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The Town
Montclair is the 50th  largest municipality in New Jersey by Population. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 38,977. Montclair has attracted many who work for major media organizations in New York City, including The New York Times and Newsweek. A March 11, 2007, posting in the blog Gawker .com listed some of those who work in the media and live in Montclair. In it also live many commuters to New York City and the Metro Area.
The median price for a house in Montclair is $670,400, more than three times the national average. The cost of living is also 48.37% percent higher than the USA's average. The median age of a house in Montclair is 51 years old.
Montclair is noted for its historic architecture. It is home to six historic districts listed on the Register of Historic Places of both the state and country as a whole, 92 individually listed landmarks, and two locally designated commercial districts. Works by significant architects include designs by Van Vleck and Goldsmith, Charles Follen McKim, McKim, Mead, and White, Henry Hudson Holly, Charles A. Platt, Alexander Jackson Davis, Dudley Van Antwerp, Effingham R. North, and Frances Nelson, among others.
Montclair is located on the First Mountain of the Watchung Mountains. Most of the town is on the eastward-side of this ridge. Thus, many locations provide excellent views of the surrounding area and the New York City skyline, which is about 12 miles (19 km) away. Since the formation of Montclair, the western border on that mountain with Verona, West Orange, and Cedar Grove has moved slightly eastward, making the town slightly smaller.
Montclair has two ZIP codes, the central and southern parts of the town are designated 07042, but the northern neighborhood of Upper Montclair has a separate United States Postal Service ZIP code, 07043.
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Transportation
New Jersey Transit and DeCamp Bus Lines are the providers of public transportation in Montclair. Montclair is considered a commuter town of New York City. The average Montclair Commute is 38 minutes each way. 22% of commuter travelers take mass transit, while 59% drive alone. eleven times more Montclair commuter travelers take mass transit than the national average.
Bus
Map of Bus and Rail Routes in MontclairNJ Transit buses 11, 28, 29, 34, 97, 191 and 705 run through Montclair, most going along the main street, Bloomfield Avenue. The New Jersey transit bus routes are:
#11 goes from Downtown Newark through Verona, Cedar Grove, and Little Falls to Willowbrook Mall in Wayne. The only Montclair street it goes along is Bloomfield Avenue.
#28 follows the route of #29 on Bloomfield Avenue until halfway through Montclair, where it goes north along Park Street, Watchung Avenue, and Valley Road to Montclair State University, and to Willowbrook Mall on Weekends
#29 between West Caldwell and Newark, passing through Caldwell, Verona, Montclair, Glen Ridge, and Bloomfield on Bloomfield Avenue. It goes to Parsippany at rush hour. The only Montclair street it goes along is Bloomfield Avenue.
#34 to Newark through East Orange and Orange on some trips, otherwise it goes to Bloomfield.. The Streets it goes on are Orange Road, Elm Street, and Bloomfield Avenue. It goes farther to the Montclair High School during that school's start and end times. 
#97 goes from the Montclair Center south along Orange and Harrison Roads through the Oranges.
#191 goes from Willowbrook Mall through Little Falls to Montclair State University, then to New York City.
#705 goes from Passaic along Alexander Road, Mt. Hebron Road and through Montclair State University to Willowbrook Mall
All of these routes except #97, #191, and #705 were trolley lines originally, operated by the Public Service Railway. A trolley Garage existed on Bloomfield Avenue. In the 1930s and 1950's the trolleys were destroyed and replaced with buses.
DeCamp Bus Lines routes 33 and 66 run through Montclair to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York City, Carrying primarily commuters.
#33 goes along Bloomfield Avenue, with some buses going onto Grove Street
#66 goes along Orange Road, Park Street, Valley Road, and Mt. Hebron Road
Montclair State University has Shuttle buses going around its campus.
The township of Montclair operates a jitney in the evening from the Bay Street train station to the southern end of Montclair.
Rail 
Running through Montclair is the Montclair-Boonton Line, which goes between New York City / Hoboken and Hackettstown. There are six railway stations in Montclair: Bay Street, Walnut Street, Watchung Avenue, Upper Montclair, Mountain Avenue, and Montclair Heights.
Montclair has a long history of railroads. The first railroad was built to Montclair in 1856 by the Newark and Bloomfield Railroad. It terminated at a station in Downtown Montclair. First the Morris and Essex Railroad, then the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad leased the it. In 1868 The Montclair Railway built another line through Montclair, which caused disputes leading to Montclair's separation from Bloomfield. Shortly after it was taken over by the New York and Greenwood Lake Railroad, a subsidiary of the Erie Railroad. A third Railroad to Morristown was planned in 1860 and construction began, but an economic collapse in 1873 ended the building. In 1912 the Lackawanna Railroad built a large terminal at the end of their line, but it was closed in 1981 and converted into shops . After the two railroads merged and went bankrupt, NJ Transit took over passenger operations. In 2002 the two railways were connected with the construction of the Montclair Connection. Passenger service on the railway is commuter-based and does not run on weekends.
