[21] The borough is also a major commercial hub for North Jersey (home to Garden State Plaza and various corporate headquarters).

[25] Paramus was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 2, 1922, and ratified by a referendum held on April 4, 1922, that passed by a vote of 238 to 10.

[26][28] The borough's name is thought to have originated from the Unami language spoken by the Lenape Native Americans, derived from words meaning "land of the turkeys"[20] or "pleasant stream.

[30][31] Despite this, the borough is one of the largest shopping destinations in the country, generating over $6 billion in annual retail sales, more than any other ZIP Code in the United States.

[35] Albrycht Zaborowski, whose descendants became known by the family name "Zabriskie",[36] immigrated from Poland via the Dutch ship Deb Ves[37] in 1662.

[39] Although no major battles were fought in Bergen County, Paramus was part of the military activity, as colonial troops were stationed in Ramapo under the command of Aaron Burr.

[44] A section of Paramus known as Dunkerhook, meaning dark corner in Dutch, was a free African-American community dating to the early 18th century.

[51] "It was a developer's dream: flat cleared land adjacent to major arterials and accessible to a growing suburban population and the country's largest city – with no planning restrictions".

[1][2] The borough borders the Bergen County municipalities of Emerson, Fair Lawn, Glen Rock, Hackensack, Maywood, Oradell, Ridgewood, River Edge, Rochelle Park, Saddle Brook and Washington Township.

[53][54][55] Named neighborhoods within the borough include Arcola, Bergen Place, Dunkerhook, Fairway Oaks, and Spring Valley.

[60][61] Paramus was home to the America regional headquarters of Hanjin Shipping, located on the eastbound side of Route 4 before it declared bankruptcy in 2017.

[73][74] The borough is one of the largest shopping destinations in the country, generating over $6 billion in annual retail sales, more than any other ZIP Code in the United States despite the county's blue laws.

[78][79] In addition to the state blue laws that apply to all of Bergen County,[80][81][82] Paramus has even stricter restrictions, preventing stores selling non-food items from opening at all on Sundays.

[83][84] These laws were enacted shortly after Garden State Plaza opened, out of fear that the mall would cause high levels of congestion in the borough.

[83] In spite of its six-day shopping week, Paramus consistently has the most retail sales of any ZIP Code in the United States.

[101] One of the earliest drive-in theaters opened in Paramus, featuring what was said to be the world's largest and brightest screen, located behind what is now Westfield Garden State Plaza.

[102] Currently, Paramus' lone movie theater complex is a 16-screen AMC Theatres located in an area of new construction at Westfield Garden State Plaza.

[106] A 12-screen Regal Cinemas was planned to open at Paramus Park as part of renovations that would have replaced the Sears store with a Stew Leonard's location.

[117] The Continental Army is reported to have utilized the old spring at the base of these slopes during the September encampment west of the Hackensack River.

The parade route starts at the intersection of Century Road and Farview Avenue and ends at Memorial Elementary School.

Borough Council members are Ace A. Antonio (R, 2024), Robert Kaiser (R, 2024), Alfredo U. Nadera (R, 2026), Jorge E. Quintana (R, 2025), Mary Ellen Rizzo (R, 2026) and Jeanne T. Weber (R, 2025).

[3][133][134][135][136][137] In February 2023, the borough council appointed Al Nadera to fill the seat expiring in December 2023 that became vacant when Chris DiPiazza took office as mayor.

[146] For the 2024-2025 session, the 38th legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Joseph Lagana (D, Paramus) and in the General Assembly by Lisa Swain (D, Fair Lawn) and Chris Tully (D, Bergenfield).

As of 2025[update], the county executive is James J. Tedesco III (D, Paramus), whose four-year term of office ends December 31, 2026.

[148] Bergen County's Commissioners are: Thomas J. Sullivan Jr. (D, Montvale, 2025),[149] Chair Germaine M. Ortiz (D, Emerson, 2025),[150] Joan Voss (D, Fort Lee, 2026),[151] Vice Chair Mary J. Amoroso (D, Mahwah, 2025),[152] Rafael Marte (D, Bergenfield, 2026),[153] Steven A. Tanelli (D, North Arlington, 2027)[154] and Tracy Silna Zur (D, Franklin Lakes, 2027).

[155][156][157][158][159][160][161][162] Bergen County's constitutional officials are: Clerk John S. Hogan (D, Northvale, 2026),[163][164] Sheriff Anthony Cureton (D, Englewood, 2027)[165][166] and Surrogate Michael R. Dressler (D, Cresskill, 2026).

New Alliance Academy, located on Midland Ave, provides educational and ancillary therapeutic services for high school teenagers experiencing acute psychological distress.

[215] The EPIC School (Educational Partnership for Instructing Children) is located on North Farview Avenue, next to the Our Lady of Visitation Church.

[231] Spanish Transportation and several other operators provide frequent jitney service along Route 4 between Paterson, New Jersey, and the George Washington Bridge Bus Station.

The Emergency Management offices are located on Carlough Drive in the Paramus Life Safety Complex next to borough hall, the police department, and the rescue squad.