West New York was incorporated as a town by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on July 8, 1898, replacing Union Township, based on the results of a referendum held three days earlier.[25][26] West New York underwent a massive growth at the beginning of the 20th century, driven by development of textile industries that made North Hudson the "Embroidery Capital of the United States".[27]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town had a total area of 1.33 square miles (3.44 km2), including 0.99 square miles (2.58 km2) of land and 0.33 square miles (0.86 km2) of water (25.11%).[1][2]
One of 41 municipalities statewide where a majority of residents do not speak English as their primary language, Spanish is spoken at home by more than half of the residents of West New York, according to data from the United States Census Bureau's 2012-2016 American Community Survey data. The town had 83.6% of residents not speaking English as their dominant language, the second highest in the state.[44]
2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 49,708 people, 18,852 households, and 11,783 families in the town. The population density was 49,341.7 per square mile (19,050.9/km2). There were 20,018 housing units at an average density of 19,870.5 per square mile (7,672.0/km2). The racial makeup was 62.04% (30,839) White, 4.60% (2,289) Black or African American, 1.50% (744) Native American, 6.01% (2,986) Asian, 0.05% (24) Pacific Islander, 20.19% (10,038) from other races, and 5.61% (2,788) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 78.08% (38,812) of the population.[21]
Of the 18,852 households, 28.6% had children under the age of 18; 37.6% were married couples living together; 16.8% had a female householder with no husband present and 37.5% were non-families. Of all households, 29.5% were made up of individuals and 10.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.23.[21]
21.0% of the population were under the age of 18, 9.7% from 18 to 24, 35.4% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34.8 years. For every 100 females, the population had 98.4 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 96.8 males.[21]
As of the 2010 United States census, West New York had the third-highest percentage of Hispanics in the state, at 78.1%, accounting for 2.5% of the state's Hispanic population. Though Native Americans comprise less than 1% of the city's population, they doubled in the 2000s, and combined with Union City's Native Americans comprise 38% of the county's Native American population.[45]
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $44,657 (with a margin of error of ± $2,850) and the median family income was $42,534 (± $3,689). Males had a median income of $36,768 (± $2,414) versus $30,688 (± $1,952) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $24,419 (± $1,215). About 15.8% of families and 18.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.6% of those under age 18 and 25.6% of those age 65 or over.[46]
2000 census
As of the 2000 United States census, there were 45,768 people, 16,719 households, and 11,034 families residing in the town. The population density was 44,995.1/mi2 (17,324.6/km2). There were 17,360 housing units at an average density of 17,066.8/mi2 (6,571.3 km2). The racial makeup of the town was 60.09% White, 3.55% African American, 0.67% Native American, 2.93% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 25.16% from other races, and 7.57% from two or more races. 78.74% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.[42][43]
There were 16,719 households, out of which 31.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.9% were married couples living together, 16.9% had a woman whose husband did not live with her, and 34.0% were non-families. 27.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.30.[42][43]
In the town, the age distribution of the population showed 22.3% under the age of 18, 10.9% from 18 to 24, 34.1% from 25 to 44, 19.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.5 males.[42][43]
The median income for a household in the town was $31,980, and the median income for a family was $34,083. Males had a median income of $26,703 versus $22,326 for females. The per capita income for the town was $16,719. 18.9% of the population and 16.1% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 25.4% were under the age of 18 and 22.3% were 65 or older.[42][43]
As of the 2000 Census, West New York was ranked as #52 on a list of cities with the highest percentage of renters.[47] 80.1% of West New York residents lived in renter-occupied housing units, vs. 33.8% nationwide.[42][43]
Economy
Bergenline Avenue is the main shopping district of North Hudson. West New York's Urban Enterprise Zone, one of seven established by legislation in 1996, covers portions of Bergenline Avenue from 49th to 67th Streets.
