Harrington Park is a borough in Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 4,741, an increase of 77 (+1.7%) from the 2010 census count of 4,664, which in turn reflected a decrease of 76 (−1.6%) from the 4,740 counted in the 2000 census. Harrington Park was formed on March 29, 1904, from portions of Harrington Township and Washington Township, and parts of the borough of Closter. The name Harrington Park was based on the larger Harrington Township from which it was in part derived, which in turn was based on the Harring family, early settlers to the region.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 2.06 square miles (5.34 km2), including 1.85 square miles (4.78 km2) of land and 0.22 square miles (0.56 km2) of water (10.53%). The borough borders Closter, Emerson, Norwood, Old Tappan and River Vale.

Demographics

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 4,664 people, 1,592 households, and 1,328 families in the borough. The population density was 2545.9 /sqmi. There were 1,624 housing units at an average density of 886.5 /sqmi. The racial makeup was 79.76% (3,720) White, 0.69% (32) Black or African American, 0.02% (1) Native American, 17.43% (813) Asian, 0.19% (9) Pacific Islander, 0.51% (24) from other races, and 1.39% (65) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.49% (163) of the population. Korean Americans accounted for 13.0% of the population. Of the 1,592 households, 41.8% had children under the age of 18; 73.9% were married couples living together; 7.3% had a female householder with no husband present and 16.6% were non-families. Of all households, 14.6% were made up of individuals and 8.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.93 and the average family size was 3.26. Same-sex couples headed 34 households in 2010, an increase more than five-fold from the six counted in 2000. 28.0% of the population were under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 18.3% from 25 to 44, 33.4% from 45 to 64, and 14.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44.1 years. For every 100 females, the population had 93.6 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 89.6 males. The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $115,875 (with a margin of error of +/− $28,119) and the median family income was $132,108 (+/− $18,521). Males had a median income of $95,119 (+/− $12,806) versus $49,656 (+/− $16,730) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $49,159 (+/− $5,612). About none of families and 1.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 1.2% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States census, there were 4,740 people, 1,563 households, and 1,344 families residing in the borough. The population density was 2,555.0 PD/sqmi. There were 1,583 housing units at an average density of 853.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the borough was 83.52% White, 0.68% African American, 0.04% Native American, 14.66% Asian, 0.63% from other races, and 0.46% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.57% of the population. There were 1,563 households, out of which 44.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 78.4% were married couples living together, 6.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 14.0% were non-families. 12.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.03 and the average family size was 3.31. In the borough the population was spread out, with 28.6% under the age of 18, 5.0% from 18 to 24, 25.3% from 25 to 44, 28.3% from 45 to 64, and 12.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.0 males. The median income for a household in the borough was $100,302, and the median income for a family was $124,376. Males had a median income of $71,776 versus $42,833 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $39,017. About 1.8% of families and 2.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.6% of those under age 18 and 1.2% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

Harrington Park is governed under the borough form of New Jersey municipal government, which is used in 218 municipalities (of the 564) statewide, making it the most common form of government in New Jersey. 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. A mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The borough council includes six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle. The borough form of government used by Harrington Park is a "weak mayor / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can veto ordinances subject to an override by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council. , the position as mayor of Harrington Park is vacant, following the death of Independent Paul A. Hoelscher, whose term of office was set to expire December 31, 2027. Members of the Harrington Park Borough Council are Council President Diane G. Walker (I, 2025), William Blackinton (I, 2024), Joon L. Chung (I, 2026), Gregory J. Evanella (I, 2025), Allan S. Napolitano (I, 2026) and Jorden "Nick" Pedersen (I, 2024). Paul Hoelscher, who had been the borough's mayor since being elected in 1992, died in office in June 2024. In March 2016, Diane Walker was selected to fill the seat expiring in December 2016 of Michael Rutigliano, who cited personal reasons for his resignation from office the previous month.

Federal, state and county representation

Harrington Park is located in the 5th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 39th state legislative district.