Air and Road
Montclair is 13 miles (21 km) from Newark Liberty International Airport, 42 miles (68 km) from JFK Airport and 31 miles (50 km) from LaGuardia Airport. The Garden State Parkway and U.S. Route 46 are slightly past the town's borders. The main road through Montclair is Bloomfield Avenue.
There is a taxi stand off of Bloomfield Avenue in eastern Montclair, in front of Lackawanna Plaza, formerly the Montclair train station.
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Demographics
Three streams flow through Montclair, Toney's Brook, Nishuane Brook, and the Yantacaw Brook, in the Passaic River watershed. Both brooks are dammed in parks to create ponds. Formerly, north of Bloomfield Avenue between Grove Street and Pine Street there was another dam and another pond, powering a factory. Montclair is on the northern border of the Rahway River watershed
As of the census of 2000, there were 38,977 people, 15,020 households, and 9,687 families residing in the township. The population density was 6,183.6 people per square mile (2,388.7/km²). There were 15,531 housing units at an average density of 2,464.0/sq mi (951.8/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 59.77% White, 32.06% African American, 0.19% Native American, 3.15% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.77% from other races, and 3.03% from two or more  races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.12% of the population. Montclair has long highlighted its diversity, a feature that has attracted many to the community.
There were 15,020 households out of which 34.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.2% were married couples living together, 14.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.5% were non-families. 29.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.16.
In the township the population was spread out with 25.6% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 31.9% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 12.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 86.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.7 males.
 The median income for a household in the township was $74,894, and the median income for a family was $96,252. Males had a median income of $64,151 versus $43,520 for females. The per capita income for the township was $44,870. About 3.9% of families and 5.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.4% of those under age 18 and 7.2% of those age 65 or over.
As of 2007, 56.95% of Montclair residents affiliate with a religion. 43.05% of Montclair is nonreligious, 35.29% of the population are Catholic; 9.60% in Montclair are Jewish; 2.74% affiliate with Islam; 9.3% are with another Christian sect.; with a small percentages of others. Proportionally, there are more Muslims, Jews, and Catholics than the country's average.
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Education 
Board of Ed. BuildingThe Montclair Public Schools serve students in pre-school through twelfth grade. Montclair's public school system spends $9,571 per student, with the national average being about $6000. The schools employ one faculty member for each 14 children it teaches. Schools in the district (with 2005-06 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics[29]) are seven elementary schools (K-5, except as noted) —Bradford (427 students), Edgemont (306), Hillside (643, grades 3-5), Nishuane (586, grades K-2), Northeast (405), Rand (382) and Watchung (425) — Three middle schools for grades 6-8 — Glenfield (670), Mount Hebron (612) and Renaissance (238) — and Montclair High School for grades 9-12 (1,958). 
Montclair is home to Montclair State University.
Montclair is also home to a host of private and parochial schools, including: Montclair Kimberley Academy, Lacordaire Academy, Immaculate Conception High School, St. Cassian's School, Virginia Harkness Sawtelle Learning, Maria Montessori Early Learning, Montclair Cooperative School, Trinity Academy, and Deron School II.
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Parks 
Anderson Park, Upper Montclair
Edgemont Memorial ParkMontclair is home to many parks and nature reserves.
In Montclair there are many parks, such as Edgemont Memorial Park, Essex Park, Glenfield Park, Nishuane Park, Rand Park, Graz Park, Canterbury Park, Watchung Park, Eagle Rock Reservation, Brookdale Park, Anderson Park, Yantacaw Brook Park the Bonsal Nature Reserve, Mountainside Park, the Presby Memorial Iris Gardens, and Mills Reservation. There are also many sports fields, some public, like in the parks, or some school owned, like the Essex Park fields or Montclair State University's Sprague Field. In total Montclair has 153.86 acres (0.6226 km2) of township park land spread around 18 parks and 123.76 acres (0.5008 km2) of county park land consisting of five parks.
There are also 18 public tennis courts, 4 skating rinks, two of which are indoor, 3 public swimming pools, which are the Mountainside pool, the Nishuane pool, and the Essex pool.
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Montclair Parks 
County Parks Anderson Park | Brookdale Park | Glenfield Park | Kip's Castle Park
Town Parks Canterbury Park | Edgemont Memorial Park | Essex Park | Graz Park | Mountainside Park | Nishuane Park | Rand Park | Tuers Park| Watchung Park | Yantacaw Brook Park
Reservations Eagle Rock Reservation | Mills Reservation| Bonsal Nature Reserve
Other facilities Montclair Golf Club | Presby Memorial Iris Gardens | Van Vleck House and Gardens | Howard Van Vleck Arboretum | Sprague Field | Mt. Hebron Cemetery | Immaculate Conception Cemetery
Media 
Montclair has its own local newspaper, the Montclair Times. In addition, there is a radio station on the campus of Montclair State University, WMSC. Locals also subscribe to The Star-Ledger of Newark, New Jersey, and The New York Times. The township has a municipal public service television channel, Channel 34. Montclair High School has its own paper the Mountaineer, and Montclair State University has its own student-run paper, the Montclarion. Montclair has a community blog network, baristanet.
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Sports 
Home to the Montclair Rugby Club, also known as the Norsemen, of USA Rugby Division 2. They play at Codey Field.
Home to the Minor league baseball New Jersey Jackals of the Can-Am League. The Jackals play at Yogi Berra Stadium.
Former home to the New Jersey Pride of Major League Lacrosse.
Montclair is also a big softball town. In 2008, the Montclair Magic under-12 softball team captured 4 tournament wins, and a championship game, ending with a record of 60-7-1. This is now referred to as the "Summer of 68" (68 games).
Points of interest
Van Vleck House and GardensMontclair Art Museum
Howard Van Vleck Arboretum 
Presby Memorial Iris Gardens
Van Vleck House and Gardens 
Crane House and Museum
Yogi Berra Stadium, Museum and Learning Center
Parks and dining in Upper Montclair
Shopping on Bloomfield Avenue and on Church Street
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Notable residents 
Nobtable Residents Both Former and Current:
Christina Ricci, Born in Santa Monica, California, the family moved to Montclair, where Christina attended elementary, middle and high school. Has made various movies, not easy to pigeonhole, which will probably be good for her career.
Bradley Abelow, Treasurer of the U.S. State of New Jersey. He was appointed Treasurer by Governor of New Jersey, Jon Corzine and took office on January 23, 2006.
Virginia Hamilton Adair (1913-2004), poet.
Steve Adubato Jr., Anchor (PBS / WNET: Channel 13), Columnist.(The Star-Ledger), Author (Speak From the Heart, Make the Connection)
Buzz Aldrin (born 1930), Astronaut, second man to walk on the moon. 
Jonathan Alter, Newsweek Magazine journalist.
Jim Axelrod, chief White House correspondent for CBS News, and reports for the CBS Evening News.
Thomas Ball (1819-1911), artist best known as a sculptor.
Me'Lisa Barber (born 1980), track and field sprint athlete. 
Michael Barrow, NFL, Linebacker for New York Giants currently plays for Dallas Cowboys, former resident
Yogi Berra (born 1925), Baseball player and manager with the New York Yankees and New York Mets.
Eric Boehlert, Journalist, Author, frequent contributor to The Huffington Post, contributing editor to Rolling Stone.
Enea Bossi, Sr., Italian-American aviation pioneer
Bill Bradley (born 1942), former forward for the New York Knicks, U.S. Senator and prospective presidential candidate.  Bobbi Brown (born 1957), makeup artist.
Chuck Burgi (born 1952), drummer
Richard Burgi (born 1958), film and television actor.
Peter A. Carlesimo (1915-2003), basketball coach.
Wendy Coakley-Thompson (born 1966), Writer, author of Back to Life, set in Montclair
Benjamin Chavis Muhammad (born 1948), civil rights activist
Cojo, Art Juggernaut (born 1977), commercial artist, writer, cartoonist. 
Stephen Colbert (born 1964), Host of Comedy Central's The Colbert Report and former Presidential Candidate.
Margaret Colin (born 1957), Actress, Independence Day.
William Couper (1853-1942), sculptor.
Ted Curson (born 1935), jazz trumpeter.
Justin Deas (born 1948), actor. 
Larry Doby (1923-2003), second African-American to play professional baseball in Major League Baseball.
Olympia Dukakis (born 1931), Actress, former resident.
Christopher Durang (born 1949), contemporary playwright.
Frankie Faison, Actor in such films as The Silence of the Lambs.
Hussein Fatal (born 1973), rapper, former member of the Outlawz 
Bayard H. Faulkner (1894-1983), former mayor and chairman of the Commission on Municipal Government that created New Jersey's Optional Municipal Charter Law, better known eponymously as the Faulkner Act.
Harry Fenn (1845–1911), was an English-born illustrator, primarily of landscapes.
Frank Field (born 1923), meteorologist, current resident.
