Short Hills is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Millburn Township, in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. It is a popular commuter town for residents who work in New York City.It is notable for being an affluent community. The median listing price of its homes was $1.75 million in February 2012, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal, citing data from Zillow. In 2014, Time magazine named it the "Richest Town in America" with seven in ten household incomes above $150,000 per year, the highest percentage in the United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the CDP's population was 13,165.HistoryBeginningsOriginally, the area that would become Short Hills was part of Springfield Township, Union County, New Jersey, and its eponymous hills are thought to have played a role in the movement of the Continental Army under George Washington during the Battle of Springfield.Short Hills began as a planned community, when Stewart Hartshorn (who became wealthy from developing, perfecting and manufacturing the self-acting shade roller) purchased 13acre of land in Millburn Township, near the present Hobart Avenue, Parsonage Hill Road, and Chatham Road. Hartshorn's purpose was to create "a harmonious community for people who appreciated nature," and "where natural beauty would not be destroyed by real estate developments, and where people of congenial tastes could dwell together." He later increased his land holdings to 56acre for himself and 1552acre for the whole village, with each plot not owned by Hartshorn being no larger than 1/2 acre.
