"Small Enough to Know You, Large Enough to Get Things Done".[1]
Location of Green Brook Township in
Somerset County highlighted in yellow (right). Inset map: Location of Somerset County in
New Jersey highlighted in black (left).
Interactive map of Green Brook Township, New Jersey
Census Bureau map of Green Brook Township, New Jersey.
What is now Green Brook was originally created as North Plainfield Township on April 2, 1872, from portions of
Warren Township. Portions of the township were taken to form
North Plainfield borough (June 9, 1885) and
Watchung (March 23, 1926). Green Brook was incorporated as a township by an act of the
New Jersey Legislature on November 8, 1932, replacing North Plainfield Township, based on the results of a referendum held that same day.[1][22]
Green Brook describes itself as "Small Enough to Know You, Large Enough to Get Things Done".[1] Most of Green Brook shares
ZIP Code 08812 with
Dunellen.[14]
History
In 1872, a tract of land was subdivided off from
Warren Township. Thirteen years later, in 1885, the Borough of
North Plainfield was created from a section of the subdivided land. The land at that time was designated as North Plainfield. In 1926, the Borough of
Watchung was carved out of North Plainfield Township.[22] The municipality's name was changed to Green Brook Township in 1932.[1]
Green Brook Township takes its name from the waterway that passes through the township called the
Green Brook that rises in the
Watchung Mountains several miles away, feeding from many smaller brooks and ponds along the way, as it flows in a southwesterly direction for a distance of 15 miles (24 km). It then continues southwestward and flows into the
Raritan River at
Bound Brook, which provides access to the
New York City area and the
Atlantic Ocean.[23] The brook was named for the color of its water.[24]
According to the
United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 4.42 square miles (11.43 km2), including 4.41 square miles (11.42 km2) of land and 0.01 square miles (0.02 km2) of water (0.18%).[2][3]
The township is in the
Raritan Valley, a line of places in central New Jersey. Green Brook lies in the northern division of Raritan Valley along with the borough of North Plainfield.[26]
Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Seeley Mills and Washington Rock.[27]
Green Brook Township, Somerset County, New Jersey – Racial and ethnic composition (NH = Non-Hispanic) Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Of the 2,375 households, 42.1% had children under the age of 18; 69.6% were married couples living together; 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present and 18.1% were non-families. Of all households, 14.6% were made up of individuals and 5.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.96 and the average family size was 3.30.[19]
26.4% of the population were under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 23.0% from 25 to 44, 31.4% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42.1 years. For every 100 females, the population had 93.3 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 90.3 males.[19]
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010
American Community Survey showed that (in 2010
inflation-adjusted dollars)
median household income was $115,268 (with a margin of error of +/− $15,162) and the median family income was $123,796 (+/− $10,668). Males had a median income of $74,231 (+/− $16,708) versus $75,703 (+/− $8,965) for females. The
per capita income for the borough was $49,068 (+/− $5,197). About 0.9% of families and 1.3% of the population were below the
poverty line, including 1.8% of those under age 18 and 1.7% of those age 65 or over.[41]
2000 census
As of the
2000 United States census[16] there were 5,654 people, 1,893 households, and 1,508 families residing in the township. The population density was 1,234.7 inhabitants per square mile (476.7/km2). There were 1,916 housing units at an average density of 418.4 per square mile (161.5/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 88.43%
White, 1.68%
African American, 0.07%
Native American, 7.99%
Asian, 0.04%
Pacific Islander, 0.71% from
other races, and 1.08% from two or more races.
Hispanic or
Latino of any race were 4.09% of the population.[36][37]
There were 1,893 households, out of which 37.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.0% were
married couples living together, 7.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.3% were non-families. 15.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.84 and the average family size was 3.20.[36][37]
In the township the population was spread out, with 24.3% under the age of 18, 4.8% from 18 to 24, 30.5% from 25 to 44, 24.8% from 45 to 64, and 15.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.0 males.[36][37]
The median income for a household in the township was $80,644, and the median income for a family was $87,744. Males had a median income of $52,147 versus $46,434 for females. The
per capita income for the township was $37,290. About 1.7% of families and 2.4% of the population were below the
poverty line, including 0.9% of those under age 18 and 5.5% of those age 65 or over.[36][37]
Government
Local government
Green Brook Township is governed under the
Township form of New Jersey municipal government, one of 141 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this form, the second-most commonly used form of government in the state.[42] The Township Committee is comprised of five members, who are elected directly by the voters
at-large in partisan elections to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats coming up for election each year as part of the November general election in a three-year cycle.[7][43] At a reorganization meeting, held each year within the first week of January, the Committee elects a Mayor and a Deputy Mayor for that year from among its members.
