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Palisades Park, New Jersey

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Template:Short description Template:About Template:Use American English Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox settlement Palisades Park is a borough in Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 20,292,<ref name=Census2020/><ref name=LWD2020/> an increase of 670 (+3.4%) from the 2010 census count of 19,622,<ref name=Census2010/><ref name=LWD2010/> which in turn reflected an increase of 2,549 (+14.9%) from the 17,073 counted in the 2000 census.<ref>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.</ref>

The borough of Palisades Park was created by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 22, 1899, from portions of Ridgefield Township. A portion of its area was annexed by the neighboring borough of Fort Lee in April 1909.<ref name=Story>Snyder, John P. The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 84. Accessed June 1, 2024.</ref><ref>Bergen County New Jersey Municipalities, Dutch Door Genealogy. Accessed May 26, 2006.</ref><ref>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Together with References to All Acts, and Parts of Acts, in the 'General Statutes' and Pamphlet Laws Expressly Repealed: and the Statutory Crimes of New Jersey During the Same Period, p. 210. New Jersey Law Journal Publishing Company, 1910. Accessed September 16, 2015.</ref> The borough was named for its location atop the New Jersey Palisades.<ref>Hutchinson, Viola L. The Origin of New Jersey Place Names, New Jersey Public Library Commission, May 1945. Accessed September 16, 2015.</ref><ref>Gannett, Henry. The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States, p. 236. United States Government Printing Office, 1905. Accessed September 16, 2015.</ref>

It is one of the largest and fastest-growing ethnic Korean enclaves outside of Korea. Koreans comprise the majority (65%) of the population of the borough of Palisades Park,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="books.google.com2">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="Brian Yarvin">Template:Cite web</ref> the municipality with the highest density of ethnic Koreans in the Western Hemisphere and the home of both the highest Korean-American density and percentage of any municipality in the United States. It has been called Koreatown on the Hudson<ref name=KoreatownHudson>Template:Cite web</ref> and Little Korea.<ref name = LitteKorea>Template:Cite web</ref> The borough's population has grown by 40% since the 1990 census, accelerated by zoning laws that permit duplex homes on land previously containing a single-family detached home.<ref>Appelbaum, Binyamin. "This Small New Jersey Town Became a Different Kind of Suburb", The New York Times, March 25, 2024. Accessed April 7, 2024. "There have been some growing pains, but many more people are now able to live in Palisades Park. Since 1990, the population has increased by 40 percent."</ref>

Geography

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According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 1.28 square miles (3.32 km2), including 1.24 square miles (3.21 km2) of land and 0.04 square miles (0.11 km2) of water (3.28%).<ref name=CensusArea/><ref name=GR1 />

The borough borders Fort Lee, Leonia, Ridgefield and Ridgefield Park.<ref>Areas touching Palisades Park, MapIt. Accessed March 2, 2020.</ref><ref>Bergen County Map of Municipalities, Bergen County, New Jersey. Accessed March 2, 2020.</ref><ref>New Jersey Municipal Boundaries, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed November 15, 2019.</ref> Morsemere is a neighborhood largely in the northern part of Ridgefield straddling the southern border of Palisades Park.<ref>Template:Cite map</ref>

The town's central business district centered around Broad Avenue has been called Koreatown<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Citation</ref> In mid-2015, a proposal was submitted by the Korean-American Association of Palisades Park to the mayor and council to add a second name to Broad Avenue, such as "Korean Market Street" (Meokjagolmok) or "Korea Way".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

History

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Until the 1980s, Palisades Park was overwhelmingly Caucasian, a mix of blue-collar workers and professionals whose families originated largely from Italy, Croatia, Germany, and Greece. Its houses were inexpensive, and it had a number of vacant shops and offices.<ref name="RICHARD PÉREZ-PEÑA2">Template:Cite web</ref> In the 1990s, a continuous stream of Korean immigrants emerged into Palisades Park. A substantial number of affluent and educated Korean American professionals have settled in Bergen County since the early 2000s and have founded various academic and communally supportive organizations, including the Korean Parent Partnership Organization at the Bergen County Academies magnet high school and the Korean-American Association of New Jersey. Approximately 120 Korean stores were counted in Palisades Park in 2000,<ref name="books.google.com2"/> a number which has risen significantly since then, featuring restaurants and karaoke (noraebang) bars, grocery markets, education centers and bookstores, financial institutions, offices, electronics vendors, apparel boutiques, and other commercial enterprises.

