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Paramus

Borough of Paramus

  •   State: 
    New Jersey
      County: 
    Bergen County
      City: 
    Paramus
      County FIPS: 
    34003
      Coordinates: 
    40°56′50″N 74°04′13″W
      Area total: 
    10.51 sq mi (27.21 km²)
      Area land: 
    10.45 sq mi (27.05 km²)
      Area water: 
    0.06 sq mi (0.16 km²)
      Elevation: 
    49 ft (15 m)
      Established: 
    Incorporated April 4, 1922
  •   Latitude: 
    40,9484
      Longitude: 
    -74,0684
      Dman name cbsa: 
    New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
      Timezone: 
    Eastern Standard Time (EST) UTC-5:00; Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) UTC-4:00
      ZIP codes: 
    07652
    07653
      GMAP: 

    Paramus, Bergen County, New Jersey, United States

  •   Population: 
    26,698
      Population density: 
    2,556.1 residents per square mile of area (986.9/km²)
      Household income: 
    $93,300
      Households: 
    8,350
      Unemployment rate: 
    7.10%
  •   Sales taxes: 
    7.00%
      Income taxes: 
    8.97%

As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 26,342, reflecting an increase of 605 (+2.4%) from the 25,737 counted in the 2000 Census. The borough's name is thought to be from the Unami language spoken by the Lenape Native Americans, derived from words meaning "land of the turkeys" or "pleasant stream" Paramus has some of the most restrictive blue laws in the nation, banning nearly all white-collar and retail businesses from opening on Sundays except for gas stations, restaurants and grocery stores, and a limited number of other businesses. Paramus is one of the largest shopping destinations in the country, generating over $6 billion in annual retail sales, more than any other ZIP Code in the United States. The area that became northern New Jersey was occupied for thousands of years by prehistoric indigenous peoples. General George Washington was in Paramus several times during the American Revolutionary War: December 1778; July 1780; and, December 1780. A section of Paramus known as Dunkerhook (meaning dark corner in Dutch) was a free African-American community dating to the early 18th century. The Arcola Country Club and golf course was created in 1909 and the neighborhood grew around it. By 1940, Paramus' population was just 4,000 with no town center and 94 retail establishments, with the opening of the George Washington Bridge in 1931 making the area more accessible to the rest of New Jersey.

History

The word "Paramus" means "pleasant stream" in the Lenape language. During the American Revolutionary War, the county included both Tories and Patriots. General George Washington was in Paramus several times during the War: December 1778; July 1780; and, December 1780. A section of Paramus known as Dunkerhook (meaning dark corner in Dutch) was a free African-American community dating to the early 18th century. Paramus was the scene of one of the worst outbreaks in the U.S. of CO-VID-19, when an outbreak at the New Jersey Veterans Home resulted in 74 deaths. Some 60% of the residents' home's home's were infected, with some 60, all of the former soldiers through May 2020, with all of them dying in New Jersey. The number of retail establishments tripled from 319, to 319, and annual retail sales increased twenty-fold in nominal dollars, from $5.5 million to $112 million (equal to $1.1 billion in 2021) by the 1980s, when the population had increased slightly to 23,000. The city's population was just 4,000 in 1940, with no town center and 94 retail establishments. By the 1950s and 1960s, Paramus, lacking any master plan until 1969, was redeveloped into two shopping corridors when its farmers and outside developers saw that shopping malls were more lucrative than produce farming. New Jersey became the "first stop outside New York City for shopping".

Geography

Named neighborhoods within the borough include Arcola, Bergen Place, Dunkerhook, Fairway Oaks, and Spring Valley. The borough borders the Bergen County municipalities of Emerson, Fair Lawn, Glen Rock, Hackensack, Maywood, Oradell, Ridgewood, River Edge, Rochelle Park, Saddle Brook and Washington Township. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 10.51 square miles (27.21 km²) of land and 0.06 square miles of water (0.60% of the borough's total area) The borough's population at the 2010 United States Census was 1,788. It had a population of 1,856 at the time of the 2010 Census, up from 1,632 at the 2000 Census. It has a population growth rate of 1.2% since the 1990s. The Borough's population in the 2010 U.N. Census was 2,764. It is the largest borough in New Jersey, with a population increase of 2.7% in the last decade. It also has the highest percentage of people living in poverty in the state, at 1.7%. The borough has the lowest percentage of residents in the United States, at 0.6%. It has the largest population of any New Jersey borough, with 1,938 people living there as of the 2011 Census. Its population has grown by 1.6% since 2000.

Demographics

The 2010 U.S. census counted 26,342 people, 8,630 households, and 6,939 families in the borough. 6.9% of residents self-identified as being Korean American, which makes it the largest ethnic minority group in the Borough. Same-sex couples headed 35 households in 2010, more than double the 17 counted in the 2000 census. The median household income was $104,986 (with a margin of error of +/ $9,111) and the median family Income was $123,848 (+/ $7,952) in 2010. The per capita income for the borough was $40,024 (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars). About 1.6% of families and 2.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.0% of those under age 18 and 4.1% ofThose age 65 or over. The borough is located on the New Jersey Turnpike, which connects to New Jersey and New Jersey via the Raritan River and the Susquehanna River. It has a population of 25,737, with 8,209 housing units at an average density of 783.9 per square mile (302.7/km²) The racial makeup of the borough is 79.19% White, 1.13% African American, 0.05% Native American, 17.23% Asian, 0,01% Pacific Islander, and 1.51% from two or more races.

