Westfield

Westfield is a town in Union County, New Jersey, United States, located 16 miles (26 km) southwest of Manhattan. As of the 2010 United States census, the town's population was 30,316, reflecting an increase of 672 (+2.3%) from the 29,644 counted in the 2000 Census. Westfield residents had a median household income of $159,923, ranked 8th in the state among municipalities with more than 10,000 residents, more than double the statewide median of $76,475. In March 2018, Bloomberg ranked Westfield as the 99th highest-income place in the United States. According to a 2014 nationwide survey, Westfield was ranked as the 30th-safest city to live in the U.S. The Broaddus family living in Westfield received threatening letters from a supposed stalker who referred to himself as "The Watcher," causing a national sensation. The 1971 John List family murders were later adapted into the 2022 Netflix series The Watcher. The name of the town is derived from its location in the western, undeveloped fields of the Elizabethtown tract. The Westfield Memorial Library was founded in 1873 as the "Every Saturday Club" and is located in a large, modern, Williams-style building. The library is located at 550 East Broad Street in the downtown district of Westfield. The upper reaches of the Rahway River Parkway run through the township along tributaries of theRahway River.

History

Westfield was originally formed as a township on January 27, 1794, from portions of Elizabeth Township. It was incorporated on February 21, 1798, as one of New Jersey's initial group of 104 townships by an act of the New Jersey Legislature. Portions of the township have been taken to form Rahway Township (February 27, 1804), Plainfield Township (April 5, 1847), Cranford Township (March 14, 1871), Fanwood Township (March 6, 1878; now known as Scotch Plains) and Mountainside (September 25, 1895). The Town of Westfield was incorporated in 1903, replacing Westfield Township. The name of the town is derived from its location in the western, undeveloped fields of the Elizabethtown tract. As recently as 2017, the Broaddus family living in Westfield received threatening letters from a supposed stalker who referred to himself as "The Watcher," causing a national sensation. This story was later adapted into the 2022 Netflix series The Watcher, about the 1971 John List family murders that also occurred in the town. The BroaddUS family's experience, along with the1971 John List Family murders, were lateradapted into the 1971 TV series John List: The Murderer, which aired on PBS stations in the U.S. and PBS stations around the world in the 1970s and 1980s. The series was based on the true story of John List, who was murdered by a stalker in 1971.

Geography

Six municipalities border the town of Westfield: Mountainside to the north, Springfield Township to the northeast, Garwood and Cranford to the east, Clark to the southeast, and Scotch Plains to the west and southwest. Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Germantown and Tamaques Reservation Mill. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town had a total area of 6.74 square miles (17.46 km²) of land and 0.02 square miles of water (0.28%). It is located about one hour from Manhattan and about one mile from the New Jersey Turnpike. The township is located on the banks of the Rahway River, which flows through the northern part of the town. The upper reaches of the river run through the southern portion of the township. The Robinson's Branch Reservoir, also known as the Clark Reservoir is located in the southern part of town. It is one of the largest reservoirs in New Jersey, with a total capacity of more than 1,000 square miles (3,500 km) The town has a population of about 2,000 (2,000 people) according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau estimate. It has a total land area of 6.72 square miles (17.42 km²), including 6.72 square miles of land and 0.02 square mile of water.

Community

Downtown Westfield, with over 200 retail establishments and 400 commercial enterprises, is a regional destination in New Jersey. The Westfield Memorial Library was founded in 1873 as the "Every Saturday Book Club" The library's collection consists of over 250,000 books, two dozen public computers, a wide array of multimedia options, and a large youth services area with a vivid mural depicting Westfield history. The Downtown Westfield Corporation (DWC) manages the Special Improvement District (SID) area's growth and enhancement. In 2010, Westfield was the winner of the America in Bloom contest for communities with a population of 25,00150,000 against the other two towns entered in their category. Throughout the summer, jazz groups perform live, outdoors, every Tuesday night. October 2018 saw the first annual AddamsFest, honoring Westfield resident Charles Addams. In August 2020, Le Tote announced that Lord & Taylor, the town's only department store and the chain's only freestanding location in New NJ, would close as part of a plan to shut down 38 Lord &Taylor store nationwide. Efforts are being made to redevelop the site. The town's downtown features many local and national stores and several landmarks that were shown and used in the NBC network television show Ed such as the Rialto Theater. There are over 40 restaurants and casual dining establishments throughout the downtown. The downtown area has a mix of independent stores and boutiques as well as national stores. Over one-third of the retailers and restaurants have existed for 25 years or more. The DWC works closely with the town government and volunteer groups to improve the downtown area.

