Carteret is a borough in Middlesex County,

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...

, United States. As of the

2020 United States Census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to off ...

, the borough's population was 25,326.

History

Carteret was originally created as the borough of Roosevelt on April 11, 1906, from portions of Woodbridge Township, based on the results of a referendum approved on May 22, 1906. The name was changed to Carteret as of November 7, 1922. The borough was also called Carteret during the period from December 19, 1921, to January 16, 1922.Snyder, John P
''The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968''
Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 169. Accessed June 17, 2012. The borough was named after Sir

George Carteret Vice admiral (Royal Navy), Vice Admiral Sir George Carteret, 1st Baronet ( – 14 January 1680 New Style, N.S.) was a royalist statesman in Jersey and England, who served in the Clarendon ministry, Clarendon Ministry as Treasurer of the Navy. ...

, one of the first proprietors of New Jersey, and his son

Philip Carteret Rear-Admiral Philip Carteret, Seigneur of Trinity (22 January 1733, Trinity Manor, Jersey – 21 July 1796, Southampton) was a British naval officer and explorer who participated in two of the Royal Navy's circumnavigation expeditions in 1764� ...

, the first royal governor of New Jersey.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the borough had a total area of 4.96 square miles (12.86 km²), including 4.39 square miles (11.37 km²) of land and 0.57 square miles (1.48 km²) of water (11.53%). The

Rahway River The Rahway River is a river in Essex, Middlesex, and Union Counties, New Jersey, United States, The Rahway, along with the Elizabeth River, Piles Creek, Passaic River, Morses Creek, the Fresh Kills River (in Staten Island), has its river mo ...

forms the northern boundary of Carteret, with Linden on the other side of the river in Union County. Joseph Medwick Park is a greenway of parkland along the banks of the river. The

Arthur Kill The Arthur Kill (sometimes referred to as the Staten Island Sound) is a tidal strait between Staten Island (also known as Richmond County), New York and Union and Middlesex counties, New Jersey. It is a major navigational channel of the Port of N ...

is the eastern boundary with

Staten Island Staten Island ( ) is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Richmond County, in the U.S. state of New York. Located in the city's southwest portion, the borough is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull a ...

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * ...

on the opposite side. Woodbridge Township borders Carteret on all land-based boundaries.

Unincorporated communities An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...

, localities and place names located partially or completely within the borough include Canda, Chrome (in the borough's southeast), East Rahway, Lamar, Silvan Beach, South Carteret, West Carteret (the portion west of the New Jersey Turnpike) and West Chrome.

Demographics

Carteret's

Sikh Sikhs ( or ; pa, ਸਿੱਖ, ' ) are people who adhere to Sikhism (Sikhi), a monotheistic religion that originated in the late 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, based on the revelation of Guru Nanak. The term ...

community, variously estimated at 1,000 to 2,500, is the largest concentration of Sikhs in the state.Staff
"Sikh Parade in Carteret sends message about faith's strength"
World Sikh News, April 30, 2008. Accessed August 16, 2011. "As New Jersey is host to some 25,000 Sikhs, Carteret has emerged as a magnet for the community, with an estimated 1,000 Sikhs among the borough's 22,000 residents." The Gurudwara Singh Sabha Sahib, the borough's first

gurudwara A gurdwara (sometimes written as gurudwara) (Gurmukhi: ਗੁਰਦੁਆਰਾ ''guradu'ārā'', meaning "Door to the Guru") is a place of assembly and worship for Sikhs. Sikhs also refer to gurdwaras as ''Gurdwara Sahib''. People from all faiths ...

, had rented a location in Carteret in 1998 before moving to a permanent location in the nearby Port Reading section of Woodbridge Township in 2005.

