Union Township is a township in Union County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. In the 18th century, the area that is now Union was then called Connecticut Farms. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 59,728, an increase of 3,086 (+5.4%) from the 2010 census count of 56,642, which in turn reflected an increase of 2,237 (+4.1%) from the 54,405 counted in the 2000 census.

History

Settled in 1667, Union was the third English speaking settlement in New Jersey after Elizabeth and Newark, with the area that is now Union then called Connecticut Farms.

Union Township was the site of the Battle of Connecticut Farms. On June 6, 1780, British troops, led by Hessian General Wilhelm von Knyphausen, boarded boats on Staten Island bound for Elizabeth, New Jersey. At midnight, 5,000 troops started to land. They expected the Continental Army to give little resistance, believing that they were tired of the war and were poorly fed and paid. They also expected the citizens of New Jersey to welcome them. They were wrong on both counts and were unable to make their way to and through the Hobart Gap.

Union Township was incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on November 23, 1808, from portions of Elizabeth Township, while the area was still part of Essex County. It became part of the newly formed Union County on March 19, 1857. Portions of the township have been taken to form Linden Township (March 4, 1861), Roselle Park, (March 22, 1901), Kenilworth (May 13, 1907) and Hillside (April 3, 1913). In 1946, a group of residents pushed for the township's name to be changed to "Connecticut Farms", citing the potential benefits to area residents and businesses from the broad awareness of the historical significance of the name.

The Self-Master Colony was a private experiment in housing the homeless; built on the Hoyt family mansion in Union Township in 1908. The colony was founded by Andress Small Floyd and his wife Lillian, lasting until 1938.

Geography

The Township of Union is located on the northern edge of Union County and is bordered by eight municipalities: Hillside to the east, Elizabeth to the southeast, Roselle Park and Kenilworth to the south and Springfield Township to the west. Northwest of the township lies Millburn, to the north lies Maplewood and to the northeast lies Irvington, all in Essex County.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 9.08 square miles (23.52 km), including 9.05 square miles (23.44 km) of land and 0.03 square miles (0.08 km) of water (0.35%).

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Battle Hill, Connecticut Farms, Galloping Hill, Headlentown, Putnam Manor, Salem, Townley and Vauxhall.

Neighborhoods

• Five Points, area around the junction of Galloping Hill Road, Chestnut Street, Salem Road, Delaware Avenue, Walton Avenue, and Tucker Avenue.
• Brookside Heights (Curryville), west of Vauxhall Road.
• Vauxhall, area of Union north of I-78 and west of Stuyvesant Avenue, with its own ZIP code 07088.
• Union Center, area around the intersection of Morris and Stuyvesant Avenues.
• Putnam Ridge, a section between Suburban Road, Morris Avenue, Twin Oaks Road, and Colonial Avenue.
• Putnam Manor, an historic section between Colonial Avenue and Salem Road.
• Orchard Park
• Parkside Manor, a three-road section off of Union Terrace.
• Larchmont Estates, area bordered by Larchmont Reservation (NW and NE edges), Morris Avenue (SW), Liberty Avenue (SE), and Joe Collins Park/Larchmont Reservation (NE edge).
• Battle Hill, area served by Battle Hill Elementary School in west Union, bordered by Rahway River (W edge), Morris Avenue (N), the west branch of the Elizabeth River (E), and Route 22 (S).
• Green Lane, new community between Kean University and Union Station.
• Fairway Drive, community bordering the Galloping Hill Golf Course.
• Rich Creek, the neighborhood of Richard Terrace

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1810	1,428		—
1820	1,567		9.7%
1830	1,409		−10.1%
1840	1,482		5.2%
1850	1,662		12.1%
1860	1,812		9.0%
1870	2,314	*	27.7%
1880	2,418		4.5%
1890	2,846		17.7%
1900	4,315		51.6%
1910	3,419	*	−20.8%
1920	3,962	*	15.9%
1930	16,472		315.7%
1940	24,730		50.1%
1950	38,004		53.7%
1960	51,499		35.5%
1970	53,077		3.1%
1980	50,184		−5.5%
1990	50,024		−0.3%
2000	54,405		8.8%
2010	56,642		4.1%
2020	59,728		5.4%
2023 (est.)	60,676		1.6%
Population sources: 1810–1920 1840 1850–1870 1850 1870 1880–1890 1890–1910 1910–1930 1940–2000 2000 2010 2020 * = Lost territory in previous decade.

