Cedar Grove is a township in north central Essex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 12,980, an increase of 569 (+4.6%) from the 2010 census count of 12,411, which in turn reflected an increase of 111 (+0.9%) from the 12,300 counted in the 2000 census.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.
New Jersey Monthly magazine ranked Cedar Grove as its fourth-best place to live in Essex County and 17th-best place overall to live in its 2008 rankings of the "Best Places To Live" in New Jersey."Best Places To Live - The Complete Top Towns List 1-100" , New Jersey Monthly, February 21, 2008. Accessed February 24, 2008.
What is now Cedar Grove was originally incorporated by an act of the New Jersey Legislature as the Township of Verona on February 7, 1892, from portions of Caldwell Township. Portions of the township were taken to create Verona borough, based on the results of a referendum held on April 30, 1907. On April 9, 1908, the name was formally changed to Cedar Grove.Snyder, John P. The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. Accessed May 1, 2026.Honeyman, Abraham Van Doren. Index-analysis of the Statutes of New Jersey, 1896-1909: Together with References to All Acts, and Parts of Acts, in the 'General Statutes' and Pamphlet Laws Expressly Repealed: and the Statutory Crimes of New Jersey During the Same Period, p. 307. New Jersey Law Journal Publishing Company, 1910. Accessed October 18, 2015. The township's name derives from the Eastern Red Cedar trees that once covered its valley and hillsides.Hutchinson, Viola L. The Origin of New Jersey Place Names, New Jersey Public Library Commission, May 1945. Accessed August 28, 2015.
History Cedar Grove was part of the Horseneck Tract, which was an area that consisted of what are now the municipalities of Caldwell, West Caldwell, North Caldwell, Fairfield, Verona, Cedar Grove, Essex Fells, Roseland, and portions of Livingston and West Orange.
In 1702, settlers purchased the Horseneck Tract—so-called because of its irregular shape that suggested a horse's neck and head from the Lenape Native Americans for goods equal to $325. This purchase encompassed much of western Essex County, from the First Mountain to the Passaic River.
Cedar Grove was originally a small farming community. In 1896, Essex County built the county mental institution in Cedar Grove known as Overbrook. In 1908, Cedar Grove was incorporated as a township. In the 1950s and 1960s, Cedar Grove became one of the destination suburbs in Essex County among those looking to escape urban living from Newark and New York City.
Cedar Grove was once home to Frank Dailey's Meadowbrook Ballroom, located on Route 23, which regularly hosted well-known bands and vocalists, including Buddy Rich, Glenn Miller, Jimmy and Tommy Dorsey, Frank Sinatra, and Jo Stafford. The ballroom, located on the old Pompton Turnpike, still stands, and is used by Sts. Kiril & Methodij Macedonian Orthodox Church.Model, Eric. "Recalling New Year's Eves past in Cedar Grove" , NewJerseyNewsroom.com, December 31, 2010. Accessed July 6, 2011. "Cedar Grove was once home to the Frank Dailey's Meadowbrook Ballroom. In its day, along with the Glen Island Casino along Long Island Sound, it was the place for big band music. Some of the great bands and vocalists of the time to play there included the likes Tommy Dorsey, Glenn Miller, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Gene Krupa, Sammy Kaye, and Glen Gray." The first dinner theater was opened at the Meadowbrook in the fall of 1959 by Gary and Helga McHugh. It closed in 1973.About the Meadowbrook, The Meadowbrook Project. Accessed March 23, 2020.
Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 4.36 square miles (11.29 km2), including 4.24 square miles (10.97 km2) of land and 0.12 square miles (0.32 km2) of water (2.82%).
The township is located between the First and Second Watchung Mountains. The center of the township is in a valley that is about above sea level; however, many sections of Cedar Grove are well above , including the Park Ridge Estates, the abandoned Essex County Hospital Center, and the eastern, southeastern and southern sections of Cedar Grove. Cedar Grove's highest point is on hilltop, where elevations reach and above. Cedar Grove is located approximately west of Midtown Manhattan and northwest of Newark.
Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Lindsley and Overbrook.Locality Search, State of New Jersey. Accessed May 21, 2015.
Cedar Grove is bordered by the municipalities of Montclair, North Caldwell and Verona in Essex County; and Little Falls in Passaic County.Areas touching Cedar Grove, MapIt. Accessed March 22, 2020.Municipalities, Essex County, New Jersey Register of Deeds and Mortgages. Accessed March 22, 2020.New Jersey Municipal Boundaries, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed November 15, 2019. Most of the eastern portion of the township is bordered by Upper Montclair (a neighborhood in Montclair).About The Township, Township of Cedar Grove. Accessed September 12, 2019.
