Alpha, New Jersey
Alpha is a borough in Warren County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 2,328, a decrease of 41 (−1.7%) from the 2010 census count of 2,369, which in turn reflected a decline of 113 (−4.6%) from the 2,482 counted in the 2000 census. Alpha was incorporated as a borough from portions of Pohatcong Township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature passed on June 26, 1911, and signed by Governor Woodrow Wilson, based on the results of a referendum held on May 31, 1911. The borough was named for the Alpha Cement Works. History Formally known as Vulcanite, Alpha was incorporated on June 26, 1911, but its history can be traced back to a much earlier date. At the time of the Great Blizzard of 1888, there were only seven houses in what is now the corporate limits of Alpha. The exact date on which the first house in Alpha is uncertain. One of the first homes in the community was a two-room log cabin constructed by the Pursel family beside an old Indian Trail on the former property of the Vulcanite Portland Cement Company, now New Brunswick Avenue. Less than two years after incorporating, the community obtained a continuation of the streetcar line from Phillipsburg and electric street lights were installed. Geography According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 1.72 square miles (4.44 km2), including 1.68 square miles (4.35 km2) of land and 0.04 square miles (0.09 km2) of water (2.03%). Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the borough include Vulcanite. The borough is completely surrounded by Pohatcong Township, making it part of 21 pairs of "doughnut towns" in the state, where one municipality entirely surrounds another. Demographics 2010 census The 2010 United States census counted 2,369 people, 964 households, and 632 families in the borough. The population density was 1,417.2 per square mile (547.2/km2). There were 1,032 housing units at an average density of 617.4 per square mile (238.4/km2). The racial makeup was 93.12% (2,206) White, 2.41% (57) Black or African American, 0.00% (0) Native American, 1.52% (36) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 1.18% (28) from other races, and 1.77% (42) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.28% (125) of the population. Of the 964 households, 29.3% had children under the age of 18; 47.5% were married couples living together; 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present and 34.4% were non-families. Of all households, 29.1% were made up of individuals and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 3.03. 22.7% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 27.9% from 45 to 64, and 15.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was