Trenton: Economy

Major Industries and Commercial Activity

Government (state, county, and municipal) forms the single largest sector in Trenton. Other significant economic areas include manufacturing, trade, and services. Trenton's set of unique circumstances contributes to its continued growth: the city benefits from the spill-over of high-technology industries and research centers locating along the Route 1 corridor; land costs, rents, and taxes in Trenton are a fraction of those in New York City, yet Trenton remains an acceptable commute for much of the Northeast Corridor; and commitment by state and local government is high.

Items and goods produced: refrigerated showcases, light bulbs, rubber goods, purses, automobile body hardware, pottery and porcelain products, chemicals, fabricated metal products, lumber and wood products, textiles, food products, electronic goods

Incentive Programs—New and Existing Companies

Local programs

The Capital City Redevelopment Corporation has all of the information a new or expanding business needs to locate or expand into the Capital District and to take advantage of all the public programs that are available. The Mercer County Community College Small Business Development Center provides entrepreneurs and small businesses in Mercer and other counties with high quality, one-to-one management consulting, training, and the information businesses need to maximize growth in a global economy. The Mercer County One-Stop Small Business Center provides technical and finance procurement assistance and the Science & Technology Incubator helps high-tech firms get established. Trenton has a partnership with the Trenton Business Assistance Corporation, which offers merchant and micro business loan programs. In addition, Trenton is the recipient of a $2,300,000 Economic Development Administration grant made available to help in the development of the Hill Complex in the Trenton enterprise zone.

State programs

The New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA) offers a wide range of financial, real estate development, and technical services to encourage business development and growth in the state. The majority of its assistance is to small and mid-sized businesses. The EDA issues bonds to provide financing at favorable interest rates for business ventures, and makes low-interest loans and guarantees loans made by private investors and lenders. It also offers a full range of real estate development services to stimulate both private and public development projects. In addition, the EDA administers a business incentive program that provides grants to expanding or relocating businesses that will create new jobs in New Jersey. Loans and grants also are available to municipalities and private property owners to encourage the clean-up and redevelopment of hazardous sites around the state. The New Jersey Urban Development Corporation provides low-interest loans to developers and businesses seeking to construct facilities in urban areas, including small business incubators.

Job training programs

Mercer County Community College offers programs and services for businesses that include a business incubator, a center for training and development, international trade programs, the Network for Occupational Training & Education (NOTE), a small business development center, and New Jersey-sponsored employee training.

Development Projects

One of the primary focuses of the city's economic development strategy currently lies in the area of affordable housing, as well as plans for Trenton's first development of luxury, single-family homes in decades. The $46 million Trenton Train Station renovation is expected to attract downtown and regional development, including new office buildings and commercial projects. Plans are underway to build a new criminal courthouse and parking garage in downtown Trenton; the facility should be completed by 2008. A parking garage and office on Front Street by the Economic Development Corporation of Trenton was in the works in mid-2005. Trenton's school district is in the midst of a several-year, $300 million project that involves construction of several new school buildings, as well as renovation of many already in existence. The recently completed Waterfront Park and the Sovereign Bank Arena have increased entertainment and trade show options in Trenton. Opened in April 2002, the $54 million Lafayette Yard Marriott Conference Hall includes a 197 room upscale hotel, a conference center with more than 16,000 square feet of meeting space, a grand ballroom, a 120-seat restaurant and lounge, and a 650-stall parking garage. The hotel is connected to the War Memorial, a historic 1,900 seat amphitheater that recently underwent a $38 million renovation, and serves as a local cultural center for the Greater Trenton Symphony, special events, and large group meetings.

Economic Development Information: New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA), PO Box 990, Trenton, NJ 08625-0990; telephone (609)292-1800; email njeda@njeda.com. Mercer County One-Stop Career Center, 650 South Broad Street, Trenton, NJ 08650; telephone (609)989-6523

Commercial Shipping

Mercer County Airport, just minutes from Trenton in Ewing Township, offers passenger, charter, cargo, and helicopter service. The Philadelphia and New York City airports, as well as Newark International Airport, are located an hour's drive away from Trenton and offer comprehensive domestic and international flight service. Rail freight service is by Conrail. Several dozen motor freight carriers service the city, taking advantage of Trenton's location along U.S. Route 1 and of the short-haul trucking to and from two of the nation's largest cities: New York and Philadelphia.