Census 2010

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010

American Community Survey The American Community Survey (ACS) is a demographics survey program conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the decennial census, such as ancestry, citizenship, educat ...

showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars)

median household income The median income is the income amount that divides a population into two equal groups, half having an income above that amount, and half having an income below that amount. It may differ from the mean (or average) income. Both of these are ways of ...

was $58,614 (with a margin of error of +/− $5,733) and the median family income was $69,192 (+/− $10,119). Males had a median income of $47,405 (+/− $4,676) versus $42,971 (+/− $4,266) for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the borough was $25,346 (+/− $2,095). About 11.8% of families and 13.0% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 21.8% of those under age 18 and 11.5% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the

2000 United States Census The United States census of 2000, conducted by the United States Census Bureau, Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2 percent over the 248,709,873 people en ...

there were 20,709 people, 7,039 households, and 5,208 families residing in the borough. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPop ...

was 4,747.4 people per square mile (1,833.9/km²). There were 7,320 housing units at an average density of 1,678.1 per square mile (648.2/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 50.7%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

, 14.9%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of enslav ...

, 0.4% Native American, 19.0% Asian, 0.1%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of Oce ...

, 11.2% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 3.9% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties form ...

or Latino of any race were 23.4% of the population.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Carteret borough, New Jersey
,

. Accessed July 8, 2013.DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Carteret borough, Middlesex County, New Jersey

. Accessed July 8, 2013. There were 7,039 households, out of which 35.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.1% were married couples living together, 16.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.0% were non-families. 21.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.88 and the average family size was 3.38. In the borough the population was spread out, with 25.2% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 30.0% from 25 to 44, 21.4% from 45 to 64, and 15.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.0 males. The median income for a household in the borough was $47,148, and the median income for a family was $54,609. Males had a median income of $40,172 versus $28,132 for females. The

for the borough was $18,967. About 8.6% of families and 11.0% of the population were below the

, including 15.8% of those under age 18 and 9.4% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Portions of the borough are part of an Urban Enterprise Zone (UEZ), one of 32 zones covering 37 municipalities statewide. The borough was selected in 1994 as one of a group of 10 zones added to participate in the program and one of four of those chosen based on a competition. In addition to other benefits to encourage employment and investment within the UEZ, shoppers can take advantage of a reduced 3.3125%

sales tax A sales tax is a tax paid to a governing body for the sales of certain goods and services. Usually laws allow the seller to collect funds for the tax from the consumer at the point of purchase. When a tax on goods or services is paid to a govern ...

rate (half of the % rate charged statewide) at eligible merchants. Established in March 1995, the borough's Urban Enterprise Zone status expires in March 2026. Carteret is the location of the primary

data center A data center (American English) or data centre (British English)See spelling differences. is a building, a dedicated space within a building, or a group of buildings used to house computer systems and associated components, such as telecommuni ...

for the

NASDAQ OMX Group Nasdaq, Inc. is an American multinational financial services corporation that owns and operates three stock exchanges in the United States: the namesake Nasdaq stock exchange, the Philadelphia Stock Exchange, and the Boston Stock Exchange, and ...

stock exchange A stock exchange, securities exchange, or bourse is an exchange where stockbrokers and traders can buy and sell securities, such as shares of stock, bonds and other financial instruments. Stock exchanges may also provide facilities for the ...

. Carteret was the headquarters of the defunct electronics chain Nobody Beats the Wiz.

Government

Local government

Carteret is governed under the Borough form of New Jersey municipal government, which is used in 218 municipalities (of the 564) statewide, making it the most common form of government in New Jersey. The governing body is comprised of the Mayor and the Borough Council, with all positions elected

at-large At large (''before a noun'': at-large) is a description for members of a governing body who are elected or appointed to represent a whole membership or population (notably a city, county, state, province, nation, club or association), rather than ...

on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. A Mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The Borough Council is comprised of six members, who are elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle.''2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book'',

Rutgers University Rutgers University (; RU), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a Public university, public land-grant research university consisting of four campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's ...

Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy The Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy of Rutgers University (The Bloustein School) serves as a center for the theory and practice of urban planning, public policy and public health/health administration scholarship. The sc ...

