Iselin, New Jersey | |
|---|---|
 Location of Iselin inMiddlesex County highlighted in red (left). Inset map: Location of Middlesex County inNew Jersey highlighted in orange (right). | |
  Iselin Location in the United States Show map of the United States | |
| Coordinates:40°34′09″N74°19′16″W / 40.569295°N 74.321106°W /40.569295; -74.321106 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  New Jersey |
| County | Middlesex |
| Township | Woodbridge |
| Named after | Adrian Iselin |
| Area | |
• Total | 3.15 sq mi (8.17 km2) |
| • Land | 3.15 sq mi (8.16 km2) |
| • Water | 0 sq mi (0.00 km2) 0.03% |
| Elevation | 30 ft (9 m) |
| Population | |
• Total | 20,088 |
| • Density | 6,373.1/sq mi (2,460.7/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT)) |
| ZIP Code | 08830[4] |
| Area codes | 732/848 |
| FIPS code | 34-34470[5][6][7] |
| GNIS feature ID | 2389973[5][8] |
Iselin (/ˈɪzˈlɪn/[9]) is anunincorporated community andcensus-designated place (CDP)[10] located withinWoodbridge Township, inMiddlesex County, in theU.S. state ofNew Jersey.[11][12][13] As of the2020 United States census, Iselin's population was 20,088,[3] up from 18,695 in2010.[14]
Previously known as "Perrytown" and "Unionville", Iselin received its current name after New York City investment banker and philanthropistAdrian Iselin, who established afinishing school in the 1870s for girls from wealthy New York families there.[15] Iselin additionally subsidized the erection of a new train station, which was later replaced by a newer station to the south known asMetropark.[16][17]
Iselin is in northeastern Middlesex County, in the northwest part of Woodbridge Township. It is bordered by the Woodbridge communities ofColonia to the north,Avenel to the northeast,Woodbridge to the southeast, andMenlo Park Terrace to the south, while to the west it is bordered byEdison Township. It is 9 miles (14 km) northeast ofNew Brunswick, the Middlesexcounty seat, and 14 miles (23 km) southwest ofNewark.
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, Iselin has a total area of 3.13 square miles (8.1 km2), including 0.001 square miles (0.0026 km2) of water (0.03%).[1] It is drained to the northeast by theSouth Branch of theRahway River
Iselin's downtown is centered onLittle India (also known as "Oak Tree Road"), bound by theGarden State Parkway to the west andRoute 27 (Lincoln Highway) to the southeast. Once home to a wide array of shops, eateries, services, and complemented by a single-screen 1920s movie palace, the area was in obvious decline in the 1980s. An influx of Asian Indian immigration beginning in the early 1990s led to the area's revitalization. Formerly vacant stores were tenanted, and additional retail spaces built as the area became known for its high quality Indian food, sweets, clothing (particularlysaris), jewelry, music, and other goods.
An area known as Metropark, consisting primarily of office parks and large office buildings, lies in the southwestern corner of Iselin and spills over into neighboringEdison.NJ Transit andAmtrak'sMetropark station is named for this area.
