Hillside is a township in Union County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 22,456, an increase of 1,052 (+4.9%) from the 2010 census count of 21,404, which in turn reflected a decline of 343 (−1.6%) from the 21,747 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.
Hillside was incorporated as a township on April 3, 1913, from portions of Union Township, based on the results of a referendum held on April 29, 1913.Snyder, John P. The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 239. Accessed May 28, 2024. The township was named for the surrounding hills.Hutchinson, Viola L. The Origin of New Jersey Place Names, New Jersey Public Library Commission, May 1945. Accessed September 1, 2015.
The township is split between area codes 908 and 973.
History Hillside was created from parcels of land carved out of neighboring Newark, Elizabeth, and Union. It originally contained the farms of Woodruff, Conant and Saybrook. Local streets still bear their names.
Hillside was incorporated shortly after the appearance of Halley's Comet in 1910, and for that reason, the team nickname of Hillside High School was made the "Comets" when the high school opened in 1940. Several local businesses take the name "Comet" for the same reason.
The Hillside Historical Society was established in the 1980s in the Woodruff home on Conant Street, perhaps the township's oldest. The Woodruff House and Eaton Store Museum is operated and maintained by the Hillside Historical Society. Purchased by the society in 1978, the house has been faithfully restored to its original grandeur. The Woodruff House spans three centuries in one structure, including the original 1735 building, the 1790 addition, the 1890s kitchen and the 1900s store.Historical Overview, Woodruff House and Eaton Store Museum. Accessed October 12, 2013. The society has also added to the grounds an authentic post and beam barn, a Phil Rizzuto and All Sports Museum honoring the Hillside legend as well as an archive to house the many documents the society has obtained over the years.
Jean-Ray Turner, a reporter for the Elizabeth Daily Journal, wrote Along the Upper Road in the 1970s, a book of the history of Hillside.
Hillside has been the home of Bristol-Myers Squibb. Lionel Trains were manufactured from 1929 to 1974 at a factory located in Hillside that employed as many as 2,000 employees.Hatala, Greg. "Made in Jersey: Lionel trains - chuggin' around the Christmas tree", The Star-Ledger, December 24, 2013. Accessed December 24, 2013. "A plant was built in Hillside in 1929 exclusively to manufacture toy trains; business grew so much that the factory was expanded in 1940, 1941, 1950 and again in 1952. At its peak, the factory employed more than 2,000. Lionel Trains were produced independently from 1901 to 1969, when the rights to the product line were sold to General Mills following Lionel's bankruptcy. Continuing financial difficulties led to the closing of the Hillside plant in 1974." The town thrived for decades and reached an economic peak in the 1960s. Blue collar workers who lived primarily in the central part of town were employed in local manufacturing concerns. White collar workers established the neighborhood known as Westminster where Yankee shortstop and broadcaster Phil Rizzuto lived for most of his adult life, until his death. That section of town also included the private Pingry School for boys (which left the township) and is now the East Campus of Kean University.Business & Meetings , Kean University. Accessed October 12, 2013.Located in the renovated East Campus building, formerly the Pingry School, featuring a small kitchen and views of the Butterfly Garden."
In the 1950s and 1960s the township was approximately one-half Jewish, many of whom lived either in Westminster or in the area of Hillside near Chancellor Avenue, adjacent to the Weequahic section of Newark, which was the early home of comedian Jerry Lewis and writer Philip Roth (Portnoy's Complaint).
In the early 1950s the township established Conant Park, its largest. The park is bounded by the Elizabeth River and Conant Street. At the rear area of the park near Pingry School was the boundary of the Kean Estate, the boyhood home of Governor Thomas Kean (1982–1990). The wealthy Kean family also donated the land on Morris Avenue and helped to establish Newark Normal College in 1885, which was renamed Kean College, and later Kean University, in the family's honor.150 Years: Kean's History , Kean University. Accessed August 10, 2011. Also in the 1950s the Town Hall, Police Headquarters and Municipal Library were constructed at the corner of Liberty and Hillside Avenues.
Township organizations include Rotary International, Kiwanis, Knights of Columbus, Elks, the Hillside Industrial Association, the Hillside Business and Professional Women's Club, the Republican Club and the Democratic Club, as well as a number of ethnic clubs and associations.