Portions of town are part of an Urban Enterprise Zone, including portions of Bergenline Avenue from 49th to 67th Streets. West New York was selected in 1996 as one of a group of seven zones added to participate in the program.[48] In addition to other benefits to encourage employment and investment within the UEZ, shoppers can take advantage of a reduced 3.3125% sales tax rate (half of the 6+5⁄8% rate charged statewide) at eligible merchants.[49] Established in May 1996, the town's Urban Enterprise Zone status expires in May 2027.[50]
Until the 1880s, the primary commercial area of West New York was Palisade Avenue. An influential citizen named Henry Kohlmeier who lived there objected to the noise created by horse-drawn public coaches, which led to the route being transferred one block west to what is now Bergenline Avenue (formerly Lewis Street), which runs parallel to Palisade Avenue, and which remains the city's main commercial thoroughfare. Currently the longest commercial avenue in the state, boasting over 300 retail stores and restaurants, Bergenline runs through not only the entire length of West New York from north to south, but also through Union City, Guttenberg and North Bergen, making it the main commercial strip for North Hudson. Also known as the "Miracle Mile", Bergenline's largest concentration of retail and chain stores begins at the intersection of 32nd Street in Union City, and continues north until 92nd Street in North Bergen.[51] Bergenline Avenue is also used as the route for local parades, such as the annual Memorial Day Parade[52] Cuban Day Parade[53] and Dominican-American Parade.[54]
In 1898, the Brooklyn Bridegrooms played two games at the West New York Field Club Grounds.[56] The New York Giants played one game at the field in 1898 and four in 1899.[57]
Since 1931, West New York has been governed under the Walsh Act form of New Jersey municipal government. The town is one of 30 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use the commission form of government.[59] The governing body is comprised of a five-member commission, whose members are elected at-large in non-partisan elections to serve four-year terms of office on a concurrent basis as part of the May municipal election. Each Commissioner is assigned to head one of five departments. The Commission selects one of its members to serve as mayor.[8][60]
As of May 2023[update], the five members of the West New York Board of Commissioners are Mayor Albio Sires, Marcos Arroyo, Victor Barrera, Marielka Diaz and Adam Parkinson, all serving concurrent terms of office ending May 15, 2027.[4][61][62][63][64]
In the May 2011 municipal election, the "Together We Can" slate of five candidates led by Roque took all five seats on the Town Council, knocking off the slate of incumbents led by then-mayor Silverio Vega.[65] At the town council's reorganization meeting, the five commissioners unanimously voted to appoint Roque to a four-year term as Mayor of West New York.[66]
In February 2015, Cosmo Cirillo was selected to fill the vacant seat of Rubin Vargas, making Cirillo the youngest commissioner on town history at the age of 27.[67]
Federal, state and county representation
West New York is located in the 8th Congressional District[68] and is part of New Jersey's 33rd state legislative district.[69]
Kenneth Kopacz (D, District 1-- Bayonne and parts of Jersey City; 2026, Bayonne),[79][80]
William O'Dea (D, District 2-- western parts of Jersey City; 2026, Jersey City),[81][82]
Vice Chair Jerry Walker (D, District 3-- southeastern parts of Jersey City; 2026, Jersey City),[83][84]
Yraida Aponte-Lipski (D, District 4-- northeastern parts of Jersey City; 2026, Jersey City),[85][86]
Chair Anthony L. Romano Jr. (D, District 5-- Hoboken and adjoining parts of Jersey City; 2026, Hoboken),[87][88]
Fanny J.Cedeno (D, District 6-- Union City; 2026, Union City),[89][90]Caridad Rodriguez (D, District 7-- West New York (part), Weehawken, Guttenberg; 2026, West New York),[91][92]
Robert Baselice (D, District 8-- North Bergen, West New York (part), Seacaucus (part); 2026, North Bergen),[93][94] and
Albert Cifelli (D, District 9-- East Newark, Harrison, Kearny, and Secaucus (part); 2026, Harrison).[95][96]
Hudson County's constitutional officers are:
Clerk E. Junior Maldonado (D, Jersey City, 2027),[97][98]
Sheriff Frank Schillari, (D, Jersey City, 2025)[99]
Surrogate Tilo E. Rivas, (D, Jersey City, 2027)[100][101] and
Register Jeffery Dublin (D, Jersey City, 2026).[102][101]
Politics
As of March 2011, there were a total of 19,438 registered voters in West New York, of which 10,510 (54.1%) were registered as Democrats, 2,460 (12.7%) were registered as Republicans and 6,456 (33.2%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 12 voters registered to other parties.[103]
In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 77.5% of the vote (9,682 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 21.8% (2,725 votes), and other candidates with 0.7% (85 votes), among the 12,605 ballots cast by the town's 21,268 registered voters (113 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 59.3%.[104][105] In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 69.6% of the vote (9,071 cast), ahead of Republican John McCain with 29.0% (3,773 votes) and other candidates with 0.6% (78 votes), among the 13,026 ballots cast by the town's 21,023 registered voters, for a turnout of 62.0%.[106] In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 60.8% of the vote (7,229 ballots cast), outpolling Republican George W. Bush with 36.4% (4,329 votes) and other candidates with 0.3% (54 votes), among the 11,883 ballots cast by the town's 18,058 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 65.8.[107]
