Raritan, New Jersey

Not to be confused with Raritan Township, New Jersey.

Raritan, New Jersey
Borough
Nevius Street Bridge
Nevius Street Bridge
Official seal of Raritan, New Jersey
Seal
Motto: 
"A friendly town of friendly people"
Location of Raritan in Somerset County highlighted in yellow (right). Inset map: Location of Somerset County in New Jersey highlighted in black (left).
Location of Raritan in Somerset County highlighted in yellow (right). Inset map: Location of Somerset County in New Jersey highlighted in black (left).
Census Bureau map of Raritan, New Jersey
Census Bureau map of Raritan, New Jersey
Raritan is located in Somerset County, New Jersey
Raritan
Raritan
Location in Somerset County
Raritan is located in New Jersey
Raritan
Raritan
Location in New Jersey
Raritan is located in the United States
Raritan
Raritan
Location in the United States
Coordinates: 40°34′17″N 74°38′46″W / 40.571344°N 74.646026°W / 40.571344; -74.646026[1][2]
Country United States
State New Jersey
County Somerset
IncorporatedApril 3, 1868 (as town)
ReincorporatedMay 12, 1948 (as borough)
Named forRaritan tribe
Government
[6]
 • TypeBorough
 • BodyBorough Council
 • MayorNicolas Carra (R, term ends December 31, 2027)[3]
 • AdministratorEric M. Colvin[4]
 • Municipal clerkEric M. Colvin[5]
Area
[7]
 • Total
2.03 sq mi (5.27 km2)
 • Land1.99 sq mi (5.16 km2)
 • Water0.04 sq mi (0.11 km2)  2.02%
 • Rank412th of 565 in state
17th of 21 in county[1]
Elevation
[8]
125 ft (38 m)
Population
 (2020)[9][10]
 • Total
7,835
 • Estimate 
(2023)[9][11]
8,422
 • Rank297th of 565 in state
14th of 21 in county[12]
 • Density3,933.2/sq mi (1,518.6/km2)
  • Rank163rd of 565 in state
6th of 21 in county[12]
Time zoneUTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT))
ZIP Codes
08869[13][14]
Area code908[15]
FIPS code3403561980[1][16][17]
GNIS feature ID0885365[1][18]
Websitewww.raritanboro.org

Raritan is a borough in Somerset County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 7,835,[9][10] its highest decennial census count ever and an increase of 954 (+13.9%) from the 2010 census count of 6,881,[19][20] which in turn had reflected an increase of 543 (+8.6%) from the 6,338 counted at the 2000 census.[21]

The borough's name is derived from the Raritans, a Native American group of Lenape.[22] The name of the tribe is said to mean "forked river",[23] "stream overflows", or "point on a tidal river".[24][25]

  1. ^ a b c d 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. ^ "MAYOR NICOLAS J. CARRA". The Official Website of the Borough of Raritan, NJ. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  4. ^ Borough Administrator, Borough of Raritan. Accessed April 18, 2023.
  5. ^ Borough Clerk, Borough of Raritan. Accessed April 18, 2023.
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference DataBook was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
  8. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Borough of Raritan, Geographic Names Information System. Accessed March 11, 2013.
  9. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference Census2020 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ a b 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 Raritan, NJ, United States Postal Service. Accessed February 13, 2013.
  14. ^ Zip Codes, State of New Jersey. Accessed August 29, 2013.
  15. ^ Area Code Lookup - NPA NXX for Raritan, NJ, Area-Codes.com. Accessed August 29, 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. ^ Hutchinson, Viola L. The Origin of New Jersey Place Names, New Jersey Public Library Commission, May 1945. Accessed September 21, 2015.
  23. ^ Gannett, Henry. The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States, p. 25. United States Government Printing Office, 1905. Accessed September 21, 2015.
  24. ^ Nestor, Sandy. Indian Placenames in America, Volume 1, p. 114. Accessed September 21, 2015. "Raritan is Lenape for 'stream overflows,' or 'a point on a tidal river.'"
  25. ^ The History of Raritan, Borough of Raritan. Accessed September 21, 2015. "The Dutch shortened and altered the name of the Naraticongs and named the area Raritan, or 'forked river'. Other versions of history state that Raritan translates to 'where the stream overflows'."