Corbin City, New Jersey

History

The city has been one of several New Jersey municipalities that have considered consolidation. Corbin City announced it 2008 that it was investigating a prospective merger with neighboring Upper Township, across the county line in Cape May County, citing proximity and that Corbin City's children already attend Upper Township schools. There are no municipalities within New Jersey that have incorporated lands within multiple counties, and by 2010 Cape May County's Board of Chosen Freeholders objected to the plan, citing an analysis that the added costs of serving Corbin City would exceed revenues.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city had a total area of 8.940 square miles (23.156 km²), including 7.665 square miles (19.853 km²) of land and 1.275 square miles (3.303 km²) of water (14.26%).

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the city include Buck Hill and Rock Point.

The city is one of 56 South Jersey municipalities that are included within the New Jersey Pinelands National Reserve, a protected natural area of unique ecology covering 1,100,000 acres (450,000 ha), that has been classified as a United States Biosphere Reserve and established by Congress in 1978 as the nation's first National Reserve. All of the city is included either in the state-designated Pinelands area (which includes portions of Atlantic County, along with areas in Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester and Ocean counties) or in the Pinelands National Reserve.

Demographics

Corbin City is the least-populous city in New Jersey. While there are municipalities with smaller populations, they are either boroughs, towns, townships or villages.

2010 Census

The 2010 United States Census counted 492 people, 185 households, and 130.1 families residing in the city. The population density was 64.2 per square mile (24.8/km²). The city contained 212 housing units at an average density of 27.7 per square mile (10.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.56% (480) White, 0.41% (2) Black or African American, 0.00% (0) Native American, 1.22% (6) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 0.61% (3) from other races, and 0.20% (1) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 3.46% (17) of the population.

Out of a total of 185 households, 30.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.0% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.7% were non-families. 24.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.18.

In the city, 23.2% of the population were under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 29.7% from 45 to 64, and 12.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.1 years. For every 100 females the census counted 96.0 males, but for 100 females at least 18 years old, it was 92.9 males.

2000 Census

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 468 people, 172 households, and 120 families residing in the city. The population density was 59.3 people per square mile (22.9/km²). There were 204 housing units at an average density of 25.9 per square mile (10.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.02% White, 2.78% African American, 0.85% Native American, 1.28% Asian, 0.64% from other races, and 0.43% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.99% of the population.

There were 172 households out of which 37.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.4% were married couples living together, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.7% were non-families. 22.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.72 and the average family size was 3.21.

In the city the population was spread out with 29.9% under the age of 18, 4.9% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 25.4% from 45 to 64, and 10.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 98.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 105.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $47,083, and the median income for a family was $56,000. Males had a median income of $35,938 versus $27,250 for females. The per capita income for the city was $21,321. None of the families and 4.9% of the population were living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and 17.0% of those over 64.

Local government

Corbin City operates within the Faulkner Act (formally known as the Optional Municipal Charter Law) under the Mayor-Council form of New Jersey municipal government. The city's governing body consists of a Mayor and a three-member City Council. The Mayor is elected at-large to a two-year term of office and the City Council consists of three members elected at-large to three-year terms in office on a staggered basis, with one seat coming up for election each year as part of the November general election.

As of 2016, the Mayor of Corbin City is Republican Kelly Camp, whose term of office ends December 31, 2016. Members of the City Council are Council President Rose Turner (D, 2016), William F. Collins (R, 2017) and Carol Foster (I, 2018).

Federal, state and county representation

Corbin City 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, Corbin City had been in the 2nd 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).