In 1991, police from both Hillside and Newark fired nearly 40 shots at a van that had rammed a Hillside police vehicle after a high-speed chase. The pursuit had started after the van had been reported stolen at gunpoint in Newark and was being followed by three Newark police cars before crossing into Hillside. Two of the people inside the vehicle were killed and four of the five other passengers were wounded, though the Union County Prosecutor indicated that there was no clear explanation for why the police had started shooting.Sullivan, Joseph F. "Question in Hillside Chase: What Caused Police to Fire?", The New York Times, June 11, 1991. Accessed August 10, 2011. The Reverend Al Sharpton held a rally outside Town Hall on Hillside Avenue demanding that the police officers involved in the shootings should be prosecuted for their actions.via Associated Press. "Sharpton, 250 Protest Hillside Police Shootings", The Press of Atlantic City, June 13, 1991. Accessed August 10, 2011. "The Rev. Al Sharpton led about 250 people in a march on City Hall and police headquarters Wednesday to demand that the police officers who killed a pregnant teenager in a stolen van be prosecuted."
Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 2.78 square miles (7.20 km2), including 2.77 square miles (7.17 km2) of land and 0.02 square miles (0.04 km2) of water (0.54%).
Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Lyons Farms and Saybrooke.Locality Search, State of New Jersey. Accessed May 21, 2015.
The township is located on the northern edge of Union County and is bordered to the northwest by Irvington and to the north and northeast by Newark, both in Essex County. Elizabeth borders Hillside to the east and southeast, while Union borders to the west.Areas touching Hillside, MapIt. Accessed February 24, 2020.Union County Municipal Profiles, Union County, New Jersey. Accessed February 24, 2020.New Jersey Municipal Boundaries, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed November 15, 2019.
Climate The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Hillside has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.Climate Summary for Hillside, New Jersey, Weatherbase.com.
Demographics
2020 census +Hillside township, Union County, New Jersey – Racial and ethnic compositionRace / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 2000Pop 2010% 2000% 2010White alone (NH)6,9915,3743,78732.15%25.11%16.86%Black or African American alone (NH)9,96111,09111,32745.80%51.82%50.44%Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)2533250.11%0.15%0.11%Asian alone (NH)7445714983.42%2.67%2.22%Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)2500.01%0.02%0.00%Other race alone (NH)1802075370.83%0.97%2.39%Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)6913491,0933.18%1.63%4.87%Hispanic or Latino (any race)3,1533,7745,18914.50%17.63%23.11%Total21,74721,40422,456100.00%100.00%100.00%
2010 census The 2010 United States census counted 21,404 people, 7,112 households, and 5,533 families in the township. The population density was . There were 7,536 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup was 34.75% (7,438) White, 53.19% (11,384) Black or African American, 0.22% (47) Native American, 2.73% (585) Asian, 0.03% (7) Pacific Islander, 6.22% (1,332) from other races, and 2.85% (611) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 17.63% (3,774) of the population.
Of the 7,112 households, 33.2% had children under the age of 18; 48.7% were married couples living together; 22.0% had a female householder with no husband present and 22.2% were non-families. Of all households, 18.6% were made up of individuals and 6.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.01 and the average family size was 3.41.
23.7% of the population were under the age of 18, 9.7% from 18 to 24, 26.9% from 25 to 44, 27.9% from 45 to 64, and 11.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.0 years. For every 100 females, the population had 86.8 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 84.3 males.
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $55,520 (with a margin of error of +/− $5,760) and the median family income was $67,492 (+/− $5,643). Males had a median income of $44,421 (+/− $3,088) versus $42,927 (+/− $4,392) for females. The per capita income for the township was $35,486 (+/− $3,349). About 9.4% of families and 11.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.7% of those under age 18 and 13.3% of those age 65 or over.DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics from the 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates for Hillside township, Union County, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed March 2, 2012.
2000 census As of the 2000 United States census there were 21,747 people, 7,161 households, and 5,578 families residing in the township. The population density was . There were 7,388 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the township was 40.03% White, 46.54% African American, 0.23% Native American, 3.45% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 5.26% from other races, and 4.41% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 14.50% of the population.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Hillside township, New Jersey, United States Census Bureau. Accessed May 14, 2013.DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Hillside township, Union County, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed May 14, 2013. As of the 2000 Census, an adjusted 11.2% of residents listed themselves as being of Portuguese ancestry, the third-highest in New Jersey among communities in which more than 1,000 residents recorded an ancestry group.Portuguese Ancestry , EPodunk. Accessed May 14, 2013.
There were 7,161 households, out of which 36.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.5% were married couples living together, 18.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.1% were non-families. 18.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.04 and the average family size was 3.45.