Parks and recreation

Parks in the town include:Brightwood Park, Gumbert Park, Lenape Park, Mindowaskin Park, and Tamaques Park. Gary Kehler Stadium is named in honor of former Westfield High School football coach and long-time town resident. Westfield is located in Union County, New Jersey, on the Rahway River Parkway. The park also includes portions of Cranford, Kenilworth and Springfield Township. The town is located on the New Jersey Turnpike, which runs from New Jersey to New Jersey. It is one of the few towns in New Jersey with a population of more than 100,000. It was founded in 1858 and is the oldest town in the United States. It has been the site of the U.S. National Park Service since 1881. It also has a National Wildlife Refuge, which was established in 1883. The U.N. World Heritage Site, which dates back to 1881, is in Westfield and is part of the United Nations World Heritage Sites, which are also located in the area. The site is also home to the World Wildlife Fund, which is based in New York City and has been open to the public since 1972. It includes a wildlife reserve, a wildlife park, and a wildlife center. It's also the home of the Westfield Lions baseball team, which has been in existence since the 1930s. The Westfield Red Sox baseball team has been playing in the New York Red Sox's New England Red Sox rivalry since the 1940s.

Demographics

The 2010 U.S. census counted 30,316 people, 10,566 households, and 8,199 families in the town. The racial makeup of the town was 88.17% (26,729) White, 3.25% (984) Black or African American, 0.12% (36) Native American, 5.67% (1,718) Asian and 0.03% (10) Pacific Islander. The median household income was $127,799 (with a margin of error of +/ $10,580) and the median family income was $150,797 (+/ $11,480) In the town, the median age was 41.0 years. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 87.2 males. About 0.9% of families and 2.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.4% of those under age 18 and. 2.0% ofThose age 65 or over. The town has a population of 29,644, with 10,819 housing units at an average density of 1,607.0 per square mile (620.7/km²). In the 2000 United States census there were 29,645 people, and 10,622 households. The average household size was 2.85 and the average family size was 3.20. In 2010, the town had a median income of $98,390, with the median income for a family of $112,145.

Government

Westfield is governed under a Special Charter granted by an act of the New Jersey Legislature. The governing body is comprised of a Mayor and an eight-member Town Council, with all positions filled in partisan elections. As of 2022, the Mayor of Westfield is Democrat Michelle W. "Shelley" Brindle, whose term of office ends on December 31, 2025. The Town Council consists of eight members, with two members elected from each of four wards. Town Council members are elected to serve four-year terms on a staggered basis, with one seat in each ward coming up for election every other year. The chief of police is Christopher Battiloro, who was appointed to the position in December 2018, after serving for four months on an interim basis. The Westfield Fire Department was formed in 1875 following a fire that destroyed a city block on East Broad Street. There are four platoons of eight (a Battalion Chief, two Lieutenants and five Firefighters) working a 24-/72-hour work schedule out of two fire stations. The Fire Safety Inspector position in the Fire Prevention Bureau was eliminated in January 2009 due to budget cuts. The Chief of Department is Anthony Tiller. The WPD operates a Patrol Division, Traffic Safety Bureau, Records Bureau, Detective Bureau and its own Emergency Services Unit. Westfield's Parking Services also falls under the jurisdiction of the WPD, and is responsible for monitoring parking and traffic safety within the Central Business District and near schools.

Education

As of the 201819 school year, the district, comprised of 10 schools, had an enrollment of 6,304 students and 500.4 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a studentteacher ratio of 12.6:1. Public school students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grades attend the Westfield Public Schools. Holy Trinity Interparochial School is a Middle States-accredited Catholic school run by the three parishes of Holy Trinity and St. Helen's in Westfield along with Our Lady of Lourdes in Mountainside. For high school, public school students from Westfield and all of Union County are eligible to apply to attend the Union County Vocational Technical Schools, which include Union County Magnet High School and Union County Academy for Information Technology. The district has a central kindergarten, six neighborhood elementary schools, two middle schools (grades 68) divided by a "North Side / South Side" boundary, and one high school (grades 912). The schools in the district (with 201819 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Lincoln Early Childhood Center (with 310 students; in grades Pre-KK), Franklin Elementary School (580; 15 North), Thomas Alva Edison Intermediate School (844; 68 South) and Westfield High School (1,865; 912) The district also has a middle school, Roosevelt Intermediate School, and a high school with grades 912 and 1,845.