In May 2012, borough officials rejected requests by two diplomatic delegations from Japan to remove a small monument from a public park, a brass plaque on a block of stone, dedicated in 2010 to the memory of comfort women, tens of thousands of women and girls, many Korean, who were forced into sexual slavery by Japanese soldiers during World War II.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="BergenCountyComfortWomen1">Template:Cite web</ref> Days later, a South Korean delegation endorsed the borough's decision.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The first Japanese delegation cited apologies offered by their country's government for its involvement as justifying the removal of the monument, while officials from the second delegation controversially claimed that "comfort women were a lie". However, in neighboring Fort Lee, various Korean American groups could not reach consensus on the design and wording for such a monument as of early April 2013.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In May 2014, the Palisades Park Public Library created a memorial dedicated to the victims of the tragic sinking of the Sewol ferry off the South Korean coast on April 16, 2014.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Demographics

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Template:See alsoThe per capita Korean American population of Bergen County, 6.3% by the 2010 United States Census,<ref name="Karen Sudol and Dave Sheingold">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Richard Newman">Template:Cite web</ref> (increasing to 6.9% by the 2011 American Community Survey),<ref name="United States Census Bureau">Template:Cite web</ref> is the highest of any county in the United States,<ref name="Richard Newman" /> with all of the nation's top ten municipalities by percentage of Korean population<ref name="BergenCountyKoreanPercentage">Template:Cite web</ref> and an absolute total of 56,773 Korean Americans (increasing to 63,247 by the 2011 American Community Survey)<ref name="United States Census Bureau" /> living in the county.<ref name="Karen Sudol and Dave Sheingold" /><ref name="Monsy Alvarado">Template:Cite web</ref> The concentration of Korean Americans in Palisades Park in turn is the highest of any municipality in the United States,<ref name="RICHARD PÉREZ-PEÑA2"/> at 52% of the population,<ref name="Karen Sudol and Dave Sheingold" /> enumerating 10,115 residents of Korean ancestry as of the 2010 Census.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Palisades Park is often referred to as the Korean village.<ref name="Palisades Park Municipal Court">Template:Cite web</ref> Along with Koreatowns in New York City and Long Island, Bergen County serves as the nexus for an overall Korean American population of 218,764 individuals in the Greater New York Combined Statistical Area,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> the second largest population of ethnic Koreans outside of Korea.<ref name="NYCSecondKorea">Template:Cite book</ref>

File:BroadAveColumbiaKoreatownPalisadesPk.png
Broad Avenue, Koreatown in Palisades Park (벼랑 공원 코리아타운).<ref name="books.google.com">Template:Cite book</ref> Click on image to view Hangul signs.

Template:US Census population

2010 census

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The 2010 United States census counted 19,622 people, 6,934 households, and 5,020 families in the borough. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 7,362 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup was 28.90% (5,670) White, 1.96% (385) Black or African American, 0.31% (60) Native American, 57.84% (11,350) Asian, 0.05% (10) Pacific Islander, 9.00% (1,765) from other races, and 1.95% (382) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 18.22% (3,575) of the population.<ref name=Census2010/>

Of the 6,934 households, 26.1% had children under the age of 18; 53.7% were married couples living together; 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present and 27.6% were non-families. Of all households, 19.8% were made up of individuals and 6.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.83 and the average family size was 3.20.<ref name=Census2010/>

16.5% of the population were under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 37.9% from 25 to 44, 25.6% from 45 to 64, and 11.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.0 years. For every 100 females, the population had 99.7 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 98.3 males.<ref name=Census2010/>

