By an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 17, 1889, a portion of the old Union Township was incorporated under the name of Boiling Springs Township. The new township took its name from a spring in the community. On March 28, 1894, the Borough of East Rutherford was created, based on the results of a referendum held the previous day, and Boiling Springs Township was dissolved. While there was no change in its borders, the name and form of government were changed.
East Rutherford's claim to national fame is that it is the home of the Meadowlands Sports Complex, which includes Izod Center, where the NBA New Jersey Nets play their home games (and former home of the NHL New Jersey Devils); and Giants Stadium, home of the NFL New York Giants and New York Jets as well as Red Bull New York of Major League Soccer (until 2009, when the Red Bulls move to Harrison). This makes East Rutherford the only municipality with fewer than 10,000 residents to have been home to five professional sports teams simultaneously.
As of the census of 2000, there were 8,716 people, 3,644 households, and 2,157 families residing in the borough. The population density was 2,289.1 people per square mile (883.3/km²). There were 3,771 housing units at an average density of 990.4/sq mi (382.1/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 79.68% White, 3.72% African American, 0.11% Native American, 10.69% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 3.21% from other races, and 2.54% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.65% of the population.
There were 3,644 households out of which 25.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.4% were married couples living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.8% were non-families. 33.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 3.05.
In the borough the population was spread out with 19.4% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 36.5% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 94.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.8 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $50,163, and the median income for a family was $59,583. Males had a median income of $40,798 versus $36,047 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $28,072. About 7.4% of families and 9.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.1% of those under age 18 and 11.6% of those age 65 or over.
New Jersey Transit's Bergen County Line serves Rutherford, but the Rutherford Station is right on the Rutherford - East Rutherford border. The Pascack Valley Line travels through East Rutherford, but does not make a stop in East Rutherford.
New Jersey Transit buses include the 160, 163, 164 and 322 routes serving the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan; the 76 to Newark; and local service on the 703 route.
Route 17, Route 120, Route 3 and the western spur of New Jersey Turnpike serves East Rutherford.