In 1919, theNew Jersey State Highway Commission built a new road that became part of theLincoln Highway, an early plan to create a transcontinental highway. The stretch was constructed on the west side of thePennsylvania Railroad (now theNortheast Corridor) from near the northeast of Dow Avenue between Colonia andIselin to Cedar Street inMenlo Park, to avoid two railroad crossings. The old road is now Middlesex-Essex Turnpike and Thornall Street, on the east side of the tracks.
Colonia is in northeastern Middlesex County, in the northwest corner of Woodbridge Township. It is bordered to the north byClark, to the northeast byRahway, to the east byAvenel, to the south byIselin, and to the west byEdison.Union County borders the community to the north and northeast.Newark is 13 miles (21 km) to the northeast, andNew Brunswick, the Middlesexcounty seat, is 11 miles (18 km) to the southwest.
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the Colonia CDP has a total area of 4.034 square miles (10.45 km2), including 0.004 square miles (0.010 km2) of water (0.10%).[1] The community is drained to the northeast by the South Branch of theRahway River, part of the watershed of theArthur Kill. Colonia has ahumid subtropical climate (Cfa) and average monthly temperatures range from 33 °F (1 °C) in January to 78.1 °F (25.6 °C) in July.[12]
TheGarden State Parkway passes through the western portion of the CDP but does not interchange there. For northbound Garden State Parkway traffic only there is a service plaza in Colonia; it is the parkway's only area located on private property.[13]
In 2018 the president of the Historical Association of Woodbridge, Daniel D'Arcy, stated that "Colonia is to Woodbridge likethe Bronx is to NYC. People like the identity."[14]
The2010 United States census counted 17,795 people, 6,160 households, and 4,977 families in the CDP. Thepopulation density was 4,551.4 people per square mile (1,757.3 people/km2). There were 6,321 housing units at an average density of 1,616.7 units per square mile (624.2 units/km2). The racial makeup was 80.37% (14,302)White, 5.26% (936)Black or African American, 0.12% (21)Native American, 10.70% (1,904)Asian, 0.04% (8)Pacific Islander, 1.54% (274) fromother races, and 1.97% (350) from two or more races.Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.27% (1,649) of the population.[16]
Of the 6,160 households, 34.8% had children under the age of 18; 65.6% were married couples living together; 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present and 19.2% were non-families. Of all households, 16.4% were made up of individuals and 8.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.89 and the average family size was 3.25.[16]
22.8% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 24.4% from 25 to 44, 30.0% from 45 to 64, and 15.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42.3 years. For every 100 females, the population had 93.2 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 90.6 males.[16]
There were 6,184 households, out of which 35.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.7% weremarried couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.9% were non-families. 15.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.88 and the average family size was 3.21.[15]
In the CDP the population was spread out, with 23.7% under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 29.1% from 25 to 44, 24.8% from 45 to 64, and 16.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.4 males.[15]
The median income for a household in the CDP was $67,372, and the median income for a family was $76,090. Males had a median income of $50,260 versus $36,657 for females. Theper capita income for the CDP was $27,732. About 1.5% of families and 2.2% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 2.0% of those under age 18 and 4.0% of those age 65 or over.[15]
Merrill Park is a Middlesex County park located on the South Branch of theRahway River. The park was created as a "Progressive Playground" and spans 179 acres (72 ha). The park's maintenance is handled by funding from the municipality, local schools, community groups and local businesses. Merrill Park includes four tennis courts, three baseball fields, a soccer field, seven picnic groves that can be reserved in advance, the progressive playground, a football field, two basketball courts, two softball fields, two open picnic groves, and three other playgrounds. The football field and soccer field are surrounded by a walkway for joggers as well. There are numerous small trails around the park.[17]
^Higgs, Larry."The oddity of the twin Parkway service areas that are on private property", NJ Advance Media forNJ.com, October 31, 2017, updated January 16, 2019. Accessed February 6, 2022. "A Dunkin' Donuts and new convenience store are under construction at the Colonia service area in Woodbridge, while one has been open at the Exxon next door since the early 2000's. The Colonia Service area is the only area on the Garden State Parkway on private property."
^Mitch, Tommy."Colonia High School’S Chad Baker Mazara… Earns Sixth Man Of The Year In San Diego", The Corner. Accessed March 8, 2025. "Chad Baker Mazara, born in Santo Domingo, has had his love for the game of basketball take him all over the world. Chad moved to Colonia, New Jersey in 2017 for a better opportunity to showcase his talents, and boy did he turn heads in a hurry."
^Hageny, John Christian."Hockey: Where are they now? St. Joseph's John Carlson a Capital Investment",The Star-Ledger, February 10, 2013. Accessed May 4, 2015. "Playing alongside defensive partner, Karl Alzner, Carlson, whose family made their home in Colonia while living in New Jersey, appeared in his 198th-career NHL game last night when Washington hosted the Florida Panthers."
^Ralph, Dan."Accolades await Esks' Higgins",The Hamilton Spectator, February 26, 2004. Accessed November 30, 2012. "The native of Colonia, N.J., has made Alberta his home, retiring as a player in 1981 to become a high school coach in Calgary."
^Glen MasonArchived 2011-05-14 at theWayback Machine,University of Minnesota. Accessed April 22, 2007. "Mason is a 33-year coaching veteran who coached more games (102) than anyone in Kansas' school history. Succeeding with programs that had previously suffered through hard times is nothing new for the Colonia, N.J. native."
^Cannella, Wendy."Wendy Cannella:This Fierce Life: An Interview with Laura McCullough",Painted Bride Quarterly, Issue 94. Accessed November 4, 2016. "LM: I was born in Jersey City, in the Margaret Hague, the women’s hospital that the infamous Irish Mayor Hague built, grew up in suburbia, a little town called Colonia, not too far from Perth Amboy, and my family would drive to the wooded parts north many weekends when I was a child."
^Sullivan, Joseph F."Jersey City Mayor Warns of Possible Bankruptcy",The New York Times, November 10, 1992. Accessed November 30, 2012. "Mr. Schundler, who was born in Colonia, graduated from Harvard University with honors in 1981 and then worked as a Congressional aide and a campaign coordinator for Gary Hart's 1984 presidential run."
^Jordan, Chris."Ten Wild Nights",Asbury Park Press, November 9, 2007. Accessed November 30, 2012. "But there they are, Sayreville's Jon Bon Jovi, now of Middletown, and his bandmates - including Richie Sambora, guitar, from Woodbridge; David Bryan, keyboards, from Edison and Tico Torres, drums, from the Colonia section of Woodbridge - giving the sound of Newark a new, and decidedly loud, wrinkle."
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