In addition to aHilton Hotel (now known as "Hotel Woodbridge at Metropark") and the train station, Metropark features the headquarters ofAnsell Limited,Engelhard (acquired byBASF in 2006) andEaton Corporation's Filtration Division. Other corporate residents in the area includeSiemens,[18]Tata Consultancy Services,Mott MacDonald,[19]Ernst & Young,Mizuho,Wells Fargo,JPMorgan Chase,Accenture,Level 3 Communications,BT Group,UBS,Elevance Health, andTIAA.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 16,141 | — | |
| 2000 | 16,698 | 3.5% | |
| 2010 | 18,695 | 12.0% | |
| 2020 | 20,088 | 7.5% | |
| Population sources: 1950[20] 1960[21] 1970[22] 1980[23] 1990[24] 2000[25] 2010[26] 2020[3] | |||
Iselin first appeared as acensus designated place in the1990 U.S. census.[24]
| Race / Ethnicity(NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2000[27] | Pop 2010[28] | Pop 2020[29] | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 10,252 | 7,001 | 4,749 | 61.40% | 37.45% | 23.64% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 974 | 1,193 | 1,275 | 5.83% | 6.38% | 6.35% |
| Native American orAlaska Native alone (NH) | 16 | 49 | 51 | 0.10% | 0.26% | 0.25% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 4,194 | 8,599 | 11,534 | 25.12% | 46.00% | 57.42% |
| Native Hawaiian orPacific Islander alone (NH) | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0.01% | 0.00% | 0.02% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 55 | 63 | 180 | 0.33% | 0.34% | 0.90% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 292 | 458 | 431 | 1.75% | 2.45% | 2.15% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 914 | 1,332 | 1,864 | 5.47% | 7.12% | 9.28% |
| Total | 16,698 | 18,695 | 20,088 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
The2010 United States census counted 18,695 people, 6,445 households, and 4,892 families in the CDP. Thepopulation density was 5,861.5 people per square mile (2,263.1 people/km2). There were 6,718 housing units at an average density of 2,106.3 units per square mile (813.2 units/km2). The racial makeup was 41.47% (7,753)White, 6.72% (1,257)Black or African American, 0.33% (62)Native American, 46.12% (8,623)Asian, 0.00% (0)Pacific Islander, 2.26% (423) fromother races, and 3.09% (577) from two or more races.Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.12% (1,332) of the population.[14]
Of the 6,445 households, 33.2% had children under the age of 18; 62.4% were married couples living together; 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present and 24.1% were non-families. Of all households, 20.7% were made up of individuals and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.90 and the average family size was 3.39.[14]
21.0% of the population were under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 27.7% from 45 to 64, and 14.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.5 years. For every 100 females, the population had 95.7 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 94.8 males.[14]
As of the2000 United States census[6] there were 16,698 people, 6,007 households, and 4,511 families residing in the CDP. Thepopulation density was 2,059.8 people/km2 (5,335 people/mi2). There were 6,137 housing units at an average density of 757.0 units/km2 (1,961 units/mi2). The racial makeup of the CDP was 64.65%White, 6.02%African American, 0.12%Native American, 25.16%Asian, 0.01%Pacific Islander, 1.75% fromother races, and 2.28% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 5.47% of the population.[30]
There were 6,007 households, out of which 32.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.5% weremarried couples living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.9% were non-families. 20.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.6% 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 3.24.[30]
In the CDP the population was spread out, with 21.8% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 33.9% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 14.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.1 males.[30]
The median income for a household in the CDP was $65,424, and the median income for a family was $71,913. Males had a median income of $50,145 versus $36,131 for females. Theper capita income for the CDP was $26,793. About 1.9% of families and 3.2% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 2.8% of those under age 18 and 4.9% of those age 65 or over.[30]
Iselin hosts one of the region's main centers ofIndian American cultural diversity.[31] The growingLittle India is a South Asian-focused commercial strip in Middlesex County, theU.S. county with the highest concentration ofIndian Americans.[32][33][34] The Oak Tree Road strip runs for about one-and-a-half miles through Iselin and neighboringEdison Township, near the area's sprawlingChinatown andKoreatown, running alongNew Jersey Route 27.[35] The zone is the largest and most diverseSouth Asian cultural hub in the United States.[36][37] In Middlesex County, electionballots are printed in English,Spanish,Gujarati,Hindi, andPunjabi.[38] According to the 2017American Community Survey, 42.6% of Iselin residents identified themselves as being Indian American, the highest percentage for anycensus-designated place in the United States.[39]
Iselin public school students attend the schools of theWoodbridge Township School District. Indiana Avenue School #18,[40] Kennedy Park School #24,[41] Robert Mascenik School #26,[42] and Oak Tree Road School #29[43] are located in Iselin as well as Iselin Middle School[44] andJohn F. Kennedy Memorial High School.
When it opened in 2018, Oak Tree Road School #29 was the first new public school in Woodbridge in nearly 50 years, although the building was formerly occupied by the St. Cecelia's Churchparish school[45] (affiliated with theRoman Catholic Diocese of Metuchen).[46]
People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Iselin include:
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
