Irvington, New Jersey

Irvington is a township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township had a total population of 53,926,  having declined by 6,769 (-11.2%) from the 60,695 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn declined by 323 (-0.5%) from the 61,018 counted in the 1990 Census.

Geography
Irvington is located at 40.72386°N, -74.23252°W (40.72386,-74.232517). According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 2.930 square miles (7.589 km2), of which, 2.928 square miles (7.584 km2) of it is land and 0.002 square miles (0.005 km2) of it (0.07%) is water.

The township is bordered by Maplewood to the west, Newark to the east, Hillside to the south, South Orange to the northwest, and Union  to the southwest.

2010 Census
The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $42,580, and the median family income was $50,798. Males had a median income of $38,033 versus $36,720 for females. The per capita income for the township was $20,520. About 14.4% of families and 16.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.4% of those under age 18 and 16.7% of those age 65 or over.

2000 Census
As of the 2000 United States Census there were 60,695 people, 22,032 households, and 14,408 families residing in the township. The population density was 20,528.3 people per square mile (7,917.1/km2). There were 24,116 housing units at an average density of 8,156.5 per square mile (3,145.7/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 81.66% Black or African American, 8.97% White, 0.24% Native American, 1.10% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 3.68% from other races, and 4.24% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.38% of the population.

As part of the 2000 Census, 81.66% of Irvington's residents identified themselves as being Black or African American. This was one of the highest percentages of African American people in the United States, and the third-highest in New Jersey (behind Lawnside at 93.6%, and East Orange at 89.46%) of all places with 1,000 or more residents identifying their ancestry.

There were 22,032 households out of which 33.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 30.2% were married couples living together, 27.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.6% were non-families. 29.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.39.

In the township the population was spread out with 28.0% under the age of 18, 10.7% from 18 to 24, 32.3% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 7.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 87.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.5 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $36,575, and the median income for a family was $41,098. Males had a median income of $32,043 versus $27,244 for females. The per capita income for the township was $16,874. About 15.8% of families and 17.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.9% of those under age 18 and 12.2% of those age 65 or over.

Crime
Irvington experienced the crack epidemic of the 1980s and has struggled with its aftermath. The township's violent crime rate has been six times higher than New Jersey overall and the murder rate eight times higher than statewide statistics. , the New Jersey State Police reported that Irvington had a violent crime rate of 22.4 incidents per 1,000 population, the highest of all 15 major urban areas in the state.

History
Clinton Township, which included what is now Irvington, Maplewood and parts of Newark and South Orange, was created on April 14, 1834. The area was known as Camptown until the mid-1800s. In 1850, after Stephen Foster published his ballad, Camptown Races, residents were concerned that the activities described in the song would be associated with their community. The town was renamed, Irvingtown, in honor of Washington Irving.

Irvington was incorporated as an independent village on March 27, 1874, from portions of Clinton Township. What remained of Clinton Township was absorbed into Newark on March 5, 1902. On March 2, 1898, Irvington was incorporated as a Town, replacing Irvington Village. Laws approved in Trenton in both 1903 and 1908 that would have annexed Irvington to Newark were rejected by local voters.

The 1967 Newark riots hastened an exodus of families from that city, many of them moving the few short blocks to Irvington. Until 1965, Irvington was almost exclusively white. By 1980, the town was nearly 40% black, by 1990 it was 70%. On July 1, 1980, Fred Bost, the first black to serve on the Town Council, was sworn in as East Ward Councilman. Michael G. Steele, the town's first black mayor, was elected in 1990, followed by Sara B. Bost in 1994. The current Mayor is Wayne Smith.

Local government
Irvington is governed under the Faulkner Act (Mayor-Council) form of municipal government. The mayor and the seven-member council are elected in non-partisan elections held every other year on the second Tuesday in May to four-year terms of office. The mayor and the three at-large seats are elected together and two years later the four ward seats are elected. The council selects a president, first vice president and second vice president from among its members at a reorganization meeting held after each election. The council is the legislative body of the township and needs a ⅔ majority to make changes to the budget submitted by the mayor. The mayor is the township's chief executive and is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations and submitting a budget, but is not eligible to vote on the council and is not required to attend its meetings.

, the mayor of Irvington is Wayne Smith, whose term of office ends June 30, 2014. Members of the Township Council are Council President D. Bilal Beasley (At-Large; 2014), Vice President Andrea C. McElroy (At-Large; 2014), Charnette Federic (West Ward; 2016), Paul Inman (East Ward; 2016), Lebby C. Jones (At-Large; 2014), Sandra R. Jones (South Ward; 2016) and David Lyons (North Ward; 2016).