Economy

The borough is one of the largest shopping destinations in the country, generating over $6 billion in annual retail sales. New Jersey does not levy a sales tax on clothes and shoes, which makes it an attractive shopping destination for people even further away in New York City. Westfield Garden State Plaza is the largest and best-known mall in the borough. There are 25 retailers that occupy multiple stores in Paramus, including Macy's which had outlets in three malls for a period of time. Some retail analysts view Paramus as being two markets, centered on the two major highways. The borough has five major indoor shopping centers, serving residents in Bergen County and Passaic County in New Jersey and Rockland County, New York. Paramus was home to the America regional headquarters of Hanjin Shipping, located on the eastbound side of Route 4 before it declared bankruptcy in 2017. Hudson City Bancorp had its headquarters located at West 80 Century Road until its acquisition by M&T Bank, which was completed in 2015. Movado Group Inc. is a watchmaker with its headquarters on From Road. Coach USA is a large tour operator with its HQ at the offices of its Community Coach subsidiary. Kristian Regale is a non-alcoholic beverage company based in Paramos. When Toys "R" Us was revived in 2019 after emerging from bankruptcy, the first new Toys "r" Us store opened at Westfield Gardens State Plaza on November 27, 2019. However, it closed again on January 26, 2021, as a result of financial losses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Arts and culture

The Paramus Drive-In closed in 1987 after a double-feature of "Crocodile" Dundee and The Untouchables. The Paramus Picture Show, known as Cinema 35 until 1997, closed in December 2004 in the wake of declining attendance. The Bergen Town Center had a performing arts theater called "Playhouse on the Mall". It had a seating capacity of 635 seats and was opened in 1960. The glam metal band, Trixter, formed in Paramus. The hardcore/punk rock band The Escape Engine formed in the borough from 2002 to 2006. A 12-screen Regal Cinemas was planned to open at Paramus Park as part of renovations that would have replaced the Sears store with a Stew Leonard's location. However, the plans were cancelled after Stew Leonard’s took up more space than expected. On May 25, 2007, the new AMC Theatres opened at Westfield Garden State Plaza. In 2016, the Garden State plaza added a Bergen Performing Arts Center performance area for shows and performances located near Macy's, which took up the former space of the Venetian carousel. There was also a Ber gen PAC ticket center located near the performance area. In 2017, the Bergen PAC performance area was short lived as it was replaced by a video game theater, then it became a lounge area in 2017. The theater was closed in 2017 and replaced with a lounge and video game store. It was closed again in 2018.

Parks and recreation

Paramus is the home to two county parks. Van Saun County Park is home to Bergen County's only zoo. Saddle River County Park features a 6-mile (9.7 km) bike path reaching from Ridgewood to Rochelle Park. The borough has four golf courses, two of which are open to the public. Paramus Little League was the 2011 New Jersey State Little League Champions.Paramus has an outdoor municipal swimming pool complex on Van Binsberger Boulevard. It has three pools: a main pool, a pool for younger swimmers, and a baby pool. It also has a miniature golf course that is themed after the borough of Paramus as well as the state of New Jersey. It was ranked # 84 on the list of Most Prestigious Clubs in America Golf Connoisseur 2006. The pool was destroyed by another fire in 1970 and closed down for good. A fire in 1929 destroyed the entire park, with the exception of the pool. The park site was replaced by a Ramada Inn, the hotel extending into a small portion of Rochelle park. It had a huge swimming pool and a convention hall, a dance pavilion, an auditorium, and rides. It is also home to a Turkey statue that is scattered around the course to celebrate Paramus' reputation as the "land of the wild turkeys" Paramus has a Little League team that won the state Little League championship in 2011. The team won the New Jersey Little League Championship in 2010.

Annual events

Paramus hosts an annual National Night Out. The Paramus Rescue Squad and Fire Department Companies 2 & 3 host a Halloween party every October called, "Safe Halloween" The fire department drives throughout the borough on the Sunday before Christmas with Santa riding atop the fire apparatus. Members of the department accompany Santa and give out lollipops to residents who come outside during the tour. The borough's fire, rescue, police, and ambulance vehicles are also displayed at the event. The parade route starts at the intersection of Century Road and Farview Avenue and ends at Memorial Elementary School. On the 5th, there is a fireworks display at the Cliff Gennarelli Paramus Sportsplex. The event typically includes games and activities as well as a concert. It is also held on the same day as the New Jersey State Fair, which is held in New Jersey. It also takes place on the weekend of July 4th and July 5th. There is a parade on the 4th of July and a firework display on July 5. The fireworks display is held at the Sportsplex on the evening of July 6th. The annual Memorial Day parade is held every year on the first day of the month. It starts at 11 a.m. at the corner of Century and Far View Avenues. It ends at the end of the street at the Paramus High School football field. The Parade route is the same as the one on the Fourth of July. It goes from Century Road to Farview Ave. and ends up at the High School.