As of the 2010 Census, 51.5% of the population (10,115) reported themselves as being of Korean ancestry,<ref name=Census2010 /><ref name="NYT2012">Semple, Kirk. "In New Jersey, Memorial for 'Comfort Women' Deepens Old Animosity", The New York Times, May 18, 2012. Accessed June 30, 2012. "The monument, a brass plaque on a block of stone, was dedicated in 2010 to the memory of so-called comfort women, tens of thousands of women and girls, many Korean, who were forced into sexual slavery by Japanese soldiers during World War II. "</ref> with both the highest Korean-American density and percentage of any municipality in the United States.<ref>Perez-Pena, Richard. "Palisades Park Journal; As Koreans Pour In, a Town Is Remade", The New York Times, December 16, 2010. Accessed July 24, 2014. "But none more so than Palisades Park, whose population is now 54 percent Asian-American and 44 percent Korean-American, the Census Bureau reported this week. Major population centers like Queens and Los Angeles have more Koreans, but Palisades Park, with fewer than 20,000 people, is, proportionally, the most heavily Korean municipality in the country, according to Pyong Gap Min, a distinguished professor of sociology at Queens College."</ref> Broad Avenue <ref name="books.google.com" /> has been characterized as a major epicenter of Korean American life.<ref>Yarvin, Brian. "Jersey Dispatch: Bergen County Koreatown: I judge Korean restaurants entirely by those little dishes called panchan. Anything less than six is a disappointment.", Serious Eats, June 13, 2008. Accessed July 24, 2014. "Broad Avenue in Palisades Park is the epicenter of life in Korean New Jersey."</ref> Based on data from the 2012-2016 American Community Survey, 80.9% of borough residents did not speak English as their dominant language, the third-highest percentage in the state; the Korean language is spoken at home by more than half of the residents of Palisades Park.<ref>Astudillo, Carla. "The 41 N.J. towns where English is not the dominant language", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, December 10, 2017, updated May 15, 2019. Accessed March 2, 2020. "New Jersey is home to 41 towns where English is not the dominant language for the majority of the population. Towns like Union City and West New York are primarily dominated by Spanish speakers, while Korean is the language spoken by more than half of residents in Palisades Park and Englewood Cliffs.... 3. Palisades Park, Bergen- 80.9%"</ref>

Same-sex couples headed 41 households in 2010, an increase from the 37 counted in 2000.<ref>Lipman, Harvy; and Sheingold, Dave. "North Jersey sees 30% growth in same-sex couples", The Record, August 14, 2011, backed up by the Internet Archive as of February 3, 2013. Accessed August 31, 2014.</ref>

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $55,602 (with a margin of error of +/− $7,300) and the median family income was $66,725 (+/− $8,196). Males had a median income of $43,919 (+/− $8,170) versus $46,014 (+/− $6,780) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $30,666 (+/− $2,900). About 12.0% of families and 14.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.6% of those under age 18 and 15.2% of those age 65 or over.<ref>DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics from the 2006–2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates for Palisades Park borough, Bergen County, New Jersey, United States Census Bureau. Accessed December 25, 2011.</ref>

2000 census

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As of the 2000 United States census<ref name="GR2" /> there were 17,073 people, 6,247 households, and 4,447 families residing in the borough. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 6,386 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the borough was 48.27% White, 1.38% African American, 0.19% Native American, 41.09% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 5.80% from other races, and 3.24% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 16.48% of the population.<ref name=Census2000>Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Palisades Park borough, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed March 11, 2013.</ref><ref name=Census2000SF1>DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 – Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Palisades Park borough, Bergen County, New Jersey, United States Census Bureau. Accessed March 11, 2013.</ref>

In 2000, 36.38% of Palisades Park residents identified as being of Korean heritage. This was the highest percentage of Korean Americans of any place in the country with 1,000 or more residents identifying their ancestry and more than double that of second-ranked Cerritos, California.<ref>Korean Communities Template:Webarchive, EPodunk. Accessed August 23, 2006.</ref> Also in the 2000 Census, 3.1% of Palisades Park's residents identified themselves as being of Croatian ancestry. This was the second highest percentage of people with Croatian ancestry in any place in New Jersey with 1,000 or more residents identifying their ancestry.<ref>Croatian Communities Template:Webarchive, EPodunk. Accessed August 23, 2006.</ref>

There were 6,247 households, out of which 30.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.9% were married couples living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.8% were non-families. 22.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.73 and the average family size was 3.20.<ref name=Census2000 /><ref name=Census2000SF1 />