Ian Frazier (born 1951), writer, humorist, and essayist
Don Garber (born 1957), commissioner of Major League Soccer.
Frank Bunker Gilbreth (1868-1924) and Lillian Moller Gilbreth (1878-1972), and their twelve children, featured in the autobiography Cheaper by the Dozen and Belles on Their Toes by Ernestine Gilbreth Carey and Frank Bunker Gilbreth, Jr..
Floyd Hall, CEO of K-Mart from 1995–2001.
Alfred Starr Hamilton (1914-2005), poet
Billy Hart (born 1940), jazz drummer.
Brian Hart (born 1984), heir to the Dick and Jane fortune 
Sterling Hayden (1916-1986), actor, Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb.
Steve Hofstetter (born 1979), comedian / radio personality
Lonna Hooks, Secretary of State of New Jersey from 1994 to 1998, under Governor of New Jersey Christine Todd Whitman.
George Inness, (1825-1894), landscape painter.
Janet Hubert-Whitten (born 1956), Actress, Fresh Prince of Bel Air 
Billy "Brud" Johnson (1918-2006), Former New York Yankees third baseman
Sean T. Kean (born 1963), represents the 11th legislative district in the New Jersey General Assembly.
Rich Kenah (born 1970), middle distance runner who won bronze medals over 800 metres at the 1997 World Indoor Championships and at the 1997 World Championships in Athens, and was a member of the US Team at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney.
Peter King (born 1957), Sports Illustrated football writer who also appears on HBO's Inside the NFL
Dorothy Kirsten (1910-1992), lyric soprano.
The Amazing Kreskin (born 1935), paranormalist/TV personality.
Howard Krongard (born 1940), head of the Office of the Inspector General of the Department of State.
Oliver Lake (born 1944), alto saxophone player and composer.
Nicole Leach (born 1979), actress
Joshua Lederberg (1925-2008), geneticist who received the 1958 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for work in bacterial genetics, was born in Montclair. 
Claude Lemieux (born 1965), NHL forward played with the New Jersey Devils, Phoenix Coyotes, and others
Priscilla Lopez (born 1948), actress, singer, dancer, Maid in Manhattan.
John McMullen (1918-2005), naval architect and marine engineer, and former owner of the New Jersey Devils and Houston Astros.
Joe McNally, photographer.
Jim McNeely (born 1949), jazz pianist, composer and arranger; seven-time Grammy Award nominee.
Scott Niedermayer (born 1973), NHL defenseman and captain of the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim; former New Jersey Devil.
Kal Penn (born 1977), actor, Harold and Kumar go to White Castle. 
Anwar Robinson (born 1979), singer, contestant on American Idol.
Wallace Roney (born 1960), trumpet player and jazz musician.
Adam Schlesinger (born 1967), musician, bass player for Fountains of Wayne and Ivy.
Steven Spielberg (born 1946), film director.
Dr. Leo Henryk Sternbach (1908-2005), chemist, invented precursor to Valium.
Michael Strahan (born 1971), NFL defensive end for the New York Giants, holds single season sack record.
Kelly Sweet (born 1988), recording artist. 
Ty Taylor (born 1967), guitarist and vocalist of R&B group Dakota Moon and as a contestant on the reality TV show Rock Star: INXS.) is an American musician best known as
Michelle Thomas (1969-1998), played Myra on Family Matters.
Dallas Townsend (1919-1995), CBS Anchor for the CBS World News Roundup.
Edward W. Townsend (1855-1942), represented New Jersey's 6th congressional district from 1911 to 1913, and the 10th district from 1913-1915.
David Tyree (born 1980), NFL Wide receiver for the New York Giants, graduate of Montclair High School, '98.
Joe Walsh (born 1947), musician/songwriter for the James Gang and the Eagles. 
Jake Weary (born 1990), actor, As The World Turns
Richard Wesley (born 1945), screenwriter and playwright.
Mary Alice Williams (born 1949), television personality.
Wendy Williams (born 1964), radio host, The Wendy Williams Experience.
Reggie Workman (born 1937), jazz musician.
Jenny Owen Youngs (born 1981), singer/songwriter.
Kim Zimmer (born 1955), actress, Guiding Light.
Louis Zorich (born 1924), actor, former resident.
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History 
Montclair was first formed as a Township on April 15, 1868, from portions of Bloomfield Township. After a referendum held on February 21, 1894, Montclair was reincorporated as a Town, effective February 24, 1894. In the late 1970s, after protesting for years at the inequities built into the formulas, Montclair joined several other communities to qualify for a pool of federal aid allocated only to Townships, that allowed townships to receive as much as double the revenue-sharing aid per capita received by the four other types of New Jersey municipalities — Borough, City, Town or Village.
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