New Brunswick was formed by Royal Charter on December 30, 1730, within other townships in Middlesex County and Somerset County and was reformed by Royal Charter with the same boundaries on February 12, 1763, at which time it was divided into north and south wards. New Brunswick was incorporated as a city by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on September 1, 1784.
New Brunswick is the county seat of Middlesex County, hosting many of the county's government offices and facilities. It is also home to the seat of Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey (known also as Rutgers University). It is nicknamed Hub City and The Healthcare City, the former reflecting its status as a major urban center of Central Jersey, serviced by many railroads during the nineteenth century, and the latter due to the concentration of medical facilities, including Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and Saint Peter's University Hospital, as well as the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ)-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. The corporate offices or production facilities of several large pharmaceutical companies (e.g., Johnson & Johnson, Bristol-Myers Squibb) are also within city limits.
New Brunswick is noted for its rich ethnic heritage. At one time, one quarter of the Hungarian population in New Jersey resided in the city. Today, much of that Hungarian community continues to thrive as well as a growing Hispanic community that has developed around French Street past Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital.
As of the census of 2000, there were 48,573 people, 13,057 households, and 7,207 families residing in the city. The population density was 9,293.5 people per square mile (3,585.9/km²). There were 13,893 housing units at an average density of 2,658.1/sq mi (1,025.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 48.79% White, 23.03% African American, 0.46% Native American, 5.32% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 18.08% from other races, and 4.24% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 39.01% of the population.
There were 13,057 households out of which 29.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 29.6% were married couples living together, 18.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.8% were non-families. 24.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.23 and the average family size was 3.69.
In the city the population was spread out with 20.1% under the age of 18, 34.0% from 18 to 24, 28.1% from 25 to 44, 11.3% from 45 to 64, and 6.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 24 years. For every 100 females there were 98.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.8 males. The presence of the university inflates the proportion of the 18-24 population.
The median income for a household in the city was $36,080, and the median income for a family was $38,222. Males had a median income of $25,657 versus $23,604 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,308.
Many residents of New Brunswick come from Latin America. Nearly 40 percent of New Brunswick's population identifies as Latino. Many Latino-oriented stores and markets have been opened by this new population, who mainly come from Puerto Rico, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, the Dominican Republic, and Ecuador.
New Brunswick is served by New Jersey Transit and Amtrak trains on the Northeast Corridor Line. New Jersey Transit provides frequent service north to Pennsylvania Station, in Midtown Manhattan, and south to Trenton, while Amtrak's Keystone Service and Northeast Regional (Amtrak) trains service the station. The Jersey Avenue station is also served by Northeast Corridor trains. For other Amtrak connections, riders can take New Jersey Transit to Pennsylvania Station, Trenton, Metropark, or Newark Penn Station.
New Brunswick also lies near exit # 9 of the New Jersey Turnpike, encompasses the intersection of U.S. Route 1 and N.J. Route 18, and is bisected by N.J. Route 27.
Local bus service is provided by New Jersey Transit, with Rutgers University campus busing provided by Academy Bus.
New Brunswick was at the eastern terminus of the Delaware and Raritan Canal, of which there are remnants surviving or rebuilt along the river.
The New Brunswick NJ Parking Authority (NBPA) manages New Brunswick NJ Parking facilities.