In the borough, the population was spread out, with 19.4% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 37.8% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 12.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.8 males.<ref name=Census2000 /><ref name=Census2000SF1 />

The median income for a household in the borough was $48,015, and the median income for a family was $54,503. Males had a median income of $37,204 versus $31,997 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $22,607. About 8.5% of families and 9.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.9% of those under age 18 and 12.1% of those age 65 or over.<ref name=Census2000 /><ref name=Census2000SF1 />

Government

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File:George Washington Bridge, HAER NY-129-66.jpg
The nearby George Washington Bridge, the world's busiest motor vehicle bridge, provides access to Palisades Park from Manhattan in New York City via adjacent Fort Lee.

Local government

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Palisades Park 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.<ref>Inventory of Municipal Forms of Government in New Jersey, Rutgers University Center for Government Studies, July 1, 2011. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref> The government is comprised of a mayor and a borough council, with all positions elected at-large 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 includes six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle.<ref name=DataBook>2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 157.</ref> The borough form of government used by Palisades Park 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 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.<ref>Cerra, Michael F. "Forms of Government: Everything You've Always Wanted to Know, But Were Afraid to Ask" Template:Webarchive, New Jersey State League of Municipalities. Accessed November 30, 2014.</ref><ref>"Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey", p. 6. Rutgers University Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref>

In July 2015 Gina S. Kim became the borough's municipal clerk, reflecting the growing political influence of the Korean American population.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Korean Americans, who compose more than half of the borough's population and have attended town meetings in large numbers, have requested Korean interpreters to be present at these meetings as of August 2016.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2017, the borough created a Korean language version of its website.<ref>Ma, Myles. "As Korean population grows, Palisades Park learns the language", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, January 18, 2017, updated January 16, 2019. Accessed June 6, 2021. "Becoming multi-lingual is an outsize undertaking for the 1.25-square-mile town. Palisades Park was the last town in the county to get a website in 2014--now it's creating another one in Korean.... The borough is also creating a Korean version of its website to allow Korean residents easier access to borough news and documents, Lorenzo said.... All these will be available once the Korean website goes live in a few months, Kim said."</ref>

Template:As of, the mayor of Palisades Park is Democrat Chong "Paul" Kim, whose term of office ends December 31, 2026. His predecessor, Christopher Chung, was the first Korean-American mayor in Bergen County, and second ever in New Jersey.<ref>Cattafi, Kristie. "Palisades Park makes history in Bergen County, swears in first Korean-American mayor", The Record, January 2, 2019. Accessed October 6, 2019. "Over 200 people packed the high school auditorium Wednesday night to watch Christopher Chung be sworn in by Gov. Phil Murphy. Chung's running mates, Jongchul Lee and Paul Chong Kim, were also sworn in. Chung also became the first Korean-American mayor in Bergen County, according to John Hogan, Bergen County Clerk."</ref> Members of the Palisades Park Borough Council are Council President Cynthia A. Pirrera (D, 2023), Stephanie S. Jang (R, 2024), Son K. "Andy" Min (D, 2025), Suk Min (D, 2024; appointed to serve an unexpired term), Jae K. Park (R, 2023) and Michael P. Vietri (D, 2025).<ref name=Council>Mayor and Council, Borough of Palisades Park. Accessed March 15, 2023.</ref><ref>2022 Municipal Data Sheet, Borough of Palisades Park. Accessed May 30, 2022.</ref><ref name=BergenCountyDirectory>2024 County and Municipal Directory, Bergen County, New Jersey, April 2024. Accessed April 15, 2024.</ref><ref name=Bergen2021>Bergen County Statement of Vote November 2, 2021 Official results, Bergen County, New Jersey, updated November 17, 2021. Accessed January 1, 2022.</ref><ref name=Bergen2020>Precinct Summary Results Report - Combined 2020 Bergen County General Election - November 3, 2020 Official Results, Bergen County, New Jersey, December 3, 2020. Accessed January 1, 2021.</ref><ref name=Bergen2019>Bergen County November 5, 2019 General Election Statement of Vote, Bergen County, New Jersey Clerk, updated December 10, 2019. Accessed January 1, 2020.</ref><ref name=Bergen2018>Bergen County November 6, 2018 General Election Statement of Vote, Bergen County, New Jersey Clerk, updated February 11, 2019. Accessed September 26, 2019.</ref>

