Country United States County Ocean Area 180 ha Zip code 08742 Local time Tuesday 10:18 AM | State New Jersey Incorporated June 15, 1886 Elevation 90 cm Population 992 (2013) Area code 732 | |
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Named for Bayhead Land Company / location on Barnegat Bay Area rank 531st of 566 in state
30th of 33 in county Weather 11°C, Wind SE at 10 km/h, 79% Humidity | ||
Bay Head is a borough in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 968, reflecting a decline of 270 (-21.8%) from the 1,238 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 12 (+1.0%) from the 1,226 counted in the 1990 Census. Bay Head is situated on the Barnegat Peninsula, also known as Barnegat Bay Island, a long, narrow barrier island that separates Barnegat Bay from the Atlantic Ocean. Together with Mantoloking and Point Pleasant, Bay Head is considered part of the Jersey Shore's "Gold Coast".
Contents
- Map of Bay Head NJ 08742 USA
- History
- Geography
- Census 2010
- Census 2000
- Local government
- Federal state and county representation
- Politics
- Education
- Roads and highways
- Public transportation
- Notable people
- References
Map of Bay Head, NJ 08742, USA
Bay Head was incorporated as a Borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on June 15, 1886, from portions of Brick Township, based on the results of a referendum held three days earlier.
The community was supposed to have been named "Bayhead" after the Bayhead Land Company that developed the area in the 1870s. A railroad sign posted in the 1880s labeled the station as "Bay Head," and the name stuck when the borough was incorporated in 1886. The name also comes from the town's location, which is at the "head" of Barnegat Bay.
History
The Bayhead Land Company was incorporated on September 6, 1879, capitalized at $12,000. The founding partners were David H. Mount of Rocky Hill, and three Princeton men: Edward Howe, his brother Leavitt Howe and William Harris. Within several years, the resort had grown in population, with a seawall installed, roads built and graded. In 1882, Bay Head had 20 new cottages and a population of 75.
The first post office was established in Bay Head in the summer of 1882. Julius Foster was first postmaster.
The Bay Head Historic District, listed in the New Jersey and the National Registers of Historic places in 2005, includes over 550 contributing structures (over half of the town's buildings) making it one of the largest historic districts in New Jersey. Bay Head's historic district is architecturally significant for its large collection of well-preserved Shingle Style, Stick Style, and Queen Anne Style structures.
The 1,260 metres (4,130 ft) stone rubble seawall built in 1882, which had been buried by dunes and largely forgotten, played a role in reducing damage to the town by Hurricane Sandy.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 0.700 square miles (1.814 km2), including 0.582 square miles (1.508 km2) of land and 0.118 square miles (0.306 km2) of water (16.88%).
Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the borough include Twilight Lake.
The borough borders the Ocean County municipalities of Brick Township, Mantoloking, Point Pleasant and Point Pleasant Beach.
Census 2010
The 2010 United States Census counted 968 people, 459 households, and 269.9 families residing in the borough. The population density was 1,662.8 per square mile (642.0/km2). The borough contained 1,023 housing units at an average density of 1,757.3 per square mile (678.5/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 98.55% (954) White, 0.52% (5) Black or African American, 0.00% (0) Native American, 0.72% (7) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 0.00% (0) from other races, and 0.21% (2) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 1.03% (10) of the population.
Out of a total of 459 households, 15.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.0% were married couples living together, 7.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.2% were non-families. 37.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 22.2% 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 2.78.
In the borough, 15.5% of the population were under the age of 18, 4.3% from 18 to 24, 12.9% from 25 to 44, 32.9% from 45 to 64, and 34.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 57.2 years. For every 100 females the census counted 90.2 males, but for 100 females at least 18 years old, it was 86.3 males.
The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $88,417 (with a margin of error of +/- $13,902) and the median family income was $134,583 (+/- $24,739). Males had a median income of $75,833 (+/- $22,227) versus $60,625 (+/- $37,439) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $78,226 (+/- $12,220). About 0.9% of families and 1.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.0% of those under age 18 and 0.0% of those age 65 or over.
Census 2000
As of the 2000 United States Census there were 1,238 people, 584 households, and 349 families residing in the borough. The population density was 2,094.3 people per square mile (810.2/km2). There were 1,053 housing units at an average density of 1,781.3 per square mile (689.1/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 97.98% White, 0.16% African American, 0.08% Native American, 0.57% Asian, 0.48% from other races, and 0.73% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.29% of the population.
There were 584 households out of which 16.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.5% were married couples living together, 5.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.1% were non-families. 35.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.12 and the average family size was 2.73.
In the borough the population was spread out with 15.4% under the age of 18, 4.0% from 18 to 24, 21.7% from 25 to 44, 33.7% from 45 to 64, and 25.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 52 years. For every 100 females there were 90.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.3 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $77,790, and the median income for a family was $93,055. Males had a median income of $64,063 versus $38,672 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $49,639. About 0.3% of families and 3.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.8% of those under age 18 and 2.1% of those age 65 or over.
