Rutherford, New Jersey

Not to be confused with East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Rutherford, New Jersey
Borough
The ‘Welcome to Rutherford’ sign
The ‘Welcome to Rutherford’ sign
Official seal of Rutherford, New Jersey
Seal
Nickname(s): 
"Borough of Trees",[1][2]
"First Borough of Bergen County"[3]
Location of Rutherford in Bergen County highlighted in red (left). Inset map: Location of Bergen County in New Jersey highlighted in orange (right).
Location of Rutherford in Bergen County highlighted in red (left). Inset map: Location of Bergen County in New Jersey highlighted in orange (right).
Census Bureau map of Rutherford, New Jersey
Census Bureau map of Rutherford, New Jersey
Rutherford is located in Bergen County, New Jersey
Rutherford
Rutherford
Location in Bergen County
Rutherford is located in New Jersey
Rutherford
Rutherford
Location in New Jersey
Rutherford is located in the United States
Rutherford
Rutherford
Location in the United States
Coordinates: 40°49′13″N 74°06′22″W / 40.820314°N 74.106041°W / 40.820314; -74.106041[4][5]
Country United States
State New Jersey
CountyBergen
IncorporatedSeptember 21, 1881
Named forJohn Rutherfurd
Government
[11]
 • TypeBorough
 • BodyMayor and Council
 • MayorFrank Nunziato (D, term ends December 31, 2023)[6][7]
 • AdministratorRobert J. Kakoleski[8][9]
 • Municipal clerkMargaret "Missy" Scanlon[10]
Area
[12]
 • Total
2.89 sq mi (7.49 km2)
 • Land2.78 sq mi (7.20 km2)
 • Water0.11 sq mi (0.29 km2)  3.88%
 • Rank342nd of 565 in state
29th of 70 in county[4]
Elevation
[13]
66 ft (20 m)
Population
 (2020)[14][15]
 • Total
18,834
 • Estimate 
(2023)[14][16]
18,852
 • Rank146th of 565 in state
16th of 70 in county[17]
 • Density6,772.4/sq mi (2,614.8/km2)
  • Rank72nd of 565 in state
22nd of 70 in county[17]
Time zoneUTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT))
ZIP Code
07070[18][19]
Area code(s)201[20]
FIPS code3400365280[4][21][22]
GNIS feature ID0885383[4][23]
Websitewww.rutherfordboronj.com

Rutherford 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 18,834,[14][15] an increase of 773 (+4.3%) from the 2010 census count of 18,061,[24][25] which in turn reflected a decline of 49 (−0.3%) from the 18,110 counted in the 2000 census.[26]

Rutherford was formed as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on September 21, 1881, from portions of Union Township, based on the results of a referendum held on the previous day.[27] The borough was named for John Rutherfurd, a U.S. Senator who owned land in the area.[28][29]

Rutherford has been called the "Borough of Trees"[30] and "The First Borough of Bergen County",[31] and is known as well for its pedestrian-focused downtown area adjacent to the borough's Bergen County Line (New Jersey Transit) railway station.

  1. ^ O'Keefe, Daniel. "Fall colors may not be so bright", South Bergenite, October 7, 2010. Accessed February 2, 2012. "True to its name, the Borough of Trees is one of the better places in the South Bergen area to observe the change of seasons. For most people the two seasons that rival for favorite are autumn and spring: spring has all the pinks, whites and startling greens that appear after long months of cold, dead winter, but autumn has the brilliant oranges, reds and yellows of trees as they slowly start to shed their leaves in preparation for the lean months ahead.... New Jersey certified tree expert Bill Comery, who works part-time for Rutherford, said that means trouble for trees not just in the near future but for years to come."
  2. ^ Kuperinsky, Amy. "'The Jewel of the Meadowlands'?: N.J.'s best, worst and weirdest town slogans", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, January 22, 2015. Accessed July 12, 2016. "Rutherford, while accessible through bustling Route 17, is 'The Borough of Trees' because of tall trees that form canopies over its residential streets."
  3. ^ History of Rutherford, Rutherford Downtown Partnership. Accessed July 12, 2016. "Rutherford, incorporated in 1881, was the first borough of Bergen County"
  4. ^ a b c d 2019 Census Gazetteer Files: New Jersey Places, United States Census Bureau. Accessed July 1, 2020.
  5. ^ US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990, United States Census Bureau. Accessed September 4, 2014.
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference MayorCouncil was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ 2023 New Jersey Mayors Directory, New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, updated February 8, 2023. Accessed February 10, 2023.
  8. ^ Borough Administrator, Borough of Rutherford. Accessed March 15, 2023.
  9. ^ McDonald, Terrence T. "B.A., redevelopment chief departing Jersey City", The Jersey Journal, February 28, 2018, updated January 30, 2019. Accessed October 19, 2019. "Business Administrator Bob Kakoleski was appointed to that role soon after Fulop became mayor in July 2013. Kakoleski was hired as Rutherford's borough administrator on Tuesday night."
  10. ^ Borough Clerk, Borough of Rutherford. Accessed March 15, 2023.
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference DataBook was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  12. ^ "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
  13. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Borough of Rutherford, Geographic Names Information System. Accessed March 11, 2013.
  14. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference Census2020 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  15. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference LWD2020 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  16. ^ Cite error: The named reference PopEst was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  17. ^ 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.
  18. ^ Look Up a ZIP Code for Rutherford, NJ, United States Postal Service. Accessed August 30, 2011.
  19. ^ Zip Codes, State of New Jersey. Accessed August 19, 2013.
  20. ^ Area Code Lookup - NPA NXX for Rutherford, NJ, Area-Codes.com. Accessed August 29, 2013.
  21. ^ U.S. Census website, United States Census Bureau. Accessed September 4, 2014.
  22. ^ Geographic Codes Lookup for New Jersey, Missouri Census Data Center. Accessed April 1, 2022.
  23. ^ US Board on Geographic Names, United States Geological Survey. Accessed September 4, 2014.
  24. ^ Cite error: The named reference Census2010 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  25. ^ Cite error: The named reference LWD2010 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  26. ^ 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.
  27. ^ Snyder, John P. The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 86. Accessed May 30, 2024.
  28. ^ Hutchinson, Viola L. The Origin of New Jersey Place Names, New Jersey Public Library Commission, May 1945. Accessed September 27, 2015.
  29. ^ Gannett, Henry. The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States, p. 268. United States Government Printing Office, 1905. Accessed September 27, 2015.
  30. ^ Kvasager, Whitney. "Leaves ablaze with colors of the season", The Record, October 31, 2004. Accessed October 22, 2008. "In the Saturday drizzle, Rutherford - the Borough of Trees - was living up to its title."
  31. ^ Rutherford Borough Archived February 10, 2009, at the Library of Congress Web Archives. Accessed November 13, 2008.