Clark is a township in southern Union County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 15,544, an increase of 788 (+5.3%) from the 2010 census count of 14,756, which in turn reflected an increase of 159 (+1.1%) from the 14,597 counted in the 2000 census.Table 7. Population for the Counties and Municipalities in New Jersey: 1990, 2000 and 2010, New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, February 2011. Accessed May 1, 2023.
History
The territory that would become Clark was originally a part of several early settlements. The Robinson Plantation HouseHome page , Dr. Wm. Robinson Plantation & Museum. Accessed August 18, 2014.Robinson Plantation House , New Jersey Art and Architecture, Stockton University. Accessed August 18, 2014. and The Squire Hartshorne House, buildings from the late 17th century,Clark, New Jersey homes, OldHouses.com. Accessed July 11, 2011. are remnants of the era. The Homestead Farm at Oak Ridge was the site of a skirmish preceding the Battle of Short Hills. In 1858, after the City of Rahway was incorporated, the area of present-day Clark was designated as the 5th Ward of Rahway. Clark was incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 23, 1864, from portions of Rahway.Snyder, John P. The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. Accessed May 1, 2026. The township was named for Abraham Clark, a signer of the Declaration of Independence.Hutchinson, Viola L. The Origin of New Jersey Place Names, New Jersey Public Library Commission, May 1945. Accessed August 28, 2015. Portions of the township were taken to form Cranford (March 14, 1871) and Winfield Township (August 6, 1941).
New Jersey Monthly magazine ranked Clark as its 33rd best place to live in its 2008 rankings of the "Best Places To Live" in New Jersey."Best Places To Live - The Complete Top Towns List 1-100" , New Jersey Monthly, February 21, 2008. Accessed February 24, 2008. In 2013, New Jersey Monthly magazine ranked Clark 174th in its rankings of "Best Places To Live" in New Jersey."Best Place To Live - The complete 2013 Top Towns List", New Jersey Monthly, August 16, 2013. Accessed March 3, 2014.
In July 2020, the Union County Prosecutor's Office opened an investigation into the Clark township police department and put the police chief and a captain on administrative leave after allegations of misconduct.
In March 2022, NJ Advance Media, a local newspaper, revealed a recording of Mayor Sal Bonaccorso using racial slurs when talking to members of the police department, despite him having previously denied doing so, and also saying women police officers were "disasters". The newspaper also reported that in January 2020, Clark Township had paid Clark police lieutenant Antonio Manata $400,000 to not reveal racist and sexist comments made by the Mayor and Chief of Police and to turn over the tapes he had recorded. On April 5, Bonaccorso admitted to using "hurtful and insensitive language" and apologized. The New Jersey Office of Public Integrity and Accountability subsequently took control of the Union County investigation.
Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 4.45 square miles (11.53 km2), including 4.27 square miles (11.07 km2) of land and 0.18 square miles (0.47 km2) of water (4.04%).
Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Ashbrook, Florence Mills, Lenox, Madison Hill and Picton.Locality Search, State of New Jersey. Accessed May 21, 2015.
The Rahway River Parkway along the Rahway River runs through the township. The Robinson's Branch Reservoir, also known as the Clark Reservoir, is the largest body of water in Union County and bisects the township diagonally.
The township borders Scotch Plains and Westfield to the west, Cranford and Winfield Township to the north, Linden and Rahway to the east, and Edison and Woodbridge Township in Middlesex County to the south.Areas touching Clark, MapIt. Accessed February 6, 2020.Union County Municipal Profiles, Union County, New Jersey. Accessed February 6, 2020.New Jersey Municipal Boundaries, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed November 15, 2019.
An abandoned rail spur, the Bloodgood Branch of the Lehigh Valley Railroad, runs through Clark.
