Little Silver is a borough in Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 6,131, an increase of 181 (+3.0%) from the 2010 census count of 5,950, which in turn reflected a drop of 220 (−3.6%) from the 6,170 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.

Little Silver was established with a King's land grant in 1663 and settled in 1667. Little Silver was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 19, 1923, from portions of Shrewsbury Township, based on the results of a referendum held on April 28, 1923.Snyder, John P. The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606–1968, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 181. Accessed May 29, 2024.

History Prior to the settlement of Europeans, the area that is now Little Silver was inhabited by the Navesink Native Americans.

There are several tales of how Little Silver received its name. In one, brothers Joseph and Peter Parker, who settled in this area in 1667 and owned land bounded by Parker's Creek on the south and Little Silver Creek on the north, named their holdings "Little Silver" after their father's (George Parker) estate in Portsmouth, Rhode Island.Goodnough, Abby. "If You're Thinking of Living in/Little Silver; Life on a Peninsula Near Sandy Hook", The New York Times, October 17, 1993. Accessed July 18, 2012. "Little Silver was settled in 1667 by Joseph and Peter Parker, who named their property for their father's Portsmouth, R.I., estate." The original Parker Homestead, dating to 1725 and one of the state's oldest, was acquired by the borough and is undergoing renovation.Jackson, Kimberley L. "NJ's oldest home? Parker Homestead in Little Silver predates founding of U.S.", The Star-Ledger, February 20, 2014. Accessed September 3, 2015. "A stately white sign near the house at 235 Rumson Road in Little Silver proclaims that it is a National Historic Site where there is 'Preservation in Progress'.... Parker was a descendant of some of the earliest English settlers in New Jersey, and her house, believed to have been built in 1725, is one of the state's oldest dwellings."

Other explanations for the derivation of the name are the payment to Native Americans for purchase of the land and the placid appearance of the water.Hutchinson, Viola L. The Origin of New Jersey Place Names, New Jersey Public Library Commission, May 1945. Accessed September 3, 2015.

The borough's earliest European residents were primarily farmers, fishermen and merchants.

Early families included: Parkers – Joseph and Peter Parker originally settled the area, and their original homestead at 235 Rumson Road has been declared a state historic site. Sickles – Harold and Elsie Sickles acquired land and opened a wholesale truck farm in 1908. The land was acquired from Harold's mother who was related to the Parkers. Transitioning from seasonal to year-round in 1998, Sickles Market became a specialty garden and food market until it closed in March 2024 after 116 years.Donohue, Brian; Ward, John T. "LITTLE SILVER: SICKLES MARKET CLOSES", Red Bank Green, March 11, 2024. Accessed March 26, 2024. "Sickles Market in Little Silver closed Monday, shocking customers of the grocer that began life as a farm market 116 years ago." Lovett – John T. Lovett owned a nursery that once covered almost half the borough, supplying large catalog houses such as Sears Roebuck, Macy's and Newberry's. In 1878 he circulated a petition to the community recommending that the name be revised and on July 30, 1879, the Post Office name was changed from "Parkersville" to "Little Silver".Staff. https://www.newspapers.com/article/asbury-park-press-little-silver-oceanp/164510788/ "Little Silver & Oceanport: A brief history"], Asbury Park Press, February 20, 2003. Accessed February 2, 2025, via Newspapers.com. July 30, 1879: The Post Office name of 'Parkerville' is changed to 'Little Silver.'

The borough has had a varied history as a resort, agricultural area and fishing town. Today, the municipality is primarily residential with a range of housing types, from ranches and capes.

Little Silver separated from Shrewsbury Township in 1923. Since then, farms and nurseries have been replaced by housing. Over the years, New York City and North Jersey commuters have made Little Silver their home, traveling by rail or auto to their jobs. The Little Silver train station on Sycamore Avenue was designed by the noted American architect Henry Hobson Richardson and built in 1890. It reopened after renovations in 2003.

Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 3.32 square miles (8.60 km2), including 2.71 square miles (7.02 km2) of land and 0.61 square miles (1.57 km2) of water (18.28%).

The original farms and nurseries have almost all been replaced by housing today. Little Silver's location on the Shrewsbury River makes it a popular destination for boaters and water sports enthusiasts, with a public boat ramp at the Dominick F. Santelle Park off Riverview Avenue. Approximately 8% of the homes are directly on the Shrewsbury River and another third of homes are on streams that connect to it.Cheslow, Jerry. "If You're Thinking of Living In/Little Silver, N.J.; Riverfront Borough That Prizes Stability", The New York Times, September 2, 2001. Accessed August 6, 2012. "According to Mayor Castleman, 8 percent of Little Silver's homes are on the Shrewsbury River and another 35 percent are along its stream corridors. From Seven Bridges Road, which spans the river and its tributaries in seven places, private docks are visible behind waterfront houses. For residents without private access to the river, the borough provides a boat ramp, at no cost, in Dominick F. Santelle Park off Riverview Avenue."

The borough borders the Monmouth County boroughs of Fair Haven, Monmouth Beach, Oceanport, Red Bank, Rumson and Shrewsbury.Areas touching Little Silver, MapIt. Accessed February 25, 2020.Regional Location Map, Monmouth County, New Jersey. Accessed February 25, 2020.New Jersey Municipal Boundaries, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed November 15, 2019.

Little Silver Point is an unincorporated community located within Little Silver.

Demographics

2020 census As of the 2020 census, Little Silver had a population of 6,131. The median age was 45.0 years. 25.2% of residents were under the age of 18 and 20.1% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 92.9 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 90.5 males age 18 and over.

100.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.0% lived in rural areas.

There were 2,196 households in Little Silver, of which 38.7% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 68.2% were married-couple households, 7.4% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 21.6% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 17.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 2,323 housing units, of which 5.5% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.0% and the rental vacancy rate was 6.7%.

+ Racial composition as of the 2020 census Race Number Percent White 5,583 91.1% Black or African American 25 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native 3 0.0% Asian 141 2.3% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 1 0.0% Some other race 39 0.6% Two or more races 339 5.5% Hispanic or Latino (of any race) 261 4.3%

2010 census The 2010 United States census counted 5,950 people, 2,146 households, and 1,689 families in the borough. The population density was 2,197.3 per square mile (848.4/km2). There were 2,278 housing units at an average density of 841.3 per square mile (324.8/km2). The racial makeup was 96.42% (5,737) White, 0.29% (17) Black or African American, 0.10% (6) Native American, 1.75% (104) Asian, 0.13% (8) Pacific Islander, 0.17% (10) from other races, and 1.14% (68) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.01% (179) of the population.

Of the 2,146 households, 37.3% had children under the age of 18; 68.4% were married couples living together; 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present and 21.3% were non-families. Of all households, 18.5% were made up of individuals and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.18.

27.9% of the population were under the age of 18, 5.1% from 18 to 24, 19.0% from 25 to 44, 32.3% from 45 to 64, and 15.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.8 years. For every 100 females, the population had 92.1 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 85.4 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $144,299 (with a margin of error of +/− $23,666) and the median family income was $167,659 (+/− $28,090). Males had a median income of $126,556 (+/− $27,434) versus $71,667 (+/− $13,832) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $66,069 (+/− $8,285). About 1.7% of families and 2.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.7% of those under age 18 and 1.7% of those age 65 or over.DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics from the 2006–2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates for Little Silver borough, Monmouth County, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed July 18, 2012.

2000 census As of the 2000 United States census, there were 6,170 people, 2,232 households, and 1,810 families residing in the borough. The population density was . There were 2,288 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the borough was 97.15% White, 0.31% African American, 0.16% Native American, 1.51% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.19% from other races, and 0.66% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.31% of the population.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Little Silver borough, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed July 18, 2012.DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 – Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Little Silver borough, Monmouth County, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed July 18, 2012.

There were 2,232 households, out of which 37.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 72.5% were married couples living together, 7.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.9% were non-families. 16.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.76 and the average family size was 3.13.

In the borough the population was spread out, with 27.4% under the age of 18, 4.2% from 18 to 24, 25.0% from 25 to 44, 27.7% from 45 to 64, and 15.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.0 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $94,094, and the median income for a family was $104,033. Males had a median income of $90,941 versus $45,938 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $46,798. About 0.4% of families and 0.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 0.8% of those age 65 or over. Government

Local government