Labor Force and Employment Outlook

Mercer County's county executive, Brian M. Hughes, called 2004 "a year of extraordinary growth for our local economy," citing 7,700 new jobs added within Mercer County during that year as well as decreasing unemployment numbers. Hughes also cited partnerships with local colleges and universities as vital to the area's economic growth and future prosperity.

The following is a summary of data regarding the Trenton metropolitan area labor force, 2004 annual averages.

Size of nonagricultural labor force: 231,100

Number of workers employed in . . .

construction and mining: 5,800

manufacturing: 8,800

trade, transportation, and utilities: 32,600

information: 6,200

financial activities: 15,900

professional business services: 34,600

educational and health services: 42,800

leisure and hospitality: 14,400

other services: 7,700

government: 62,400

Average hourly earnings of production workers employed in manufacturing: $15.67 (New Jersey; 2004 annual average)

Unemployment rate: 3.3% (April 2005)

Cost of Living

The median home price in Trenton was reported as $230,080 in 2004. Several affordable housing projects are currently underway in the area, as well as the development of luxury, single-family homes, the city's first such project in decades.

The following is a summary of data regarding several key cost of living factors in the Trenton area.

2004 ACCRA Average Home Price: Not reported

2004 ACCRA Cost of Living Index: Not reported

State income tax rate: ranges from 1.4% to 8.97%

State sales tax rate: 6%

Local income tax rate: None

Local sales tax rate: None; qualified retailers in Trenton's Urban Enterprise Zone charge 3%

Property tax rate: $3.98 per $100. Equalization rate: 96.4% (2004)

Economic Information: Mercer County Chamber of Commerce, 214 West State Street, PO Box 2708, Trenton, NJ 18607-2708; telephone (609)393-4143. City of Trenton, 318 East State Street, Trenton, NJ 08608; telephone (609)989-3030

Trenton: History

Delaware River Draws Settlers

The site of modern-day Trenton was once occupied by the Sanhican, a branch of the Delaware tribe who called the area Assunpink. The name meant "stone in the water" and referred to the rocky falls in the nearby portion of the Delaware River. The first permanent European settlers arrived in 1679, when the English Quaker Mahlon Stacy arrived at what he called the "falls of the Delaware." Stacy's son sold the land in 1714 to William Trent, a Philadelphia merchant who recognized the industrial potential of the river. Trent built a stone grist mill near the falls and called the resulting community "Trent's Town," which was quickly shortened to Trenton. The town grew up at the junction of the Delaware River and Assunpink Creek.

The head of navigation on the Delaware River, Trenton became a port for shipping grain and products traveling between Philadelphia and New York City. Trenton was also a primary stopping point on the stagecoach line connecting the two larger cities. A ferry, chartered in 1727, connected Trenton with Philadelphia, completing the transportation circle. In 1750 the city's first chief burgess, Dr. Thomas Cadwalader, inoculated the population against smallpox. He later donated 50 pounds toward the founding of the state's first public library.

By the time of the Revolutionary War, Trenton was a town of about a hundred homes and mixed sentiments about the impending war. The city was captured by the British in November, 1776, and large portions of it were burned. Then, in a surprise move that was called the tactical coup of the war, American General George Washington crossed the ice-choked Delaware River on Christmas night, 1776. He marched his Continental soldiers through the night to launch a dawn attack on the Hessian troops occupying Trenton. After inflicting severe casualties on the British garrison, Washington moved his troops to a high hill near Assunpink Creek and engaged the British in the Second Battle of Trenton. Washington's successful maneuvering instilled courage in his cold and battle-weary army and resulted in the first decisive American victory in the war.

