Bergen County Facts: Know Curious Details About This New Jersey County

Adekunle Olanrewaju Jason
Nov 01, 2023 By Adekunle Olanrewaju Jason
Originally Published on Dec 21, 2021
Discover interesting Bergen County facts.

New Jersey is a northeastern United States state with 130 mi (209.2 km) of Atlantic coastline.

From Lower Manhattan, Liberty State Park is situated, where boats depart for Ellis Island, with its historic Immigration Museum and the magnificent Statue of Liberty. The Jersey Shore is home to famous resort towns such as historic Asbury Park and Cape May, which have retained Victorian architecture.

Essex, Middlesex, and Monmouth are all counties of New Jersey. Before European settlers came, the area was inhabited by Native Americans. The Dutch were pushed out out of the region after they initially attempted to settle there. Later, European immigrants migrated west of the Hudson River and established what became the Bergen Township in 1660.

Following the Second Anglo-Dutch War, the province of New Jersey was established, and one of the towns established was known as Bergen County. The village was acknowledged as an independent county by 1683. It saw several noteworthy fights during the Revolutionary War, and one of these pivotal conflicts was the Battle of Fort Lee.

Where is Bergen County?

Bergen County was founded in 1683 and populated by the Dutch in the early 1600s. It was named after Bergen, North Holland. This was New Jersey's first permanent colony.

Bergen County becomes hilly in the northern region of the county, sharing the Ramapo Mountains with Rockland County, New York. The damming of the Hackensack River and a branch, the Pascack Brook, resulted in the creation of three reservoirs in the county, including Woodcliff Lake Reservoir.

Bergen County is very close to New York, and is bordered by New York to the north. There is only 14 mi (23 km) between Bergen County and New York.

Bergen County Population And District Numbers

Newark, New Jersey, and Bergen County is made up of 70 municipalities. However, there are no major cities. Its most populated city, Hackensack, with 43,010 people as of the 2010 census serves as the county seat. Mahwah has the highest land area of any municipality.

Bergen County residents have a typical age of 41.9 years old, and the median income per household in the area is projected to be $91,572 as a result of the county's robust economy. The Census Bureau employs a series of monetary income levels that vary according to family size and composition to define who is in poverty.

If a family's total income is less than the family's criterion, the family and its members are deemed poor.

Bergen County has New Jersey's biggest Jewish population. Many towns in the county have a sizeable Jewish American population, including Fair Lawn, Englewood, Teaneck, Paramus, Closter, Tenafly, Englewood Cliffs, Bergenfield, Fort Lee, Woodcliff Lake, and Franklin Lakes.

Famous Places To Visit in Bergen County

While Bergen County may not attract as many tourists as New York, this county in New Jersey still has lots to offer.

The three most busy commercial airports in the New York City metropolitan area, Newark Liberty International Airport, LaGuardia Airport, and JFK International Airport, are all within 25 mi (40 km) of Bergen County. This makes it easy to visit this county for a day trip if you would like to get out of the city and explore new places.

Bergens' County blue laws are what prohibits the sale of some items on Sundays, requiring all departments, malls, and most retail businesses to close for the day. Everything on the list is off-limits, from clothing to furnishings to equipment.

Did you know that Bergen County is famous for being the site of many battles and army movements during the Revolutionary War? In reality, Fort Lee's location on the cliffs of Bergen County, NJ, made it a key position throughout the conflict.

The Battle of Fort Lee occurred as part of the Continental Army's efforts to prevent British soldiers from sailing up the Hudson River.

You should definitely visit the Fort Lee Historic Park in Fort Lee. Other famous places to visit include Bergen County Public Golf Courses, Campgaw Mountain in Mahwah, Bergen County Zoo, The Little Firehouse Theater, Bergen Performing Arts Center, Debonair Music Hall, Gallery Bergen, and The Teaneck Creek Conservancy Nature Park.

What is Bergen County known for?

It is the oldest municipality and the first permanent European settlement in what ultimately became the state of New Jersey. It became and remained the province's seat of government until 1709, when the British relocated it to Hackensack, which was viewed as more centrally positioned.

The Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford is home to both NJ and NYC professional sports clubs. Also, the United States Census Bureau is headquartered here and this is the principal agency of the US Federal Statistical System, responsible for analyzing data about the American people and economy.

Bergen County is the most highly-populated county in the state due to its closeness to New York City and Newark. The key economic activities are business and health services, manufacturing, printing, chemicals, surgical supplies, commerce, retail, and wholesale.

This county is attractive to families because the Bergen County Academies in Hackensack has been named one of the Best High Schools in the United States. New Jersey is also one of the safest states with a score 71.6.

New York was also ranked in the top 10 on this list of safest places and it received that rating due to its law enforcement employee-to-resident ratio. There is one for every 335 inhabitants, making it the third-highest ratio in the country.

Bergen County's total violent crime rate is 8.6 and the average rate of violent crime in the United States is 22.7. The property crime rate in Bergen County is 19.0, while the average rate of property crime in the United States is 35.4. River Vale is the safest town in the entire Bergen County, New Jersey.

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Written by Adekunle Olanrewaju Jason

Bachelor of Science specializing in Mass Communication.

Adekunle Olanrewaju Jason picture

Adekunle Olanrewaju JasonBachelor of Science specializing in Mass Communication.

With over 3+ years of professional experience, Olanrewaju is a certified SEO Specialist and Content Writer. He holds a BSc in Mass Communication from the University of Lagos. Throughout his dynamic career, Olanrewaju has successfully taken on various roles with startups and established organizations. He has served as a Technical Writer, Blogger, SEO Specialist, Social Media Manager, and Digital Marketing Manager. Known for his hardworking nature and insightful approach, Olanrewaju is dedicated to continuous learning and improvement.
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