Location of Colonia in
Middlesex County highlighted in red (left). Inset map: Location of Middlesex County in
New Jersey highlighted in orange (right).
In 1919, the
New Jersey State Highway Commission built a new road that became part of the
Lincoln Highway, an early plan to create a transcontinental highway. The stretch was constructed on the west side of the
Pennsylvania Railroad (now the
Northeast Corridor) from near the northeast of Dow Avenue between Colonia and
Iselin to Cedar Street in
Menlo Park, to avoid two railroad crossings. The old road is now Middlesex-Essex Turnpike and Thornall Street, on the east side of the tracks.
Geography
According to the
United States Census Bureau, the CDP had a total area of 3.914 square miles (10.137 km2), including 3.910 square miles (10.126 km2) of land and 0.004 square miles (0.011 km2) of water (0.11%).[5][13] It has a
humid subtropical climate (Cfa) and average monthly temperatures range from 33 °F (1 °C) in January to 78.1 °F (25.6 °C) in July.[14]
The
Garden State Parkway passes through the western portion of the CDP but does not interchange there. For northbound Garden State Parkway traffic only there is a service plaza in Colonia, that is the parkway's only area located on private property.[15]
In 2018 the president of the Historical Association of Woodbridge, Daniel D’Arcy, stated that "Colonia is to Woodbridge like the Bronx is to NYC. People like the identity."[16]
Of the 6,160 households, 34.8% had children under the age of 18; 65.6% were married couples living together; 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present and 19.2% were non-families. Of all households, 16.4% were made up of individuals and 8.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.89 and the average family size was 3.25.[12]
22.8% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 24.4% from 25 to 44, 30.0% from 45 to 64, and 15.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42.3 years. For every 100 females, the population had 93.2 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 90.6 males.[12]
There were 6,184 households, out of which 35.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.7% were
married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.9% were non-families. 15.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.7% 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 3.21.[17]
In the CDP the population was spread out, with 23.7% under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 29.1% from 25 to 44, 24.8% from 45 to 64, and 16.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.4 males.[17]
The median income for a household in the CDP was $67,372, and the median income for a family was $76,090. Males had a median income of $50,260 versus $36,657 for females. The
per capita income for the CDP was $27,732. About 1.5% of families and 2.2% of the population were below the
poverty line, including 2.0% of those under age 18 and 4.0% of those age 65 or over.[17]
Parks and recreation
Merrill Park is a Middlesex County park located on the south branch of the
Rahway River. The park was created as a "Progressive Playground" and spans 179 acres (72 ha). The park's maintenance is handled by funding from the municipality, local schools, community groups and local businesses. Merrill Park includes 4 tennis courts, 3 baseball fields, a soccer field, 7 picnic groves that can be reserved in advance, the progressive playground, a football field, 2 basketball courts, 2 softball fields, 2 open picnic groves, and 3 other playgrounds. The football field and soccer field are surrounded by a walkway for joggers as well. There are numerous small trails around the park.[18]
^Higgs, Larry.
"The oddity of the twin Parkway service areas that are on private property", NJ Advance Media for
NJ.com, October 31, 2017, updated January 16, 2019. Accessed February 6, 2022. "A Dunkin' Donuts and new convenience store are under construction at the Colonia service area in Woodbridge, while one has been open at the Exxon next door since the early 2000's. The Colonia Service area is the only area on the Garden State Parkway on private property."
^Hageny, John Christian.
"Hockey: Where are they now? St. Joseph's John Carlson a Capital Investment", The Star-Ledger, February 10, 2013. Accessed May 4, 2015. "Playing alongside defensive partner, Karl Alzner, Carlson, whose family made their home in Colonia while living in New Jersey, appeared in his 198th-career NHL game last night when Washington hosted the Florida Panthers."
^Ralph, Dan.
"Accolades await Esks' Higgins", The Hamilton Spectator, February 26, 2004. Accessed November 30, 2012. "The native of Colonia, N.J., has made Alberta his home, retiring as a player in 1981 to become a high school coach in Calgary."
^Glen MasonArchived 2011-05-14 at the
Wayback Machine,
University of Minnesota. Accessed April 22, 2007. "Mason is a 33-year coaching veteran who coached more games (102) than anyone in Kansas' school history. Succeeding with programs that had previously suffered through hard times is nothing new for the Colonia, N.J. native."
^Cannella, Wendy.
"Wendy Cannella: This Fierce Life: An Interview with Laura McCullough", Painted Bride Quarterly, Issue 94. Accessed November 4, 2016. "LM: I was born in Jersey City, in the Margaret Hague, the women’s hospital that the infamous Irish Mayor Hague built, grew up in suburbia, a little town called Colonia, not too far from Perth Amboy, and my family would drive to the wooded parts north many weekends when I was a child."
^Sullivan, Joseph F.
"Jersey City Mayor Warns of Possible Bankruptcy", The New York Times, November 10, 1992. Accessed November 30, 2012. "Mr. Schundler, who was born in Colonia, graduated from Harvard University with honors in 1981 and then worked as a Congressional aide and a campaign coordinator for Gary Hart's 1984 presidential run."
^Jordan, Chris.
"Ten Wild Nights", Asbury Park Press, November 9, 2007. Accessed November 30, 2012. "But there they are, Sayreville's Jon Bon Jovi, now of Middletown, and his bandmates - including Richie Sambora, guitar, from Woodbridge; David Bryan, keyboards, from Edison and Tico Torres, drums, from the Colonia section of Woodbridge - giving the sound of Newark a new, and decidedly loud, wrinkle."