Plainfield At A Glance

40°36′55″N, 74°24′58″W
Elevation: 110 feet above sea level.

Plainfield was incorporated as a City in Union County, New Jersey, United Sates in 1869. As of the United States 2000 Census, the city population was 47,829. It is located on the southwestern edge of Union County and is bordered by nine municipalities. There are nine designated historic districts in Plainfield; information on and maps of these districts are found here.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 47,829 people, 15,137 households, and 10,898 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,057.4/km² (7,921.7/mi²). There were 16,180 housing units at an average density of 1,034.3/km² (2,679.8/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 21.45% White, 61.78% African American, 0.41% Native American, 0.93% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 10.78% from other races, and 4.55% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 25.16% of the population.

Local government

Plainfield is governed by a mayor and a seven-member City Council, all of whom serve four-year terms in office.

The Mayor of the City of Plainfield is Sharon M. Robinson-Briggs (D), whose four-year term of office ends on December 31, 2009.

To find members of the Plainfield City Council, visit Plainfield.com

Federal, state and county representation

Plainfield is in the Sixth Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 22nd Legislative District.

New Jersey's Sixth Congressional District, covering portions of Middlesex County and Monmouth County, is represented by Frank Pallone (D). New Jersey is represented in the Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Bob Menendez (D, Hoboken).

The 22nd legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Nicholas Scutari (D, Linden) and in the Assembly by Jerry Green (D, Plainfield) and Linda Stender (D, Scotch Plains). The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).

Transportation

Plainfield has two New Jersey Transit rail stations on the Raritan Valley Line, formerly the mainline of the Central Railroad of New Jersey. The main Plainfield station is in the downtown and a second, smaller Netherwood station is in the Netherwood section, east of the downtown.

NJ Transit also provides bus service on the 113 and 114 to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan; the 59, 65 and 66 (Limited) to Newark; and local service on the 822 and 819 routes.

Newark Liberty International Airport is approximately 25 minutes away.