State Capital Becomes Industrial Power

Trenton was selected as New Jersey's state capital in 1790. For a time, the city had hopes of becoming the nation's capital and did in fact serve temporarily in that capacity when a yellow fever epidemic raged in swampy Washington City. Transportation continued to play an important role in Trenton's development. In 1806 a covered bridge was built across the Delaware; the structure later supported the trains of the Camden & Amboy Railroad. The Delaware Falls Company constructed the Delaware & Raritan Canal at about the same time to provide water power to Trenton's burgeoning industry. Among the entrepreneurs setting up in the city was wire manufacturer John A. Roebling, whose cables help suspend the Brooklyn Bridge. Pottery-making blossomed as an industry after 1850 and included names such as Walter Lenox and his American Belleek china. Potters were the first to unionize in Trenton, successfully striking in 1835 to win a 10-hour workday. During the Civil War, Trenton housed the U.S. Congress after the South threatened Washington, D.C. Trenton also contributed iron and rubber to the Union Army effort.

Between 1880 and 1920 Trenton's population swelled with an influx of foreign laborers seeking factory jobs. During this period the adjacent communities of Chambersburg, Wilbur, Millham Township, and parts of Ewing Township were annexed. Handcrafted Mercer motor cars were produced between 1910 and 1925, along with steel made from the open-hearth process and vulcanized rubber goods, including Goodyear tires.

In 1932 the Delaware River channel was dredged to 20 feet, making Trenton a port for sea-going vessels; the city's importance as a port has since been eclipsed by the New England and Philadelphia ports. Following World War II, Trenton's middle class population moved to suburban communities made possible through a new federal highway system and new home construction. Trenton retained its image as a smokestack town, even as some of the city's key industries moved southward. Since the 1970s Trenton has regained its reputation as an industrial leader, thanks in large part to the spate of downtown development spurred by the building of several new state structures. Trenton is also developing a reputation as a tourist attraction, a reputation built on its colonial history and its number of highly regarded restaurants. In 2005, Forbes magazine listed Mercer County as one of the "Best Locations for Business."

Historical Information: Trenton Historical Society, PO Box 1112, Trenton, NJ 08606; telephone (609)394-1965; New Jersey Historical Society Library, 52 Park Place, NJ 07102; telephone (973)596-8500

Trenton: Education and Research

Elementary and Secondary Schools

Trenton's school district is the largest in Mercer County. A nine-member Board of Education is appointed for three-year terms by the mayor. The district is in the midst of a several-year project involving the construction of several new schools as well as renovation of many existing buildings.

The following is a summary of data regarding the Trenton public schools as of the 2003–2004 school year.

Total enrollment: 13,231

Number of facilities

elementary schools: 17

junior high/middle schools: 4

senior high schools: 1

other: 1

Student/teacher ratio: 19:4 (state average)

Teacher salaries

minimum: $34,010

maximum: $67,090

Funding per pupil: $13,803

Several parochial and private elementary and secondary schools supplement the public system in Trenton. A number of prestigious day and boarding schools are found in the nearby Princeton area.

Public Schools Information: Trenton Public Schools, 108 North Clinton Avenue, Trenton, NJ 08609; telephone (609)989-2400

Colleges and Universities

Rider University, a four-year liberal arts college founded in 1865, enrolls more than 5,000 students in four schools: business administration, continuing education, arts and sciences, and education. Thomas A. Edison State College offers adult students associate's and bachelor's degrees partially based upon life experience and equivalency examinations. Mercer County Community College, with two campuses, awards associate's degrees in 70 programs, many of them based on community needs. For instance, a portion of the college's more than 13,000 students study in training programs for business and industry.

Nearby Princeton University, one of the nation's most renowned academic institutions and a member of the Ivy League, is within commuting distance. Princeton is known for its liberal arts, medicine, education, architecture, and theology programs and is a respected research institution. The College of New Jersey, in nearby Ewing Township, serves nearly 6,000 students, offering more than 40 liberal arts and professional programs in five schools: Arts and Sciences, Business, Education, Engineering, and Nursing.

Libraries and Research Centers

Trenton's Public Library and its four branches maintain more than 600,000 volumes and special collections ranging from state and local history (the Trentonian Collection) to a large recording and print collection. The library, which houses the Arthur Holland papers on ethics in government, is also a depository for federal and state documents.

