Commercial Township, New Jersey

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 34.438 square miles (89.194 km²), including 32.129 square miles (83.214 km²) of land and 2.309 square miles (5.980 km²) of water (6.70%).

Laurel Lake (2010 Census population of 2,989) and Port Norris (population of 1,377 as of 2010) are unincorporated communities and census-designated places (CDPs) located within Commercial Township.

Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Baileytown, Bivalve, Buckshutem, Haleyville, Lores Mill, Mauricetown, North Port Norris and Shell Pile.

The township borders Maurice River Township, Millville, Downe Township and Delaware Bay.

Census 2010

The 2010 United States Census counted 5,178 people, 1,880 households, and 1,337 families residing in the township. The population density was 161.2 per square mile (62.2/km²). The township contained 2,115 housing units at an average density of 65.8 per square mile (25.4/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 83.72% (4,335) White, 10.24% (530) Black or African American, 0.35% (18) Native American, 0.52% (27) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 1.53% (79) from other races, and 3.65% (189) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 6.10% (316) of the population.

Out of a total of 1,880 households, 30.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.9% were married couples living together, 18.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.9% were non-families. 22.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.14.

In the township, 25.3% of the population were under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 28.0% from 45 to 64, and 11.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.3 years. For every 100 females the census counted 98.2 males, but for 100 females at least 18 years old, it was 98.0 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $45,323 (with a margin of error of +/- $7,873) and the median family income was $46,790 (+/- $10,373). Males had a median income of $42,297 (+/- $6,069) versus $31,391 (+/- $5,851) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $19,242 (+/- $2,315). About 18.0% of families and 18.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.9% of those under age 18 and 21.2% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 5,259 people, 1,873 households, and 1,367 families residing in the township. The population density was 162.0 people per square mile (62.6/km²). There were 2,171 housing units at an average density of 66.9/sq mi (25.8/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 82.98% White, 13.42% African American, 0.42% Native American, 0.23% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.01% from other races, and 1.92% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.86% of the population.

There were 1,873 households out of which 35.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.1% were married couples living together, 16.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.0% were non-families. 21.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.80 and the average family size was 3.22.

In the township the population was spread out with 28.3% under the age of 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 20.8% from 45 to 64, and 12.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 97.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.0 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $34,960, and the median income for a family was $37,500. Males had a median income of $35,030 versus $21,610 for females. The per capita income for the township was $14,663. About 13.0% of families and 15.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.3% of those under age 18 and 11.9% of those age 65 or over.

Local government

Commercial Township is governed under the Township form of government. The governing body is a three-member Township Committee, whose members are elected directly by the voters at-large in partisan elections to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with one seat coming up for election each year as part of the November general election in a three-year cycle. At an annual reorganization meeting, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor and another as Deputy Mayor.

As of 2016, members of the Commercial Township Committee are Mayor Ronald Sutton Sr., (D, term on committee ends December 31, 2018; term as mayor ends 2016), Deputy Mayor Fletcher Jamison (D, term on committee ends 2017; term as deputy mayor ends 2016) and one vacant seat on the committee.

In March 2016, Mayor Judson Moore resigned from office, with Ronald Sutton named as mayor to replace Moore, and Fletcher Jamison shifted to deputy mayor.

In the November 2013 general election, Moore became the first candidate to win election running as an independent, while Ronald Sutton was elected to fill the vacant seat of Bill Riggin, who had resigned from office.

Federal, state and county representation

Commercial Township is located in the 2nd Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 1st state legislative district. Prior to the 2011 reapportionment following the 2010 Census, Commercial Township had been in the 3rd state legislative district.

New Jersey's Second Congressional District is represented by Frank LoBiondo (R, Ventnor City). 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 1st Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Jeff Van Drew (D, Dennis Township) and in the General Assembly by Bob Andrzejczak (D, Middle Township) and R. Bruce Land (D, Vineland). The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham Township). The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).

Cumberland County is governed by a seven-member Board of Chosen Freeholders, who are elected at-large in partisan elections to serve staggered three-year terms in office, with two or three seats coming up for election each year. At an annual reorganization meeting held each January, the freeholders select one member to serve as Freeholder Director and another as Deputy Director. As of 2014, Cumberland County's Freeholders (with committee liaison assignments, political party, residence and term-end dates listed in parentheses) are Freeholder Director Joseph Derella (Administration / Public Safety; D, Millville, term ends December 31, 2015), Freeholder Deputy Director Douglas M. Long (NA; D, Upper Deerfield Township, 2015), Darlene Barber (Education; D, 2016, Upper Deerfield Township), Carol Musso (Community Services; D, Deerfield Township, 2014), James Sauro (Agriculture; R, Vineland, 2014), Thomas Sheppard (Health; R, Lawrence Township, 2016) and Tony Surace (Public Works; D, Millville, 2014). The county's constitutional officers are County Clerk Gloria Noto (Vineland, 2014), Sheriff Robert A. Austino (Vineland, 2014) and Surrogate Douglas M. Rainear (Bridgeton, 2018).

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 3,183 registered voters in Commercial Township, of which 1,004 (31.5%) were registered as Democrats, 568 (17.8%) were registered as Republicans and 1,608 (50.5%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 3 voters registered to other parties.

In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 57.6% of the vote (983 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 41.1% (701 votes), and other candidates with 1.3% (23 votes), among the 1,726 ballots cast by the township's 3,270 registered voters (19 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 52.8%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 55.0% of the vote (1,032 cast), ahead of Republican John McCain, who received 41.7% (781 votes), with 1,875 ballots cast among the township's 3,151 registered voters, for a turnout of 59.5%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 50.2% of the vote (849 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry, who received 49.2% (832 votes), with 1,690 ballots cast among the township's 2,931 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 57.7.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 60.9% of the vote (691 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 36.4% (413 votes), and other candidates with 2.7% (31 votes), among the 1,191 ballots cast by the township's 3,031 registered voters (56 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 39.3%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 46.5% of the vote (475 ballots cast), ahead of both Republican Chris Christie with 43.6% (446 votes) and Independent Chris Daggett with 6.0% (61 votes), with 1,022 ballots cast among the township's 3,017 registered voters, yielding a 33.9% turnout.

Education

The Commercial Township School District serves public school students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. As of the 2011-12 school year, the district's two schools had an enrollment of 633 students and 52.2 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.13:1. Schools in the district (with 2011-12 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Haleyville-Mauricetown Elementary School (grades PreK-5; 449 students) and Port Norris Middle School (6-8; 184).

Students in ninth through twelfth grades for public school attend high school in Millville together with students from Lawrence Township and Maurice River Township, as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Millville Public Schools under which students attend Memorial High School for ninth grade and half of the tenth grade and Millville Senior High School for half of the tenth grade through the twelfth grade.

Transportation

As of May 2010, the township had a total of 77.15 miles (124.16 km) of roadways, of which 44.08 miles (70.94 km) were maintained by the municipality and 33.07 miles (53.22 km) by Cumberland County.

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Commercial Township include:

Points of interest