2020 census

Union Township, Union County, New Jersey – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.

Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)	Pop 1990	Pop 2000	Pop 2010	Pop 2020	% 1990	% 2000	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	41,466	33,661	24,973	19,146	82.89%	61.87%	44.09%	32.06%
Black or African American alone (NH)	4,607	10,563	15,979	19,296	9.21%	19.42%	28.21%	32.31%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	49	65	44	68	0.10%	0.12%	0.08%	0.11%
Asian alone (NH)	1,629	4,191	5,959	6,472	3.26%	7.70%	10.52%	10.84%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	N/A	9	20	13	N/A	0.02%	0.04%	0.02%
Some Other Race alone (NH)	34	107	333	766	0.07%	0.20%	0.59%	1.28%
Mixed Race or Multi-Racial (NH)	N/A	948	869	2,068	N/A	1.74%	1.53%	3.46%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	2,239	4,861	8,465	11,899	4.48%	8.93%	14.94%	19.92%
Total	50,024	54,405	56,642	59,728	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 56,642 people, 19,556 households, and 14,276 families in the township. The population density was 6,244.3 per square mile (2,410.9/km). There were 20,250 housing units at an average density of 2,232.4 per square mile (861.9/km). The racial makeup was 53.78% (30,464) White, 28.98% (16,417) Black or African American, 0.14% (80) Native American, 10.60% (6,003) Asian, 0.04% (24) Pacific Islander, 4.06% (2,297) from other races, and 2.40% (1,357) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 14.94% (8,465) of the population.

Of the 19,556 households, 31.6% had children under the age of 18; 53.7% were married couples living together; 14.4% had a female householder with no husband present and 27.0% were non-families. Of all households, 23.0% were made up of individuals and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.82 and the average family size was 3.35.

21.1% of the population were under the age of 18, 10.7% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 28.2% from 45 to 64, and 14.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.6 years. For every 100 females, the population had 89.7 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 85.6 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $73,722 (with a margin of error of +/− $4,858) and the median family income was $86,705 (+/− $3,822). Males had a median income of $54,811 (+/− $1,998) versus $47,144 (+/− $2,316) for females. The per capita income for the township was $31,135 (+/− $1,104). About 3.7% of families and 4.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.7% of those under age 18 and 5.6% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States census of 2000, there were 54,405 people, 19,534 households, and 14,162 families residing in the township. The population density was 5,968.1 inhabitants per square mile (2,304.3/km). There were 20,001 housing units at an average density of 2,194.1 per square mile (847.1/km). An example of a diverse municipality in the United States, the racial makeup of the township was 67.66% White, 19.76% African American, 0.15% Native American, 7.72% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 2.44% from other races, and 2.24% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.93% of the population.

There were 19,534 households, out of which 32.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.5% were married couples living together, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.5% were non-families. 23.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.25.

In the township the population was spread out, with 22.3% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 17.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.2 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $59,173, and the median income for a family was $68,707. Males had a median income of $45,299 versus $35,604 for females. The per capita income for the township was $24,768. About 3.0% of families and 4.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.6% of those under age 18 and 5.5% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

Union Township is governed under the Township form of New Jersey municipal government, one of 141 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this form, the second-most commonly used form of government in the state. The Township Committee is comprised of five members, who are elected directly by the voters at-large in partisan elections to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats coming up for election each year as part of the November general election in a three-year cycle. At an annual reorganization meeting, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor. The Mayor, in addition to voting as a member of the Township Committee, presides over the meetings of the committee and carries out ceremonial duties.

As of 2024, members of the Union Township Committee are Mayor Manuel T. Figueiredo (D, term on committee ends December 31, 2024; term as mayor ends 2024), Deputy Mayor Joseph Florio (D, term on committee ends December 31, 2026; term as deputy mayor ends 2024), James Bowser, Jr. (D, 2025), Patricia Guerra-Frazier (D, 2025; appointed to serve an unexpired term through 2024 election), and Sandra Terrell (D, 2024; appointed to serve an unexpired term).

