Garfield is a city in Bergen County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the city's population was 32,655, an increase of 2,168 (+7.1%) from the 2010 census count of 30,487, which in turn reflected an increase of 701 (+2.4%) from the 29,786 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 Long the home of the Lenape, Native Americans, European settlement in the area that would become Garfield dates back to 1679, when Jacques Cortelyou acquired more than of land surrounding the Passaic River known as "Acqueyquinonke", that ran from the Saddle River to present day Glen Rock.

When the area that is now Garfield was first developed in 1873 with an initial group of seven homes constructed by Gilbert D. Bogart, it was known as East Passaic.About, City of Garfield. Accessed June 26, 2022. "Gilbert D. Bogart is often credited as having been the founder of 'modern day' Garfield. When seven houses were constructed in 1873 between Monroe Street and Van Winkle Avenue, the area became known as 'East Passaic'."

In 1881, the community's name was changed to Garfield in honor of President of the United States James Garfield.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. 198. United States Government Printing Office, 1905. Accessed August 31, 2015.Herman, Jennifer New Jersey Encyclopedia, p. 279. State History Publications, 2008. . Accessed August 31, 2015. There are two explanations given for the circumstances behind the renaming. According to one, shortly after Garfield was elected to the presidency the founder of East Passaic said, "tell everyone...don't speak of East Passaic anymore; call it 'Garfield' after the man who will lead this great country to prosperity." Seven months later, President Garfield was assassinated but his name remained with the community.Lanza, Howard D. Garfield, p. 10. Arcadia Publishing, 2002. . Accessed August 29, 2017. "On the fay following the inauguration of Pres. James A. Garfield, Bogart boasted, "Don't speak of East Passaic anymore, call it 'Garfield' after the man who will lead this great country to prosperity.'" The second theory holds that after Garfield's death in 1881, a new train station was named in his honor, which in turn led to the surrounding area becoming associated with his name as well.About, City of Garfield. Accessed September 9, 2025. "Gilbert D. Bogart is often credited as having been the founder of 'modern day' Garfield. When seven houses were constructed in 1873 between Monroe Street and Van Winkle Avenue, the area became known as 'East Passaic'....In 1881, a railroad shortcut, the Bergen County Railroad, was laid and a station built and called Garfield after President James A. Garfield who died that year."

Garfield was originally incorporated as a borough on March 15, 1898, from portions of Saddle River Township and Wallington. At the time, the New Jersey Legislature set Garfield's boundaries as they exist today. On April 19, 1917, the borough became the City of Garfield, based on the results of a referendum held two days earlier.Snyder, John P. The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 78. Accessed October 25, 2012.

Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the city had a total area of 2.19 square miles (5.67 km2), including 2.11 square miles (5.47 km2) of land and 0.08 square miles (0.21 km2) of water (3.65%).

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Belmont, Bogart Heights, Dundee Dam and Plauderville.Locality Search, State of New Jersey. Accessed May 21, 2015.

The city has land borders with adjacent Elmwood Park, Lodi, Saddle Brook and South Hackensack. The Saddle River is a shared border with Wallington. There are three bridges over the Passaic River crossing the municipal and county line to Passaic and Clifton in Passaic County.Areas touching Garfield, MapIt. Accessed March 25, 2020.Bergen County Map of Municipalities, Bergen County, New Jersey. Accessed March 25, 2020.New Jersey Municipal Boundaries, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed November 15, 2019.

Environment The United States Environmental Protection Agency has identified Garfield as the site of groundwater contaminated hexavalent chromium from a spill in 1983 at the E.C. Electroplating Corporation site. In 2016, the EPA announced a $37 million project to cleanup contamination at the site using Superfund money, as the company responsible for the spill of of chromic acid is no longer in business.Garfield Chromium Ground Water Contamination, United States Environmental Protection Agency, May 2014. Accessed August 29, 2017.Incidence of Selected Cancer Types in the Neighborhood near the Garfield Ground Water Contamination Site (a/k/a E.C. Electroplating Corporation), New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, October 17, 2011. Accessed August 29, 2017.Na, Myles. "EPA has $37M plan for North Jersey chromium cleanup, but no money", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, September 21, 2016. Accessed February 6, 2017. "The federal Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday finalized a plan to clean up groundwater contaminated with chromium from a former electroplating plant on Clark Street, though it still lacks the funds to pay finish it."