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Democrat Barbara Buono received 55.9% of the vote (3,188 cast), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 42.4% (2,416 votes), and other candidates with 1.6% (94 votes), among the 5,978 ballots cast by the town's 22,092 registered voters (280 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 27.1%.[108][109] In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 71.2% of the vote (5,328 ballots cast), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 25.5% (1,907 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 1.3% (97 votes) and other candidates with 0.9% (67 votes), among the 7,481 ballots cast by the town's 19,045 registered voters, yielding a 39.3% turnout.[110]
As of the 2019–20 school year, the district, comprised of nine schools, had an enrollment of 8,545 students and 593.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 14.3:1.[115] Schools in the district (with 2019–20 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics[116]) are
Early Childhood School[117] with 502 students in Pre-K, Public School #1[118] with 860 students in grades K–6,
Public School #2[119] with 716 students in grades K–6,
Public School #3,[120][121][122] with 574 students in grades K–6, Albio Sires Elementary School (School #4)[123] with 678 students in grades K–6, Public School #5[124] with 673 students in grades K–6, Harry L. Bain Elementary School (School #6)[125] with 675 students in grades K–6, West New York Middle School[126] with 1,125 students in grades 7–8. and Memorial High School[127] with 2,079 students in grades 9–12.[128]
Private schools in West New York include Academy of St. Joseph of the Palisades, a K-8 Catholic school, which is overseen by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark.[129] In the wake of declining enrollment and lingering financial issues, Mother Seton Interparochial School (which had been formed in 2006 from the merger of St. Michael's and St. Anthony of Padua) and St. Augustine's School, both of which had been located in Union City, were closed by the Newark Archdiocese after the 2019–20 school year and merged into Academy of St. Joseph of the Palisades.[130]
American Training School for Medical Professionals is a bilingual medical school founded in 1998 by Professor Dante Joa.[131]
The West New York Emergency Medical Squad consists of 26 people (as of May 2011) who are based at the EMS house on 62nd Street, which houses four trucks, to which each is assigned two workers. The Squad's second, larger facility, at 66th Street, opened May 11, 2011.[133]
West New York's Emergency Medical Services was among the many Hudson County agencies that responded to the January 2009 crash of US Airways Flight 1549, for which they received accolades from the survivors.[134][135]
Transportation
Roads and highways
As of May 2010[update], the town had a total of 24.11 miles (38.80 km) of roadways, of which 21.92 miles (35.28 km) were maintained by the municipality, 2.19 miles (3.52 km) by Hudson County.[136]
Jitney commuter buses operate along Bergenline Avenue, providing service to the Port Authority Bus Terminal, the George Washington Bridge Bus Station, the Newport Centre and other local destinations. The county's most frequent route for dollar buses, jitneys operate along Bergenline Avenue as frequently as one bus every minute.[146][147]
West New York is located within the New York media market, with most of its daily papers available for sale or delivery. The Jersey Journal is a local daily paper based in Jersey City. Local weeklies include the free bilingual paper, Hudson Dispatch Weekly,[148] a former daily,[149]The West New York Reporter, which is part of the Hudson Reporter group of local weeklies, and the Spanish language El Especialito.[150]River View Observer is a monthly newspaper that covers the Hudson County waterfront market.
In the late 2000s, West New York, Weehawken, Union City and North Bergen came to be dubbed collectively as "NoHu", a North Hudson haven for local performing and fine artists, many of whom are immigrants from Latin America and other countries, in part due to lower housing costs compared to those in nearby art havens such as Hoboken, Jersey City and Manhattan.[151]
Maytee Martinez (born 1991), Cuban American model, designer and television personality[186]
Edward James Olmos (born 1947), actor who lived in West New York from 1979 to 1987, while he built his stage career following his emigration from East Los Angeles[187]
Mathieu Schneider (born 1969), former professional ice hockey defenseman who played 1,289 games in the National Hockey League with ten different teams[197]
^Ulloa, Daniel. "Murphy swears in former Congressman Albio Sires as West New York mayor, again", Hudson County View, May 16, 2023. Accessed May 17, 2023. "Governor Phil Murphy (D) swore in former Congressman Albio Sires as mayor of West New York shortly after a reorganization meeting officially returned him to his old municipal post that he held between 1995 and 2006."