, March 2013, p. 87. The Borough form of government used by Carteret is a " weak mayor / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can veto ordinances subject to an

override Override may refer to: * Dr. Gregory Herd, a Marvel Comics character formerly named Override * Manual override, a function where an automated system is placed under manual control * Method overriding, a subclassing feature in Object Oriented pr ...

by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council. , the

mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well as ...

of Carteret is Democrat Daniel J. Reiman, whose term of office ends December 31, 2022. The members of the Borough Council are Council President Vincent Bellino (D, 2022), Jorge Diaz (D, 2022), Dennis DiMascio (D, 2024), Ajmar "AJ" Johal (D, 2024), Randy Krum (D, 2023) and Susan R. Naples (D, 2023).Borough Council
Borough of Carteret. Accessed May 12, 2022. "Borough Form Of Government: Mayor – 4 Year Term; Six (6) Councilmembers – 3 Year Term". Note that as of date accessed, DiMascio and Johal are listed with incorrect term-end years of 2021.General Election November 2, 2021 Official Results

Middlesex County, New Jersey Middlesex County is located in central New Jersey, United States, extending inland from the Raritan Valley region to the northern portion of the Jersey Shore. As of the 2020 United States Census, the county's population was enumerated at 863,1 ...

, updated November 19, 2021. Accessed April 13, 2022.Election Results 2020

, as certified on November 20, 2020. Accessed January 21, 2021.November 5, 2019 General Election Official Results

. Accessed January 1, 2020.November 6, 2018 General Election Official Results

. Accessed January 1, 2019. First elected in 2002, Reiman was paid an annual salary of $102,610 in 2016, placing him 13th among the highest-paid mayors in the state. In May 2016, the borough council selected Ajmar Singh Johal from three candidates nominated by the Democratic municipal committee to fill the seat expiring in December 2018 that became vacant following the death of Joseph W. "Skippy" Sitarz the previous month. Members of Carteret's 13.9% South Asian community have been active in local government, serving on several governing boards and contesting elections. Members of notable activity in the government include Sultan M. Babar, an alternate member of the board of health and the head of its medical department. Babar also ran for borough council and was a candidate in the Democratic primaries. He has been chosen to represent the 10th delegate district part of Middlesex County, which consists of 18th and

19th 19 (nineteen) is the natural number following 18 and preceding 20. It is a prime number. Mathematics 19 is the eighth prime number, and forms a sexy prime with 13, a twin prime with 17, and a cousin prime with 23. It is the third full re ...

state legislative districts, as a delegate to the

2012 Democratic National Convention The 2012 Democratic National Convention was a gathering, held from September 3–6, 2012, at the Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte, North Carolina, in which delegates of the Democratic Party nominated President Barack Obama and Vice Pr ...

. Other members of notability are Amijit Cheema, member of the Planning Board; and Hardyal Singh Johal, former member of the Planning Board.

Emergency services

The borough maintains a 50-person police department. An October 2017 report by NJ.com found that Officer Joseph Reiman, brother of Mayor Daniel Reiman, accounted for 20% of the police department's 115 arrests that involved the use of force in the two years following his July 2015 hiring. The Carteret Volunteer First Aid Squad, established in 1934, ended operations in April 2013 after becoming financially insolvent. Starting in April 2013, emergency medical services in the borough are provided around the clock by the EMS division of the Carteret Fire Department. The Borough of Carteret hired its first firefighter in the late 19th century. It relied on a single paid firefighter up until 1920, when paid staff was expanded to five firefighters to operate the Borough's first motorized

fire truck A fire engine (also known in some places as a fire truck or fire lorry) is a road vehicle (usually a truck) that functions as a firefighting apparatus. The primary purposes of a fire engine include transporting firefighters and water to an ...

. In the 1950s with the construction of the New Jersey Turnpike, which included an exit in Carteret, the department started to purchase trucks designed for safe operation fighting vehicle fires on busy high-speed highways. In August 1990 a pipeline carrying jet fuel burst in Carteret. The Carteret Fire Department joined with personnel from GATX Terminals Corporation and the Middlesex County Hazardous Materials Unit to construct a temporary dike to prevent the fuel from flowing into the

. Up until 2011 Carteret would request help from fireboats of the

Fire Department of New York The New York City Fire Department, officially the Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY), is an American department of the government of New York City that provides fire protection services, technical rescue/special operations services, ...

when there was a waterfront fire. In 2011, through the assistance of a FEMA Port Security Grant, the department acquired its first fireboat. The vessel cost $297,000. In December 2014, the ''

Courier News The ''Courier News'' is a daily newspaper headquartered in Somerville, New Jersey, that serves Somerset County and other areas of Central Jersey. The paper has been owned by Gannett since 1927. Notable employees *John Curley, former presid ...