On March 26, 2024, Sandra Terrell was appointed to the Township Committee to fill the seat held by James Louis, who resigned on March 13 for personal reasons. Louis had been appointed on December 5, 2023 to fill the seat held by Michele Delisfort, who resigned on November 21 following her election as Union County commissioner.

On December 19, 2023, Patricia Guerra-Frazier was appointed to the Township Committee to fill the seat held by Suzette Cavadas, who resigned on December 12 for personal reasons.

Mayors of Union

#	Mayor	Years in Office	Party	Terms	Notes
1	John Leonard	1879–1883		1–4	First term
2	James A. Burnett	1884–1885		5–6
3	John Leonard	1886		7	Second term
4	James B. Woodruff	1887–1891		8–12	Five consecutive terms
5	John Tunison	1892–1893		13–14	Two consecutive terms
6	Daniel H. Beach	1894–1895		15–16	Two consecutive terms
7	William P. Bonnell	1896		17
8	John H. Doremus	1897		18	First term
9	Daniel H. Beach	1898		19	Third term
10	William A. Bainbridge	1899		20
11	John H. Doremus	1900		21	Second term
12	Daniel H. Beach	1901		22	Fourth term
13	John H. Doremus	1902–1903		23–24	Third and fourth terms
14	Walter A. Miller	1904–1905		25–26	Two consecutive terms
15	Daniel B. Wade	1906		25	First term
16	John H. Doremus	1907		26	Fourth term
17	Daniel H. Beach	1908		27
18	Daniel B. Wade	1909		28
19	Gottlieb Schnabel	1910		29
20	Daniel H. Beach	1911		30
21	Howard B. Kline	1912		31
22	Gottlieb Schnabel	1913		32
22	Daniel H. Beach	1914		33
23	Cornelius E. Blanchard	1915		34
24	George A. Bashford	1916		35
25	Daniel H. Beach	1917		36
26	Harry Schmitt	1918		37
27	George A. Bashford	1919		38
28	Daniel H. Beach	1920–1921		39–40	Two consecutive terms
29	George A. Bashford	1922		41
30	Ambrose B. Kline	1923		42
31	Charles W. Mink	1924–1926		43–45	Three consecutive terms
32	Ambrose B. Kline	1927–1928		46–47	Two consecutive terms
33	Gustav Hummel Jr.	1929–1931		48–50	Three consecutive terms
34	Max A. Schoenwalder	1932–1933		51–52	Two consecutive terms
35	Charles Schramm	1934–1939		53–58	Six consecutive terms. Resigned in 1939
36	Fred Edward Biertuempfel	1939–1973	Republican	59–93	Thirty-four consecutive terms.
37	Samuel Rabkin	1973	Republican	93	Finished Biertuempfel's term. Rabkin Field named after him
38	Anthony E. Russo	1974	Democrat	94
39	James C. Conlon	1975	Republican	95
40	John S. Zimmerman	1976	Democrat	96
41	Edward Goodkin	1977	Republican	97
42	James C. Conlon	1978–1980	Democrat	98–99	Two consecutive terms
43	Edward Weber	1981	Democrat	100
44	James C. Conlon	1982	Republican	101
45	Anthony E. Russo	1983–1985	Democrat	102-104
48	Michael T. Bono	1986	Democrat	105
49	Diane Heelan	1987	Republican	106	Union's first female mayor
50	Anthony E. Russo	1988–1993	Democrat	107
56	Jerome Petti	1994	Democrat	113
57	Greg Muller	1995	Republican	114
58	Jerome Petti	1996	Democrat	115
59	Greg Muller	1997	Republican	116
60	Anthony L. Terrezza	1998–1999	Democrat	117–118	Two consecutive terms
61	Joseph Florio	2000	Democrat	119
62	Peter A. Capodice	2001	Democrat	120
63	Patrick Scanlon	2002	Democrat	121
64	Brenda C. Restivo	2003	Democrat	122
65	Anthony L. Terrezza	2004	Democrat	123
66	Joseph Florio	2005	Democrat	124
67	Peter A. Capodice	2006	Democrat	125
68	Brenda C. Restivo	2007	Democrat	126	Second term
69	Clifton People Jr.	2008	Democrat	127	Union's first African-American mayor
70	Anthony L. Terrezza	2009–2010	Democrat	128–129	Two consecutive terms
71	Joseph Florio	2011–2012	Democrat	130–131	Two consecutive terms. Second & third terms as mayor
72	Clifton People Jr.	2013–2014	Democrat	132–133	Two consecutive terms. Second & third terms as mayor
73	Manuel T. Figueiredo	2015–2016	Democrat	134–135	Two consecutive terms
74	Suzette Cavadas	2017–2018	Democrat	136
75	Michèle S. Delisfort	2019–2021	Democrat	137–139	Three consecutive terms
76	Manuel T. Figueiredo	2022–Present	Democrat	140

