Linden is a city in southeastern Union County, New Jersey. It is part of the New York metropolitan area, located about 13 miles (21 km) southwest of Manhattan and next to Staten Island, a borough of New York City, across the Arthur Kill. According to the 2020 United States census, the city's population was 43,738. This was an increase of 3,239 people (+8.0%) compared to the 2010 census count of 40,499. The 2010 count was also higher than the 2000 census count of 39,394 by 1,105 people (+2.8%). In 2015, Linden was named the most polluted community in New Jersey because of the amount of harmful chemicals released by local businesses into the environment.

History

Linden was created as a township on March 4, 1861, using parts of Elizabeth, Rahway, and Union Township. Later, parts of Linden were used to form Cranford on March 14, 1871, Linden Borough on March 30, 1882, and Roselle on December 20, 1894. On January 1, 1925, Linden became a city after a law passed by the New Jersey Legislature. This law replaced Linden Township and Linden Borough, following a vote held on November 8, 1923. The city’s name comes from linden trees that were brought from Germany.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city covers a total area of 11.42 square miles (29.56 square kilometers), which includes 10.69 square miles (27.68 square kilometers) of land and 0.73 square miles (1.88 square kilometers) of water, or 6.37% of the total area.

Unincorporated areas, local places, and names that are partially or fully within the city include Bayway, Grasselli, Morses Mill, Tremley, Sunnyside, Vreeland Mills, Warners, and Wheatsheaf.

The city is bordered by the municipalities of Clark, Cranford, Elizabeth, Rahway, Roselle, and Winfield Township in Union County; Carteret and Woodbridge Township in Middlesex County; and Staten Island in New York City, which is separated by the Arthur Kill tidal strait.

Polish and Polish-American community

Linden is an important place for Polish immigrants and has many businesses that offer Polish food and culture. About 13.1% of people living in Linden are of Polish descent, and 15.6% of people aged five and older in the city center speak Polish at home. The Skulski Art Gallery, part of the Polish Cultural Foundation in nearby Clark, has shown artwork created by artists from Linden.

A Polish-American grocery store called Pulaski Meats covers almost an entire city block. Two Roman Catholic churches in Linden offer services in Polish, including St. Theresa of the Child Jesus Roman Catholic Church, which was founded in the 1920s and has many Polish members.

Linden holds an annual Polish Heritage Day Festival to display local Polish food, pottery, dance, traditional clothing, and other Polish arts to visitors. In 2021, the mayor of Linden welcomed a visit from Poland’s president, Andrzej Duda, and his wife, Agata Kornhauser-Duda, to celebrate the Polish community in Linden.

In ancient Slavic pagan beliefs, the linden tree (called lipa in all Slavic languages) was considered a sacred tree, after which the city is named.

Demographics

In 2020, the population of Linden was 43,738. The median age of residents was 39.4 years. Twenty-one point one percent of residents were under the age of 18, and 14.6% were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females, there were 91.1 males, and for every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 87.5 males aged 18 and over.

All residents lived in urban areas, and no one lived in rural areas.

There were 15,609 households in Linden. Thirty-three point two percent of these households had children under the age of 18 living in them. Forty-three point three percent were married-couple households, 18.3% had a male householder with no spouse or partner present, and 31.7% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. Twenty-five point two percent of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 16,452 housing units, of which 5.1% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.4%, and the rental vacancy rate was 4.1%.

In 2010, the United States census counted 40,499 people, 14,909 households, and 10,272 families in the city. The population density was 3,793.8 per square mile (1,464.8 per square kilometer). There were 15,872 housing units at an average density of 1,486.8 per square mile (574.1 per square kilometer). The racial makeup was 59.15% White, 26.88% Black or African American, 0.29% Native American, 2.71% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 7.57% from other races, and 3.37% from two or more races. Twenty-four point nine three percent of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 14,909 households, 29.9% had children under the age of 18. Forty-five point one percent were married couples living together, 17.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.1% were non-families. Twenty-six point two percent of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.70, and the average family size was 3.27.

Twenty-one point eight percent of the population were under the age of 18, 9.2% were aged 18 to 24, 28.0% were aged 25 to 44, 27.6% were aged 45 to 64, and 13.4% were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.1 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and older, there were 87.7 males.

