The area that is now Mahwah was originally formed as Hohokus Township on April 9, 1849, from portions of the former Franklin Township (now Wyckoff). While known as Hohokus Township, territory was taken to form Orvil Township (on January 1, 1886; remainder of township is now Waldwick), Allendale (November 10, 1894), Upper Saddle River (November 22, 1894), and Ramsey (March 10, 1908). On November 7, 1944, the area was incorporated by an act of the New Jersey Legislature as the Township of Mahwah, based on the results of a referendum held that day, replacing Hohokus Township.[25] New Jersey Monthly magazine ranked Mahwah as its ninth best place to live in its 2008 rankings of the “Best Places To Live” in New Jersey.[26]

When surveying the area now known as Maplewood, Robert Treat found several trails used by Lenape tribes of Algonquian Native Americans, though there was only sparse pre-European settlement. These paths form the basis for what are the township’s main thoroughfares today.[25]

Cliffside Park was formed based on the results of a referendum held on January 15, 1895, from portions of Ridgefield Township.[20][21] The borough was formed during the “Boroughitis” phenomenon then sweeping through Bergen County, as of one two boroughs created in 1895 after 26 boroughs were formed in the county in 1894 alone.[22] The borough was named for its location as a “Park by the Cliffs”.[23]

It has been one of the state’s highest-income communities. In 2000, its per capita income of $51,658 was ranked the 35th-highest in the state.[24] Based on data from the 2006–2010 American Community Survey, it had a per-capita income of $67,560, 31st in the state.[25] Based on data from the American Community Survey for 2013–2017, it had a median household income of $162,011, ranked 7th in the state among municipalities with more than 10,000 residents, more than double the statewide median of $76,475.[26]

Lodi owes its name to the Italian city of Lodi, Lombardy.[21][22][23] It was incorporated as a borough on December 22, 1894, from portions of the now-defunct municipalities of Lodi Township (now South Hackensack) and Saddle River Township (now Saddle Brook), at the height of Bergen County’s “Boroughitis” phenomenon then sweeping through Bergen County, based on the results of a referendum held on the previous day.[24][25]

According to the 2010 Census, Randolph was the 3rd most-populous municipality in Morris County and its 21 square miles (54 km2) land area is the 8th largest in the county. The New Jersey State Planning Commission designates Randolph as half rural, half suburban. The community maintains a diverse population of nearly 26,000 residents.[22]

Wall Township was formally incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 7, 1851. Over the years, portions of the township have been taken to form North Spring Lake (May 1884), Ocean Beach (March 9, 1885, now Belmar), Manasquan (December 30, 1887), Spring Lake (March 14, 1892), Sea Girt (March 29, 1917), Brielle (April 10, 1919), South Belmar (March 12, 1924, now Lake Como) and Spring Lake Heights (March 19, 1927).[22][23]

As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough’s population was 26,342,[20][21][21][22] reflecting an increase of 605 (+2.4%) from the 25,737 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 670 (+2.7%) from the 25,067 counted in the 1990 Census.[23]

Pemberton was incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 10, 1846, from portions of New Hanover Township, Northampton Township (now known as Mount Holly Township) and Southampton Township. Portions of the township were taken to form Woodland Township on March 7, 1866.[24] The township is named for James Pemberton, a property owner in the area.[25] Geographically, the township is part of the South Jersey region.

The city had the 13th-highest property tax rate in New Jersey, with an equalized rate of 4.598% in 2020, compared to 3.089% in the county as a whole and a statewide average of 2.279%.[22]