Metuchen, New Jersey

Metuchen, New Jersey
Main Street in downtown Metuchen, which won the honor of Great American Main Street of the Year in 2023
Nickname: 
The Historic Brainy Borough
Location of Metuchen in Middlesex County highlighted in red (left). Inset map: Location of Middlesex County in New Jersey highlighted in orange (right).
Census Bureau map of Metuchen, New Jersey
Metuchen
Location in Middlesex County
Metuchen
Location in New Jersey
Metuchen
Location in the United States
Coordinates: 40°32′33″N 74°21′46″W / 40.542445°N 74.362767°W / 40.542445; -74.362767
Country United States
State New Jersey
CountyMiddlesex
IncorporatedMarch 20, 1900
Government
  TypeBorough
  BodyBorough Council
  MayorJonathan Busch (D, term ends December 31, 2027)
  AdministratorMelissa Perilstein
  Municipal clerkDeborah Zupan
Area
  Total
2.84 sq mi (7.36 km2)
  Land2.84 sq mi (7.35 km2)
  Water0.00 sq mi (0.01 km2)  0.07%
  Rank348th of 565 in state
18th of 25 in county
Elevation
95 ft (29 m)
Population
 (2020)
  Total
15,049
  Estimate 
(2023)
14,977
  Rank175th of 565 in state
17th of 25 in county
  Density5,282.2/sq mi (2,039.5/km2)
   Rank105th of 565 in state
9th of 25 in county
Time zoneUTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST))
  Summer (DST)UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT))
ZIP Code
08840
Area code(s)732
FIPS code3402145690
GNIS feature ID0885298
Websitewww.metuchennj.org

Metuchen (/məˈtʌən/ mə-TUTCH-ən) is a suburban borough in Middlesex County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The borough is a commuter town of New York City, located in the heart of the Raritan Valley region within the New York Metropolitan area. The borough, along with Edison (which completely surrounds Metuchen), is a regional commercial hub for Central New Jersey. The borough is 6 miles (9.7 km) northeast of New Brunswick, 17 miles (27 km) southwest of Newark, 20 miles (32 km) southwest of Jersey City, and 22 miles (35 km) southwest of Manhattan. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 15,049, an increase of 1,475 (+10.9%) from the 2010 census count of 13,574, which in turn reflected an increase of 734 (+5.7%) from the 12,840 counted in the 2000 census.

Metuchen was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 20, 1900, from portions of Raritan Township (now known as Edison). Metuchen's Main Street won Great American Main Street of the Year in 2023.