Rockleigh (; ) is a borough in northeastern Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 407, a decrease of 124 (−23.4%) from the 2010 census count of 531, which in turn reflected an increase of 140 (+35.8%) from the 391 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. Bordering Alpine, a community ranked America's most expensive ZIP Code by Forbes, Rockleigh has a similar residential character, with large single-family homes on large plots of land.
Rockleigh was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 13, 1923 (based on the results of a referendum held on April 10, 1923) from portions of Northvale.Snyder, John P. The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 86. Accessed May 30, 2024.Bergen County New Jersey Municipalities, Dutch Door Genealogy. Accessed June 6, 2006. The borough was named for a property in Virginia that had been owned by the borough's first mayor.Hutchinson, Viola L. The Origin of New Jersey Place Names, New Jersey Public Library Commission, May 1945. Accessed September 16, 2015.
New Jersey Monthly magazine ranked Rockleigh as its 13th 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.
Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 1.01 square miles (2.62 km2), including 1.00 square miles (2.60 km2) of land and 0.01 square miles (0.02 km2) of water (0.69%). Rockleigh is about from Manhattan in New York City.
The borough borders the municipalities of Alpine, Northvale and Norwood in Bergen County and Tappan in the Town of Orangetown in Rockland County, New York.Areas touching Rockleigh, MapIt. Accessed March 4, 2020.Bergen County Map of Municipalities, Bergen County, New Jersey. Accessed March 4, 2020.New Jersey Municipal Boundaries, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed November 15, 2019.
Demographics
2020 census +Rockleigh borough, New Jersey – Racial and ethnic compositionRace / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 2000Pop 2010Pop 2020% 2000% 2010% 2020White alone (NH)33648732785.93%91.71%80.34%Black or African American alone (NH)1310103.32%1.88%2.46%Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)1100.26%0.19%0.00%Asian alone (NH)158273.84%1.51%6.63%Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)0000.00%0.00%0.00%Other race alone (NH)0010.00%0.00%0.25%Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)7591.79%0.94%2.21%Hispanic or Latino (any race)1920334.86%3.77%8.11%Total391531407 100.00%100.00%100.00%
2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 531 people, 75 households, and 58 families in the borough. The population density was . There were 86 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup was 95.10% (505) White, 2.07% (11) Black or African American, 0.19% (1) Native American, 1.51% (8) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 0.19% (1) from other races, and 0.94% (5) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.77% (20) of the population.
Of the 75 households, 32.0% had children under the age of 18; 70.7% were married couples living together; 4.0% had a female householder with no husband present and 22.7% were non-families. Of all households, 13.3% were made up of individuals and 8.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.92 and the average family size was 3.28.
16.2% of the population were under the age of 18, 2.8% from 18 to 24, 8.9% from 25 to 44, 15.1% from 45 to 64, and 57.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 73.8 years. For every 100 females, the population had 58.5 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 47.4 males.
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $137,778 (with a margin of error of +/− $87,096) and the median family income was $139,861 (+/− $77,779). Males had a median income of $76,719 (+/− $48,274) versus $70,3136 (+/− $43,416) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $36,771 (+/− $23,965). About none of families and 3.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over., United States Census Bureau. Accessed January 31, 2012.
Same-sex couples headed none of the borough's households in either 2000 or 2010.Lipman, Harvy; and Sheingold, Dave. "North Jersey sees 30% growth in same-sex couples", The Record, August 14, 2011, backed up by the Internet Archive as of February 3, 2013. Accessed October 24, 2014.
2000 census As of the 2000 United States census there were 391 people, 74 households, and 58 families residing in the borough. The population density was . There were 80 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the borough was 89.77% White, 3.32% African American, 0.26% Native American, 3.84% Asian, 1.02% from other races, and 1.79% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.86% of the population.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Rockleigh borough, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed February 18, 2013., United States Census Bureau. Accessed February 18, 2013.
There were 74 households, out of which 37.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.6% were married couples living together, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.6% were non-families. 10.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.04 and the average family size was 3.40.
In the borough the population was spread out, with 26.3% under the age of 18, 4.6% from 18 to 24, 15.6% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 32.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 49 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 68.4 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $152,262, and the median income for a family was $157,816. Males had a median income of $100,000 versus $66,250 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $48,935. None of the families and 23.1% of the population were living below the poverty line, including no one under eighteen and none of those over 64.