Neighborhoods The sections of Cedar Grove are:
North End: The North End of Cedar Grove starts after the corner of Fairview Avenue and Pompton Avenue. It consists mostly of homes, but there are some businesses located on Pompton Avenue, and at the corner of E. Lindsley Road and Stevens Avenue. A notable part of the north end of town is the Park Ridge Estates, which contains million-dollar homes.
Central Cedar Grove: This consists of the center of town and extends from the corner of Fairview Avenue and Pompton Avenue to the corner of Bradford Avenue and Pompton Avenue. The central portion of the town contains Cedar Grove's business district. Also, on the west central side of town is the former location of the Essex County Hospital Center, and on the east central side is the Cedar Grove Reservoir and Mills Reservation.
South End: The south end of Cedar Grove is the most urbanized part of the township, as it contains homes that are closer together. The south end extends from the corner of Bradford Avenue and Pompton Avenue to the Verona border. There are mostly homes here, but there are some businesses on Pompton Avenue. Like the north end of town, the south end contains a section of million dollar homes.
Cedar Grove's population density is less than the surrounding towns of Montclair, Verona, and Little Falls, mainly because significant portions of Cedar Grove are owned or previously owned by county or city governments. The Essex County Hospital Center took up a good amount of land and was owned by Essex County. Mills Reservation is a county-owned park, and the Cedar Grove Reservoir property is owned by the City of Newark.
Climate Cedar Grove has a humid continental climate, with warm/hot humid summers and cool/cold winters. The climate is slightly colder overall during the summer and winter than in New York City because the urban heat island effect is not as prevalent.
January tends to be the coldest month, with average high temperatures in the upper 30s and low 40s °F (2 to 6 °C) and lows in the lower to mid 20s °F (-6 to -2 °C). July is the warmest months with high temperatures in the mid 80s °F (29 to 30 °C) and lows in the mid 60s °F (17 to 18 °C). From April to June and from September to early November, Cedar Grove enjoys temperatures from the lower 60s to upper 70s °F (16 to 25 °C). Rainfall is plentiful, with around a year. Snowfall is common from mid January to early March and nor'easters can bring a lot of snow. In January 1996, Cedar Grove received record snowfall of about from the Blizzard of 1996.
As of 2026, the township is a member of Local Leaders for Responsible Planning in order to address the township's Mount Laurel doctrine-based housing obligations.
Demographics
2020 census +Cedar Grove township, Essex County, New Jersey – Racial and Ethnic Composition (NH = Non-Hispanic)Race / EthnicityPop 2010Pop 2020% 2010% 2020White alone (NH)10,4759,75484.40%75.15%Black or African American alone (NH)2943052.37%2.35%Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)3180.02%0.14%Asian alone (NH)8001,0166.45%7.83%Pacific Islander alone (NH)120.01%0.02%Some Other Race alone (NH)13650.10%0.50%Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH)983550.79%2.73%Hispanic or Latino (any race)7271,4655.86%11.29%Total12,41112,980100.00%100.00%
2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 12,411 people, 4,523 households, and 3,216 families in the township. The population density was . There were 4,661 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup was 89.01% (11,047) White, 2.47% (306) Black or African American, 0.05% (6) Native American, 6.53% (811) Asian, 0.01% (1) Pacific Islander, 0.85% (106) from other races, and 1.08% (134) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.86% (727) of the population.
Of the 4,523 households, 29.7% had children under the age of 18; 59.5% were married couples living together; 8.4% had a female householder with no husband present and 28.9% were non-families. Of all households, 25.4% were made up of individuals and 13.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.12.
20.2% of the population were under the age of 18, 5.6% from 18 to 24, 21.6% from 25 to 44, 28.9% from 45 to 64, and 23.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46.8 years. For every 100 females, the population had 87.0 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 82.9 males.
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $95,152 (with a margin of error of +/− $4,156) and the median family income was $117,935 (+/− $15,917). Males had a median income of $81,330 (+/− $13,013) versus $51,525 (+/− $6,616) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $46,514 (+/− $3,662). About none of families and 0.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.3% of those under age 18 and 1.3% of those age 65 or over., United States Census Bureau. Accessed July 26, 2012.
2000 census As of the 2000 United States census there were 12,300 people, 4,403 households, and 3,240 families residing in the township. The population density was . There were 4,470 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the township was 90.05% White, 2.99% African American, 0.05% Native American, 5.42% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.46% from other races, and 1.00% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.20% of the population.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Cedar Grove township, Essex County, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed July 26, 2012., United States Census Bureau. Accessed July 26, 2012.
As of the 2000 Census, 29.7% of Cedar Grove's residents identified themselves as being of Italian ancestry (adjusted from the 34.8% reported to reflect the fact that residents reported multiple ancestries), the 18th highest of all municipalities in New Jersey.Italian Communities , EPodunk. Accessed July 26, 2012. There was also a large Irish population, accounting for 21.7% of the population in the 2000 census, with another 12.1% of German ancestry.