After Chong "Paul" Kim took office as mayor in January 2023, the borough council declined to pick from one of the three candidates nominated by the Democratic municipal committee and chose Andy Min to fill the council seat he had held expiring in December 2024, after which the Democratic committee chose Suk Min to fill the seat.<ref>Cattafi, Kristie. "Two people for one seat: How this Bergen County town botched filling a council vacancy", The Record, February 10, 2023. Accessed March 15, 2023. "A council vacancy was created when Democratic Councilman Chong 'Paul' Kim won a mayoral election in November 2022. At the Jan. 3 reorganization meeting, Palisades Park Democratic County Committee Chair James Rotundo said, he submitted a letter to the mayor and council and read out loud during the public meeting the names of the three people submitted to fill the seat: himself, Suk Min and Arlene Star.... Based on timelines and advice from special counsel, on Jan. 31 they voted and swore in Democratic former Councilman Andy Min, who was not on the list of recommendations to fill the seat. The Democratic County Committee believes the council did not act properly, and the committee swore in Suk Min to fill the council seat the next day."</ref> With two people chosen to fill the seat, the Democratic committee and a group of three elected officials prevailed in a suit, with a judge deciding to give the vacant seat to Suk Min.<ref>Cattafi, Kristie. "Judge has decided on who will fill Palisades Park's vacant council seat",The Record, February 27, 2023. Accessed March 15, 2023. "A judge has sided with the Democratic County Committee, ultimately deciding it swore in the rightful council person to a vacant seat.... The decision was a 'complete and total victory,' said Scott Salmon of Jardim, Meisner & Susser, the attorney representing Mayor Kim, Councilman Jason Kim, Councilman Michael Vietri and the Democratic County Committee of Palisades Park. Suk Min, the resident whom the Palisades Park Democratic County Committee selected to fill the vacant seat, sat in his rightful place at Monday's meeting, Salmon said."</ref>

During the 2018 primary election for mayor, former mayor James Rotundo's mother Lorraine Rotundo went on a "racist tirade" on Facebook two days after the primary election. The race was extremely close with Christopher Chung winning by a narrow margin. Lorraine Rotundo made the post in response to the massive number of Koreans at the voting booths. She stated that Palisades Park should "go to hell," and said that the Korean residents could "have this F'n town." She later went on to post that only English should be spoken in the Borough Hall.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Former mayor James Rotundo apologized on behalf of his mother and strongly denounced her comments. "I'm disgusted with her statement," he said. Rotundo claimed that he was not raised by these sentiments.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Christopher Chung was sworn into office as a council member in January 2014, having been selected by the council from among three names submitted by the Democratic Municipal Committee to fill the vacant seat of Jason Kim, who had resigned earlier that month.<ref>Alvarado, Monsy. "Christopher Chung tapped to fill vacant council seat in Palisades Park", The Record, January 29, 2014. Accessed August 31, 2014. "The council seat left vacant by Jason Kim, the first Korean-American to serve on the governing body and who resigned earlier this month, will be filled by Christopher Chung."</ref>

Federal, state and county representation

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Palisades Park is located in the 5th Congressional District<ref name=PCR2022>2022 Redistricting Plan, New Jersey Redistricting Commission, December 8, 2022.</ref> and is part of New Jersey's 37th state legislative district.<ref name=Districts2011>Municipalities Sorted by 2011-2020 Legislative District, New Jersey Department of State. Accessed February 1, 2020.</ref><ref name=LWV2019>2019 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, New Jersey League of Women Voters. Accessed October 30, 2019.</ref><ref>Districts by Number for 2011-2020, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 6, 2013.</ref>