According to the Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey, the median household income was $55,859 (with a margin of error of ±$2,529), and the median family income was $64,439 (±$4,027). Males had a median income of $45,890 (±$3,397), and females had a median income of $39,288 (±$2,842). The per capita income for the borough was $27,011 (±$1,161). About 5.9% of families and 7.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.1% of those under age 18 and 8.1% of those aged 65 or over.

In 2000, the United States census counted 39,394 people, 15,052 households, and 10,084 families in the city. The population density was 3,645.5 per square mile (1,407.5 per square kilometer). There were 15,567 housing units at an average density of 1,440.6 per square mile (556.2 per square kilometer). The racial makeup of the city was 66.08% White, 22.80% African American, 0.14% Native American, 2.35% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 4.88% from other races, and 3.71% from two or more races. Fourteen point four percent of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 15,052 households, of which 29.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them. Forty-six point seven percent were married couples living together, 15.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.0% were non-families. Twenty-seven point nine percent of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60, and the average family size was 3.21.

In the city, the population

Economy

The east side of Linden is located along the Arthur Kill, a waterway that is used for moving large amounts of goods in the Port of New York and New Jersey.

Linden is home to the Bayway Refinery, a Phillips 66 facility that supplies petroleum-based products to the New York and New Jersey area. It produces about 230,000 barrels of oil each day (37,000 cubic meters per day), making it the second-largest refinery on the East Coast of the United States and one of the country’s 25 largest facilities.

From 1937 to 2005, Linden was home to Linden Assembly, a General Motors plant that made cars such as Oldsmobile, Pontiac, and Buick. It also produced airplanes during World War II. By 2008, most of the plant had been demolished for new development by Duke Realty Corporation, which bought the 100-acre (40-hectare) site for $76.5 million.

Linden, along with Rahway, is home to Merck & Co., a major pharmaceutical company. In 2003, the company celebrated 100 years of operations in Rahway and Linden.

Sunnyside section of Linden and the Jewish community

The residential neighborhood of Linden west of St. Georges Avenue is called Sunnyside. It was named after the former Sunnyfield Golf Club in the area. Sunnyside is bordered by Clark, Cranford, and Winfield to the west and Roselle to the east.

Like the rest of Linden, Sunnyside is a neighborhood with a variety of people from different backgrounds. Congregation Anshe Chesed, a Modern Orthodox synagogue, is located in the Sunnyside area. It was founded in 1914 and has a large modern building on St. Georges Avenue. Its former synagogue building on Blancke Street was later used for community sports activities.

Sunnyside Park is located at the corner of Summit Terrace and Edgewood Road. It is called the “Shabbos park” by the area’s Modern Orthodox community because families gather there on Saturday afternoons.

An eruv connects the Sunnyside section of Linden to Roselle, Warinanco Park, the Jewish Educational Center of Elizabeth, and Hillside. A mikveh was built in 2015.

In 2017, members of the Koson congregation moved to the Sunnyside section of Linden. Since then, other Hasidic communities, including Bobov, Rachmastrivka, Pupa, and Satmar, have grown in Linden. By 2025, 700 families from these communities lived in the area.

In 2025, the city changed rules to increase the minimum lot size for places of worship. It also added zoning restrictions that limited basement use for bedrooms, kitchens, and bathrooms. Driveways were required, and these changes were seen as having a greater effect on the growing number of large Haredi families in the area.

Other houses of worship

The Roman Catholic parish St. Theresa of the Child Jesus Parish (131 East Edgar Road) was started in 1925 to help Linden’s Catholic people. It has been connected to the city’s Polish-American community for many years. This church is part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark and is named after Theresa of Lisieux, a French nun who was honored for her spiritual belief in “the little way.” The parish holds regular Masses in Polish.

The Catholic parish St. Elizabeth of Hungary Parish (220 East Blanke Street, near Hussa Street) was founded and built in 1912 to help the growing Catholic population in Linden. It is part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark and is named after Elizabeth of Hungary, a saint from the 13th century who was respected for her kindness to poor people.