^ abDirectory, Town of West New York. Accessed March 1, 2023.
^Maciag, Mike. "Population Density for U.S. Cities Statistics", Governing, November 29, 2017. Accessed December 4, 2020. "The following are the most densely populated cities with populations exceeding 50,000:... [2nd] West New York, N.J.: 52,815 persons/sq. mile"
^Cheslow, Jerry. "Blending Two Cities into One", The New York Times, October 9, 2005. Accessed September 29, 2014. "At John F. Kennedy Boulevard East, known as 'Boulevard East,' the population, housing mix and scenery change abruptly. Mostly New York City professionals and empty-nesters live in towers that soar 30 stories or more over the Palisades, a 450-foot-high belt of cliffs that line the New Jersey side of the Hudson."
^Astudillo, Carla. "The 41 N.J. towns where English is not the dominant language", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, December 10, 2017, updated May 15, 2019. Accessed March 15, 2020. "New Jersey is home to 41 towns where English is not the dominant language for the majority of the population. Towns like Union City and West New York are primarily dominated by Spanish speakers, while Korean is the language spoken by more than half of residents in Palisades Park and Englewood Cliffs."
^Cullen, Deanna. "Growing influence: UC and WNY house 6 percent of state's Hispanics", The Union City Reporter, February 13, 2011, pages 1 and 15. Accessed June 12, 2012. "Union City and West New York are each over three quarters Hispanic. In New Jersey, Union City has the highest percentage of people in that group – 84.7 percent. West New York is 78.1 percent Hispanic, coming in at third."
^Baime, A.J. "Formula One Roars to Banks of Hudson". The Wall Street Journal. October 26, 2011. Accessed October 27, 2011. "Formula One, the most popular, technologically advanced and glamorous form of international motorsport, will hold a Grand Prix race on the banks of the Hudson River against the backdrop of the Manhattan skyline in June 2013. If the current lineup of teams remains the same, that means 24 cars racing at 200-plus mph will let loose some 17,000 horsepower on closed-off public roads in Weehawken and West New York, N.J., in front of a crowd that, if expectations are fulfilled, would double the capacity of Yankee Stadium."
^Fox, Joey. "Team Sires sweeps West New York; Cirillo’s slate unable to win any seats on five-member commission", New Jersey Globe, May 9, 2023. Accessed May 17, 2023. "17 years after he left to take a seat in Congress, Albio Sires will be mayor of West New York once again.... Joining Sires on the 53,000-strong Hudson County town’s governing body will be one incumbent commissioner, Victor Barrera, alongside Board of Education President Adam Parkinson, Marielka Diaz, and Marcos Arroyo, who was the Republican nominee to succeed Sires in his safely Democratic congressional district last year."
^Sullivan, Al. "Cirillo replaces Vargas as a WNY commissioner Rift with Mayor Roque appears to be healed", The Hudson Reporter, February 8, 2015. Accessed March 15, 2020. "In a move that would have seemed impossible only two years ago, Mayor Felix Roque and three other commissioners voted on Feb. 4 to appoint Cosmo Cirillo to replace Rubin Vargas on the town's five-member Board of Commissioners. At 27 years old, Cirillo is the youngest person to ever serve as a commissioner in West New York and will serve as commissioner of the Department of Public Affairs."
^West New York Board of Education District Policy 0110 - Identification, West New York School District. Accessed March 10, 2021. "Purpose The Board of Education exists for the purpose of providing a thorough and efficient system of free public education in grades Pre-Kindergarten through twelve in the West New York School District. Composition The West New York School District is comprised of all the area within the municipal boundaries of West New York in the County of Hudson."
^What We Do: History, New Jersey Schools Development Authority. Accessed March 1, 2022. "In 1998, the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled in the Abbott v. Burke case that the State must provide 100 percent funding for all school renovation and construction projects in special-needs school districts. According to the Court, aging, unsafe and overcrowded buildings prevented children from receiving the "thorough and efficient" education required under the New Jersey Constitution.... Full funding for approved projects was authorized for the 31 special-needs districts, known as 'Abbott Districts'."
