ZIP Code 07055

As of the 2020 U.S. census, the city had a total population of 70,537, ranking as the 16th largest municipality in New Jersey. The city and river draw their name from the Lenape word "pahsayèk" which has been variously attributed to mean "valley" or "place where the land splits" The city originated from a Dutch settlement on the Passaic River established in 1679 which was called Acquackanonk. In 1854 Alfred Speer (later owner of the city's first newspaper and public hall) and Judge Henry Simmons were principals in a political battle over the naming of village. In 1931, experimental television station W2XCD began transmitting from DeForest Radio Corporation in Passaic. Allen B. DuMont, formerly DeForest's chief engineer, opened pioneering TV manufacturer DuMont Laboratories in 1937, and started the DuMont Television Network in 1946. In 1992, the voters of Passaic Township in Morris County voted to change the name of their municipality to Long Hill Township, to avoid confusion between Passaic and the largely rural community 22 miles (35 km) away. The Okonite company owned an industrial site here from 1878 to 1993. It was the company's headquarters and primary manufacturing plant for most of theCompany's history. Early uses of its insulated wires include some of the earliest telegraph cables, and the wiring for Thomas Edison's first generating plant, Pearl Street Station in Lower Manhattan. The property was then turned into a furniture factory, whose owners have been attempting to redevelop the property into an upscale mall since 2015.

History

Passaic was formed as an unincorporated village within Acquackanonk Township (now Clifton) on March 10, 1869. It was then incorporated as an independent village on March 21, 1871. The city was chartered as a city on April 2, 1873. In 1931, experimental television station W2XCD began transmitting from DeForest Radio Corporation in Passaic. In 1992, the voters of Passaic Township in Morris County voted to change the name of their municipality to Long Hill Township, to avoid confusion between the city and the largely rural community 22 miles (35 km) away. The Record and Herald News, both owned by Gannett company and predecessor North Jersey media Group, are the city's two main newspapers. The Passaic Herald News went through several mergers with other Passaic County newspapers to become the current Herald News. It has been called the first television station to transmit to the home, and was the first such station to broadcast a feature film. In 1937, pioneering TV manufacturer DuMont Laboratories opened the world's first commercial television network, in the city. The company's insulated wires include some of the earliest telegraph cables, and the wiring for Thomas Edison's first generating plant, Pearl Street Station in Lower Manhattan. The Okonite company owned an industrial site here from 1878 to 1993. The property was then turned into a furniture factory, whose owners have been attempting to redevelop the property into an upscale mall since 2015. The site was the company's headquarters and primary manufacturing plant for most of its history.

Geography

Passaic is located 10 miles (16 km) from New York City. The city is home to several architecturally notable churches, including St. John's Lutheran Church and First Presbyterian of Passaic. The Passaic Park section is noted for its large park and large homes of various architectural styles, especially Queen Anne and Tudor. Several condominium and cooperative apartment complexes are also located here including: Carlton Tower, a condominium of 21 stories, the city's tallest structure. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Passaic has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps. The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. Passaic is 12 miles (19 km) away from Newark Airport, and is located on the New Jersey Turnpike, which runs from New Jersey to New Jersey. It is located in the Bergen County section of New Jersey known as the "Tri-Cities" The city's only land border is with neighboring Clifton, which borders Passaic to the north, south, and west. The town of Wallington is also on the Passaic River, which forms the eastern border of the city. Four additional neighboring municipalities in Bergen county are immediately across the river from Passaic are East Rutherford, Garfield, Rutherford and Wallington. One cannot cross into East Rutherford by vehicle directly, however, as there is no bridge connecting the two municipalities. Drivers wanting to cross to East Rutherford must use either the Gregory Avenue Bridge or the Union Avenue Bridge, where East Rutherford can be accessed via surface streets.

Demographics

The 2010 United States census counted 69,781 people, 19,411 households, and 14,597 families in the city. Same-sex couples headed 107 households in 2010, a decline from the 142 counted in 2000. The city's Hispanic population represented the fourth-highest percentage among municipalities in New Jersey as of the 2010 Census. Passaic, with over 20 synagogues and an Orthodox Jewish population of 15,000, has one of the largest Orthodox Jewish communities in New. Jersey, along with the townships of Lakewood, Teaneck and Jackson, is home to the largest Jewish population in the state, with more than 14,000 people living in the Orthodox Jewish community. In the 2000 Census, 59.3% of residents spoke Spanish at home, while 28.9% of Residents identified themselves as speaking only at home. There were 31,101 foreign-born residents of Passaic in 2000, of which 79.4% were from Latin America with 31.2% from Mexico and the Dominican Republic. The average household size was 3.57 and the average family size was 4.02. The median household income was $31,135 (with a margin of error of +/ $1,280) and the median familyincome was $34,934 (+/ $2,987) in 2010. About 25.0% of families and 27.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 35.9%) of those under age 18 and 25.5%" of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Portions of the city are part of an Urban Enterprise Zone (UEZ), one of 32 zones covering 37 municipalities statewide. The city was selected in 1994 as one of a group of 10 zones added to participate in the program. Shoppers can take advantage of a reduced 3.3125% sales tax rate (half of the 6+58% rate charged statewide) at eligible merchants. Overseen by the Passaic Enterprise Zone Development Corporation, the program generates $1.2 million annually in tax revenues that are reinvested into the local zone. Established in August 1994, the city Urban Enterprise zone status expires in August 2025. The state's Urban Enterprise Zones were established in 1994 and cover a total of 32 municipalities. They are: Passaic, Bergen, Essex, Morris, Passaic and Passaic counties. They were established to encourage employment within the UEZ, and to encourage growth of the state's economy. The program was created to encourage economic growth and innovation in the state. It was created by the state in 1994, and it covers a range of industries, from manufacturing to health care to technology. It is overseen by a board of directors that includes the governor and the governor of New Jersey. The UEZ is one of the largest economic development programs in New Jersey, with a budget of more than $20 million. It also generates $2 million a year in tax revenue that is reinvested in the local area. It has been in existence since 1994 and is expected to last until 2025.