The Roman Catholic parish Holy Family Church (210 Monroe Street) was started in 1955. It is part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark and is named after the Holy Family, which includes Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.

St. John the Apostle Parish (1805 Penbrook Terrace) is part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark and is named after John the Apostle, one of the twelve followers of Jesus.

The parish St. George Parish (417 McCandless Street) serves the Catholic community in Linden and is part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark. It is named after Saint George, a Christian martyr who is traditionally honored for his bravery and faith.

The United Methodist Church of Linden (321 North Wood Avenue) helps Methodist Christians in the city. It is named after the Methodist tradition, a Protestant group that focuses on personal faith and helping others live holy lives.

Grace Episcopal Church (2018 Dewitt Terrace) is a church in the Episcopal Church in the United States. It comes from the Anglican tradition.

The Reformed Church of Linden (600 North Wood Avenue) is based on the Protestant Reformation and teaches about making promises with God.

St. Mary’s Orthodox Church (45 East Elm Street) serves members of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church tradition. It is named after Mary, the mother of Jesus.

Local media

Linden has several media sources, including:

• Union News Daily is a news outlet that covers news in Union County. It has a special section for Linden and is part of LocalSource. It is published by Worrall Community Newspapers of Union.
• TAPinto Linden is a local website that provides news about Linden only. It is part of the TAPinto group of news websites in Central and Northern New Jersey.
• Life in Linden is published by Renna Media, which is based on Walnut Street in Cranford, New Jersey.
• LindenTV is a television channel owned by the city of Linden. It can be found on cable and Verizon FiOS television services.
• The City of Linden uses its official website to share news and event information.
• Other newspapers that cover multiple communities include The Courier News, a daily newspaper based in Bridgewater Township, and The Star-Ledger and Suburban News, which are based in Newark.
• Linden is the official city where the television station WNJU (channel 47) is licensed. WNJU covers the New York metropolitan area and is the main station for the Spanish-language Telemundo network.

Parks and recreation

• Hawk Rise Sanctuary is a bird sanctuary that was created by the City of Linden and the New Jersey Audubon Society. It is located on the banks of the Rahway River near the lower part of the Rahway River Parkway.
• John Russell Wheeler Park includes the Linden Skatepark for skateboarders at Winans Avenue and West Edgar Road. This area is near Morses Creek, which flows through the park. In 2019, an 11,000-square-foot (1,000 m²) spray park was built. This replaced a pool that was built in 1931.
• Peach Orchard Park is located at the intersection of Dill Avenue, Hussa Street, and Cranford Avenue, behind School #4. The park includes Peach Orchard Brook, a smaller stream that flows into Morses Creek.
• The Park Drive entrance of Warinanco Park connects the park to the city of Linden.
• Memorial Park is located between Wood Avenue and Lower Road. It is home to the new Linden Skatepark, which was built after the skatepark at John Russell Wheeler Park was removed.

Government

Linden uses the city form of government, which is one of 15 cities in New Jersey out of 564 total municipalities. This type of government is traditional and has been used for many years. The city is led by a mayor and an 11-member City Council. The mayor and council president are elected by all voters for four-year terms. The other 10 council members are elected by voters in specific areas called wards for three-year terms. Each year, either two or four ward seats are up for election in a three-year cycle.

As of 2026, the mayor of Linden is Democrat Derek Armstead, whose term ends December 31, 2026. The current members of the City Council are:
– Council President – Michele Yamakaitis (D, 2026)
– First Ward – Lisa A. Ormon (D, 2027)
– Second Ward – Barry E. Javick (D, 2028)
– Third Ward – Monique Caldwell (D, 2028)
– Fourth Ward – Alfred Mohammed (D, 2026)
– Fifth Ward – Kayla Lott (D, 2028)
– Sixth Ward – Eloy Delgado (D, 2026)
– Seventh Ward – Ralph Strano (D, 2028)
– Eighth Ward – Mark Armstead (D, 2026)
– Ninth Ward – Alfred Rodriguez (D, 2027)
– Tenth Ward – Christine Ann Hudak (D, 2026)

In June 2022, Christine Ann Hudak was appointed to fill the 10th Ward seat after the previous member resigned. She served temporarily until the November 2022 election, when she was elected to complete the term.