^Zeitlinger, Ron. "Three North Hudson Catholic schools to consolidate, archdiocese announces", The Jersey Journal, August 4, 2020. Accessed March 1, 2023. "Two Union City Catholic schools will merge with Academy of St. Joseph of the Palisade in West New York, the Newark Archdiocese announced Tuesday afternoon. Saint Augustine, at 39th Street and New York Avenue, and Mother Seton Interparochial School, at 15th and New York Avenue, will not reopen in September because of dwindling enrollment and financial problems that have been exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic, officials said."
^About Us, American Training School for Medical Professionals. Accessed September 29, 2014.
^About UsArchived February 20, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue. Accessed December 17, 2011. "North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue serves the northernmost section of Hudson County, New Jersey. The region borders Jersey City, Hoboken and Secaucus at its southernmost end and Bergen County at the northern border."
^Reiss, Aaron. "New York's Shadow Transit", The New Yorker. Accessed May 22, 2016. "The ridership on New Jersey minibuses is diverse, but most lines cater to the large Latino immigrant populations in townships like North Bergen and West New York."
^AECOM Technical Services, Inc. Hudson County Jitney StudyArchived April 15, 2016, at the Wayback Machine, July 2011. North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority. Accessed May 22, 2016. "The most frequent jitney route in Hudson County with service operating in each direction nearly once per minute, the Bergenline Avenue route operates along the spine of the Hudson County/Bergen County palisades, connecting the Newport Mall in Jersey City to the George Washington Bridge in Fort Lee, with select trips (primarily those operated by New Service, Inc., Airport Service Corp. and Spanish Transportation Corp., collectively 'Spanish Transportation') continuing on to the GWBBS in New York City."
^McConnell, Elizabeth "Man of the cloth", The Hudson Reporter, pp 3 and 9, May 7, 2000. Accessed March 15, 2020. "Alvarez, who grew up in West New York after his family emigrated here from Cuba in the late 1950s, wasn’t heading toward a life on screen when he graduated from Memorial High School."
^Staff. "Univision Crowns Second Winner of Nuestra Belleza Latina", Business Wire, May 17, 2008. Accessed June 12, 2012. "After a series of eliminations 6 finalists made it to the grand finale: Melissa Marty – the winner, Emeraude Toubia, Mexican/Lebanese from Brownsville, TX – first-runner up; Dayamí Padrón, Cuban from Miami, FL – second runner-up; Zoila Ceballos, Dominican from New York, NY – third place; Leticia Castro, Mexican from Las Vegas, NV – fourth place; and Manuela Arbeláez, Colombian from West New York, NJ in fifth place."
^"Tyson Beckford injured in New Jersey truck accident", USA Today, June 7, 2005. Accessed September 23, 2007. "Beckford, a West New York resident, was taken to the Jersey City Medical Center, where he was treated for head trauma and cuts, O'Keeffe said."
^Cullen, Dana. "A lifetime of secure investments: Hudson County native reflects upon career as financial journalist", The Hudson Reporter, December 12, 2010, p. 3. Accessed March 15, 2020. "Boroson grew up on Boulevard East in West New York, back when the town was comprised of embroidery factories and Irish Catholic, German, and Italian residents. He first attended P.S. No. 6 and then Memorial High School. At that time, he said, there were two graduations, January and June, and he graduated in January 1952."
^"Braddock, Who Beat Baer for Title, Dies; Diffident Demeanor", The New York Times, November 30, 1974. "North Bergen, N. J., Nov. 29 (AP) James J. Braddock, who won the world heavyweight championship in 1935 by outpointing Max Baer in one of boxing's biggest upsets, died today at, his home here. He was 68 years old.... When he was a child his family moved to West New York, N. J., just the other side of the Hudson River."
^Staab, Amanda. "From Communist Russia to WNY", The Union City Reporter, March 1, 2009, Pages 3 and 8
^Archilla, Dylan M. "From Russia with words; Renowned WNY writer receives award", The Hudson Reporter, July 11, 2003. Accessed March 15, 2020. "Emil Draitser's West New York apartment is a jumble of papers, books, and magazines, along with two computers.... Shortly after his arrival in the United States, Draitser settled in West New York. Said Draitser on his choice, 'I like it here. It's close to the city, which is important to me because I work there. It's close to the airport and mostly, it's quiet here. I need quiet to do my writing. I could never be happy living in New York City. Too noisy.'"
^"Ebony and Ivory", p. 91. McCall's, Volume 114. McCall Publishing Company, 1986. Accessed October 25, 2015. "Ruth grew up in West New York, NJ, and, when she was eight, she and her sister began taking piano lessons from a neighbor, at a cost of 25 cents a session."