Federal, state, and county representation

Union Township is in the 10th Congressional Districts and is part of New Jersey's 20th state legislative district.

Prior to the 2010 Census, Union Township had been split between the 7th and 10th Congressional Districts with different boundaries, a change made by the New Jersey Redistricting Commission that took effect in January 2013, based on the results of the November 2012 general elections. The redistricting plan that took effect in 2013 placed 31,611 residents living in the central and western portions of the township into the 7th District, while 25,031 residents in a semicircle that runs along the northern, eastern and southern borders of the township were placed into the 10th District.

For the 118th United States Congress, New Jersey's 10th congressional district is represented by Donald Payne Jr. (D, Newark). New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Democrats Cory Booker (Newark, term ends 2027) and Bob Menendez (Englewood Cliffs, term ends 2025).

For the 2024-2025 session, the 20th legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Joseph Cryan (D, Union Township) and in the General Assembly by Reginald Atkins (D, Roselle) and Annette Quijano (D, Elizabeth).

Union County is governed by a Board of County Commissioners, whose nine members are elected at-large to three-year terms of office on a staggered basis with three seats coming up for election each year, with an appointed County Manager overseeing the day-to-day operations of the county. At an annual reorganization meeting held in the beginning of January, the board selects a Chair and Vice Chair from among its members. As of 2024, Union County's County Commissioners are:

Rebecca Williams (D, Plainfield, 2025), Joesph Bodek (D, Linden, 2026), James E. Baker Jr. (D, Rahway, 2024), Michele Delisfort (D, Union Township, 2026), Sergio Granados (D, Elizabeth, 2025), Bette Jane Kowalski (D, Cranford, 2025), Vice Chair Lourdes M. Leon (D, Elizabeth, 2026), Alexander Mirabella (D, Fanwood, 2024) and Chair Kimberly Palmieri-Mouded (D, Westfield, 2024).

Constitutional officers elected on a countywide basis are: Clerk Joanne Rajoppi (D, Union Township, 2025), Sheriff Peter Corvelli (D, Kenilworth, 2026) and Surrogate Christopher E. Hudak (D, Clark, 2027).

Politics

As of March 2011, there were a total of 31,155 registered voters in Union Township, of which 12,061 (38.7% vs. 41.8% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 3,928 (12.6% vs. 15.3%) were registered as Republicans and 15,157 (48.7% vs. 42.9%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 9 voters registered to other parties. Among the township's 2010 Census population, 55.0% (vs. 53.3% in Union County) were registered to vote, including 69.7% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 70.6% countywide).

In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 16,423 votes (70.7% vs. 66.0% countywide), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 6,464 votes (27.8% vs. 32.3%) and other candidates with 155 votes (0.7% vs. 0.8%), among the 23,235 ballots cast by the township's 33,589 registered voters, for a turnout of 69.2% (vs. 68.8% in Union County). In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 15,625 votes (63.8% vs. 63.1% countywide), ahead of Republican John McCain with 8,462 votes (34.5% vs. 35.2%) and other candidates with 189 votes (0.8% vs. 0.9%), among the 24,505 ballots cast by the township's 32,622 registered voters, for a turnout of 75.1% (vs. 74.7% in Union County). In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 12,751 votes (57.9% vs. 58.3% countywide), ahead of Republican George W. Bush with 8,987 votes (40.8% vs. 40.3%) and other candidates with 174 votes (0.8% vs. 0.7%), among the 22,013 ballots cast by the township's 30,383 registered voters, for a turnout of 72.5% (vs. 72.3% in the whole county).