Local government
Bay Head is governed under the Borough form of New Jersey municipal government. The governing body consists of a Mayor and a Borough Council comprising six council members, with all positions elected at-large on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. A Mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The Borough Council consists of six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle. The Borough form of government used by Bay Head, the most common system used in the state, is a "weak mayor / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can veto ordinances subject to an override by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council.
As of 2016, the Mayor of the Borough of Bay Head is Republican William W. Curtis, whose term of office ends December 31, 2019. Members of the Bay Head Borough Council are Council President D'Arcy Rohan Green (R, 2018), Jennifer Barnes-Gambert (R, 2017), Mary Stockton Glass (R, 2018), Robert F. Hein (R, 2016), Douglas J. Lyons (R, 2016) and Brian M. Magory (R, 2017).
Federal, state and county representation
Bay Head is located in the 4th Congressional district and is part of New Jersey's 10th state legislative district.
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 10th Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by James W. Holzapfel (R, Toms River Township) and in the General Assembly by Gregory P. McGuckin (R, Toms River Township) and David W. Wolfe (R, Brick Township). The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham Township). The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).
Ocean County is governed by a Board of Chosen Freeholders consisting of five members, elected on an at-large basis in partisan elections and serving staggered three-year terms of office, with either one or two seats coming up for election each year as part of the November general election. At an annual reorganization held in the beginning of January, the board chooses a Director and a Deputy Director from among its members. As of 2015, Ocean County's Freeholders (with party affiliation, term-end year, residence and department directorship listed in parentheses) are Freeholder Director John C. Bartlett, Jr. (R, term ends December 31, 2015, Pine Beach; Finance, Parks and Recreation), Freeholder Deputy Director Gerry P. Little (R, 2015, Surf City; Human Services), John P. Kelly (R, 2016, Eagleswood Township; Law and Public Safety), James F. Lacey (R, 2016, Brick Township; Transportation) and Joseph H. Vicari (R, 2017, Toms River; Senior Services and County Operations). Constitutional officers elected on a countywide basis are County Clerk Scott M. Colabella (R, 2015, Barnegat Light), Sheriff Michael Mastronardy (R, 2016; Toms River) and Surrogate Jeffrey Moran (R, 2018, Beachwood).
Politics
As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 837 registered voters in Bay Head, of which 115 (13.7%) were registered as Democrats, 453 (54.1%) were registered as Republicans and 269 (32.1%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were no voters registered to other parties. Among the borough's 2010 Census population, 86.5% (vs. 63.2% in Ocean County) were registered to vote, including 102.3% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 82.6% countywide).
In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 66.2% of the vote (374 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 33.3% (188 votes), and other candidates with 0.5% (3 votes), among the 569 ballots cast by the borough's 852 registered voters (4 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 66.8%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 62.9% of the vote (443 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 34.9% (246 votes) and other candidates with 1.0% (7 votes), among the 704 ballots cast by the borough's 915 registered voters, for a turnout of 76.9%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 68.4% of the vote (515 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry with 29.9% (225 votes) and other candidates with 1.1% (11 votes), among the 753 ballots cast by the borough's 967 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 77.9.
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 80.4% of the vote (370 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 17.8% (82 votes), and other candidates with 1.7% (8 votes), among the 471 ballots cast by the borough's 838 registered voters (11 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 56.2%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 70.3% of the vote (392 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 22.2% (124 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 6.3% (35 votes) and other candidates with 0.5% (3 votes), among the 558 ballots cast by the borough's 868 registered voters, yielding a 64.3% turnout.
Education
The Bay Head School District serves students in public school for kindergarten through eighth grade at Bay Head Elementary School. As of the 2014-15 school year, the district and its one school had an enrollment of 95 students and 12.7 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 7.5:1.
Students in public school for ninth through twelfth grades attend Point Pleasant Beach High School in Point Pleasant Beach, as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Point Pleasant Beach School District, together with students from Lavallette and Mantoloking. As of the 2014-15 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 371 students and 31.6 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.7:1.
Roads and highways
As of May 2010, the borough had a total of 10.74 miles (17.28 km) of roadways, of which 8.24 miles (13.26 km) were maintained by the municipality, 1.16 miles (1.87 km) by Ocean County and 1.34 miles (2.16 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.
The main roadway through Bay Head is Route 35, a two-lane highway that connects many of the Jersey Shore's small communities.
Public transportation
NJ Transit trains terminate at the Bay Head station and yard, with service on the North Jersey Coast Line north to Penn Station Newark, Hoboken Terminal and Penn Station New York in Midtown Manhattan.
Notable people
People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Bay Head include: