Clifton was incorporated as a city by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 26, 1917, replacing Acquackanonk Township, based on the results of a referendum held two days earlier.[23] Clifton is listed under five different ZIP codes. 07011, 07012, 07013, 07014, and 07015.[24]

Trenton dates back at least to June 3, 1719, when mention was made of a constable being appointed for Trenton while the area was still part of Hunterdon County. Boundaries were recorded for Trenton Township as of March 2, 1720.[26] A courthouse and jail were constructed in Trenton around 1720, and the Freeholders of Hunterdon County met annually in Trenton.[27]

Hamilton was incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 11, 1842, from portions of the now-defunct Nottingham Township. Portions of the township were taken to form Chambersburg borough (April 1, 1872, annexed by Trenton in 1888) and Wilbur borough (April 24, 1891, annexed by Trenton in 1898).[25] Hamilton Township derives its name from the village of Hamilton Square, which might have been named for Alexander Hamilton.[26][27]

As of the 2020 United States Census, the township had a total population of 95,438,[10] with the township ranking as the eighth-most-populous municipality in the state in 2020 (same place as in 2010)[21] and the second most-populous municipality in Ocean County (behind Lakewood Township, which had a population of 135,158).[22] The 2020 population increased by 4,199 (+4.6%) from the 91,239 counted in the 2010 Census, which had in turn increased by 1,533 (+1.7%) from the 89,706 counted in the 2000 Census, and by 13,335 (+17.5%) from the 76,371 counted in the 1990 Census.[23]

According to Joshua Coffin, the early settlers included “Captain John Pike, the ancestor of General Zebulon Montgomery Pike, who was killed at the battle of Queenstown in 1813; Thomas Bloomfield, the ancestor of Joseph Bloomfield, some years governor of New Jersey, for whom the township of Bloomfield, New Jersey is named; John Bishop, senior and junior; Jonathan Haynes; Henry Jaques; George March; Stephen Kent; Abraham Toppan, junior; Elisha Ilsley; Hugh March; John Bloomfield; Samuel Moore; Nathaniel Webster; John Ilsley; and others.”[31] Woodbridge was the site of the first gristmill in New Jersey.[32][33] The mill was built by Jonathan Singletary Dunham (married to Mary Bloomfield, relative of Joseph Bloomfield).[34][35]

What is now Edison Township was originally incorporated as Raritan Township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 17, 1870, from portions of both Piscataway Township and Woodbridge Township. The township got its original name from the Raritan indigenous people. Portions of the township were taken to form Metuchen on March 20, 1900, and Highland Park on March 15, 1905. The name was officially changed to Edison Township on November 10, 1954, in honor of inventor Thomas Edison, who had his main laboratory in the Menlo Park section of the township.[22]

Lakewood is a hub of Orthodox Judaism, and is home to Beth Medrash Govoha (BMG), the largest yeshiva outside of Israel.[25] The large Orthodox population, which comprises more than half the township’s population, strongly influences the township’s culture[25][26] and wields considerable political clout in the township as a voting bloc.[27][28][29]

In 2008, Elizabeth was named one of “America’s 50 Greenest Cities” by Popular Science magazine, the only city in New Jersey selected.[23]

As of the 2020 United States Census, its population was 159,732[20] rendering it New Jersey’s third-most-populous city[21][22] reflecting an increase of 13,613 (9.3%) from the 146,199[23][24][25] measured in the 2010 census, which had in turn been a decline by 3,023 (−2.0%) from the 149,222 counted in the 2000 Census.[26] Paterson, with a population density of 17,317 inhabitants per square mile (6,686/km2) of land as of 2013, had the fourth-highest density of any U.S. city with over 100,000 people, behind only New York City (27,781 people per square mile of land), San Francisco (17,859), and Jersey City (17,396).[27]

After a peak population of 316,715 measured in the 1930 census, the city’s population saw a half-century-long decline to 223,532 in the 1980 census. Since then, the city’s population has rebounded, with the 2020 population reflecting an increase of 44,852 (18.1%) from the 247,597 counted in the 2010 Census, which had an increase of 7,542 (+3.1%) from the 240,055 counted in the 2000 census, which had in turn increased by 11,518 (+5.0%) from the 228,537 counted in the 1990 census.[28][31][32]