Cresskill is a borough in Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 9,155, an increase of 582 (+6.8%) from the 2010 census count of 8,573, which in turn reflected an increase of 827 (+10.7%) from the 7,746 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. This borough got its name from "Cress", referring to the watercress that grew in its streams, and "Kill", referring to the stream passing through.Cheslow, Jerry. "If You're Thinking of Living In/Cresskill; High-Cost Housing, Quality Services", The New York Times, October 16, 1994. Accessed January 15, 2012. "Named for the watercress that grows along its Tenakill Brook, the two-square-mile Borough of Cresskill is known for its well-maintained, maple-lined streets, low crime rate, quality municipal services and high-priced real estate."Hutchinson, Viola L. The Origin of New Jersey Place Names, New Jersey Public Library Commission, May 1945. Accessed August 28, 2015.

History Cresskill was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on May 8, 1894, from portions of Palisades Township. The borough was formed during the "Boroughitis" phenomenon then sweeping through Bergen County, in which 26 boroughs were formed in the county in 1894 alone.Harvey, Cornelius Burnham. Genealogical History of Hudson and Bergen Counties, New Jersey, p. 11, New Jersey Genealogical Publishing Company, 1900. Accessed September 1, 2013. "For a period of sixteen years following the passage of this act few boroughs were organized in the State, only three of them being in Bergen County.... As it was twenty-six boroughs were created in the county from January 23, 1894, to December 18, of the same year." A portion of the borough was annexed by Alpine in 1904.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.History of Bergen County, Vol. 1, p. 347.

Railroads provided access from Cresskill to customers in New York City, including a chicken hatchery that was the world's largest by 1897. Railroad access established the former Camp Merritt as a major debarkation point for more than a million American troops being sent abroad to fight in World War I. To commemorate the fact, a large obelisk memorial (referred to by locals as "The Monument"The Monument in Cresskill, Borough of Cresskill, backed up by the Internet Archive as of August 23, 2009. Accessed September 12, 2017.), or "The Circle Monument" was dedicated in 1924, set in the center of the Camp Merritt Memorial Circle at the intersection of Madison Avenue and Knickerbocker Road (CR 505).Rondinaro, Gene. "Start-Up Buyer Oasis in Affluent Bergen", The New York Times, January 19, 1997. Accessed September 8, 2008. "Utilizing the newly built railroad connections to New York, more than one million American soldiers passed through the camp before it was disbanded in 1920. In 1924, the Camp Merritt Memorial Obelisk at the traffic circle connecting Knickerbocker Road and Madison Avenue -- better known to residents as the Monument -- was dedicated to those troops by Gen. John J. Pershing." The northwest quarter of the Camp Merritt Memorial Circle intersection is located in Dumont, New Jersey, making it a locally-known boundary of the two boroughs.

Historic sites Sites in the borough listed on the National Register of Historic Places include:New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places - Bergen County, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Historic Preservation Office, last updated August 17, 2017. Accessed September 12, 2017. Blackledge-Gair House (at 111 Madison Avenue; added January 9, 1983)Blackledge-Gair House, National Park Service. Accessed September 12, 2017. Demarest-Atwood House (at 84 Jefferson Avenue; added July 24, 1984)Demarest-Atwood House, National Park Service. Accessed September 12, 2017. Peter Huyler House (50 County Road; added January 9, 1983)Peter Huyler House, National Park Service. Accessed September 12, 2017. Benjamin P. Westervelt House (at 235 County Road; added January 9, 1983)Benjamin P. Westervelt House, National Park Service. Accessed September 12, 2017.

Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 2.07 square miles (5.36 km2), including 2.07 square miles (5.35 km2) of land and 0.01 square miles (0.01 km2) of water (0.24%).

It rests on land originally inhabited by the Munsee-Delaware.

The borough, a suburb of New York City, borders the Bergen County municipalities of Alpine, Bergenfield, Demarest, Dumont and Tenafly.Areas touching Cresskill, MapIt. Accessed March 24, 2020.Bergen County Map of Municipalities, Bergen County, New Jersey. Accessed March 24, 2020.New Jersey Municipal Boundaries, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed November 15, 2019.

Demographics

Racial and ethnic composition +Cresskill borough, Bergen County, New Jersey – Racial and ethnic compositionRace / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 2000Pop 2010Pop 2020% 2000% 2010% 2020White alone (NH)5,8015,5005,30574.89%64.15%57.95%Black or African American alone (NH)7057900.90%0.66%0.98%Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)3230.04%0.02%0.03%Asian alone (NH)1,4412,3672,86518.60%27.61%31.29%Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)0110.00%0.01%0.01%Other race alone (NH)157370.19%0.08%0.40%Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)1071022241.38%1.19%2.45%Hispanic or Latino (any race)3095376303.99%6.26%6.88%Total7,7468,5739,155 100.00%100.00%100.00%

2020 census As of the 2020 census, Cresskill had a population of 9,155. The median age was 44.5 years. 26.1% of residents were under the age of 18 and 19.4% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 92.3 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 85.7 males age 18 and over.

100.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.0% lived in rural areas.

There were 3,015 households, of which 42.4% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 68.4% were married-couple households, 8.7% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 21.2% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 17.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 3,157 housing units, of which 4.5% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.9% and the rental vacancy rate was 6.4%.

2010 census The 2010 United States census counted 8,573 people, 3,002 households, and 2,318 families in the borough. The population density was . There were 3,114 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup was 68.95% (5,911) White, 0.73% (63) Black or African American, 0.03% (3) Native American, 27.64% (2,370) Asian, 0.01% (1) Pacific Islander, 1.07% (92) from other races, and 1.55% (133) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.26% (537) of the population. Korean Americans accounted for 17.8% of the population.

Of the 3,002 households, 40.5% had children under the age of 18; 66.2% were married couples living together; 7.9% had a female householder with no husband present and 22.8% were non-families. Of all households, 21.1% were made up of individuals and 15.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.84 and the average family size was 3.32. Same-sex couples headed 7 households in 2010, an increase from the 5 counted in 2000.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 December 1, 2014.

26.8% of the population were under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 20.6% from 25 to 44, 29.8% from 45 to 64, and 17.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.7 years. For every 100 females, the population had 88.6 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 85.7 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $105,625 (with a margin of error of +/− $14,945) and the median family income was $128,382 (+/− $16,732). Males had a median income of $95,795 (+/− $24,665) versus $72,188 (+/− $16,155) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $56,485 (+/− $6,202). About 2.4% of families and 4.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.8% of those under age 18 and 9.4% of those age 65 or over., United States Census Bureau. Accessed January 15, 2012.

2000 census As of the 2000 United States census there were 7,746 people, 2,630 households, and 2,161 families residing in the borough. The population density was . There were 2,702 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the borough was 78.05% White, 0.92% African American, 0.04% Native American, 18.64% Asian, 0.65% from other races, and 1.70% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.99% of the population.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Cresskill borough, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed March 5, 2013., United States Census Bureau. Accessed March 5, 2013.

There were 2,630 households, out of which 40.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 71.1% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.8% were non-families. 15.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.91 and the average family size was 3.26.

In the borough the age distribution of the population shows 26.3% under the age of 18, 4.7% from 18 to 24, 26.4% from 25 to 44, 25.7% from 45 to 64, and 16.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.2 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $84,692, and the median income for a family was $96,245. Males had a median income of $61,194 versus $38,990 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $41,573. About 1.7% of families and 3.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.7% of those under age 18 and 3.9% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government