GENERAL INFORMATION OF THE CITY OF PERTH AMBOY
COUNTY OF MIDDLESEX, NEW JERSEY
Perth Amboy, New Jersey (the “City”) is a small urban community that was once a focal point of the State of New Jersey. A City with a rich cultural history and a three hundred year old maritime and industrial legacy, it is an interconnection point for major highways, railroads, and waterways.
Founded in 1683 and chartered in 1718, the City played a prominent role in our nation’s and state’s history, serving as the state capital until 1790 and the location of the Middlesex County Court House until 1793. Perth Amboy’s City Hall was the site of the first signing of the Bill of Rights in 1790, and was also the historic location of the first African-American to cast a vote in the United States under the Fifteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution in 1870. Today, the City has a diverse multi ethnic population and continues to serve as a point of entry for many new immigrants to our nation.
Located in the center of the State, midway between New York and Philadelphia, Perth Amboy is at the “crossroads” of major transportation systems connecting the Northeast Corridor. The City links the primary road, rail, air, and water transit facilities in the region. The New Jersey Turnpike, Garden State Parkway, and Interstate Highway 287 all intersect within a few miles of the City. Newark Liberty International Airport, located only twenty minutes from the City, offers convenient transportation, while LaGuardia and John F. Kennedy Airports can be reached within one hour. New Jersey Transit provides frequent daily commuter rail service directly to Pennsylvania Station in mid-town New York City via Newark, New Jersey with interconnections to the P.A.T.H. subway system and a direct rail link to Newark Liberty International Airport. The highway system provides access to Manhattan within a forty-five minute drive. Finally, the City’s position at the confluence of the Raritan River, Arthur Kill, and Raritan Bay provides deep-water access to the Atlantic Ocean for national and international marine traffic.
The City comprises a land area of 4.55 square miles with a population of 55,436 according to the 2020 Census. The residential areas of the City are primarily located in the northeast, central, and southern sections. The commercial areas are primarily located along the major boulevards, while the industrial areas are located along the north, east, and southwest perimeters of the City.