Economy Corporate residents of Rockleigh include: Crestron Electronics, a company that manufactures high-end systems for home automation and conference room control, is headquartered in Rockleigh.Company Information, Crestron Electronics. Accessed August 16, 2007. Volvo Car USA, LLC., a Swedish company that manufactures safety-oriented luxury automobiles, maintains an American headquarters in Rockleigh.Volvo Operators' Manual , Volvo. Accessed April 1, 2011.Contact Us, Volvo. Accessed April 8, 2011.
Government
Local government Rockleigh is governed under the borough form of New Jersey municipal government, which is used in 218 municipalities (of the 564) statewide, making it the most common form of government in New Jersey.Inventory of Municipal Forms of Government in New Jersey , Rutgers University Center for Government Studies, July 1, 2011. Accessed June 1, 2023. The governing body is comprised of a mayor and a borough council, with all positions elected at-large on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. A mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The borough council includes six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle.2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 165. The borough form of government used by Rockleigh is a "weak mayor / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can veto ordinances subject to an override by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council.Cerra, Michael F. "Forms of Government: Everything You've Always Wanted to Know, But Were Afraid to Ask" , New Jersey State League of Municipalities. Accessed November 30, 2014."Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey" , p. 6. Rutgers University Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.
, the mayor of Rockleigh is Republican James G. Pontone, whose term of office ends December 31, 2026. Members of the Rockleigh Borough Council are Ilana H. Altman (R, 2025), Rosanne Antine (R, 2024), Marilyn A. Bresnak (R, 2024), Frank S. Cumiskey (R, 2023), David C. Hansen (R, 2025) and John Ivan Mender (R, 2024).Mayor & Council, Borough of Rockleigh. Accessed March 15, 2023.2022 Municipal Data Sheet, Borough of Rockleigh. Accessed July 25, 2022.2024 County and Municipal Directory, Bergen County, New Jersey, April 2024. Accessed April 15, 2024.Bergen County November 8, 2022 General Election Statement of Vote, Bergen County, New Jersey Clerk, updated November 21, 2022. Accessed January 1, 2023.Bergen County Statement of Vote November 2, 2021 Official results, Bergen County, New Jersey, updated November 17, 2021. Accessed January 1, 2022.Precinct Summary Results Report - Combined 2020 Bergen County General Election - November 3, 2020 Official Results, Bergen County, New Jersey, December 3, 2020. Accessed January 1, 2021.
In elections held in November 2010, Robert R. Schaffer ran a successful write-in campaign and defeated incumbent mayor Nick Langella by a 2–1 margin. Councilmembers Shirl Ewald and James Pontone were re-elected.Lightdale, Marc. "In stunner, write-in candidate knocks off Rockleigh mayor", Northern Valley Suburbanite, November 3, 2010. Accessed April 8, 2011. "Write-in candidate Robert R. Schaffer was elected mayor on Tuesday night, defeating the Republican incumbent Nick Langella.... Schaffer received 74 votes, according to Borough Administrator William McGuire, and Langella had 37, including absentee ballots.... Two council members, both Republicans, ran unopposed. James Pontone, who has been on the council since 2003, got 64 votes; Shirl Ewald, who has been on the council since 1995, received 65."
Law enforcement services in Rockleigh are provided under contract by the Northvale Police Department.Police Department, Borough of Rockleigh. Accessed November 25, 2017. "Rockleigh Borough contracts with the Borough of Northvale, NJ, for a full range of security services and resources." The borough paid Northvale $325,000 per year for police coverage in 2017.Lightdale, Marc. "Northvale, police ink new contract", The Record, January 3, 2017. "Rockleigh, which gets its police coverage from Northvale, is expected to pay the borough approximately $325,000 for this year, officials said."
Federal, state and county representation Rockleigh is located in the 5th Congressional DistrictPlan Components Report, New Jersey Redistricting Commission, December 23, 2011. Accessed February 1, 2020. and is part of New Jersey's 39th state legislative district.Districts by Number for 2023-2031, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed September 18, 2023.
Politics