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Borough in Middlesex County, New Jersey, US

Jamesburg is a borough in Middlesex County, in the U. S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 5,783,

Jamesburg was formed as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 19, 1887, when it was created from portions of Monroe Township, based on the results of a referendum held on March 15, 1887. Jamesburg's incorporation was confirmed on April 15, 1915. The borough was named for James Buckelew, who established a mill that became the nucleus of what is now Jamesburg. After Monroe Township officials refused to admit an African American student into one of its schools, Buckelew funded the construction of a school located at the corner of Church Street and Gatzmer Avenue that would be open to all children. The school was named in his honor and became the derivation of the borough's name. On July 17, 2005, approximately of rain fell in Jamesburg, flooding areas on West Railroad Avenue, East Church Street, Pergola Avenue, Willow Street, Forsgate Drive, and Gatzmer Avenue. Roughly 75 to 100 families were evacuated from their homes and housed at the John F. Kennedy Elementary School.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 0.89 square miles (2.31 km2), including 0.88 square miles (2.29 km2) of land and 0.01 square miles (0.02 km2) of water (0.90%). making it part of 21 pairs of "doughnut towns" in the state, where one municipality entirely surrounds another.

The 2010 United States census counted 5,915 people, 2,172 households, and 1,492 families in the borough. The population density was 6,741.8 per square mile (2,603.0/km2). There were 2,267 housing units at an average density of 2,583.9 per square mile (997.6/km2). The racial makeup was 73.90% (4,371) White, 8.84% (523) Black or African American, 0.85% (50) Native American, 4.53% (268) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 9.42% (557) from other races, and 2.47% (146) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 22.38% (1,324) of the population.

Jamesburg is governed under the borough form of New Jersey municipal government, which is used in 218 municipalities (of the 564) statewide, making it the most common form of government in New Jersey. The governing body is composed of the mayor and the borough council, with all positions elected at large on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. A mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four year term of office. The borough council is composed of six members elected to serve three year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three year cycle. The borough form of government used by Jamesburg is a "weak mayor / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can veto ordinances subject to an override by a two thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council. as of 2024, the mayor of the Borough of Jamesburg is Republican Thomas Gibbons, whose term of office ends December 31, 2027. Gibbons ousted Democratic Mayor Marlene Lowande, who had been mayor since 2012. Members of the Borough Council are Council President Thomas Emens (D, 2025), Tom Goletz (D, 2026), Bertin Lefkovic (D, 2026), Samantha Rampacek (D, 2025), Shannon Spillane (R, 2024) and Brian Taylor (R, 2024). In December 2022, Thomas Goletz was appointed to fill the seat expiring in December 2023 that had been held by Daria Ludas until her death the previous month.

Jamesburg is located in the 12th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 14th state legislative district.

In 1993 1994 there was a major state investigation into allegations of corruption by borough officials conducted by the New Jersey State Commission of Investigation: "The Commission launched an investigation into the governmental operations of the Borough of Jamesburg, Middlesex County, in February 1993 after receiving numerous citizen complaints of corruption at the hands of key municipal officials. In a November 1994 report, the Commission revealed a systemic pattern of official misconduct, nepotism and abuse of the public trust so pervasive as to cause local budgetary hardships and jeopardize the local police department. The probe prompted the departure of longtime Borough Tax Assessor Carmen Pirre, spurred a Treasury Department audit and paved the way for wholesale municipal reforms. Richard Gardiner, director of the state Division of Taxation, stated in a February 27, 1995 letter: "This case is a prime example of governmental agencies working in a cooperative and efficient manner to accomplish common goals and to achieve worthwhile objectives."

The Jamesburg Public Schools serves students in pre kindergarten through eighth grade. As of the 2020–21 school year, the district, comprising two schools, had an enrollment of 664 students and 64.8 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 10.2:1. Schools in the district (with 2020–21 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are
John F. Kennedy Elementary School with 463 students in grades Pre K–5 and
Grace M. Breckwedel Middle School with 193 students in grades 6–8. Jamesburg High School, founded in 1905, graduated its last class in June 1979. Since 1980, Jamesburg's high school students attend Monroe Township High School in Monroe Township, as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Monroe Township School District. As of the 2020–21 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 2,474 students and 184.1 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 13.4:1. With annual tuition costs per student at Monroe Township High School rising past $16,000 as the Monroe district has added debt service costs into their tuition charges, the Jamesburg Public Schools looked for an alternate high school in the area to send students at lower cost, which would have started with the freshman class in 2012–2013, though students already enrolled at Monroe Township High School would continue their attendance there until they graduate. The Jamesburg district contacted 18 districts and received interest from high schools in the Freehold Regional High School District, Matawan Aberdeen Regional School District, Old Bridge Township Public Schools, South Amboy Public Schools and the West Windsor Plainsboro Regional School District, which had been sent demographic information in July 2011 about the Jamesburg high school population as part of their review process. By October 2011, the district decided to maintain sending students to Monroe Township, as had been done since 1979. Eighth grade students from all of Middlesex County are eligible to apply to attend the high school programs offered by the Middlesex County Vocational and Technical Schools, a county wide vocational school district that offers full time career and technical education at Middlesex County Academy in Edison, the Academy for Allied Health and Biomedical Sciences in Woodbridge Township and at its East Brunswick, Perth Amboy and Piscataway technical high schools, with no tuition charged to students for attendance.

as of 2010, the borough had a total of 16.53 mile (27 km) of roadways, of which 11.67 mile (19 km) were maintained by the municipality and 4.86 mile (8 km) by Middlesex County. No Interstate, U. S. or state highways serve Jamesburg directly. The only major roads that pass through are county routes, including County Route 522, County Route 612, County Route 615 and County Route 625 (Perrineville Road). The closest limited access road is the New Jersey Turnpike (Interstate 95) at Exit 8A in surrounding Monroe Township. Route 612 provides a connection between the Turnpike/Route 32 and CR 520.

In the 19th & 20th centuries, Jamesburg Borough and Monroe Township had a major railway in the area, which was the Freehold and Jamesburg Agricultural Railroad. This railway was owned and operated by the Camden & Amboy Railroad Company (C&A), in which surveying for the line began on September 8, 1851, grading began on October 19, 1852, and the first track was laid on April 4, 1853. The first section of line was opened on July 18, 1853. The establishment of the Freehold & Jamesburg Agricultural Railroad caused this region to become a transportation hub. The Freehold and Jamesburg Railroad was abandoned by the early 1930s. A 2.8 mile (5 km) portion of the former railroad's right of way was later approved to be sold by the New Jersey Board of Public Utility Commissioners (PUC) to Jersey Central Power & Light Company in 1966, with occasional freight service still being utilized through the Freehold Industrial Track. Middlesex County Area Transit (MCAT) shuttles provide service to and from Jamesburg on routes operating across the county. The M1 route operates between Jamesburg and the New Brunswick train station and the M2 Route connects Jamesburg, Helmetta, and Spotswood with East Brunswick including the Brunswick Square Mall.