Government

The city of Passaic is governed by the Faulkner Act system of municipal government. Under this form of government, the governing body is comprised of a mayor and a city council. The mayor is elected directly by the voters for a four-year term of office. The seven members of the city council serve four- year terms on a staggered basis, with either three seats (together with the mayoral seat) or four seats up for election in odd-numbered years. The city is located in the 9th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 36th state legislative district. New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Democrats Cory Booker (Newark, term ends 2027) and Bob Menendez (Harrison, term end 2025). For the 2022-2023 session, the 36th Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented by Paul Sarlolo (D, Wood-Ridge) and Gary Schaer (D) Passaic County Commissioners are composed of seven members who are elected-large to staggered three-year terms each year. At a reorganization meeting in January, the board selects a Director and Deputy Director from among its members to serve for a one-year period. For the 117th U.S. Congress, Passaic's Ninth Congressional District isrepresented by Bill Pascrell (D, Paterson) and in the General Assembly by Clinton Calabrese (D), Cliffside Park Park and Bruce Clifton, Cliffside Falls.

Education

The Passaic City School District serves students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. As of the 201819 school year, the district, comprised of 17 schools, had an enrollment of 14,504 students and 839.8 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a studentteacher ratio of 17.3:1. The district is one of 31 former Abbott districts statewide that were established pursuant to the decision by the New Jersey Supreme Court in Abbott v. Burke which are now referred to as "SDA Districts" The Yeshiva Gedola of Passaic is an institute of Talmudic learning for post-high-school-age men. Passaic County Community College opened a new campus in the city on September 11, 2008, which will allow PCCC to reach the 15% of its students who come from the city. The college's nursing program will be relocated and expanded at the new campus to provide a qualified program to help fill the longstanding nursing shortage. St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic School is an elementary school founded in 1943 that operates under the supervision of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Paterson and the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia. The Collegiate School is a private coeducational day school located in Passaic, serving students in Pre-K through 12th grade. The Islamic Noble Leadership Academy is an Islamic school located downtown,serving students 320 students from pre-Kinderg preschool to 12thgrade. It is led by Rosh Yeshivas Rabbi Meir Stern, each with a boys and girls division.

Emergency services

Passaic has a paid fire department with over 100 firefighters. Ambulance service is provided by Monmouth Ocean Hospital Service Corporation. The Office of Emergency Management coordinates emergency response by all of the city's agencies. Passaic/Clifton EMS is a volunteer service that primarily covers the Passaic Park section of town and parts of Clifton. In October 2016, Deputy Chief Luis Guzman became the first Dominican-American to be selected to lead Passaic's police department. The city has a large foam tanker truck, a Quick Attack Response Vehicle (QRV), a haz-mat decon trailer, a utility unit, a rehab unit, and a Zodiac rescue boat. It is affiliated with Passaic County and New Jersey State OEM agencies and with the state's Emergency Management Association. It manages street traffic at all large events in the city, including festivals and parades. In addition to city staff, it makes use of volunteers frompassaic's Community Emergency Response Team and other community organizations. The office is run by representatives of the Police and Fire departments, as well as other community groups. It also manages road traffic at large events, such as festivals, parades, and other disasters. It has a budget of $1.2 million for emergency services, including police, fire, ambulance, and health and public services. It was founded in 1869, and became a paid department in 1909. The PFD was organized in November 1869 and became an official department in November 1909.

Religion

Passaic Torah Institute in New Jersey was founded in 1881. It was the first Jewish college in the United States. It is located on the site of a former synagogue in Bethlehem, New Jersey. Passaic is now home to the Torah Institute of New Jersey, which was established in 1851. The Institute is now called the Passaic Institute of Judaism, which opened in 1872. It has since been known as the "Passaic Jewish Institute" and the "Hebrew Torah Institute" It is based in the town of Passaic, New York, and is affiliated with the Congregation Shaar Hatorah in New York City. It also has a branch in Newark, where it is called the "Shepherd of the Hills" It was founded by Abraham Joshua Heschel, who was a member of the congregation in 1854. He is credited with founding the first synagogue in the U.S. in Bethlehem in 1841. He was also the founder of the Shaarei Shabbat, or Sabbath School, in 1855. The synagogue is now known as Passaic Torah, which is located in the city's historic Jewish center. In 1881, it was established by the congregation's founder, Abraham Moses, and later became the first congregation in the country. It's now called The Temple of the Holy Sepulchre, which dates back to 1854, and was the seat of the first Congregation in the New Jersey Synagogue in 1876.

