On its age, its old homes and the National Register, East Rutherford is more historic than 52% of U.S. towns, #295 of 468 in New Jersey. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its age pulls it down.
B−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of East Rutherford’s overall grade.
New Jersey towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical New Jersey town has 3.7 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so East Rutherford’s 1.0 sits below most of its state (32% of New Jersey towns have fewer) while its 1 listings outnumber those of 51% of U.S. towns.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1889.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from C to B. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±6.5 points).
Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about East Rutherford’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of East Rutherford. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1888Paterson sheet · 1:62,500
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of East Rutherford.
The story so far
East Rutherford, in brief
Wikipedia doesn’t have a history of East Rutherford yet. The photos, dates and memories neighbors add here are how it gets written.
East Rutherford is a borough in Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is an inner-ring suburb of New York City, located 7 miles (11 km) west of Midtown Manhattan. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 10,022, an increase of 1,109 (+12.4%) from the 2010 census count of 8,913, which in turn reflected an increase of 197 (+2.3%) from the 8,716 counted in the 2000 census. Under the terms of an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 17, 1889, a portion of the old Union Township was incorporated under the name of Boiling Springs Township. The new township took its name from a spring in the community. On March 28, 1894, the Borough of East Rutherford was…
East Rutherford was established in 1889. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population grew from 8,913 to 10,022 (+12%).
Intro from Wikipedia. Population: U.S. Census Bureau.
From the old history books
What they wrote about East Rutherford in 1900
Passages that mention East Rutherford, cut from the printed page as they were published.
History of Bergen county, New Jersey1900 · page 475Read the page →
Read the text
This institution with its several advantageous features has become one of the useful organizations for the poor men of this borough. It owes its promotion to a number of citizens of East Rutherford and vicinity who in a public spirited manner incorporated for business in 1895. Among those who were the first to promote this enterprise should be mentioned the names of William McKenzie, president of the Company from the first; E. A. Jeanneret, first vice president; Rudolph Dannheim, second vice president; William Fleming, Sr. secretary; J. F. Randolph, William H.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
Timeline
East Rutherford, 1888 to 1958
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
In 1889, according to Wikidata. the census of 1890 counted 1,438 people here.
How does East Rutherford rank for history?
East Rutherford is more historic than 52% of U.S. towns, #295 of 468 in New Jersey. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
What is on the National Register in East Rutherford?
One place: the Richard Outwater House (listed 1983).
How old are the homes in East Rutherford?
22% of East Rutherford’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±6.5 points), against a typical 15% for a New Jersey town; the median home was built in 1967.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikimedia Commons (6), the National Register of Historic Places (1), Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the USGS Geographic Names Information System and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
1952
1952
1953
1953