The 8th Ward seat that ended in December 2020 became vacant in January 2019 when Michele Yamakaitis became Council President. The Democratic municipal committee chose Paul Coates to fill the seat, but Mayor Derek Armstead wanted to keep the seat open until the November 2019 election. A court ruled in May 2019 that Coates should be seated immediately. In November 2019, Garret Blaine was elected to finish the term.

In November 2015, the City Council selected Ralph Strano to fill the Seventh Ward seat after the previous member resigned. Strano served temporarily until the November 2016 election, when he was elected to complete the term.

John T. Gregorio served as mayor of Linden for 30 years, not all at once, until December 31, 2006. He faced scandals during his time in office, including a felony conviction that forced him to leave office for two terms. After his conviction, he returned as mayor.

Rhashonna Cosby-Hurling became the first African American woman elected to the City Council in 2011, representing the Fifth Ward.

Linden is located in New Jersey’s 7th and 10th Congressional Districts and is part of the state’s 22nd legislative district. Before the 2010 Census, Linden was divided among the 7th, 10th, and 13th Congressional Districts. A change by the New Jersey Redistricting Commission took effect in January 2013, based on the 2012 election results.

For the 119th U.S. Congress, New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District is represented by Thomas Kean Jr. (R, Westfield), and the 10th Congressional District is represented by LaMonica McIver (D, Newark). New Jersey’s U.S. Senators are Cory Booker (D, Newark, term ends 2027) and Andy Kim (D, Moorestown, term ends 2031).

For the 2026–2027 session, New Jersey’s 22nd legislative district is represented in the State Senate by Nicholas Scutari (D, Linden) and in the General Assembly by Linda S. Carter (D, Plainfield) and James J. Kennedy (D, Rahway).

Union County is governed by a Board of County Commissioners, which has nine members elected by all voters for three-year terms. Three seats are up for election each year. A County Manager oversees daily operations. At an annual meeting in January, the board selects a Chair and Vice Chair. As of 2026, the commissioners are:
– Vice Chair Rebecca Williams (D, Plainfield, 2028)
– Chairman Joseph Bodek (D, Linden, 2026)
– James E. Baker Jr. (D, Rahway, 2027)
– Michele Delisfort (D, Union Township, 2026)
– Lourdes M. Leon (D, Elizabeth, 2026)
– Alexander Mirabella (D, Fanwood, 2027)
– Kimberly Palmieri-Mouded (D, Westfield, 2027)
– Stanley J. Neron (D, Elizabeth, 2028)
– Joseph Signorelli (D, Rahway, 2027)

Other county officials include:
– County Clerk – James H. Hackett (D)
– Sheriff – James A. O’Neill (D)
– Treasurer – John C. Schmitz (D)
– Surrogate – Joseph A. D’Agostino (D)
– Prosecutor – Jonathan L. Lipinski (D)

As of 2023, Union County has a population of about 520,000 people.

In 2022, Union County had 289,863 registered voters. In the 2022 general election, 167,043 people voted, which was a 57.6% turnout. The county voted 60.1% for Democrats, 33.9% for Republicans, and 5.9% for other candidates.

In 2020, Union County had 286,037 registered voters. In the 2020 general election, 170,658 people voted, a 59.7% turnout. The county voted 63.5% for Democrats, 32.4% for Republicans, and 4.1% for other candidates.

In 20

Education

The Linden Public Schools provide education for students from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. During the 2022–23 school year, the district, which includes 11 schools, had 6,125 students and 557 classroom teachers (based on full-time equivalent numbers), resulting in a student-teacher ratio of 11.0:1. The schools in the district, with 2022–23 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics, are: School No. 1 (374 students; grades PreK–5), School No. 2 (584 students; PreK–5), School No. 4 (437 students; PreK–5), School No. 5 (290 students; PreK–5), School No. 6 (332 students; PreK–5), School No. 8 (300 students; PreK–5), School No. 9 (324 students; PreK–5), School No. 10 (242 students; PreK–5), Myles J. McManus Middle School (696 students; grades 6–8), Joseph E. Soehl Middle School (662 students; grades 6–8), and Linden High School (1,801 students; grades 9–12). In 2020, School No. 5 was recognized by the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program as one of nine schools in New Jersey for achieving high levels of student success.

