Get to know Elizabeth, NJ

Elizabeth is the largest city and county seat of Union County.  It is the fourth largest city in the state.  Originally known as Elizabethtown, the area was settled by the English in 1664.  It was named not for the British monarch, but for the wife of Sir George Carteret, one of the original proprietors of the New Jersey colony.  The town was the first capital of New Jersey and saw a number of skirmishes during the Revolutionary War.  In 1746 the College of New Jersey, which would later become Princeton University, was founded in Elizabeth.  The city was created in 1855, combining the Elizabeth Borough and Elizabeth Township.  The city grew industrially throughout the 19th and 20th centuries.  The Electric Carriage and Wagon Company  was founded in Elizabeth and saw the manufacturing of the Electrobat.  The grew for many years with Newark and has been able to retain a middle-class presence more effectively since it did not see rioting in the 1960’s as Newark did.  One famous resident is author Judy Blume.

Quick Facts

Population: 127,759

Median Household Income: $43,568

Median Property Value: $263,600