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New Jersey is unique in the United States for having five distinct types of incorporated municipalities. Each type of municipality has equal legal standing, rights, and powers as any other type or form. Unlike other parts of the United States, New Jersey does not have different tiers of power or legal standing for its municipal governments.
Among New Jersey's 564 municipalities, the borough is the most common form of local government, though the majority of state residents actually reside in townships. In 2023 there were 253 boroughs in New Jersey. [2] However, boroughs were not always so common. In 1875 only 17 boroughs had been created, all by special acts of the legislature.
The Optional Municipal Charter Law or Faulkner Act (N.J.S.A 40:69A-1 [1], et seq.) provides New Jersey municipalities with a variety of models of local government. This legislation is called the Faulkner Act in honor of the late Bayard H. Faulkner, former mayor of Montclair, New Jersey, U.S., and former chairman of the Commission on Municipal Government.
A township, in the context of New Jersey local government, refers to one of five types and one of eleven forms of municipal government.As a political entity, a township in New Jersey is a full-fledged municipality, on par with any town, city, borough, or village.
A village, in the context of New Jersey local government, is one of five types and one of eleven forms of municipal government. The Village Act of 1891 defined the form of government to consist of a five-member board of trustees to be elected to three-year staggered terms. One member serves as president, one member serves as treasurer.
Under the terms of the New Jersey State Constitution of 1947 and the Faulkner Act of 1950, a municipality may obtain a special charter form from the New Jersey Legislature, providing a unique form of governmental organization for that community. [1]
A city in the context of local government in New Jersey refers to one of five types and one of eleven forms of municipal government. Despite the widely held perception of a city as a large, urban area, cities in New Jersey have a confused history as a form of government and vary in size from large, densely populated areas to much smaller hamlets.
The largest municipality by population in New Jersey is Newark, with 311,549 residents, whereas the smallest is Walpack Township, with seven residents. [3] New Jersey is the most populous U.S. state with no cities ranked in the top 50 most populous United States cities, with the next most populous being South Carolina.