^Gettleman, Jeffrey. "On Politics; A Cuban Revolution, Only It's in New Jersey", The New York Times, February 5, 2006. Accessed August 29, 2019. "'You have to remember it was the middle class and upper class who came here for political reasons, and they've remained politically involved,' said Ms. Farber, who came to West New York in 1961 at age 16 and lived with eight relatives in one apartment."
^Narvaez, Alfonso A. "Christopher Jackman Dies at 74; Longtime Legislator in New Jersey", The New York Times, January 30, 1991. Accessed October 25, 2015. "State Senator Christopher J. Jackman, a legislator in New Jersey for more than 20 years and a former Speaker of the Assembly, died on Monday at University Hospital in Newark. He was 74 years old and lived in West New York, NJ"
^Interviews with Harold MartinArchived May 15, 2013, at the Wayback Machine, Center on the American Governor, Eagleton Institute of Politics. Accessed June 12, 2012. "Born on February 25, 1918 in West New York, at six years old Harold Martin moved with his family to Brooklyn, where his father ran a successful men's clothing store."
^Maytee Martinez, Next Management. Accessed September 21, 2024. "Maytee is a Cuban American model born and raised in West New York, New Jersey."
^Bishop Nelson J. Perez, Roman Catholic Diocese of Cleveland. Accessed April 27, 2022. "Nelson J. Perez was born in Miami, Florida, on June 16, 1961 to David and Emma Perez and is the brother of the late Dr. David Perez and Louis Martin Perez. He was raised in West New York, NJ."
^Artie Pitt, Sports Reference. Accessed July 21, 2019. "Born: August 14, 1913 in West New York, New Jersey, United States"
^Gene PrebolaArchived October 1, 2015, at the Wayback Machine, Boston Terriers football. Accessed May 18, 2016. "An outstanding all-around performer at Memorial High School, the West New York, New Jersey native came to Boston University in the fall of 1956."
^Disbato, Pat. "NFL / Roehl living out a dream", The Star, February 1, 2004. Accessed October 6, 2008. "'I lived in New Jersey, a little town called West New York,' said Roehl, who calls teammate Jeremy Shockey one of his closest friends."
^Sampson, Peter J. "John M. Skevin, 66; a force in N.J. politics", The Record, October 23, 1993. Accessed December 15, 2022. "Born June 14, 1927, to immigrant Croatian parents in West New York, Mr. Skevin was a two-sport, All-Hudson performer at Memorial High School, where he is a member of the school's Hall of Fame."
^Staff. "West New York Mayor Roque challenges Vega's Board Of Education appointments", The Hudson Reporter, July 14, 2011. Accessed March 15, 2020. "On Thursday Mayor Roque filed a challenge with the State Commissioner of Education against the appointment of Board of Education members Janet Passante and Alex Locatelli made by an outgoing Mayor Silverio Vega two months ago, shortly before he left office."
^Hirsch, Corin. "Lunch Box Diaries; Vermonters recall their school cafeteria cuisine", Seven Days, August 31, 2011. Accessed August 2, 2012. "Armando Vilaseca – Vermont education commissioner; I came from Cuba in 1964 and moved to West New York, NJ, an immigrant area that from the 1960s until the 1980s had a huge Cuban immigrant population. My high school, Memorial High School, was probably 70 percent Cuban American..."
^Pennington, Juliet. "The VIP Lounge with Jessica Vosk", The Boston Globe, June 23, 2017. Accessed October 10, 2017. "The Clinton, NJ, native, now calls West New York, NJ home. Vosk, 33, who plays Elphaba (the role made popular by Idina Menzel), said she is enjoying spending time in Boston, where her younger brother, musician Daniel Vosk, went to school."
^Gerard Way photoArchived November 23, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, The New York Times Agency, October 19, 2007. Caption: "Gerard Way, lead singer of My Chemical Romance, near his home in West New York, N.J., on September 24, 2007."
^Fitzgerald's Legislative Manual, 1984, p. 251. Accessed November 18, 2017. "Jacqueline Walker, Dem., Matawan Assemblywoman Walker was born in Jersey City Nov. 7, 1941. She attended elementary school and Memorial High School in West New York."
^"Assemblywoman realizes dream", Asbury Park Press, July 16, 1984. Accessed November 18, 2017. "...of the delegation is the latest coup in what has been a meteoric political career for the West New York native."