Transportation

As of May 2010, the town had a total of 108.63 miles (174.82 km) of roadways, of which 96.69 miles (155.61 km) were maintained by the municipality. The main road serving Westfield is New Jersey Route 28, which runs for about two miles alongside the commuter railroad that marks the boundary between the town's North and South Sides. Westfield can also be accessed by Exits 135 and 137 of the nearby Garden State Parkway, or by the Lawrence, Mountain, or Springfield Avenue exits of U.S. Route 22. NJ Transit (NJT) provides passenger rail service from the Westfield train station on the Raritan Valley Line to Newark Penn Station with connecting service to New York Penn Station. Newark Liberty International Airport is approximately 20 minutes away, most conveniently reached via Route 22 or NJT trains. Linden Airport, a general aviation facility, is in nearby Linden, New Jersey. The NJT 113 bus route provides one-seat service to the Port Authority Bus Terminal seven days per week from the town center, taking approximately one hour to NYC, with additional service available along Route 22 on the northern edge of the town. On these non-stop services, the one-way journey time to/from NY Penn Station is 50 minutes, or 20 minutes to and from Newark Penn station. The 59 route provides local bus service between Plainfield and Newark, taking about 45 minutes to reach Newark Liberty International airport.

Services

Residential telephone service is provided by Verizon Communications. Verizon FiOS is also offered in Westfield, which gives the option of digital cable, high-speed internet and telephone service. Power is supplied through the Public Service Electric and Gas Company. Gas is supplied by Elizabethtown Gas and water by American Water of New Jersey. Recycling is collected curbside by private haulers contracted by the Department of Public Works on a biweekly basis, while trash is collected byprivate haulers hired by residents. Westfield is located on the New Jersey Turnpike, which runs from New Jersey to New York. It is one of the most densely populated towns in New Jersey, with a population of 2.2 million. The town is home to the New York Mets, the New England Patriots, the Philadelphia Eagles, and other sports teams. It also has a large number of college football teams, including Rutgers, Penn State, and the University of New York at New York City. It has a number of golf courses, including the Meadowlands, which is home of the N.J. Women's Golf Association. The Westfield High School football team won the state championship in 2008 and 2009. It was the first high school team to win a state title in the history of the state. The school also won a state championship the year before, in 2007. The football team also won the Super Bowl in 2008, beating New York's New York Yankees in the final game of the season.

Air Quality, Water Quality, Superfund Sites & UV Index

The Air Quality index is in Westfield, Union County, New Jersey = 2.8. 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 13. 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 20. 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 Westfield = 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 31,032 individuals with a median age of 39.1 age the population dropped by -0.62% in Westfield, Union County, New Jersey population since 2000 and are distributed over a density of 4,615.1 residents per square mile of area (1,781.9/km²). There are average 2.79 people per household in the 10,462 households with an average household income of $118,426 a year. The unemployment rate in Alabama is 5.60% of the available work force and has dropped -3.41% 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 27.58%. The number of physicians in Westfield per 100,000 population = 225.4.

Weather

The annual rainfall in Westfield = 50.6 inches and the annual snowfall = 22.7 inches. The annual number of days with measurable precipitation (over .01 inch) = 118. 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 21.2 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 Westfield, Union County, New Jersey which are owned by the occupant = 78.93%. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, or room occupied as separate living quarters. The average age of homes = 58 years with median home cost = $580,340 and home appreciation of -9.17%. 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 $25.06 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 $8,102 per student. There are 10.2 students for each teacher in the school, 577 students for each Librarian and 374 students for each Counselor. 4.82% of the area’s population over the age of 25 with an Associate Degree or other 2-year college degree, 32.58% with a master’s degree, Ph.D. or other advanced college degree and 29.77% with high school diplomas or high school equivalency degrees (GEDs).