Kenilworth is a borough in Union County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 8,427, an increase of 513 (+6.5%) from the 2010 census count of 7,914, which in turn reflected an increase of 239 (+3.1%) from the 7,675 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.

Kenilworth was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on May 13, 1907, from portions of Cranford and Union Township, based on the results of a referendum held on June 18, 1907.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 29, 2024.

History

In the late 1890s, the New Orange Industrial Association purchased land in Cranford and Union that was subdivided into building lots. The firm brought in several large industries and lured Upsala College from Brooklyn with an offer of cash and free land for its campus.Boright, Walter E. "Remembering when Kenilworth was a college town, Upsala College days revisited", Cranford Chronicle, September 21, 2010. Accessed May 17, 2013. "Its first president was Rev. Lars Herman Beck. In 1898 it was lured to Kenilworth, then known as New Orange, by investors of the New Orange Industrial Association who offered the college 14 acres of free land on a hill at the top of No. 21st St. and a few thousand dollars."

Because New Orange was often confused with one of The Oranges in Essex County, the name "Kenilworth" was chosen when the borough was incorporated in 1907.History, Borough of Kenilworth. Accessed June 19, 2022. The name Kenilworth came from a literary society (The Kenilworth Club) which the businessmen belonged to. The Kenilworth Club was named in honor of the novel Kenilworth written in 1821 by Sir Walter Scott. The novel refers to England's Kenilworth Castle located in Kenilworth, England.Historian's Corner, Borough of Kenilworth. Accessed June 19, 2022.Hutchinson, Viola L. The Origin of New Jersey Place Names, New Jersey Public Library Commission, May 1945. Accessed September 2, 2015.

Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 2.15 square miles (5.57 km2), including 2.15 square miles (5.56 km2) of land and <0.01 square miles (0.01 km2) of water (0.19%).

The upper reaches of Rahway River Parkway along tributaries of the Rahway River run through the borough.

The borough is bordered to the north and east by Union Township, to the southeast by Roselle Park, to the southwest by Cranford, and to the northwest by Springfield Township.Areas touching Kenilworth, MapIt. Accessed February 25, 2020.Union County Municipal Profiles, Union County, New Jersey. Accessed February 25, 2020.New Jersey Municipal Boundaries, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed November 15, 2019.

Parks and recreation Lenape Park is a wildlife reserve and park that is part of the Rahway River Parkway in Union County. The park also includes portions of Cranford, Springfield and Westfield.Lenape Park, Union County, New Jersey. Accessed June 2, 2020. An approximately 4.5-mile off-road paved pedestrian path stretches eastbound from Mountainside Police Headquarters in Mountainside, through Echo Lake Park in Westfield, Lenape Park in Westfield and Cranford, Black Brook Park in Kenilworth, and ending near 505 North Michigan Avenue in Kenilworth.

Kenilworth RVRR rail trail

Area residents have proposed a 7.3-mile pedestrian linear park along the "main line" of the abandoned Rahway Valley Railroad that would run through Kenilworth. The rail trail would run eastbound from Overlook Medical Center on the edge of downtown Summit and head south through Springfield, Union, over Route 22 to Kenilworth. In Kenilworth, it would pass between Party City and Burger King on Route 22, run behind Retro Fitness, running south past the Galloping Hill Golf Course, and end at the southwest edge of Roselle Park at the Cranford border.

A northern portion of the rail trail on the RVRR main line is under construction as the Summit Park Line, with a footbridge over Morris Avenue installed in October 2022. In parallel, advocates have been pushing for immediate development of the portion of the RVRR Main Line south of Route 22, running past the Galloping Hill Golf Course through Kenilworth and Roselle Park. The New Jersey Department of Transportation, which owns the railbed, has been working to clear it in anticipation of possible future trail use for pedestrians and cyclists.

Demographics

Racial and ethnic composition +Kenilworth borough, New Jersey – Racial and ethnic compositionRace / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 2000Pop 2010Pop 2020% 2000% 2010% 2020White alone (NH)6,5396,0475,52485.20%76.41%65.55%Black or African American alone (NH)1832132192.38%2.69%2.60%Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)3980.04%0.11%0.09%Asian alone (NH)2203034352.87%3.83%5.16%Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)0220.00%0.03%0.02%Other race alone (NH)323380.04%0.29%0.45%Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)64892680.83%1.12%3.18%Hispanic or Latino (any race)6631,2281,9338.64%15.52%22.94%Total7,6757,9148,427 100.00%100.00%100.00%

2020 census As of the 2020 census, Kenilworth had a population of 8,427. The median age was 41.4 years. 21.5% of residents were under the age of 18 and 16.0% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 95.6 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 91.5 males age 18 and over.

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

There were 2,932 households in Kenilworth, of which 36.8% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 56.6% were married-couple households, 13.2% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 24.6% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 19.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 3,019 housing units, of which 2.9% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.0% and the rental vacancy rate was 3.6%.

2010 census The 2010 United States census counted 7,914 people, 2,841 households, and 2,102 families in the borough. The population density was 3,668.3 per square mile (1,416.3/km2). There were 2,924 housing units at an average density of 1,355.3 per square mile (523.3/km2). The racial makeup was 88.07% (6,970) White, 2.91% (230) Black or African American, 0.14% (11) Native American, 3.84% (304) Asian, 0.03% (2) Pacific Islander, 3.31% (262) from other races, and 1.71% (135) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 15.52% (1,228) of the population.

Of the 2,841 households, 31.6% had children under the age of 18; 55.2% were married couples living together; 13.3% had a female householder with no husband present and 26.0% were non-families. Of all households, 21.2% were made up of individuals and 10.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.78 and the average family size was 3.26.

21.8% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 26.7% from 25 to 44, 28.1% from 45 to 64, and 15.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.9 years. For every 100 females, the population had 93.9 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 90.0 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $76,500 (with a margin of error of +/− $8,607) and the median family income was $84,097 (+/− $6,220). Males had a median income of $58,327 (+/− $7,147) versus $42,589 (+/− $5,730) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $31,959 (+/− $2,853). About 4.0% of families and 5.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.6% of those under age 18 and 4.5% of those age 65 or over.DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics from the 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates for Kenilworth borough, Union County, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed June 18, 2012.

2000 census As of the 2000 United States census there were 7,675 people, 2,854 households, and 2,117 families residing in the borough. The population density was . There were 2,926 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the borough was 92.30% White, 2.30% African American, 0.25% Native American, 2.88% Asian, 1.80% from other races, and 1.38% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race were 8.64% of the population.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Kenilworth borough, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed May 17, 2013.DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Kenilworth borough, Union County, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed May 17, 2013.

There were 2,854 households, out of which 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.4% were married couples living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.8% were non-families. 21.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.15.

In the borough the population was spread out, with 20.8% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 23.3% from 45 to 64, and 18.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.7 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $59,929, and the median income for a family was $66,500. Males had a median income of $40,808 versus $34,698 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $24,343. About 1.9% of families and 2.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.2% of those under age 18 and 3.2% of those age 65 or over. Economy Companies headquartered in Kenilworth include Maingear, a privately held computer manufacturer specializing in custom gaming computers, desktops, custom laptops, media center computers and workstations, all of which are manufactured in the United States.Mainger: Company Profile, Inc.. Accessed October 16, 2013.