Demographics
2020 census +Clark township, Union County, New Jersey – Racial and ethnic compositionRace / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 2000Pop 2010Pop 2020% 2000% 2010% 2020White alone (NH)13,53412,87412,34692.72%87.25%79.43%Black or African American alone (NH)351162310.24%0.79%1.49%Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)1740.01%0.05%0.03%Asian alone (NH)4025276442.75%3.57%4.14%Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)0430.00%0.03%0.02%Other race alone (NH)1627460.11%0.18%0.30%Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)74943250.51%0.64%2.09%Hispanic or Latino (any race)5351,1071,9453.67%7.50%12.51%Total14,59714,75615,544 100.00%100.00%100.00%
2010 census The 2010 United States census counted 14,756 people, 5,562 households, and 4,038 families in the township. The population density was . There were 5,751 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup was 93.29% (13,766) White, 0.84% (124) Black or African American, 0.10% (15) Native American, 3.71% (547) Asian, 0.03% (5) Pacific Islander, 1.15% (169) from other races, and 0.88% (130) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.50% (1,107) of the population.
Of the 5,562 households, 30.2% had children under the age of 18; 60.4% were married couples living together; 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present and 27.4% were non-families. Of all households, 24.0% were made up of individuals and 12.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.15.
21.2% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 23.6% from 25 to 44, 29.6% from 45 to 64, and 18.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.8 years. For every 100 females, the population had 92.6 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 88.8 males.
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $80,959 (with a margin of error of +/− $7,674) and the median family income was $99,839 (+/− $7,789). Males had a median income of $65,399 (+/− $3,444) versus $49,649 (+/− $3,780) for females. The per capita income for the township was $37,288 (+/− $2,811). About 2.3% of families and 3.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.3% of those under age 18 and 6.4% of those age 65 or over. DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics from the 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates for Clark township, Union County, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed September 12, 2012.
According to the 2009–2013 American Community Survey, the largest ancestry groups were:Ancestry in the Clark Township, Union County, New Jersey (Township), Statistical Atlas. Accessed May 22, 2018.
26.9% Italian 19.8% Irish 13.1% Polish 11.9% German 8.5% American 6.2% Portuguese 3.4% Russian 2.9% English 2.2% Slovak 2.1% Spanish 1.9% Puerto Rican 1.4% Lithuanian 1.4% Ukrainian 1.3% Chinese 1.3% Cuban 1.2% Greek 1.0% Hungarian 1.0% Colombian 1.0% Arab
2000 census As of the 2000 United States census there were 14,597 people, 5,637 households, and 4,126 families residing in the township. The population density was . There were 5,709 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the township was 95.61% White, 0.30% African American, 0.01% Native American, 2.75% Asian, 0.63% from other races, and 0.69% from two or more races. Also Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.67% of the population.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Clark township, Union County, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed September 12, 2012. DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Clark township, Union County, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed September 12, 2012.
There were 5,637 households, out of which 28.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.4% were married couples living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.8% were non-families. 24.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.07.
In the township the population was spread out, with 20.8% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 24.5% from 45 to 64, and 21.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.4 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $65,019, and the median income for a family was $77,291. Males had a median income of $54,543 versus $36,361 for females. The per capita income for the township was $29,883. About 1.0% of families and 1.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.0% of those under age 18 and 2.7% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Local government Clark Township is governed within the Faulkner Act, formally known as the Optional Municipal Charter Law, under the Mayor-Council system of municipal government, which is governed by a "strong mayor". The township is one of 71 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this form of government.Inventory of Municipal Forms of Government in New Jersey , Rutgers University Center for Government Studies, July 1, 2011. Accessed June 1, 2023.Cerra, Michael F. "Forms of Government: Everything You've Always Wanted to Know, But Were Afraid to Ask", New Jersey State League of Municipalities, March 2007. Accessed January 1, 2025.The Clark Township Committee is comprised of seven members, who are all chosen on a partisan basis in even-numbered years as part of the November general election. Three members are elected at-large from the township as a whole and four are elected from wards. The three council-at-large seats and mayor come up to vote together, and then the four ward seats are up for vote two years later.2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 98."Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey" , p. 10. Rutgers University Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.Form of Government, Clark Township. Accessed January 8, 2026.