Federal, state and county representation
Irvington is located in the 10th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 28th state legislative district.

Politics
As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 28,545 registered voters in Irvington, of which 14,694 (51.5%) were registered as Democrats, 404 (1.4%) were registered as Republicans and 13,442 (47.1%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 5 voters registered to other parties.

In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 96.9% of the vote here (18,923 cast), ahead of Republican John McCain with 2.5% (493 votes) and other candidates with 0.1% (29 votes), among the 19,533 ballots cast by the township's 28,879 registered voters, for a turnout of 67.6%. In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 91.8% of the vote here (14,885 ballots cast), outpolling Republican George W. Bush with 7.3% (1,189 votes) and other candidates with 0.3% (80 votes), among the 16,211 ballots cast by the township's 26,594 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 61.0.

In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 93.2% of the vote here (9,218 ballots cast), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 4.6% (459 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 0.9% (93 votes) and other candidates with 0.7% (66 votes), among the 9,894 ballots cast by the township's 28,189 registered voters, yielding a 35.1% turnout.

Education
The Irvington Public Schools serve students in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. The district is one of 31 Abbott districts statewide, which are now referred to as "SDA Districts" based on the requirement for the state to cover all costs for school building and renovation projects in these districts under the supervision of the New Jersey Schools Development Authority.

As of the 2010–11 school year, the district's 12 schools had an enrollment of 8,695 students. Schools in the district (with 2010–11 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics ) are Augusta Preschool Academy (prekindergarten; 324 students), eight elementary schools — Berkeley Terrace School (K–5; 465), Chancellor Avenue School (PreK–5; 453), Florence Avenue School (K–5; 545), Grove Street School (PreK–5; 367), Madison Avenue School (K–5; 301), Thurgood G. Marshall School (PreK–5; 456), Mount Vernon Avenue School (PreK–5; 666) and University Elementary School (K–5; 553) — along with Union Avenue Middle School (6–8; 806), University Middle School (6–8; 753) and Irvington High School (9–12; 1,465). The district's high school was the 309th-ranked public high school in New Jersey out of 328 schools statewide in New Jersey Monthly magazine's September 2012 cover story on the state's "Top Public High Schools", after being ranked 287th in 2010 out of 322 schools listed.

Commerce
Portions of Irvington are part of an Urban Enterprise Zone. In addition to other benefits to encourage employment within the Zone, shoppers can take advantage of a reduced 3½% sales tax rate (versus the 7% rate charged statewide) at eligible merchants.

Transportation
The Irvington Bus Terminal, which underwent renovation in the early 2000s, is one of New Jersey Transit's (NJT) busiest facilities and regional transit hubs. Irvington is served by NJT bus routes 107 to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan; the 1, 13, 25, 27, 37, 39, 42, 70, 90 and 94 to Newark; and local service on the 26, 96 and routes.

Scheduled airline service is available at Newark Liberty International Airport in neighboring Newark and Elizabeth.

Taxi service is provided primarily by Red Top Taxi and Irvington Cab, the two largest cab companies in the community. Numerous smaller companies (often "gypsy cabs") are also available.

Local roads include County Road 509 and Route 124. Major highways include Interstate 78 which passes through very briefly along the southeastern border at Exit 54. The Garden State Parkway also runs through the center and is accessible from Exit 143 and Exit 144.

Notable people
Notable current and former residents of Irvington include:
 * Paul Boris (born 1955), former pitcher for the Minnesota Twins.
 * Austin Gunsel (1909–1974), National Football League's interim commissioner following the death of Bert Bell on October 11, 1959.
 * James J. Howard (1927–1988), represented New Jersey's 3rd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1965–1988.
 * Kareem Huggins (born 1986) running back for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
 * Cullen Jones (born 1984), Gold Medalist swimmer at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing in the Men's 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay.
 * Queen Latifah (born 1970), rapper, singer, actress, producer.
 * Jerry Lewis (born 1926), comedian, actor, director.
 * Joe Morello (1928–2011), drummer best known for his work with The Dave Brubeck Quartet.
 * Raheem Morris (born 1976), former head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
 * Sybil Moses (c. 1939–2009), prosecutor of the "Dr. X" Mario Jascalevich murder case and New Jersey Superior Court judge.
 * Blanche Noyes (1900–1981), pioneering female aviator who was among the first ten women to receive a pilot's license.
 * Robert Randolph, singer and guitarist for Robert Randolph & the Family band.
 * Mark Rudd (born 1947), educator and anti-war activist.
 * Artie Schroeck (born 1938), composer and arranger.