The New Jersey State Archives is the official repository for all New Jersey colonial and state government records of enduring historical value. The New Jersey State Library holds more than 750,000 volumes, maintains a Library for the Blind and Handicapped, and has special collections on law, New Jerseyana, New Jersey state government publications, U.S. government documents, and genealogy. Other special libraries in Trenton cover medical, geological, environmental, labor, legal, municipal, and technical topics.

Among Princeton University's areas of research and study are the effect of public policy on urban areas, foreign relations, population trends, and industrial relations. Princeton's Harvey S. Firestone Memorial Library is New Jersey's largest research library. Princeton also maintains the Forrestal Center, a research park employing more than 2,000 people. Drug research being conducted at Princeton Biomedical Research offers hope to sufferers of Alzheimer's disease, anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive behavior, and panic disorder.

Public Library Information: Trenton Public Library, 120 Academy Street, Trenton, NJ 08608; telephone (609)392-7188

Trenton: Communications

Newspapers and Magazines

Trenton is served by two daily morning newspapers: The Times and The Trentonian. Several local biweekly and weekly papers are issued as well. Major magazines published in Trenton include the NJEA Review, the state teacher's education journal, and Area Auto Racing News.

Television and Radio

Trenton receives the major commercial affiliates from Philadelphia and New York City television stations. Trenton itself has a local cable television franchise and receives public television and radio stations out of Philadelphia. Radio broadcasting in the area includes student-operated stations from the College of New Jersey and Mercer County Community College, as well as a variety of AM and FM stations offering music, talk shows, and religious programming.

Media Information: The Times, 500 Perry Street, PO Box 847, Trenton, NJ 08605; telephone (609)989-5454. The Trentonian, Capitol City Publishing Company, 600 Perry St., Trenton, NJ 08602; telephone (609)989-7800

Trenton Online

City of Trenton Home Page. Available www.prodworks.com/trenton or www.ci.trenton.nj.us

Greater Mercer County Chamber of Commerce. Available www.mercerchamber.org

Mercer County Home Page. Available www.mercercounty.org

New Jersey Economic Development Authority. Available www.njeda.com

New Jersey State Archives. Available www.state.nj.us/state/darm/links/reference.html

The Times. Available www.nj.com/times

Trenton Convention and Visitors Bureau. Available www.trentonnj.com

Trenton Public Library. Available www.trenton.lib.nj.us

Trenton Public Schools. Available www.trenton.k12.nj.us

The Trentonian. Available www.thetrentonian.com

Selected Bibliography

Lee, Francis Bazley, History of Trenton, New Jersey: The Record of Its Early Settlement and Corporate Progress (Trenton: State Gazette, 1895)

McMahon, William, South Jersey Towns: History and Legend (New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press, 1973)

Weslager, C.A., Dutch Explorers, Traders and Settlers in the Delaware Valley, 1609–1664 (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1961)

Weslager, C.A., The English on the Delaware, 1610–1682 (New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press, 1967)

Trenton1 City (1990 pop. 20,586), Wayne co., SE Mich., on the Detroit River opposite Grosse Ile, in a farm area; settled 1816, inc. as a city 1957. An early river port, it has plants that make metal products, chemicals, and transportation equipment.

2 City (1990 pop. 88,675), state capital (since 1790) and seat (since 1719) of Mercer co., W N.J., at the head of navigation on the Delaware River; settled by Friends 1679, inc. as a city 1792. Situated between Philadelphia and New York City, it is an important transportation hub. Its pottery industry dates from Colonial times. Other leading manufactures include metal products, rubber goods, textiles, and plastics. Trenton's population and industrial production declined in the late 20th cent.; however, there was suburban development, especially to the city's northeast.

The settlement was first called the Falls, then Stacy's Mills, and finally Trenton. In the American Revolution, Trenton was the scene of a battle when Washington crossed (Dec. 25, 1776) the ice-clogged Delaware and surprised and captured (Dec. 26) 918 Hessians. The Americans, avoiding a British relief force led by Cornwallis, then struck at Princeton. A 155-ft (47-m) granite monument topped by a statue of Washington commemorates the battle, and the place where the Americans crossed the Delaware is marked in a state park. Trenton grew as a commercial center and became the site of many industries; the famous Roebling Works, where wire rope was manufactured, was established in 1848.

The city's noteworthy buildings include the golden-domed capitol (1792), much remodeled and enlarged; the capitol annex (1931); the state cultural center, with a museum, planetarium, and state library; the World War I memorial building (1932); the old barracks, built in 1758 and restored as a museum; and the William Trent House (1719), the city's oldest standing building, also a museum. The explorer Zebulon Pike was born in Lamberton, now part of Trenton. The city is the seat of the College of New Jersey; Rider Univ. is in nearby Lawrenceville.

Trenton: Population Profile

Metropolitan Area Residents (PMSA)

1980: 308,000

1990: 325,824

2000: 350,761

Percent change 1990–2000: 7.1%

U.S. rank in 1980: 4th (CMSA)

U.S. rank in 1990: 5th (CMSA)

U.S. rank in 2000: 1st (CMSA)

City Residents

1980: 92,124

1990: 88,675

2000: 85,403

2003 estimate: 85,314

Percent change, 1990–2000: -3.7%

U.S. rank in 1980: 158th

U.S. rank in 1990: 230th

U.S. rank in 2000: 335th (State rank: 9th)

Density: 11,153.6 people per square mile (2000)

Racial and ethnic characteristics (2000)

White: 27,802

Black or African American: 44,465

American Indian and Alaskan Native: 300

Asian: 716

Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander: 199

Hispanic or Latino (may be of any race): 18,391

Other: 9,190

Percent of residents born in state: 61.1%

Age characteristics (2000)

Population under 5 years old: 6,469

Population 5 to 9 years old: 7,256

Population 10 to 14 years old: 6,521

Population 15 to 19 years old: 5,677

Population 20 to 24 years old: 6,358

Population 25 to 34 years old: 14,278

Population 35 to 44 years old: 12,978

Population 45 to 54 years old: 9,822

Population 55 to 59 years old: 3,468

Population 60 to 64 years old: 2,861

Population 65 to 74 years old: 4,939

Population 75 to 84 years old: 3,576

Population 85 years and over: 1,201

Median age: 32.2 years

Births (2002)

Total number: 1,519

Deaths (2002)

Total number: 2,819 (of which, 17 were infants under the age of 1 year; Mercer County data)

Money income (1999)

Per capita income: $14,621

Median household income: $31,074

Total households: 29,370

Number of households with income of . . .

less than $10,000: 2,266

$10,000 to $14,999: 1,078

$15,000 to $24,999: 2,745

$25,000 to $34,999: 2,992

$35,000 to $49,999: 3,065

$50,000 to $74,999: 3,700

$75,000 to $99,999: 1,639

$100,000 to $149,999: 993

$150,000 to $199,999: 269

$200,000 or more: 234

Percent of families below poverty level: 17.6% (41% of which were female householder families with children under 5 years)

2002 FBI Crime Index Total: 6,199

Trenton

The City in Brief

Founded: 1679 (incorporated, 1792)

Head Official: Mayor Douglas Palmer (NP) (since 1990)

City Population

1980: 92,124

1990: 88,675

2000: 85,403

2003 estimate: 85,314

Percent change, 1990–2000: -3.7%

U.S. rank in 1980: 158th

U.S. rank in 1990: 230th

U.S. rank in 2000: 335th (State rank: 9th)

Metropolitan Area Population (PMSA)

1980: 308,000

1990: 325,824

2000: 350,761

Percent change, 1990–2000: 7.1%

U.S. rank in 1980: 4th (CMSA)

U.S. rank in 1990: 5th (CMSA)

U.S. rank in 2000: 1st (CMSA)

Area: 7.66 square miles (2000)

Elevation: 35 to 42 feet above sea level

Average Annual Temperature: 54.7° F

Average Annual Precipitation: 42.2 inches of rain; 23 inches of snow

Major Economic Sectors: Service, government, trade, manufacturing, construction

Unemployment Rate: 3.3% (April 2005)

Per Capita Income: $14,621 (1999)

2004 ACCRA Average Home Price: Not reported

2004 ACCRA Cost of Living Index: Not reported

2002 FBI Crime Index Total: 6,199

Major Colleges and Universities: Rider University; Thomas A. Edison State College

Daily Newspapers: The Times; The Trentonian

Trenton: Convention Facilities

Mercer County typically pools its resources when appealing to conference-givers. Facilities in adjacent communities include the East Windsor Hilton Inn and National Conference Center, the Hyatt Regency-Princeton, and the Henry Chauncy Conference Center in Princeton. Local corporations often rely on their own facilities for business meetings and employee training. Merrill-Lynch, for instance, maintains a 360-room resident training center outside of Trenton, and the National Training Center is located in Highstown. The $54 million Lafayette Yard Marriott Conference Hall includes a 197-room upscale hotel, a conference center with more than 16,000 square feet of meeting space, a grand ballroom, a 120-seat restaurant and lounge, and a 650-stall parking garage. The hotel, which opened in April 2002, displays a variety of fine art that reflects many of the city's historic sites.

Convention Information: Trenton Convention & Visitors Bureau, Lafayette and Barrack Street, Trenton NJ 08608; telephone (609)777-1770; fax (609)292-3771; email trentcvb@voicenet.com

Trenton: Introduction

Rich in colonial and industrial history, Trenton, the second oldest capital in the United States, lies on the east bank of the Delaware River north of Philadelphia. The business of Trenton is government; it is New Jersey's state capital and the Mercer County seat. The site of the first decisive American victory in the Revolutionary War, Trenton also played a supportive role in the Civil War. Trenton is famous as the home of Lenox china, vulcanized rubber, and steel made through the open-hearth process. In the 1980s, Trenton launched a vast redevelopment program that covered all sections of the city and brought about Trenton's economic rebirth. The Trenton of the twenty-first century is known for being an historic city that is proud of its past and that looks ahead to a bright future.

Trenton: Geography and Climate

Trenton, located in west-central New Jersey, lies on the east bank of the Delaware River, about 30 miles northeast of Philadelphia and 60 miles southwest of New York City. Trenton is situated on a plateau at the Delaware's navigable head. The city itself is bisected by Assunpink Creek. Trenton's climate is largely continental and subject to winds from the interior of the country. To the west are the Appalachian Mountains, which temper storm activity. Annual snowfall is about 23 inches.

Area: 7.66 square miles (2000)

Elevation: 35 to 42 feet above sea level

Average Temperatures: January, 32.2° F; July, 76.2° F; annual average, 54.4° F

Average Annual Precipitation: 42.2 inches of rain; 23 inches of snow

Trenton: Health Care

The city of Trenton benefits from health care services provided by several facilities. The St. Francis Medical Center is an acute care teaching hospital and home to Mercer County's only cardiac surgery program. The 158-bed Capital Health System Fuld Campus and the 230-bed Capital Health System Mercer Campus are part of Mercer County's largest healthcare system. Henry J. Austin Health Center offers counseling to pregnant women with substance-abuse problems. The Ann Klein Forensic Center provides both inpatient and outpatient psychiatric care.

Health Care Information: New Jersey Hospital Association, 760 Alexander Road, Princeton, NJ 08534-0001; telephone (609)275-4000

Trenton: Municipal Government

Trenton operates under a mayor-council form of government. The seven council members serve four-year terms; three are elected at large, four elected by ward. The mayor serves a four-year term. Trenton also serves as the state capital of New Jersey and the county seat for Mercer County.

Head Official: Mayor Douglas H. Palmer (NP) (since 1990; current term expires July 1, 2006)

Total Number of City Employees: 1,750 (2005)

City Information: Mayor's Office, Trenton City Hall, 319 East State Street, Trenton, NJ 08608-1866; telephone (609)989-3030

Trenton State capital of New Jersey, USA, on the Delaware River. It was first settled by English Quakers in the 1670s. A city monument commemorates the 1776 battle in which George Washington crossed the frozen Delaware River to defeat Hessian troops during the American Revolution. Industries: ceramics, automobile parts, plastics, metal products, rubber goods, steel cables, textiles. Pop. (2000) 85,403.

Trenton ♂ Mainly U.S.: from the name of the city in New Jersey, the site of a decisive defeat of the British (1776) by Washington during the American Revolution. The city was founded in the late 17th century by a group of English Quakers under the leadership of a certain William Trent. It was originally Trent's Town, reduced within half a century to Trenton.