Government

Paramus is governed under the Borough form of New Jersey municipal government, which is used in 218 municipalities (of the 564) statewide. The governing body is comprised of a Mayor and a Borough Council, with all positions elected at-large on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. Bergen County is governed by a directly elected County Executive, with legislative functions performed by a Board of County Commissioners. Paramus is located in the 5th Congressional District and the 38th state legislative district. For the 117th United States Congress, New Jersey's Fifth Congressional District is represented by Josh Gottheimer (D, Wyckoff). 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, the38th Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature isrepresented in the State Senate by Joseph Lagana (D, Paramus) and in the General Assembly by Lisa Swain (D) and Chris Tully (D), both of Bergenfield. In October 2015, Moody's Investors Service upgraded general obligation debt of the Borough of Paramus from Aa1 to Aaa, in light of the low levels of debt and the strength of the borough's financial operations, reserve levels, tax base, management practices and levels of wealth. As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 16,74 registered voters in Paramus, 4.7% of which were registered as Democrats.

Education

The Paramus Public Schools serve students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. As of the 2019-2020 school year, the eight-school district had an enrollment of 3,760 students and 332.7 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a studentteacher ratio of 11.3:1. Paramus Catholic High School is a co-educational Roman Catholic high school founded in 1965 and operated by the Archdiocese of Newark. The Bergen County Special Services School District, which provides public special education services on a countywide basis, is headquartered in Paramus. The borough's public library maintains two locationsthe Main Library on Century Road and the Charles E. Reid Branch library on Midland Avenue, which was originally a four-room schoolhouse built in 1876. The bulk of the college's 17,000 students working towards degrees are located at the main campus of Berkeley College. There is a DeVry University campus at the 35 Plaza Shopping Center in Paramuus. New Alliance Academy provides educational and ancillary therapeutic services for high school teenagers experiencing acute psychological distress. The Alpine Learning Group is located on County Route 62, close to Linwood Avenue, and P.R.I.D.E. School, which is a part of the ECLC school, which serves three other locations in New Jersey, has a location on Sette Drive.Paramus is home to many private religious schools, including Frisch School, a Modern Orthodox Jewish yeshiva serving grades 912.

Air Quality, Water Quality, Superfund Sites & UV Index

The Air Quality index is in Paramus, Bergen County, New Jersey = 15.3. 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 40. 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 Paramus = 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 26,698 individuals with a median age of 45.6 age the population grows by 2.35% in Paramus, Bergen County, New Jersey population since 2000 and are distributed over a density of 2,556.1 residents per square mile of area (986.9/km²). There are average 2.97 people per household in the 8,350 households with an average household income of $93,300 a year. The unemployment rate in Alabama is 7.10% 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 23.70%. The number of physicians in Paramus per 100,000 population = 440.7.

Weather

The annual rainfall in Paramus = 42.6 inches and the annual snowfall = 24.7 inches. The annual number of days with measurable precipitation (over .01 inch) = 113. The average number of days per year that are predominantly sunny = 210. 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 45, 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 Paramus, Bergen County, New Jersey which are owned by the occupant = 88.03%. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, or room occupied as separate living quarters. The average age of homes = 49 years with median home cost = $514,600 and home appreciation of -6.03%. 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 $21.97 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 $12,465 per student. There are 10 students for each teacher in the school, 927 students for each Librarian and 322 students for each Counselor. 4.07% of the area’s population over the age of 25 with an Associate Degree or other 2-year college degree, 24.46% with a master’s degree, Ph.D. or other advanced college degree and 14.27% with high school diplomas or high school equivalency degrees (GEDs).

  • Paramus's population in Bergen County, New Jersey of 2,649 residents in 1930 has increased 10,08-fold to 26,698 residents after 90 years, according to the official 2020 census.

    Approximately 51.03% female residents and 48.97% male residents live in Paramus, Bergen County, New Jersey.

    As of 2020 in Paramus, Bergen County, New Jersey are married and the remaining 36.37% are single population.

  • 29.9 minutes is the average time that residents in Paramus require for a one-way commute to work. A long commute can have different effects on health. A Gallup poll in the US found that in terms of mental health, long haul commuters are up to 12 percent more likely to experience worry, and ten percent less likely to feel well rested. The Gallup poll also found that of people who commute 61­–90 minutes each day, a whopping one third complained of neck and back pain, compared to less than a quarter of people who only spend ten minutes getting to work.

    77.32% of the working population which commute to work alone in their car, 10.26% of the working population which commutes to work in a carpool, 6.67% of the population that commutes using mass transit, including bus, light rail, subway, and ferry. 3.49% of the population that has their home as their principal place of work.

  • Of the total residential buildings in Paramus, Bergen County, New Jersey, 88.03% are owner-occupied homes, another 9.77% are rented apartments, and the remaining 2.20% are vacant.

  • The 71.52% of the population in Paramus, Bergen County, New Jersey who identify themselves as belonging to a religion are distributed among the following most diverse religions.

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