Politics

As of March 2011, there were a total of 3,243 registered voters in Harrington Park, of which 813 (25.1% vs. 31.7% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 813 (25.1% vs. 21.1%) were registered as Republicans and 1,615 (49.8% vs. 47.1%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There was one voter registered to another party. Among the borough's 2010 Census population, 69.5% (vs. 57.1% in Bergen County) were registered to vote, including 96.5% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 73.7% countywide). In the 2016 presidential election, Democrat Hillary Clinton received 1,382 votes (51.7% vs. 54.8% countywide), ahead of Republican Donald Trump with 1,147 votes (42.9% vs. 41.6%) and other candidates with 76 votes (2.8% vs. 3.0%), among the 2,673 ballots cast by the borough's 3,510 registered voters, for a turnout of 76.2% (vs. 72.5% in Bergen County). In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 1,340 votes (51.2% vs. 43.5% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 1,218 votes (46.5% vs. 54.8%) and other candidates with 32 votes (1.2% vs. 0.9%), among the 2,618 ballots cast by the borough's 3,447 registered voters, for a turnout of 76.0% (vs. 70.4% in Bergen County). In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 1,371 votes (49.7% vs. 44.5% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 1,355 votes (49.1% vs. 53.9%) and other candidates with 14 votes (0.5% vs. 0.8%), among the 2,761 ballots cast by the borough's 3,413 registered voters, for a turnout of 80.9% (vs. 76.8% in Bergen County). In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 1,445 votes (52.8% vs. 47.2% countywide), ahead of Democrat John Kerry with 1,263 votes (46.2% vs. 51.7%) and other candidates with 22 votes (0.8% vs. 0.7%), among the 2,735 ballots cast by the borough's 3,324 registered voters, for a turnout of 82.3% (vs. 76.9% in the whole county). In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 63.6% of the vote (1,019 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 34.9% (559 votes), and other candidates with 1.4% (23 votes), among the 1,655 ballots cast by the borough's 3,307 registered voters (54 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 50.0%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 994 votes (51.2% vs. 45.8% countywide), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 815 votes (42.0% vs. 48.0%), Independent Chris Daggett with 90 votes (4.6% vs. 4.7%) and other candidates with 13 votes (0.7% vs. 0.5%), among the 1,941 ballots cast by the borough's 3,338 registered voters, yielding a 58.1% turnout (vs. 50.0% in the county).

Education

The Harrington Park School District serves public school students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade at Harrington Park School. As of the 2022–23 school year, the district, comprised of one school, had an enrollment of 645 students and 58.7 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.0:1. Students in public school for ninth through twelfth grades attend Northern Valley Regional High School at Old Tappan, together with students from Northvale, Norwood and Old Tappan, along with students from Rockleigh who attend the high school as part of a sending/receiving relationship. The school is one of the two schools of the Northern Valley Regional High School District, which also serves students from the neighboring communities of Closter, Demarest, Haworth at the Northern Valley Regional High School at Demarest. During the 1994–1996 school years, Northern Valley Regional High School at Old Tappan was awarded the Blue Ribbon School Award of Excellence by the United States Department of Education. As of the 2022–23 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 1,002 students and 106.7 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 9.4:1. Public school students from the borough, and all of Bergen County, are eligible to attend the secondary education programs offered by the Bergen County Technical Schools, which include the Bergen County Academies in Hackensack, and the Bergen Tech campus in Teterboro or Paramus. The district offers programs on a shared-time or full-time basis, with admission based on a selective application process and tuition covered by the student's home school district.

Transportation

Roads and highways

, the borough had a total of 26.66 mi of roadways, of which 21.04 mi were maintained by the municipality and 5.62 mi by Bergen County. The most significant roads serving Harrington Park are County Route 502 and County Route 505.

Public transportation

NJ Transit bus route 167 serves Harrington Park, providing service to and from the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan. Rockland Coaches 20/20T routes provide service to the Port Authority Bus Terminal.

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Harrington Park include:

Sources