Avon by the Sea, New Jersey

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 0.541 square mile (1.403 km²), including 0.426 square mile (1.104 km²) of land and 0.115 square mile (0.298 km²) of water (21.27%).

The borough borders the Monmouth County communities of Belmar, Bradley Beach, Neptune City and Neptune Township.

Avon-by-the-Sea is located on the Atlantic Ocean and is surrounded by two other bodies of water. The south side of Avon is located on the Shark River and the north end of Avon rests on Sylvan Lake.

Census 2010

The 2010 United States Census counted 1,901 people, 901 households, and 476.6 families residing in the borough. The population density was 4,459.1 per square mile (1,721.7/km²). The borough contained 1,321 housing units at an average density of 3,098.6 per square mile (1,196.4/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 96.95% (1,843) White, 0.32% (6) Black or African American, 0.00% (0) Native American, 0.63% (12) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 1.26% (24) from other races, and 0.84% (16) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 3.73% (71) of the population.

Out of a total of 901 households, 17.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.7% were married couples living together, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 47.1% were non-families. 40.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.11 and the average family size was 2.94.

In the borough, 16.8% of the population were under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 19.5% from 25 to 44, 32.8% from 45 to 64, and 23.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 49.1 years. For every 100 females the census counted 89.5 males, but for 100 females at least 18 years old, it was 83.5 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $83,333 (with a margin of error of +/- $10,008) and the median family income was $113,750 (+/- $18,599). Males had a median income of $56,635 (+/- $32,033) versus $58,300 (+/- $5,223) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $58,063 (+/- $6,550). About 1.1% of families and 3.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.0% of those under age 18 and 2.1% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 2,244 people, 1,043 households, and 535 families residing in the borough. The population density was 5,262.9 people per square mile (2,014.9/km²). There were 1,387 housing units at an average density of 3,253.0 per square mile (1,245.4/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 97.15% White, 0.53% African American, 0.45% Native American, 0.89% Asian, 0.62% from other races, and 0.36% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.41% of the population.

As of the 2000 Census, 36.5% of Avon-by-the-Sea residents were of Irish ancestry, the third-highest percentage of any municipality in the United States, and second-highest in New Jersey, among all places with more than 1,000 residents identifying their ancestry.

There were 1,043 households out of which 18.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.8% were married couples living together, 6.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 48.7% were non-families. 41.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.15 and the average family size was 3.04.

In the borough the population was spread out with 18.4% under the age of 18, 4.8% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 25.8% from 45 to 64, and 22.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 93.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.4 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $60,192, and the median income for a family was $80,605. Males had a median income of $53,125 versus $35,857 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $41,238. About 2.3% of families and 2.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.0% of those under age 18 and 4.4% of those age 65 or over.

Local government

Avon-by-the-Sea has governed under the Walsh Act since 1919, by a three-member commission. Members of the commission are elected at-large in nonpartisan elections to serve four-year terms of office on a concurrent basis.

As of 2016, members of the Avon-by-the-Sea Board of Commissioners are Mayor John Magrini (Commissioner of Public Works, Parks and Public Property), Robert Mahon (Commissioner of Revenue and Finance) and Francis E. Gorman (Commissioner of Public Affairs and Public Safety), all serving concurrent terms of office that end December 31, 2019.

Federal, state and county representation

Avon-by-the-Sea is located in the 4th Congressional district and is part of New Jersey's 30th state legislative district. Prior to the 2011 reapportionment following the 2010 Census, Avon-by-the-Sea had been in the 11th state legislative district. Prior to the 2010 Census, Avon-by-the-Sea had been part of the 6th Congressional District, a change made by the New Jersey Redistricting Commission that took effect in January 2013, based on the results of the November 2012 general elections.

New Jersey's Fourth Congressional District is represented by Christopher Smith (R). New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Cory Booker (D, Newark, term ends 2021) and Bob Menendez (D, Paramus, 2019).