'' reported on an investigation of serious sexual harassment targeting the department's sole female firefighter.

Federal, state and county representation

Carteret is located in the 6th Congressional DistrictPlan Components Report

New Jersey Redistricting Commission The New Jersey Redistricting Commission is a constitutional body of the government of New Jersey tasked with redrawing the state's Congressional election districts after each decade's census. Like Arizona, Idaho, Hawaii, Montana, and Washington; ...

, December 23, 2011. Accessed February 1, 2020. and is part of New Jersey's 19th state legislative district.Municipalities Sorted by 2011-2020 Legislative District

New Jersey Department of State The secretary of state of New Jersey oversees the Department of State, which is one of the original state offices. The Secretary is responsible for overseeing artistic, cultural, and historical programs within the U.S. state of New Jersey, as we ...

. Accessed February 1, 2020.''2019 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government''
New Jersey

League of Women Voters The League of Women Voters (LWV or the League) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan political organization in the United States. Founded in 1920, its ongoing major activities include registering voters, providing voter information, and advocating for vot ...

. Accessed October 30, 2019. Prior to the 2010 Census, Carteret had been part of the , a change made by the

that took effect in January 2013, based on the results of the November 2012 general elections.''2011 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government''
, p. 55, New Jersey

. Accessed May 22, 2015. Middlesex County is governed by a Board of County Commissioners, whose seven members are elected

on a partisan basis to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either two or three seats coming up for election each year as part of the November general election. At an annual reorganization meeting held in January, the board selects from among its members a commissioner director and deputy director. , Middlesex County's Commissioners (with party affiliation, term-end year, and residence listed in parentheses) are Commissioner Director Ronald G. Rios (D, Carteret, term as commissioner ends December 31, 2024; term as commissioner director ends 2022), Commissioner Deputy Director Shanti Narra (D, North Brunswick, term as commissioner ends 2024; term as deputy director ends 2022), Claribel A. "Clary" Azcona-Barber (D,

New Brunswick New Brunswick (french: Nouveau-Brunswick, , locally ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. It is the only province with both English and ...

, 2022), Charles Kenny (D, Woodbridge Township, 2022), Leslie Koppel (D, Monroe Township, 2023), Chanelle Scott McCullum (D, Piscataway, 2024) and Charles E. Tomaro (D, Edison, 2023). Constitutional officers are County Clerk Nancy Pinkin (D, 2025, East Brunswick), Sheriff Mildred S. Scott (D, 2022, Piscataway) and Surrogate Claribel Cortes (D, 2026; North Brunswick).

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 12,538 registered voters in Carteret, of which 5,187 (41.4%) were registered as Democrats, 1,373 (11.0%) were registered as Republicans and 5,974 (47.6%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 4 voters registered as

Libertarians Libertarianism (from french: libertaire, "libertarian"; from la, libertas, "freedom") is a political philosophy that upholds liberty as a core value. Libertarians seek to maximize autonomy and political freedom, and minimize the state's e ...

or Greens. In the

2012 presidential election This national electoral calendar for 2012 lists the national/ federal elections held in 2012 in all sovereign states and their dependent territories. By-elections are excluded, though national referendums are included. January *3–4 January: ...

, Democrat

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the U ...

received 74.5% of the vote (5,997 cast), ahead of Republican

Mitt Romney Willard Mitt Romney (born March 12, 1947) is an American politician, businessman, and lawyer serving as the junior United States senator from Utah since January 2019, succeeding Orrin Hatch. He served as the 70th governor of Massachusetts ...

with 24.9% (2,002 votes), and other candidates with 0.6% (46 votes), among the 8,124 ballots cast by the borough's 13,032 registered voters (79 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 62.3%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 65.8% of the vote (5,387 cast), ahead of Republican

John McCain John Sidney McCain III (August 29, 1936 – August 25, 2018) was an American politician and United States Navy officer who served as a United States senator from Arizona from 1987 until his death in 2018. He previously served two terms ...

with 32.3% (2,643 votes) and other candidates with 0.8% (63 votes), among the 8,182 ballots cast by the borough's 12,390 registered voters, for a turnout of 66.0%. In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat

John Kerry John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is an American attorney, politician and diplomat who currently serves as the first United States special presidential envoy for climate. A member of the Forbes family and the Democratic Party, he p ...

received 57.1% of the vote (4,283 ballots cast), outpolling Republican

George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...

with 41.3% (3,097 votes) and other candidates with 0.5% (56 votes), among the 7,495 ballots cast by the borough's 11,749 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 63.8. In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Democrat Barbara Buono received 50.8% of the vote (2,224 cast), ahead of Republican

Chris Christie Christopher James Christie (born September 6, 1962) is an American politician, lawyer, political commentator, Lobbying in the United States, lobbyist, and former United States Attorney, federal prosecutor who served as the 55th governor of New J ...

with 48.2% (2,112 votes), and other candidates with 1.0% (42 votes), among the 4,564 ballots cast by the borough's 13,247 registered voters (186 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 34.5%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat

Jon Corzine Jon Stevens Corzine ( ; born January 1, 1947) is an American financial executive and retired politician who served as a United States Senator from New Jersey from 2001 to 2006 and the 54th governor of New Jersey from 2006 to 2010. Corzine ran fo ...

received 51.6% of the vote here (2,460 ballots cast), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 40.7% (1,938 votes), Independent

Chris Daggett Christopher Jarvis Daggett (born March 7, 1950) is an American businessman who is the president and CEO of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, one of the largest foundations in New Jersey. A former regional administrator of the United States En ...

with 4.5% (213 votes) and other candidates with 0.8% (36 votes), among the 4,765 ballots cast by the borough's 12,073 registered voters, yielding a 39.5% turnout.

Education

The Carteret School District serves students in

pre-kindergarten Pre-kindergarten (also called Pre-K or PK) is a voluntary classroom-based preschool program for children below the age of five in the United States, Canada, Turkey and Greece (when kindergarten starts). It may be delivered through a preschool o ...

through

twelfth grade Twelfth grade, 12th grade, senior year, or grade 12 is the final year of secondary school in most of North America. In other regions, it may also be referred to as class 12 or Year 13. In most countries, students are usually between the ages of 17 ...

.''Public School Directory 2017-2018''

. Accessed December 1, 2019. As of the 2017–2018 school year, the district, comprised of five schools, had an enrollment of 3,821 students and 288.2 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a

student–teacher ratio Student–teacher ratio or student–faculty ratio is the number of students who attend a school or university divided by the number of teachers in the institution. For example, a student–teacher ratio of 10:1 indicates that there are 10 students ...

of 13.3:1.District information for Carteret Public School District

National Center for Education Statistics The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is the part of the United States Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences (IES) that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on education and public school district finance ...

. Accessed November 1, 2019. Schools in the district (with 2017–2018 enrollment data from the

) are Columbus School (723 students; in grades Pre-K–5), Nathan Hale School (487; Pre-K–5), Private Nicholas Minue School (678; Pre-K–5), Carteret Middle School (862; 6–8) and

Carteret High School Carteret High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school that serves students in ninth through twelfth grades from Carteret in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States, as the lone secondary school of the Carteret School Distr ...

(994; 9–12). In 2016, borough voters turned down a ballot proposal to switch from an elected school board to an appointed board. Eighth grade students from all of Middlesex County are eligible to apply to attend the high school programs offered by the

Middlesex County Vocational and Technical Schools The Middlesex County Magnet Schools, formerly known as the Middlesex County Vocational and Technical Schools, is a public school district that provides a network of high schools serving the vocational and technical education needs of students in ...

, a county-wide vocational school district that offers full-time career and technical education at Middlesex County Academy in Edison, the Academy for Allied Health and Biomedical Sciences in Woodbridge Township and at its East Brunswick,

Perth Amboy Perth Amboy is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey. Perth Amboy is part of the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the city's population was 55,436. Perth Amboy has a Hispanic majority population. In the 2010 census, t ...

and Piscataway technical high schools, with no tuition charged to students for attendance. Saint Joseph School serves students in Pre-K–8 as part of Saint Joseph Roman Catholic Church and is overseen by the

Roman Catholic Diocese of Metuchen The Roman Catholic Diocese of Metuchen ( la, Dioecesis Metuchenis) is a Roman Catholic diocese in New Jersey, centered in the borough of Metuchen. It was established on November 19, 1981, from the territory of the Diocese of Trenton. The dioc ...