Sinai Christian Academy offers education for students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade.

Saints Mary and Elizabeth Academy was a Catholic school that taught students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. It operated under the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark until it closed at the end of the 2013–2014 school year because of decreasing enrollment.

Transportation

In May 2010, the city had a total of 109.72 miles (176.58 km) of roads. Of these, 87.01 miles (140.03 km) were managed by the city government, 13.53 miles (21.77 km) by Union County, 6.19 miles (9.96 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation, and 2.99 miles (4.81 km) by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.

The New Jersey Turnpike (Interstate 95) runs through the eastern part of the city. A few ramps connect to Exit 13 for Interstate 278, which is located on the border with Elizabeth. The city is also the starting point of Interstate 278, which passes through all five boroughs of New York City. Other major roads include U.S. Route 1/9, Route 27, and the Garden State Parkway, which runs about 500 feet (150 m) west of the city limits.

Local public transportation is provided by NJ Transit. Buses operate to Elizabeth, Perth Amboy, and Newark. Routes 112 and 115 offer trips within the city and to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York City. These routes also connect to Newark via the 48 and 94 lines and provide local service on the 56 and 57 lines.

The Linden train station allows passengers to travel directly to Manhattan in 39 minutes using NJ Transit’s North Jersey Coast Line and the Northeast Corridor Line. Trains go north to Newark Penn Station, Secaucus Junction, and New York Penn Station, and south to the Trenton Transit Center, where passengers can transfer to other routes.

Linden Airport is a small airport used for general aviation and located on the city’s eastern side along U.S. Route 1/9. Built by the United States Navy in 1942 for testing the Grumman F4F Wildcat, the airport was later taken over by the city of Linden after World War II. In 1954, the airport hosted a road race in the NASCAR Grand National Division (now called the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series), which was won by Al Keller.

Newark Liberty International Airport is about 15 minutes away from the city.

Arts and culture

The Raymond Wood Bauer Promenade in Linden is a place where outdoor concerts and other performances take place. Live bands play R&B, funk, and jazz at different venues in the area. Linda Hayes, a singer known for performing R&B and jazz, was born in Linden. She once performed with the famous music group called the Platters, and her brother was the lead singer of that group.

Thomas Lanigan-Schmidt, an artist born into a Catholic family, grew up in Linden during the 1950s and 1960s. He faced challenges, including poverty and bullying, while living in Linden as a young person. He later moved to New York City and became known for his art, which explored themes such as gay sexuality, class struggles, and religion. A recent exhibition at MoMA PS1 highlighted his work. As a teenager, he created a detailed model of a church altar for his Catholic elementary school, which was reported in a local newspaper. The school, St. Elizabeth School, was located at 170 Hussa Street and closed in 2014. It is now part of St. Elizabeth of Hungary Roman Catholic Church in Linden.

The artist known as theOGM, a member of the punk hip-hop group Ho99o9 (pronounced "Horror"), has roots in Linden. The 1960s bubblegum pop band 1910 Fruitgum Company was formed by five residents of Linden. De Luxe Records, a record company started in 1944 in Linden, New Jersey, is famous for its recordings of R&B and early rock music.

In the mid-20th century, Linden was the headquarters for Regal Records, a well-known music label. Later, the budget record label Springboard International Records also operated from Linden. Before being acquired by Apollo, a company called Transco produced acetate discs in Linden for the sound recording industry.

The Linden Cultural and Heritage Committee organizes events such as craft fairs, street festivals, concerts, and plays for local residents. The Linden Society for Historic Preservation works to protect the city’s history.

Linden was the main filming location for Volume 2 of the streetball video series, AND1 Mixtapes. Waliyy Dixon, a Linden native and one of the original five streetballers to join AND1, helped host a basketball event at 4th Ward Park that attracted 2,000 people.

Several scenes from the 2008 film The Wrestler, which was later nominated for Academy Awards, were filmed in Linden. Hal Linden, a stage and screen actor best known for his role in the TV series Barney Miller, chose his stage name after seeing the word "Linden" on a water tower during a trip from Philadelphia to New York City.