Fairfield Township, Essex County, New Jersey

For other places with similar names, see Fairfield, New Jersey.

Fairfield Township, New Jersey
Township
Aerial view of Fairfield in Essex County
Aerial view of Fairfield in Essex County
Official seal of Fairfield Township, New Jersey
Seal
Location of Fairfield Township in Essex County highlighted in red (right). Inset map: Location of Essex County in New Jersey highlighted in orange (left).
Location of Fairfield Township in Essex County highlighted in red (right). Inset map: Location of Essex County in New Jersey highlighted in orange (left).
Census Bureau map of Fairfield Township, Essex County, New Jersey
Census Bureau map of Fairfield Township, Essex County, New Jersey
Fairfield Township is located in Essex County, New Jersey
Fairfield Township
Fairfield Township
Location in Essex County
Fairfield Township is located in New Jersey
Fairfield Township
Fairfield Township
Location in New Jersey
Fairfield Township is located in the United States
Fairfield Township
Fairfield Township
Location in the United States
Coordinates: 40°52′57″N 74°18′17″W / 40.882508°N 74.304593°W / 40.882508; -74.304593[1][2]
Country United States
State New Jersey
CountyEssex
IncorporatedFebruary 16, 1798 (as Caldwell Township)
RenamedNovember 6, 1963 (as Fairfield Township)
Government
[7]
 • TypeFaulkner Act Small Municipality
 • BodyTownship Council
 • MayorWilliam Galese (R, term ends December 31, 2024)[3][4]
 • AdministratorJames Gasparini[5]
 • Municipal clerkDenise Cafone[6]
Area
[1]
 • Total
10.35 sq mi (26.80 km2)
 • Land10.13 sq mi (26.23 km2)
 • Water0.22 sq mi (0.57 km2)  2.14%
 • Rank207th of 565 in state
4th of 22 in county[1]
Elevation
[8]
174 ft (53 m)
Population
 (2020)[9][10]
 • Total
7,872
 • Estimate 
(2023)[9][11]
7,941
 • Rank296th of 565 in state
18th of 22 in county[12]
 • Density777.3/sq mi (300.1/km2)
  • Rank410th of 565 in state
22nd of 22 in county[12]
Time zoneUTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT))
ZIP Code
07004[13][14]
Area code(s)973[15]
FIPS code3401322385[1][16][17]
GNIS feature ID1729722[1][18]
Websitewww.fairfieldnj.org

Fairfield is a township in far northwestern Essex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 7,872,[9][10] an increase of 406 (+5.4%) from the 2010 census count of 7,466,[19][20] which in turn reflected an increase of 403 (+5.7%) from the 7,063 counted in the 2000 census.[21] Fairfield was the least densely populated town in Essex County in 2020.[10]

The first Europeans to settle in the area were Dutch and the place was called Gansegat. Later it was part of Horse Neck and officially part of Newark Township. What is now Fairfield was formed on February 16, 1798, as Caldwell Township from portions of Acquackanonk Township and Newark Township. The area was named for Rev. James Caldwell. It was incorporated as one of New Jersey's initial 104 townships by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798. Portions of the township were taken to create Livingston (February 8, 1813), Fairmount Township (March 11, 1862, now part of West Orange), Caldwell borough (February 10, 1892), Verona Township (February 17, 1892, now known and including what is now Cedar Grove), North Caldwell (March 31, 1898), Essex Fells (March 31, 1902) and West Caldwell (February 24, 1904). On November 6, 1963, Caldwell Township was renamed as Fairfield Township, based on the results of a referendum passed the previous day. Fairfield was reincorporated as borough on June 8, 1964.[22] In 1978, the borough passed a referendum reincorporating itself as a township, becoming the second of more than a dozen Essex County municipalities to reclassify themselves as townships in order take advantage of federal revenue sharing policies that allocated townships a greater share of government aid to municipalities on a per capita basis.[23][24][25]

  1. ^ a b c d e 2019 Census Gazetteer Files: New Jersey Places, United States Census Bureau. Accessed July 1, 2020.
  2. ^ US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990, United States Census Bureau. Accessed September 4, 2014.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference MayorCouncil was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ 2023 New Jersey Mayors Directory, New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, updated February 8, 2023. Accessed February 10, 2023. As of date accesses, data for the two Fairfields in Cumberland and Essex counties are reversed.
  5. ^ Administration, Fairfield Township. Accessed January 26, 2023.
  6. ^ Municipal Clerk / Registrar, Fairfield Township. Accessed May 12, 2022.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference DataBook was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Township of Fairfield, Geographic Names Information System. Accessed March 5, 2013.
  9. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference Census2020 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference LWD2020 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference PopEst was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  12. ^ a b Population Density by County and Municipality: New Jersey, 2020 and 2021, New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development. Accessed March 1, 2023.
  13. ^ Look Up a ZIP Code for Fairfield, NJ, United States Postal Service. Accessed November 5, 2012.
  14. ^ Zip Codes, State of New Jersey. Accessed October 10, 2013.
  15. ^ Area Code Lookup - NPA NXX for Fairfield, NJ, Area-Codes.com. Accessed October 10, 2013.
  16. ^ U.S. Census website, United States Census Bureau. Accessed September 4, 2014.
  17. ^ Geographic Codes Lookup for New Jersey, Missouri Census Data Center. Accessed April 1, 2022.
  18. ^ US Board on Geographic Names, United States Geological Survey. Accessed September 4, 2014.
  19. ^ Cite error: The named reference Census2010 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  20. ^ Cite error: The named reference LWD2010 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  21. ^ Table 7. Population for the Counties and Municipalities in New Jersey: 1990, 2000 and 2010, New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, February 2011. Accessed May 1, 2023.
  22. ^ Snyder, John P. The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 126. Accessed October 25, 2012.
  23. ^ "Chapter VI: Municipal Names and Municipal Classification", p. 73. New Jersey State Commission on County and Municipal Government, 1992. Accessed September 24, 2015.
  24. ^ "Removing Tiering From The Revenue Sharing Formula Would Eliminate Payment Inequities To Local Governments", Government Accountability Office, April 15, 1982. Accessed September 24, 2015. "In 1978, South Orange Village was the first municipality to change its name to the 'township' of South Orange Village effective beginning in entitlement period 10 (October 1978 to September 1979). The Borough of Fairfield in 1978 changed its designation by a majority vote of the electorate and became the 'Township of Fairfield' effective beginning entitlement period 11 (October 1979 to September 1980).... However, the Revenue Sharing Act was not changed and the actions taken by South Orange and Fairfield prompted the Town of Montclair and West Orange to change their designation by referendum in the November 4, 1980, election. The municipalities of Belleville, Verona, Bloomfield, Nutley, Essex Fells, Caldwell, and West Caldwell have since changed their classification from municipality to a township."
  25. ^ Narvaez, Alfonso A. "New Jersey Journal", The New York Times, December 27, 1981. Accessed September 24, 2015. "Under the Federal system, New Jersey's portion of the revenue sharing funds is disbursed among the 21 counties to create three 'money pools.' One is for county governments, one for 'places' and a third for townships. By making the change, a community can use the 'township advantage' to get away from the category containing areas with low per capita incomes."