What is now Edison Township was originally incorporated as Raritan Township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 17, 1870, from portions of both Piscataway Township and Woodbridge Township. Portions of the township were taken to form Metuchen and Highland Park . The name was officially changed to Edison Township as of November 10, 1954, based on the results of a referendum passed eight days earlier.
Edison was ranked the 28th most livable small city in America by Money Magazine and the 2nd in New Jersey in 2006 in MONEY Magazine's "Best Places To Live". In 2008, Money magazine ranked Edison 35 out of the top 100 places to live in America. Edison Township was not on the 2007 list because that year's list included only municipalities with a population of 50,000 or less.
In the 2006 survey of America's Safest Cities, the township was ranked 23rd, out of 371 cities included nationwide in the 13th annual Morgan Quitno survey.
Edison is one of the more diverse townships in New Jersey. It and the surrounding communities of Middlesex County are commonly known throughout the state and the New York metro area as being one of the region's main centers of Asian American cultural diversity.
As of the census of 2000, there were 97,687 people, 35,136 households, and 25,895 families residing in the township. The population density was 3,243.0 people per square mile (1,252.2/km²). There were 36,018 housing units at an average density of 1,195.7/sq mi (461.7/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 55.8% White, 6.9% African American, 0.14% Native American, 17.3% Indian, 9% Asian, 2.4% Pacific Islander, 2% from Other races, and 2.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race was 6.4% of the population.
There were 35,136 households out of which 34.3% had children under the age of 18 living in them, 61.1% were married couples living together, 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.3% were non-families. 21.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.72 and the average family size was 3.19.
In the township the population was spread out with 22.9% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 34.0% from 25 to 44, 23.4% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 96.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.0 males.
According to a 2007 estimate, the median income for a household in the township was $80,581, and the median income for a family was $92,451.[3] Males had a median income of $53,303 versus $36,829 for females. The per capita income for the township was $30,148. About 3.3% of families and 4.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.3% of those under age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over.
As part of the 2000 Census, 17.75% of Edison residents identified themselves as being Indian American. This was the highest percentage of Indian American people of any place in the United States with 1,000 or more residents identifying their ancestry.
Edison is a transportation hub, with an extensive network of highways passing through the township and connecting to major Northeast cities, New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Trenton, and others.
Edison Township hosts various roadways. State roads include Route 27, and 440. US Route 1 also passes through the township. Interstate 287 passes through Edison, where it houses its southern end at I-95. The municipality also houses about a 5-mile section of the New Jersey Turnpike (Interstate 95). Exit 10 is located in Edison, featuring a 13-lane toll gate and a “unique” interchange design. When the “dual-dual” setup was created, it first started in Edison Township, and continued north to Exit 14 in Newark. It wasn’t until 1973 that the “dual-dual” was extended south of 10 to Exit 9 in East Brunswick Township (and then extended further south in 1990 to Exit 8A in Monroe Township).
Since the 287 freeway connects to Interstate 87/New York State Thruway, Exit 10 is one of the busiest interchanges to be used by tractor-trailers. I-287 is the only freeway that links the New Jersey Turnpike to the New York State Thruway (since the Garden State Parkway prohibits trucks). Because of I-95’s discontinuity in New Jersey, US 1 serves as a regional artery linking the New Jersey Turnpike and Interstate 287 to I-95(M) and Interstate 295.
Edison station, located in South Edison, has New Jersey Transit trains to New York City and Trenton via the Northeast Corridor line. However, some commuters in North Edison may actually live closer to, and prefer to use, the Metropark (in neighboring Iselin) or Metuchen stations.
NJ Transit bus service is provided on the 62 route to Newark; on the 801, 804, 805, 810, 813, 814, 819 local routes, and on the 978 and 979 Wheels routes.
Edison also offers a Light Transit bus service to the Edison train station. This bus route services the apartment communities along Plainfield Avenue and other commuters on Ethel Road. The schedule and route map are available here :Edison Light Transit
In addition, China Airlines provides private bus service to John F. Kennedy International Airport from the Kam Man Food Inc. at 511 Old Post Road in Edison to feed its flight to Taipei, Taiwan.
Edison was selected as one of the first communities by the New Jersey Department of Transportation to have a red-light photo enforcement system operated by RedFlex Traffic Systems, Inc.. The three year contract, which allows for up to two one-year extensions, provides for the system to be installed at up to 75 locations.