As of 2023[update], members of the Green Brook Township Committee are Mayor James Van Arsdale (
R, term on committee ends December 31, 2024; term as mayor ends 2023), Deputy Mayor James Benscoter (R, term on committee ends and as deputy mayor ends 2023), Brian Conway (R, 2023), Gerard "Jerry" Searfoss (R, 2025) and Nancy Stoll (R, 2024).[4][44][45][46][47][48]
Federal, state and county representation
Green Brook Township is located in the 7th Congressional District[49] and is part of New Jersey's 21st state legislative district.[50]
Somerset County is governed by a five-member
Board of County Commissioners, whose members are elected
at-large to three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with one or two seats coming up for election each year. At an annual reorganization meeting held on the first Friday of January, the board selects a Director and deputy director from among its members.[56] As of 2024[update], Somerset County's County Commissioners are:
Constitutional officers, elected on a countywide basis are:
Clerk Steve Peter (
D,
Somerville, 2027),[66][67]
Sheriff Darrin Russo (D, Franklin Township, 2025)[68][69] and
Surrogate Bernice "Tina" Jalloh (D, Franklin Township, 2025)[70][71][64]
Politics
As of March 2011, there were a total of 4,545 registered voters in Green Brook Township, of which 920 (20.2% vs. 26.0% countywide) were registered as
Democrats, 1,219 (26.8% vs. 25.7%) were registered as
Republicans and 2,401 (52.8% vs. 48.2%) were registered as
Unaffiliated. There were 5 voters registered as
Libertarians or
Greens.[72] Among the township's 2010 Census population, 63.1% (vs. 60.4% in Somerset County) were registered to vote, including 85.7% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 80.4% countywide).[72][73]
In the
2012 presidential election, Republican
Mitt Romney received 53.5% of the vote (1,653 cast), ahead of Democrat
Barack Obama with 45.1% (1,394 votes), and other candidates with 1.4% (43 votes), among the 3,110 ballots cast by the township's 4,774 registered voters (20 ballots were
spoiled), for a turnout of 65.1%.[74][75] In the
2008 presidential election, Republican
John McCain received 1,814 votes (53.1% vs. 46.1% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 1,532 votes (44.9% vs. 52.1%) and other candidates with 34 votes (1.0% vs. 1.1%), among the 3,415 ballots cast by the township's 4,470 registered voters, for a turnout of 76.4% (vs. 78.7% in Somerset County).[76] In the
2004 presidential election, Republican
George W. Bush received 1,896 votes (58.8% vs. 51.5% countywide), ahead of Democrat
John Kerry with 1,290 votes (40.0% vs. 47.2%) and other candidates with 30 votes (0.9% vs. 0.9%), among the 3,225 ballots cast by the township's 3,910 registered voters, for a turnout of 82.5% (vs. 81.7% in the whole county).[77]
In the
2013 gubernatorial election, Republican
Chris Christie received 71.3% of the vote (1,341 cast), ahead of Democrat
Barbara Buono with 26.8% (504 votes), and other candidates with 2.0% (37 votes), among the 1,899 ballots cast by the township's 4,810 registered voters (17 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 39.5%.[78][79] In the
2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 1,548 votes (63.9% vs. 55.8% countywide), ahead of Democrat
Jon Corzine with 648 votes (26.7% vs. 34.1%), Independent
Chris Daggett with 182 votes (7.5% vs. 8.7%) and other candidates with 21 votes (0.9% vs. 0.7%), among the 2,424 ballots cast by the township's 4,527 registered voters, yielding a 53.5% turnout (vs. 52.5% in the county).[80]
Green Brook vote by party in presidential elections
As of May 2010[update], the township had a total of 36.19 miles (58.24 km) of roadways, of which 25.49 miles (41.02 km) were maintained by the municipality, 7.47 miles (12.02 km) by Somerset County and 3.23 miles (5.20 km) by the
New Jersey Department of Transportation.[91]
There are several committees and organizations within the township of Green Brook. Green Brook has a Baptist church on Greenbrook Road. There is the Green Brook Seniors, which is held at the Senior Center. This is a place for all township seniors to meet and participate in different events. Green Brook also has a
Lions Club, which volunteers for different causes. The Green Brook Recreation Committee is a volunteer organization that provides programs and event for all residents.
^Washington Rock State Park,
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Division of Parks and Forestry. Accessed September 9, 2013. "One of the oldest state parks in New Jersey, Washington Rock was originally purchased in 1913 to commemorate the historical events of 1777. Situated on top of Watchung Mountain in Green Brook Township, the park is best known for its scenic vista and historical significance. The park is a popular site for picnicking and relaxing."
^Biography of Bob Menendez,
United States Senate, January 26, 2015. "Menendez, who started his political career in Union City, moved in September from Paramus to one of Harrison's new apartment buildings near the town's PATH station.."
^Green Brook Township Board of Education District Policy 0110 - Identification, Green Brook School District. Accessed February 21, 2020. "Purpose: The Board of Education exists for the purpose of providing a thorough and efficient system of free public education in grades Kindergarten through eight in the Green Brook School District, and in grades nine through twelve in the Watchung Hills Regional School District for Green Brook students. Composition: The Green Brook School District is comprised of all the area within the municipal boundaries of Green Brook."
^Correal, Annie.
"Declaring 'That's Me,' and Empowering Latinas", The New York Times, October 21, 2016. Accessed January 4, 2017. "A few months ago, Sarai Gonzalez's proudest distinction was being a funny older sister. She hammed it up during dance parties in her family room in Green Brook, N.J."
^Johnson, Brent.
"Somerset teen brings home gold from Winter Paralympics", The Star-Ledger, March 24, 2010. Accessed July 25, 2014. "Today was Pauls' first day back at school after helping the United States win gold in sled hockey at the international tournament — the equivalent of the Olympics for handicapped athletes. The Green Brook teen was the youngest member of the squad."
^"Top Billing; Please do feed these Animals", Courier News, October 31, 1993. Accessed May 28, 2024, via
Newspapers.com. "They come from the land Down Under, these Baby Animals. And they'll perform at The Clubhouse in Plainfield at 10 p.m. Wednesday. Their latest album, Shaved and Dangerous, was produced by Green Brook native and Dunellen High School grad Ed Stasium."