Transportation

As of May 2010, the city had a total of 70.14 miles (112.88 km) of roadways, of which 53.20 miles (85.62 km) were maintained by the municipality. The main highway directly serving Passaic is Route 21. New Jersey Route 3, the Garden State Parkway and I-80 are nearby. Passaic formerly had four train stations (Passaic Park, Prospect Street, Passaic and Harrison Street) on the Erie Railroad main line. In 1963, these stations were abandoned and the main line was moved to the Boonton Branch.NJ Transit's Passaic rail station is located in the Passaic Park section, providing service on the Main Line southbound to Hoboken Terminal, and to Secaucus Junction for NJ Transit connections to New York Penn Station in New York City, Newark Airport and points north and south. Commuter jitney buses operate along Main Avenue providing frequent non-scheduled service to Paterson, Union City, the George Washington Bridge Bus Terminal in Washington Heights, Manhattan, the Port Authority Bus Terminal and points between. The city has six bridges in use spanning the Passiac River. A seventh bridge serves railroad traffic but is not currently in use. NJ Transit bus routes 161 and 190 provide local service and interstate service to the Port authority bus Terminal in New Jersey and the New York Port Authority bus terminal in Manhattan. The Passaic Bus Terminal is located on Main Avenue in the city's South Passaic section.

Air Quality, Water Quality, Superfund Sites & UV Index

The Air Quality index is in Passaic, Passaic County, New Jersey = 25.1. These Air Quality index is based on annual reports from the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The number of ozone alert days is used as an indicator of air quality, as are the amounts of seven pollutants including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and volatile organic chemicals. The Water Quality Index is 20. A measure of the quality of an area’s water supply as rated by the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The EPA has a complex method of measuring the watershed quality, using 15 indicators such as pollutants, turbidity, sediments, and toxic discharges. The Superfund Sites Index is 10. Higher is better (100=best). Based upon the number and impact of EPA Superfund pollution sites in the county, including spending on the cleanup efforts. The UV Index in Passaic = 3.8 and is a measure of an area's exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. This is most often a combination of sunny weather, altitude, and latitude. The UV Index has been defined by the WHO (www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-the-ultraviolet-(uv)-index) and is uniform worldwide.

Employed

The most recent city population of 43,676 individuals with a median age of 30.3 age the population dropped by -1.42% in Passaic, Passaic County, New Jersey population since 2000 and are distributed over a density of 22,514.2 residents per square mile of area (8,692.8/km²). There are average 3.6 people per household in the 18,369 households with an average household income of $37,905 a year. The unemployment rate in Alabama is 12.80% of the available work force and has dropped -4.60% over the most recent 12-month period and the projected change in job supply over the next decade based on migration patterns, economic growth, and other factors will increase by 18.00%. The number of physicians in Passaic per 100,000 population = 177.2.

Weather

The annual rainfall in Passaic = 47.5 inches and the annual snowfall = 24.7 inches. The annual number of days with measurable precipitation (over .01 inch) = 123. The average number of days per year that are predominantly sunny = 206. 87 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily high temperature for the month of July and 22.7 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily low temperature for the month of January. The Comfort Index (higher=better) is 46, where higher values mean a more pleasant climate. The Comfort Index measure recognizes that humidity by itself isn't the problem. (Have you noticed nobody ever complains about the weather being 'cold and humid?) It's in the summertime that we notice the humidity the most, when it's hot and muggy. Our Comfort Index uses a combination of afternoon summer temperature and humidity to closely predict the effect that the humidity will have on people.

Median Home Cost

The percentage of housing units in Passaic, Passaic County, New Jersey which are owned by the occupant = 25.31%. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, or room occupied as separate living quarters. The average age of homes = 62 years with median home cost = $241,260 and home appreciation of -9.86%. This is the value of the years most recent home sales data. Its important to note that this is not the average (or arithmetic mean). The median home price is the middle value when you arrange all the sales prices of homes from lowest to highest. This is a better indicator than the average, because the median is not changed as much by a few unusually high or low values. The property tax rate of $25.05 shown here is the rate per $1,000 of home value. If for simplification for example the tax rate is $14.00 and the home value is $250,000, the property tax would be $14.00 x ($250,000/1000), or $3500. This is the 'effective' tax rate.

Study

The local school district spends $11,991 per student. There are 12.7 students for each teacher in the school, 1361 students for each Librarian and 12247 students for each Counselor. 3.01% of the area’s population over the age of 25 with an Associate Degree or other 2-year college degree, 8.11% with a master’s degree, Ph.D. or other advanced college degree and 4.83% with high school diplomas or high school equivalency degrees (GEDs).