. A private rabbinical college, Yeshiva Gedola of Carteret, opened in 2006.

Transportation

Roads and highways

, the borough had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality, by Middlesex County and by the

New Jersey Turnpike Authority The New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA) is a state agency responsible for maintaining the New Jersey Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway, which are two toll roads in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The agency is headquartered in Woodbridge Towns ...

. The only major road that passes through Carteret is the

New Jersey Turnpike The New Jersey Turnpike (NJTP) is a system of controlled-access highways in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The turnpike is maintained by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA).The Garden State Parkway, although maintained by NJTA, is not consi ...

(

Interstate 95 Interstate 95 (I-95) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, running from US Route 1 (US 1) in Miami, Florida, to the Houlton–Woodstock Border Crossing between Maine and the Canad ...

). Interchange 12 of the turnpike, located in the borough, was updated as part of an $80 million project that added five additional toll lanes and new ramps to CR 602.

Public transportation

NJ Transit New Jersey Transit Corporation, branded as NJ Transit, and often shortened to NJT, is a state-owned public transportation system that serves the U.S. state of New Jersey, along with portions of New York State and Pennsylvania. It operates bus, ...

local bus service is provided on the 116 route to the

Port Authority Bus Terminal The Port Authority Bus Terminal (colloquially known as the Port Authority and by its acronym PABT) is a bus terminal located in Manhattan in New York City. It is the busiest bus terminal in the world by volume of traffic, serving about 8,000 bu ...

Midtown Manhattan Midtown Manhattan is the central portion of the New York City borough of Manhattan and serves as the city's primary central business district. Midtown is home to some of the city's most prominent buildings, including the Empire State Buildin ...

and on the 48 route to Elizabeth. Studies are being conducted to introduce ferry service between Waterfront Park and

via Arthur Kill and Kill van Kull. As of 2021, funding for the construction of a landing dock and purchase of a boat was in place.

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Carteret include: *

Jim Babjak Jim Babjak (born November 17, 1957) is an American guitarist and ex-banker. He is the lead guitar player and co-founder of The Smithereens. Babjak has written and sung several songs for the band. He also is the leader of the band ''Buzzed Meg''. ...

(born 1957), Dennis Diken (born 1957) and Mike Mesaros of the pop/rock group

The Smithereens The Smithereens are an American rock band from Carteret, New Jersey, United States. The group formed in 1980 with members Pat DiNizio (vocals & guitar), Jim Babjak (guitar & vocals), Mike Mesaros (bass guitar & vocals), and Dennis Diken (drums ...

are former Carteret residents who met in school there * Joseph A. Cafasso (born 1956), former

Fox News The Fox News Channel, abbreviated FNC, commonly known as Fox News, and stylized in all caps, is an American multinational conservative cable news television channel based in New York City. It is owned by Fox News Media, which itself is own ...

consultant on military and

counterterrorism Counterterrorism (also spelled counter-terrorism), also known as anti-terrorism, incorporates the practices, military tactics, techniques, and strategies that governments, law enforcement, business, and intelligence agencies use to combat or el ...

issues who left the network after allegations surfaced that he misrepresented his military record * Jim Conti, of the ska band

Streetlight Manifesto Streetlight Manifesto is an American ska punk band from New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States, formed in 2002. They released their first album, '' Everything Goes Numb'', which was distributed by Victory Records, on August 26, 2003. The band h ...

* Thomas Deverin (1921–2010), former mayor of Carteret who served 22 years in the

New Jersey General Assembly The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature. Since the election of 1967 (1968 Session), the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts for ...

* Keith Hughes (1968–2014), basketball player at Syracuse University and Rutgers who was selected by the

Houston Rockets The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston. The Rockets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member team of the league's Western Conference Southwest Division. The team plays its ho ...

in the 1991 NBA Draft, but never played in the NBA * Chad Kinch (1958–1994), shooting guard who played in the NBA for the

Cleveland Cavaliers The Cleveland Cavaliers (often referred to as the Cavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Cleveland. The Cavaliers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Centr ...

and

Dallas Mavericks The Dallas Mavericks (often referred to as the Mavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Dallas. The Mavericks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Western Conference Southwest Division. Th ...

* Isa Leshko (born 1971), artist and author of ''Allowed to Grow Old: Portraits of Elderly Animals from Farm Sanctuaries'' *

Jim McGreevey James Edward McGreevey (born August 6, 1957) is an American politician and member of the Democratic Party who served as the 52nd governor of New Jersey from 2002 until his resignation in 2004 following the revelation of his extramarital affair w ...

(born 1957), former

Governor of New Jersey The governor of New Jersey is the head of government of New Jersey. The office of governor is an elected position with a four-year term. There is a two consecutive term term limit, with no limitation on non-consecutive terms. The official res ...

, grew up in Carteret * Art McMahon (born 1946),

defensive back In gridiron football, defensive backs (DBs), also called the secondary, are the players on the defensive side of the ball who play farthest back from the line of scrimmage. They are distinguished from the other two sets of defensive players, the ...

for the Boston / New England Patriots football team from 1968–1970 and 1972 * Joe "Ducky" Medwick (1911–1975),

left fielder In baseball, a left fielder, abbreviated LF, is an outfielder who plays defense in left field. Left field is the area of the outfield to the left of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound. In the numbering system ...

for the

St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals ha ...

during the "

Gashouse Gang The Gashouse Gang was the nickname of the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team of the early 1930s. Owing to their success that started in 1926, the Cardinals would win a total of five National League pennants from 1926 to 1934 (nine seasons) while win ...

" era of the 1930s, elected to the

Baseball Hall of Fame The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests. It serves as the central point of the history of baseball in the United States and displays baseball-re ...

in 1968, by the

Veterans Committee The Veterans Committee is the popular name of various committees of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum that elect participants other than recently retired players. Originally, it referenced the National Baseball Hall of Fame Committee ...

Ranked #7 on the ''

Sports Illustrated ''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellence twic ...

'' list of ''The 50 Greatest New Jersey Sports Figures''. * Nicholas Minue (1905–1943), United States Army Private who received the

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor ...

for military service in World War II. An elementary school on Post Boulevard is named in his honor * Paul J. Pluta, Rear Admiral,

United States Coast Guard The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, multi ...

(Ret.) *

Joseph Sirola Joseph Anthony Sirola (October 7, 1929 – February 10, 2019) was an American commercial, film, television, theatre actor and theatre producer. Life and career Sirola was born in Carteret, New Jersey to Croatian parents Anton, a carpenter a ...

(1929–2019), was an actor known as "The King of the Voice-Overs" * Joel Weisman (1943–2009), physician who was one of the first to identify a pattern of illnesses that was ultimately diagnosed as

AIDS Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual ma ...

* Laurence S. Weiss (–2003), business executive and politician who served in the

New Jersey Senate The New Jersey Senate was established as the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the New Jersey Legislative Council, Legislative Council. There are 40 legislative districts, representing districts wit ...

from 1978 to 1992 *

Jason Worilds Jason Adjepong Worilds (born March 3, 1988) is a former American football outside linebacker who played in the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He played colle ...

(born 1988), football player selected by the

Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Founded in , the Stee ...

in the

2010 NFL Draft The 2010 NFL Draft was the 75th annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible football players. The 2010 draft took place over three days, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, New York, with the first ...

Vrentas, Jenny
"Steelers draft Carteret product Jason Worilds in second round of NFL Draft"
''

The Star-Ledger ''The Star-Ledger'' is the largest circulated newspaper in the U.S. state of New Jersey and is based in Newark. It is a sister paper to ''The Jersey Journal'' of Jersey City, ''The Times'' of Trenton and the ''Staten Island Advance'', all of wh ...

'', April 23, 2010. Accessed July 15, 2010.

References

External links

Borough of Carteret

Carteret Police Department

Carteret Fire Department

Carteret School District
*
School Data for the Carteret School District

{{authority control 1906 establishments in New Jersey Borough form of New Jersey government Boroughs in Middlesex County, New Jersey New Jersey Urban Enterprise Zones Populated places established in 1906