[21] Alternatively, the city gets its name from King George II of Great Britain, the Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg.

European settlers from France and The Netherlands acquired land in 1772 from the Lenape that would become North Brunswick.

[25] Portions of the township have since separated to create East Brunswick (February 28, 1860) and Milltown (January 29, 1889).

[26] The northern portion of the township, near the New Brunswick border, is mainly middle class while the southern and eastern sections tend to be more affluent, with a few homes priced around $1 million.

[28][29][30] Like many other New Jersey communities, North Brunswick is faced with the issues of suburban sprawl and open space preservation.

The 104.91-acre (42.46 ha)[31][32] Otken Farm property on Route 130 between Adams Lane and Renaissance Boulevard was purchased by the township to be converted into North Brunswick Community Park, which opened in April 2007.

[33][34] The nearby Pulda Farm, on Route 130 at Wood Avenue, however may be developed into an age-restricted community pending legal challenge.

There is also discussion of building an NJ Transit commuter railroad station on the site, along the Northeast Corridor Line.

Other parcels slated for development into retail shopping centers include the currently wooded corner of Route 130 and Adams Lane diagonally across from the Maple Meade Plaza.

[36] North Brunswick is part of the watershed of the Lawrence Brook, a tributary of the Raritan River.

[citation needed] The 2020 United States census counted 43,905 people in the township, comprised of 15,339 households and 11,099 families.

[46][47] In addition to the township's residents, an average daily population of 1,182 inmates are housed at the Middlesex County Adult Correctional Center, located on Route 130 at Apple Orchard Lane.

[60] As of 2024[update], the Mayor of North Brunswick is Francis "Mac" Womack III, whose term of office ends December 31, 2027.

[3] The Township Council is comprised of Council President Mary Hutchinson (D, 2024; elected to serve an unexpired term), Ralph Andrews (D, 2025), Robert Davis (D, 2026), Amanda Guadagnino (D, 2025), Rajesh Mehta (D, 2026) and Cologero "Carlo" Socio (D, 2024).

[61][62][63][64][65] In April 2021, the Township Council selected Rajesh Mehta from a group of candidates submitted by the Democratic municipal committee to fill the seat expiring in December 2023 that had been held by Claribel Cortes until she stepped down from office the previous month when she was sworn into office as Middlesex County Surrogate.

[66] In April 2020, the Township Council selected Claribel Cortes from a list of three candidates nominated by the Democratic municipal committee to fill the seat expiring in December 2020 that became vacant following the death of Robert Corbin.

[69][70][71] For the 119th United States Congress, New Jersey's 12th congressional district is represented by Bonnie Watson Coleman (D, Ewing Township).

[74] For the 2024-2025 session, the 17th legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Bob Smith (D, Piscataway) and in the General Assembly by Joseph Danielsen (D, Franklin Township) and Kevin Egan (D, New Brunswick).

[76] As of 2025[update], Middlesex County's Commissioners (with party affiliation, term-end year, and residence listed in parentheses) are: Director Ronald G. Rios (D, Carteret, 2027),[77] Deputy Director Shanti Narra (D, North Brunswick, 2027),[78] Claribel A.

[109] The North Brunswick Township Public Schools serve students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade.

[125] DeVry University has a campus in North Brunswick on U.S. Route 1 between Milltown Road and Ryders Lane.

[126] Chamberlain College of Nursing's administrative offices are located on the DeVry University site.

[127] Anthem Institute had a branch on Route 1 on the Technology Centre of New Jersey campus that closed in 2014 as part of a group of closures nationwide.

In addition to the new station the agency plans to build a flyover (balloon loop and flying junction) called the Mid-Line Loop south of the new station allowing trains turn around and enter and leave the Northeast Corridor without crossing over tracks.

[149] The Raritan River Railroad ran through North Brunswick, but is now defunct along this part of the line.

The Italian American community of North Brunswick and other Middlesex County towns celebrate their heritage annually at Carnevale Italiano, a decades-old carnival organized by the Italian-American Social Club.

The Heritage Day Committee which consists of Township residents (appointed by the Mayor of North Brunswick) and Liaisons from the Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Services (DPRCS) hosts a Heritage Day Event each year in North Brunswick Community Park.