Palisades Park | Union City

Palisades Park, New Jersey is a small but culturally vibrant borough located in Bergen County, just west of the Hudson River and directly across from Upper Manhattan. Although the borough encompasses only about 1.28 square miles, it is one of the most densely populated municipalities in the state, with a population of around 20,300 residents. What makes Palisades Park particularly distinctive is its deep and visible Korean American identity, its strong sense of community, and its accessibility to both natural green spaces and metropolitan life.

🏙️ Geographic Context and Urban Character

Palisades Park is situated on the New Jersey Palisades, high basalt cliffs overlooking the Hudson River. It borders Fort Lee, Leonia, Ridgefield Park, and Cliffside Park. The borough is primarily residential but highly urbanized in structure, with compact blocks, small businesses, and an unusually high number of multi-family dwellings and apartment complexes.

Despite its density, the town maintains a suburban feel in residential areas, with quiet streets lined with small single-family homes and mid-rise buildings. Broad Avenue, the main commercial corridor, slices through the borough and acts as its cultural and economic artery.

🇰🇷 Korean American Community and Cultural Identity

Palisades Park is widely known as the "Koreatown of New Jersey." It is home to one of the highest concentrations of Korean Americans in the United States. As of the most recent census data and local estimates, over 65% of the population is of Korean descent, making it the largest proportion of Korean Americans by population percentage anywhere in the Western Hemisphere.

The Korean influence is immediately visible:

Broad Avenue is the heart of Korean commerce, lined with dozens of Korean barbecue restaurants, bakeries, cafés, soju bars, karaoke lounges, acupuncture clinics, hair salons, and martial arts studios.

Virtually all businesses on this avenue have bilingual signage in Korean and English. Many are owned and operated by Korean families who live within or near the borough.

Events such as Chuseok festivals, K-pop dance competitions, and Korean Independence Day commemorations are observed at the community level.

Many civic documents, notices, and voting materials are distributed in Korean.

The Palisades Park Public Library even offers Korean-language programming and book collections.

This distinct Korean identity, while celebrated, has also become central to the borough's economy and international character. It attracts Korean tourists, investors, and expats from New York City and beyond.

🏞️ Parks and Outdoor Environment

Though small in area, Palisades Park provides access to several notable outdoor recreation spaces:

Palisades Interstate Park
This massive park lies just east of the borough along the Hudson River. It spans over 2,500 acres across New Jersey and New York and is designated both a National Historic Landmark and a National Natural Landmark.
Key features include:

Dramatic cliffside trails

Panoramic views of Manhattan

Riverfront picnic areas

Fishing access and seasonal boat launches

Historical sites like the Kearney House and Alpine Lookout

Overpeck County Park (partial access nearby)
While most of this 811-acre park is technically in neighboring Ridgefield Park and Leonia, it is easily accessible from Palisades Park. It features:

Paved biking and walking trails

Rowboats and kayak rentals

Playgrounds and athletic fields

Equestrian center and outdoor amphitheater

Local playgrounds and mini-parks
Palisades Park includes a number of pocket parks for children and seniors. These spaces are equipped with basketball courts, benches, water fountains, and shaded areas for summer relaxation.

🚍 Transportation and Commuter Access

Palisades Park is well-connected to the rest of the New York metropolitan area, making it a popular choice for commuters:

New Jersey Transit and private jitney buses run frequently along Broad Avenue, offering direct access to Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan in approximately 20–30 minutes, depending on traffic.

Nearby George Washington Bridge and major highways such as I-95, Route 46, and Route 4 allow easy car access to New York, upstate New Jersey, and the Hudson Valley.

🏫 Schools and Education

The borough is served by the Palisades Park Public School District, which includes:

Dr. Charles R. Smith Early Childhood Center

Lindbergh Elementary School

Palisades Park High School

The district serves students from Pre-K through 12th grade and maintains a student-to-teacher ratio of approximately 12:1, with an enrollment of around 1,800 students. The schools reflect the town's diversity, offering English as a Second Language (ESL) programs, Korean language clubs, and multicultural curricula. Extracurricular activities include sports teams, theater productions, student government, and Korean martial arts like Kumdo and Taekwondo.

🧩 Community Life and Living Environment

Palisades Park maintains a vibrant and safe environment. Residents often describe the town as walkable, welcoming, and quiet, with a mix of young professionals, immigrant families, and older long-term residents. There is a strong emphasis on family life, with community centers offering youth programming, senior services, and cultural education.

Civic participation is also notable. Korean American residents have taken active roles in local government, business chambers, school boards, and political advocacy. The borough has produced several Korean American council members and mayors in recent decades.

In terms of public safety, Palisades Park maintains low crime rates, and the local police department is actively engaged with community programs and bilingual outreach.

🌆 Summary

Palisades Park is a rare urban-suburban hybrid: compact, culturally unique, and deeply community-oriented. What it lacks in physical size, it makes up for in identity and energy. As a borough, it has embraced its role as a Korean cultural center, while still maintaining its American small-town fabric. Residents enjoy the benefits of world-class Korean cuisine, walkable neighborhoods, excellent public transit, nearby green spaces, and a welcoming atmosphere.

For visitors, it offers a taste of Korea in New Jersey-no passport needed. For residents, it is a place that combines immigrant legacy with opportunity, tradition with modern living, and quiet living with metropolitan convenience.