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) is a township in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township had a total population of 97,687, making it at the time the fifth largest municipality in New Jersey. As of the U.S. Census 2005 estimate, the population of Edison was 100,499, sixth in the state, and a mere 78 people behind Woodbridge Township, although the 2006 estimate had the township's population down to 99,523, moving back ahead of Woodbridge, which had 99,208 according the 2006 estimate, as the fifth largest municipality in the state.
by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 17, 1870, from portions of both Piscataway Township and Woodbridge Township. Portions of the township were taken to form Metuchen (March 20, 1900) and Highland Park (March 15 1905). The name was officially changed to Edison Township as of November 10, 1954, based on the results of a referendum passed eight days earlier.
Edison was ranked the 28th most livable small city in America by Money Magazine and the 2nd in New Jersey in 2006 in MONEY Magazine's "Best Places To Live ". In 2008,
magazine ranked Edison 35 out of the top 100 places to live in America. Edison Township was not on the 2007 list because that year's list included only municipalities with a population of 50,000 or less.
In the 2006 survey of America's Safest Cities, the township was ranked 23rd, out of 371 cities included nationwide in the 13th annual Morgan Quitno survey.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 30.7 square miles (79.5 km
Edison entirely surrounds Metuchen borough, which broke away from Raritan Township in 1900. Edison is bounded on the east by Woodbridge, on the south by the Raritan River (across which are Sayreville, East Brunswick Township, and New Brunswick), on the southwest by Highland Park (which also broke away from Edison, in 1905), on the west by Piscataway and South Plainfield, and on the north by Scotch Plains and Clark.