In redistricting following the 2010 census, the borough was in the 9th congressional district, which was in effect from 2013 to 2022.<ref name=PCR2012>Plan Components Report, New Jersey Redistricting Commission, December 23, 2011. Accessed February 1, 2020.</ref><ref>Salant, Jonathan D. "Big change, N.J.! 1.4M shifting to another congressional district. Use our tracker before voting.", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, October 31, 2022. Accessed December 8, 2022. "But now more than 1.4 million residents are moving due to new district lines drawn by New Jersey’s independent redistricting commission to reflect population shifts under the 2020 census.... Redistricting will shift 106 municipalities — nearly one in five — into new congressional districts.... Moving from the 9th Congressional District, currently represented by Democratic Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., to the 5th Congressional District, represented by Democratic Rep. Josh Gottheimer."</ref>

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Politics

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As of March 2011, there were 6,410 registered voters, of which 1,839 (28.7% vs. 31.7% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 1,128 (17.6% vs. 21.1%) were registered as Republicans and 3,443 (53.7% vs. 47.1%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were no voters registered to other parties.<ref name=VoterRegistration>Voter Registration Summary - Bergen, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed December 12, 2013.</ref> Among the borough's 2010 Census population, 32.7% (vs. 57.1% in Bergen County) were registered to vote, including 39.1% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 73.7% countywide).<ref name=VoterRegistration/><ref>GCT-P7: Selected Age Groups: 2010 - State -- County Subdivision; 2010 Census Summary File 1 for New Jersey, United States Census Bureau. Accessed December 12, 2013.</ref>

In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 2,487 votes here (67.1% vs. 54.8% countywide), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 1,147 votes (31.0% vs. 43.5%), for a turnout of 53.5% (vs. 70.4% in Bergen County).<ref>Presidential November 6, 2012 General Election Results - Bergen County Template:Webarchive, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, March 15, 2013. Accessed December 14, 2013.</ref><ref>Number of Registered Voters and Ballots Cast November 6, 2012 General Election Results - Bergen County Template:Webarchive, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, March 15, 2013. Accessed December 14, 2013.</ref>

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 50.6% of the vote (919 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 47.6% (864 votes), and other candidates with 1.8% (33 votes), among the 1,878 ballots cast by the borough's 6,473 registered voters (62 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 29.0%.<ref name=2013Elections>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=2013VoterReg>Template:Cite web</ref>

Culture

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Palisades Park has emerged as a dominant nexus of Korean American culture.<ref name="newyork.seriouseats.com2">Jersey Dispatch: Bergen County Koreatown</ref> Palisades Park High School has hosted national Kumdo martial arts tournaments.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Broad Avenue has been referred to as a "Korean food walk of fame",<ref name="Karen Tina Harrison">Template:Cite web</ref> with diverse offerings.<ref name="newyork.seriouseats.com2"/> Palisades Park now incorporates the highest concentration of Korean restaurants within a one-mile radius in the United States,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and Broad Avenue has evolved into a Korean dessert destination as well.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Korean Chinese cuisine is now also available in Koreatown, as is misugaru.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Bulgogi and galbi are staples on Broad Avenue in the Palisades Park.<ref name="KoreatownHudson2">Template:Cite web</ref> Korean cafés have become a major cultural element within Palisades Park, not only for the coffee, bingsu (shaved ice), and pastries, but also as communal gathering places.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Korean and English are both spoken prevalently in Palisades Park. Korean is spoken at home by more than half of the residents of Palisades Park and nearby Englewood Cliffs, according to U.S. Census Bureau data released in 2017.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Retail signs using Hangul are ubiquitous. In 1996, an ordinance was passed that storefront signage be same size in English as in Korean.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Additionally, as of 2010, more than 15 percent of Palisades Park’s residents speak Spanish.

