Paulsboro is a borough situated on the banks of the Delaware River in Gloucester County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, within the Philadelphia metropolitan area.

Paulsboro was formed as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 2, 1904, from portions of Greenwich Township.

[24][25] Paulsboro is the home of Fort Billingsport, the first land purchase made by the United States, acquired on July 5, 1776, the day after the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

[26] Paulsboro is the location of the Tinicum Island Rear Range Light house, first lit on the night of December 31, 1880.

In 1997, a local citizens' group was established with the purpose of providing tours and public access to the structure.

The lighthouse is one of New Jersey's few publicly accessible aids to navigation and is the centerpiece of Paulsboro's cultural revitalization.

[27] The East Jefferson Street Railroad Bridge over Mantua Creek was built in 1917[28] and rebuilt in 1940 for the Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines (PRSL).

On November 30, 2012, the East Jefferson Street Railroad Bridge buckled, causing seven cars of a freight train to derail.

One of the four tanker cars that fell into the creek was punctured, leaking thousands of gallons of vinyl chloride.

Homes in the borough had to be evacuated and dozens of people went to hospitals as a precautionary measure due to exposure to the chemicals.

[30] Some residents in the area have filed suit against Conrail and CSX in Pennsylvania State Court having "complained about respiratory and bronchial related illnesses, headaches, eye and skin irritations and multiple other symptoms.

Normally, between March 1 and November 30 the bridge is left in the open position for maritime traffic and closed when trains approach.

[1][2] Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely in the borough include Billingsport.

[48][49] As of 2025[update], the mayor of the Borough of Paulsboro is Democrat John Giovannitti, whose term of office ends December 31, 2027.

Members of the Paulsboro Borough Council are Council President Tahje Thomas (D, 2026), Karen Armistead (D, 2027), Kyana Evans (D, 2025; appointed to serve an unexpired term), Theodore D. Holloway II (D, 2025; elected to serve an unexpired term), Eric Singleton (D, 2026) and Jennifer Turner (D, 2027).

[3][50][51][52][53][54] In October 2024, Kyana Evans was appointed to fill the seat expiring in December 2025 that was vacated by Eric DiTonno.

[56] Alfonso Giampola was appointed in May 2012 to fill the vacant seat of Paul Morina for a term ending in 2014.

[57] In January 2016, the borough council selected Eric DiTonno to fill the seat expiring in December 2016 that was vacated by Gary C. Stevenson when he took office as mayor.

[63][64][65] For the 119th United States Congress, New Jersey's 1st congressional district is represented by Donald Norcross (D, Camden).

[68] For the 2024-2025 session, the 3rd legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by John Burzichelli (D, Paulsboro) and in the General Assembly by David Bailey (D, Woodstown) and Heather Simmons (D, Glassboro).

[122] The bridge over Mantua Creek was the site of the 2012 Paulsboro train derailment, resulting in a tank car leaking 23,000 gallons of vinyl chloride into the air.