Demographics

Based on data from the 2011–2015 American Community Survey, the city had a median age of 35.4, the lowest median age in the county. Garfield was one of four municipalities with a median age below the national and state average of 37.6, and well below the median age of 41.5 in Bergen County."20 towns in Bergen County with the lowest median age", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, January 8, 2017. Accessed December 24, 2019. "Towns in Bergen County are comprised of people who have higher median ages than fellow New Jerseyans, the most recent Census data shows. There were only four towns in Bergen County with lower median ages than the national and state average of 37.6, according to figures from 2005 to 2009, compared to those from 2011 to 2015.... The youngest median age in the county was in Garfield. There was no change from pre-to post-Recession in terms of age."

The borough is also home to the architecturally prominent Russian Orthodox Church of Three Saints, which serves the growing Ukrainian American community in western Bergen County.Russian Orthodox Church of Three Saints, Garfield, NJ, Moscow Patriarchate, Patriarchal Parish in the USA.

Racial and ethnic composition +Garfield city, New Jersey – Racial and ethnic compositionRace / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 2000Pop 2010Pop 2020% 2000% 2010% 2020White alone (NH)21,56017,97216,39872.38%58.95%50.22%Black or African American alone (NH)7781,5641,6842.61%5.13%5.16%Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)4016480.13%0.05%0.15%Asian alone (NH)7876599852.64%2.16%3.02%Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)1230.00%0.01%0.01%Other race alone (NH)361042250.12%0.34%0.69%Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)5953405312.00%1.12%1.63%Hispanic or Latino (any race)5,9899,83012,78120.11%32.24%39.14%Total29,78630,48732,655 100.00%100.00%100.00%

2020 census As of the 2020 census, Garfield had a population of 32,655. The median age was 36.6 years. 22.7% of residents were under the age of 18 and 12.8% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 91.2 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 89.2 males age 18 and over.

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

There were 11,773 households in Garfield, of which 35.5% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 42.7% were married-couple households, 19.5% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 30.9% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 24.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 12,407 housing units, of which 5.1% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.4% and the rental vacancy rate was 3.8%.

+ Racial composition as of the 2020 census Race Number Percent White 18,231 55.8% Black or African American 2,029 6.2% American Indian and Alaska Native 273 0.8% Asian 1,039 3.2% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 13 0.0% Some other race 6,963 21.3% Two or more races 4,107 12.6% Hispanic or Latino (of any race) 12,781 39.1%

2010 census The 2010 United States census counted 30,487 people, 11,073 households, and 7,718 families in the city. The population density was . There were 11,788 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup was 76.73% (23,393) White, 6.50% (1,981) Black or African American, 0.43% (132) Native American, 2.22% (678) Asian, 0.01% (2) Pacific Islander, 10.85% (3,307) from other races, and 3.26% (994) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 32.24% (9,830) of the population.

Of the 11,073 households, 33.4% had children under the age of 18; 45.2% were married couples living together; 17.8% had a female householder with no husband present and 30.3% were non-families. Of all households, 24.7% were made up of individuals and 9.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.75 and the average family size was 3.29.

23.3% of the population were under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 30.9% from 25 to 44, 25.4% from 45 to 64, and 11.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35.5 years. For every 100 females, the population had 91.3 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 89.0 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $51,407 (with a margin of error of +/− $1,842) and the median family income was $56,701 (+/− $5,020). Males had a median income of $42,927 (+/− $1,953) versus $33,231 (+/− $3,471) for females. The per capita income for the city was $24,022 (+/− $1,348). About 9.8% of families and 13.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.0% of those under age 18 and 16.2% of ages 65 years or over., United States Census Bureau. Accessed January 3, 2012.

Same-sex couples headed 68 households in 2010.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 4, 2013. Accessed July 9, 2014

2000 census As of the 2000 United States census there were 29,786 people, 11,250 households, and 7,425 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 11,698 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 82.11% White, 2.98% African American, 0.33% Native American, 2.69% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 8.10% from other races, and 3.79% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 20.11% of the population.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Garfield city, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed March 5, 2013., United States Census Bureau. Accessed March 5, 2013.