Lebanon Borough - In the News

Posted by M Paradis

July 10, 2008

Census reveals population growth for Central Jersey towns

By ERICA HARBATKIN
STAFF WRITER

The populations in Middlesex, Somerset and Hunterdon counties have grown more quickly than the state population since 2000, according to U.S. Census estimates released today. Union County’s population, meanwhile, has remained relatively constant.

The Middlesex County population grew 5.1 percent from 2000 to 2007, compared to statewide growth of 4.46 percent. Somerset County grew 8.76 percent, Hunterdon County 6 percent and Union County 0.4 percent in that time period.

Somerset County has grown by 26,062 since 2000, an 8.76 percent spike, and by 3,482 in from 2006 to 2007, a 1.1 percent jump.

The fastest-growing municipalities in Somerset County since 2000 have been Montgomery (5,542 more residents, 31.7 percent growth) and Green Brook (1,266 more residents, 22.4 percent growth).

The slowest growth in Somerset County has come in Millstone (2 residents, 0.5 percent) and Bound Brook (38 residents, 0.37 percent).

Hunterdon County, meanwhile, has has grown by 7,359 residents since 2000, which represents a 6 percent swell. The county population remained relative stagnant from 2006 to 2007, increasing by just 0.1 percent.

Lebanon Borough has experienced the quickest growth rate in Central Jersey, with 831 additional residents composing a 78 percent population boom since 2000. West Amwell grew by 535 residents in that time period, a 23 percent boost.

Lambertville, Clinton Town, Bloomsbury, Califon, High Bridge, Stockton and Frenchtown have all seen their populations decline since 2000, with Lambertville experiencing the largest drop at 3.21 percent.

In Middlesex County, Middlesex Borough saw its population decline nominally, dropping by 0.16 percent (22 residents). On the whole, Middlesex County grew by 38,467 residents from 2000 through 2007, and by 5,258 (0.7 percent) from 2006 to 2007.

Union County has grown by 0.4 percent (2,117 residents) since 2000, while the population dropped by 0.03 percent (141 residents) from 2006 to 2007. Sixteen of the county’s 21 municipalities have seen their numbers fall since 2000, at rates ranging from 0.06 percent to 3.83 percent. Rahway, meanwhile, experienced the most growth in the county since 2000 with a 6.37 percent spike.

For non-Census years like 2007, the Census Bureau estimates the number of housing units in each municipality using building permits, construction estimates, mobile home shipments and housing-loss estimates. The bureau then uses the occupancy rate from the most recent Census to multiply by the estimated number of housing units. That means the 2007 estimates assume each municipality’s occupancy rate hasn’t changed since the 2000 Census.