For the 2016–2017 session (Senate, General Assembly), the 30th Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Robert Singer (R, Lakewood Township) and in the General Assembly by Sean T. Kean (R, Wall Township) and Dave Rible (R, Wall Township). The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham Township). The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).

Monmouth County is governed by a Board of Chosen Freeholders consisting of five members who are elected at-large to serve three year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats up for election each year as part of the November general election. At an annual reorganization meeting held in the beginning of January, the board selects one of its members to serve as Director and another as Deputy Director. As of 2014, Monmouth County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director Lillian G. Burry (R, Colts Neck Township; term ends December 31, 2014), Freeholder Deputy Director Gary J. Rich, Sr. (R, Spring Lake; 2014), Thomas A. Arnone (R, Neptune City; 2016), John P. Curley (R, Middletown Township; 2015) and Serena DiMaso (R, Holmdel Township; 2016). Constitutional officers elected on a countywide basis are County Clerk M. Claire French (Wall Township), Sheriff Shaun Golden (Farmingdale) and Surrogate Rosemarie D. Peters (Middletown Township).

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 1,465 registered voters in Avon-by-the-Sea, of which 379 (25.9%) were registered as Democrats, 415 (28.3%) were registered as Republicans and 670 (45.7%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There was one voter registered to another party.

In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 63.3% of the vote (662 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 35.7% (373 votes), and other candidates with 1.1% (11 votes), among the 1,053 ballots cast by the borough's 1,530 registered voters (7 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 68.8%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 57.2% of the vote (680 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 40.4% (480 votes) and other candidates with 0.8% (9 votes), among the 1,189 ballots cast by the borough's 1,520 registered voters, for a turnout of 78.2%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 61.5% of the vote (759 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry with 37.2% (459 votes) and other candidates with 0.2% (3 votes), among the 1,234 ballots cast by the borough's 1,605 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 76.9.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 75.4% of the vote (600 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 23.0% (183 votes), and other candidates with 1.6% (13 votes), among the 812 ballots cast by the borough's 1,502 registered voters (16 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 54.1%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 64.1% of the vote (583 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 29.6% (269 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 5.1% (46 votes) and other candidates with 0.4% (4 votes), among the 909 ballots cast by the borough's 1,484 registered voters, yielding a 61.3% turnout.

Education

The Avon School District serves public school students in Kindergarten through eighth grade at Avon Elementary School. As of the 2011-12 school year, the district's one school had an enrollment of 161 students and 15.2 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 10.59:1.

For ninth through twelfth grades, public school students attend either Asbury Park High School or Manasquan High School, as part of sending/receiving relationships with the respective districts, based on the results of a lottery under which 62.5% of students are sent to Manasquan and 37.5% to Asbury Park.

The Manasquan school also serves students from Belmar, Brielle, Lake Como, Sea Girt, Spring Lake, Spring Lake Heights who attend as part of sending/receiving relationships with their respective districts. As of the 2014-15 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 1,012 students and 67.8 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 14.9:1.

Students may also apply to academy schools in the Monmouth County Vocational School District, which include the Academy of Allied Health & Science, Biotechnology High School, High Technology High School, Marine Academy of Science and Technology and Communications High School. Students also have the option to attend Academy Charter High School in Lake Como, which accepts students on a lottery basis from the communities of Allenhurst, Asbury Park, Avon-by-the-Sea, Belmar, Bradley Beach, Deal, Interlaken and Lake Como.

Roads and highways

As of May 2010, the borough had a total of 13.29 miles (21.39 km) of roadways, of which 11.07 miles (17.82 km) were maintained by the municipality, 1.48 miles (2.38 km) by Monmouth County and 0.74 miles (1.19 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

Route 71 is the main north-south road that passes through. Route 35 is immediately outside the borough, and provides access to Route 138/I-195. The Garden State Parkway is also nearby.

Public transportation

NJ Transit provides bus transportation to Philadelphia on the 317 route and local service on the 830 route. The closest NJ transit train service is at the Belmar station and Bradley Beach station on the North Jersey Coast Line.

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Avon-by-the-Sea include: