Hawthorne is a borough in Passaic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 19,637, an increase of 846 (+4.5%) from the 2010 census count of 18,791, which in turn reflected an increase of 573 (+3.1%) from the 18,218 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.

Hawthorne was established by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 24, 1898.Snyder, John P. The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 209. Accessed May 28, 2024. The borough was created from parts of the now-defunct Manchester Township, which also consisted of present-day Haledon, North Haledon, Prospect Park, Totowa, and parts of Fair Lawn and Paterson. The borough was named for novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne.Hutchinson, Viola L. The Origin of New Jersey Place Names, New Jersey Public Library Commission, May 1945. Accessed August 31, 2015.Gannett, Henry. The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States, p. 152. United States Government Printing Office, 1905. Accessed August 31, 2015.

Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, Hawthorne borough had a total area of , including of land and of water (0.90%).

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the borough include Goffle, North Hawthorne and Van Winkle.Locality Search, State of New Jersey. Accessed May 21, 2015.

The borough borders North Haledon, Prospect Park, and Paterson in Passaic County; and Fair Lawn, Glen Rock, Ridgewood and Wyckoff in Bergen County.Areas touching Hawthorne, MapIt. Accessed August 14, 2015.Passaic County Park System , See Passaic County. Accessed February 24, 2020.New Jersey Municipal Boundaries, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed November 15, 2019.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Hawthorne had a population of 19,637. The median age was 41.7 years. 19.6% of residents were under the age of 18 and 17.5% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 92.4 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 89.3 males age 18 and over.

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

There were 7,624 households in Hawthorne, of which 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 49.3% were married-couple households, 16.7% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 28.1% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 26.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 7,946 housing units, of which 4.1% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.8% and the rental vacancy rate was 3.9%.

+ Racial composition as of the 2020 census Race Number Percent White 13,902 70.8% Black or African American 690 3.5% American Indian and Alaska Native 89 0.5% Asian 555 2.8% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 5 0.0% Some other race 2,021 10.3% Two or more races 2,375 12.1% Hispanic or Latino (of any race) 4,778 24.3%

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 18,791 people, 7,454 households, and 4,949 families in the borough. The population density was . There were 7,756 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup was 88.62% (16,652) White, 2.27% (426) Black or African American, 0.21% (40) Native American, 2.82% (530) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 4.28% (804) from other races, and 1.80% (339) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 15.42% (2,897) of the population.

Of the 7,454 households, 29.5% had children under the age of 18; 50.7% were married couples living together; 11.4% had a female householder with no husband present and 33.6% were non-families. Of all households, 27.6% were made up of individuals and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.12.

21.4% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 28.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.2 years. For every 100 females, the population had 92.7 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 89.4 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $72,985 (with a margin of error of +/− $6,585) and the median family income was $83,136 (+/− $7,364). Males had a median income of $64,906 (+/− $7,150) versus $44,641 (+/− $2,852) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $33,872 (+/− $1,921). About 4.9% of families and 7.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.4% of those under age 18 and 7.2% of those age 65 or over.DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics from the 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates for Hawthorne borough, Passaic County, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed August 15, 2012.

Same-sex couples headed 48 households in 2010, a 50% increase from the 32 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 December 1, 2014.

2000 census As of the 2000 United States census there were 18,218 people, 7,260 households, and 4,929 families residing in the borough. The population density was . There were 7,419 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the borough was 93.75% White, 0.75% African American, 0.14% Native American, 1.89% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.58% from other races, and 1.88% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.43% of the population.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Hawthorne borough, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed August 14, 2012.DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Hawthorne borough, Passaic County, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed August 14, 2012.

There were 7,260 households, out of which 28.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.1% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.1% were non-families. 26.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.07.

In the borough the population was spread out, with 21.8% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 33.5% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 15.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.7 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $55,340, and the median income for a family was $65,451. Males had a median income of $46,270 versus $33,277 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $26,551. About 2.6% of families and 3.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.0% of those under age 18 and 5.4% of those age 65 or over. Government

Local government

The Borough of Hawthorne is governed under the Faulkner Act, formally known as the Optional Municipal Charter Law, within the Mayor-Council system of municipal government.2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 151."Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey" , p. 10. Rutgers University Center for Government Studies. 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 is one of 71 municipalities (of the 564) 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. The governing body is comprised of the mayor and the seven-member borough council. A Charter Study Commission, formed in the 1980s after two major commercial businesses left the borough, led to a recommendation for the adoption of a mayor–council form in which there are four wards to give residents a representative in each area of the community, in addition to a mayor and two at-large members of the borough council, all of whom are directly elected by residents, with all members of the governing body serving four-year terms of office. After residents approved the commission's recommendations, the first election under the mayor–council form was held in 1989. The four ward seats are up for vote together and the three at-large seats and the mayoral position up for vote together two years later. All elections are held on a partisan basis as part of the November general election.Form of Government, Borough of Hawthorne. Accessed July 13, 2022. "Since 1990, the Borough of Hawthorne has operated under a Mayor - Council form of government, as authorized by the State of New Jersey's Faulkner Act (N.J.S.A. 40A: 69A-31 et seq), with a charter approved by the local voters. Under this form of government, similar in concept to our federal government, the Mayor and the Council are two separate but co-equal power centers.... All elected officials serve a term of four years. Municipal elections are held every two years on a partisan basis, with the terms of the Mayor and at-large council members overlapping those of the ward council representatives."History, Borough of Hawthorne. Accessed July 17, 2026. "In the mid 1980's, fueled by environmental concerns related to the departure of two large chemical companies, a movement began for a charter change. The work of a charter study commission culminated in a vote to adopt the mayor/council form. This created four wards to give residents a representative in each area of the community and the right to directly elect their mayor. The first election under the mayor/council form was held in 1989."

, the Mayor of the Borough of Hawthorne is Republican John V. Lane, whose term of office ends December 31, 2025.Mayor, Borough of Hawthorne. Accessed July 13, 2022. "July 13, 2022" Members of the Hawthorne Borough Council are Council President Frank E. Matthews (R, Ward 4, 2023),, Council Vice President Michael Sciarra (R, Ward 3, 2027), Bruce A. Bennett (R, at-large, 2029), Rayna Laiosa (R, Ward 2, 2027), Dominic Mele (R, at-large, 2029), Ann Marie Sasso (R, at-large, 2029) and Joseph R. Wojtecki (D, Ward 1, 2027).Borough Council, Borough of Hawthorne. Accessed July 17, 2026. "Council members are elected for four-year terms, with those of the ward members overlapping those of the at-large members."2026 Municipal Data Sheet, Borough of Hawthorne. Accessed July 17, 2026.Passaic County 2026 Directory, Passaic County, New Jersey. Accessed July 1, 2026.2025 General Election November 4, 2025 Official Results, Passaic County, New Jersey, December 1, 2025. Accessed January 1, 2026.2024 General Election November 5, 2024 Official Results, Passaic County, New Jersey, November 26, 2024. Accessed January 1, 2025.2023 General Election November 7, 2023 Official Results, Passaic County, New Jersey, November 29, 2023. Accessed January 1, 2024.