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Democrat Barbara Buono received 53.4% of the vote (6,269 cast), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 45.4% (5,334 votes), and other candidates with 1.2% (135 votes), among the 12,013 ballots cast by the township's 33,305 registered voters (275 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 36.1%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 7,628 ballots cast (53.0% vs. 50.6% countywide), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 5,734 votes (39.8% vs. 41.7%), Independent Chris Daggett with 741 votes (5.1% vs. 5.9%) and other candidates with 113 votes (0.8% vs. 0.8%), among the 14,397 ballots cast by the township's 31,972 registered voters, yielding a 45.0% turnout (vs. 46.5% in the county).

Education

The Union Public School District serves students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. The schools in the district (with 2021–22 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Battle Hill Elementary School (379 students; in grades PreK-4), Hannah Caldwell Elementary School (646; PreK-4), Connecticut Farms Elementary School (382; PreK-4), Franklin Elementary School (468; PreK-4), Livingston Elementary School (420; PreK-4), Washington Elementary School (558; PreK-4), Jefferson Elementary School (524; grade 5), Burnet Middle School (977; 6–8), Kawameeh Middle School (728; 6–8) and Union High School (2,270; 9–12).

Union was threatened with being the first municipality north of the Mason–Dixon line to suffer from penalties as a result of school segregation. The area of Vauxhall was primarily black and the students enrolled at Jefferson Elementary School were disproportionately black, compared to the rest of the township. Union avoided problems by converting Jefferson Elementary into a sixth-grade only school called Central 6 and bused the Jefferson students to all the other elementary schools. It was later renamed Central 5 and is now Jefferson School, which is used as a one-year school for fifth-grade students.

Union is home to several private nursery schools and the Deron School, a private school for learning disabled students ages 5–13. St. Michael's Parish School and Holy Spirit School (founded in 1965) operate under the supervision of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark.

Kean University, dating back to 1855, serves a total student population of almost 16,000. Called New Jersey State Teachers College when it was located in Newark, the school moved to Union in 1958, was renamed Kean College in 1973 and was granted university status in 1997.

Transportation

Roads and highways

As of May 2010, the township had a total of 145.85 miles (234.72 km) of roadways, of which 120.11 miles (193.30 km) were maintained by the municipality, 11.43 miles (18.39 km) by Union County and 12.46 miles (20.05 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and 1.85 miles (2.98 km) by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.

Union is traversed by the Garden State Parkway, Interstate 78, U.S. Route 22 and Route 82 (Morris Avenue).

The Parkway connects Kenilworth in the south to Hillside in the north. The Parkway includes interchanges 139A (Chestnut Street) / 139B (Route 82 West Union), interchanges 140 (Route 22 / Route 82 west) / 140A (Route 22 / Route 82 west) and interchange 141 (Vauxhall Road / Union).

Public transportation

NJ Transit offers rail service at the Union train station providing service on the Raritan Valley Line, formerly the mainline of the Lehigh Valley Railroad, to Newark Penn Station. The station opened in 2003 and includes a parking lot with over 450 spaces.

NJ Transit also provides bus service to New York City and New Jersey points on the 113, 114 and 117 routes to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan, on the 65, 66, 70, and 94 routes to Newark and local service on the 26 and 52.

Former Rahway Valley Railroad freight line, now abandoned, crosses through Union. This line, presently leased to Morristown and Erie Railway, is in the process of revitalization after which it will link to NJ Transit's Morris and Essex Lines at Summit and connect to Staten Island.

Newark Liberty International Airport is approximately 6 miles (9.7 km) east of Union.

Notable buildings

• The Union Watersphere, for many years the tallest water tower of its type in the world, stands 212 feet tall, holds 250,000 gallons of drinking water and is now also used as a cell phone tower. The landmark and icon inspired a former Union resident to create a website and museum (in Austin, Texas) dedicated to it.
• Union is home to several houses constructed totally of poured concrete, an experiment of Thomas Edison. The homes on Ingersoll Terrace include poured concrete interior walls with formed concrete plumbing.
• Union is home to a building in the shape of a ship at 2262 U.S. Route 22. Originally a restaurant and night club, it has changed ownership over the years, becoming a furniture store known as "The Flagship" and later The Wiz Home Electronics. It is currently a P. C. Richard & Son store.
• Union is home to The Home Depot Superstore, that at 217,000 square feet (20,200 m) was the chain's largest store in the world as of 2012.

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Union Township include: