas.
There were 4,515 households in Westwood, of which 29.3% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 50.2% were married-couple households, 16.1% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 29.3% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 29.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 4,716 housing units, of which 4.3% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.4% and the rental vacancy rate was 4.9%.
2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 10,908 people, 4,438 households, and 2,858 families in the borough. The population density was . There were 4,636 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup was 82.98% (9,052) White, 4.62% (504) Black or African American, 0.31% (34) Native American, 7.38% (805) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 2.77% (302) from other races, and 1.93% (211) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.58% (1,263) of the population.
Of the 4,438 households, 29.1% had children under the age of 18; 52.0% were married couples living together; 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present and 35.6% were non-families. Of all households, 31.2% were made up of individuals and 14.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.11.
21.9% of the population were under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 27.5% from 25 to 44, 28.0% from 45 to 64, and 16.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.8 years. For every 100 females, the population had 92.7 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 88.8 males.
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $79,133 (with a margin of error of +/− $5,195) and the median family income was $107,966 (+/− $10,189). Males had a median income of $70,598 (+/− $14,566) versus $52,721 (+/− $10,753) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $40,839 (+/− $2,990). About 1.8% of families and 2.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.9% of those under age 18 and 4.7% of those age 65 or over.DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics from the 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates for Westwood borough, Bergen County, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed June 11, 2012.
Same-sex couples headed 21 households in 2010, an increase from the 19 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 15, 2014.
2000 census