Education

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The Palisades Park Public School District serves students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade.<ref>Gillis, Eulalia. Request for Proposals for School Auditor, Palisades Park Public School District, January 28, 2022. Accessed July 25, 2024. "The Palisades Park Board of Education is a PreK-12 public school district providing educational services to approximately 1,800 students with a budget of $28.8 million. The school district is comprised of one early childhood learning center, one elementary school, one junior/senior high school, together with separate buildings that house the Board of Education Office and the buildings and grounds annex."</ref> As of the 2022–23 school year, the district, comprised of three schools, had an enrollment of 1,786 students and 145.9 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.2:1.<ref name=NCES>District information for Palisades Park School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 1, 2024.</ref> Schools in the district (with 2022–23 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics<ref>School Data for the Palisades Park Public School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 1, 2024.</ref>) are Charles R. Smith Early Childhood Center<ref>Charles R. Smith Early Childhood Center, Palisades Park Public School District. Accessed July 25, 2024.</ref> with 242 students in grades PreK-K, Lindbergh Elementary School<ref>Lindbergh Elementary School, Palisades Park Public School District. Accessed July 25, 2024.</ref> with 769 students in grades 1-6 and Palisades Park High School<ref>Palisades Park Jr./Sr. High School, Palisades Park Public School District. Accessed July 25, 2024.</ref> with 745 students in grades 7-12.<ref>School Performance Reports for the Palisades Park Public School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed April 3, 2024.</ref><ref>New Jersey School Directory for the Palisades Park Public School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2024.</ref>

Public school students from the borough, and all of Bergen County, are eligible to attend the secondary education programs offered by the Bergen County Technical Schools, which include the Bergen County Academies in Hackensack, and the Bergen Tech campus in Teterboro or Paramus. The district offers programs on a shared-time or full-time basis, with admission based on a selective application process and tuition covered by the student's home school district.<ref>About Us, Bergen County Technical Schools. Accessed December 12, 2013.</ref><ref>Admissions, Bergen County Technical Schools. Accessed December 29, 2016.</ref>

According to The Record, the Korean-American Association of New Jersey petitioned Palisades Park school officials in 2013 to use textbooks that refer to the Sea of Japan as the East Sea as well.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Transportation

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Roads and highways

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File:2021-07-27 14 45 50 View west along U.S. Route 46 from the overpass for Roff Avenue in Palisades Park, Bergen County, New Jersey.jpg
Westbound U.S. Route 46 in Palisades Park

Template:As of, the borough had a total of Template:Convert of roadways, of which Template:Convert were maintained by the municipality, Template:Convert by Bergen County and Template:Convert by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.<ref>Bergen County Mileage by Municipality and Jurisdiction, New Jersey Department of Transportation, May 2010. Accessed October 30, 2013.</ref>

Roadways in Palisades Park include U.S. Route 1/9,<ref>U.S. Route 1 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, March 2010. Accessed October 30, 2013.</ref> U.S. Route 46,<ref>U.S. Route 46 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, March 2010. Accessed October 30, 2013.</ref> Route 5,<ref>Route 5 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, April 2008. Accessed October 30, 2013.</ref> Route 63,<ref>Route 63 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, April 2008. Accessed October 30, 2013.</ref> Route 93<ref>Route 93 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, April 2008. Accessed October 30, 2013.</ref> and County Route 501.<ref>County Route 501 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, September 2006. Accessed October 30, 2013.</ref>

The nearby George Washington Bridge, the world's busiest motor vehicle bridge, provides access to Palisades Park from Manhattan in New York City via adjacent Fort Lee.<ref name=GWB>George Washington Bridge, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Accessed August 31, 2014. "The iconic GWB is not only a marvel of engineering. It is also the busiest bridge in the world."</ref><ref name=THR2006>Rife, Judy. "George Washington Bridge turns 75 years old; Huge flag, cake part of celebration" Template:Webarchive, Times Herald-Record, October 24, 2006. Accessed August 31, 2014.</ref>

Public transportation

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NJ Transit provides bus service between the borough and the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan on the 127, 154, 155, 157, 166 and 168 routes, to Jersey City on the 83 route, with local service offered on the 751 and 755 bus lines.<ref>Bergen County Bus / Rail Connections, NJ Transit, backed up by the Internet Archive as of May 22, 2009. Accessed October 30, 2013.</ref><ref>Bergen County System Map, NJ Transit. Accessed September 14, 2016.</ref>

Rockland Coaches provides service to the Port Authority Bus Terminal on routes 11T/11AT and 20/20T.<ref>Commuter Routes Template:Webarchive, Rockland Coaches. Accessed December 12, 2013.</ref><ref>Available Schedules from Palisades Park, NJ to New York, NY.Template:Dead link, Rockland Coaches. Accessed December 12, 2013.</ref>

Notable people

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Template:Category see also People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Palisades Park include:

See also

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References

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Sources

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