Atlantic County is governed by a directly elected executive and a nine-member Board of Chosen Freeholders, responsible for legislation. The executive serves a four-year term and the freeholders are elected to staggered three-year terms, of which four are elected from the county on an at-large basis and five of the freeholders represent equally populated districts. As of 2015, Atlantic County's Executive is Republican Dennis Levinson, whose term of office ends December 31, 2015. Members of the Board of Chosen Freeholders are Chairman Frank D. Formica, Freeholder District 2, including Atlantic City (part), Egg Harbor Township (part), Linwood, Longport, Margate, Northfield, Somers Point and Ventnor (R, 2015), Vice Chairman James A. Bertino, Freeholder District 5, including Buena Borough, Buena Vista Township, Corbin City, Egg Harbor City, Estell Manor, Folsom, Hamilton Township (part), Hammonton, Mullica Township and Weymouth (R, 2015), Colin G. Bell, Freeholder At-Large (R, 2015), John Carman, Freeholder District 3, including Egg Harbor Township (part) and Hamilton Township (part) (R, 2017), Ernest D. Coursey, Freeholder District 1, including Atlantic City (part), Egg Harbor Township (part) and Pleasantville (R, 2016), Richard Dase, Freeholder District 4, including Absecon, Brigantine, Galloway Township and Port Republic (D, 2016), Alexander C. Marino, Freeholder At-Large (R, 2017), Will Pauls, Freeholder At-Large (R, 2016) and John W. Risley, Freeholder At-Large (R, 2017). Constitutional officers are County Clerk Edward P. McGettigan (2016), Sheriff Frank X. Balles (R, 2017) and Surrogate James Curcio (2015).

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 303 registered voters in Corbin City, of which 54 (17.8% vs. 30.5% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 135 (44.6% vs. 25.2%) were registered as Republicans and 114 (37.6% vs. 44.3%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were no voters registered to other parties. Among the city's 2010 Census population, 61.6% (vs. 58.8% in Atlantic County) were registered to vote, including 80.2% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 76.6% countywide).

In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 138 votes (58.0% vs. 41.1% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 91 votes (38.2% vs. 57.9%) and other candidates with 7 votes (2.9% vs. 0.9%), among the 238 ballots cast by the city's 315 registered voters, for a turnout of 75.6% (vs. 65.8% in Atlantic County). In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 150 votes (62.5% vs. 41.6% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 85 votes (35.4% vs. 56.5%) and other candidates with 5 votes (2.1% vs. 1.1%), among the 240 ballots cast by the city's 317 registered voters, for a turnout of 75.7% (vs. 68.1% in Atlantic County). In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 143 votes (63.8% vs. 46.2% countywide), ahead of Democrat John Kerry with 77 votes (34.4% vs. 52.0%) and other candidates with 1 vote (0.4% vs. 0.8%), among the 224 ballots cast by the city's 278 registered voters, for a turnout of 80.6% (vs. 69.8% in the whole county).

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 134 votes (68.4% vs. 60.0% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 50 votes (25.5% vs. 34.9%) and other candidates with 5 votes (2.6% vs. 1.3%), among the 196 ballots cast by the city's 324 registered voters, yielding a 60.5% turnout (vs. 41.5% in the county). In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 95 votes (58.3% vs. 47.7% countywide), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 60 votes (36.8% vs. 44.5%), Independent Chris Daggett with 6 votes (3.7% vs. 4.8%) and other candidates with no votes (0.0% vs. 1.2%), among the 163 ballots cast by the city's 308 registered voters, yielding a 52.9% turnout (vs. 44.9% in the county).

Education

Corbin City is a non-operating school district. Students attend public school for kindergarten through eighth grade in the Upper Township School District, as part of a sending/receiving relationship. As of the 2014-15 school year, the district and its three schools had an enrollment of 2,071 students and 117.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 17.6:1. Schools in the district (with 2014-15 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Upper Township Primary School (grades PreK-2; 480 students), Upper Township Elementary School (3-5; 454) and Upper Township Middle School (6-8; 470).

High school students in public school for ninth through twelfth grades attend Ocean City High School in Ocean City as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Ocean City School District, together with students from Ocean City, Sea Isle City and Upper Township. As of the 2014-15 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 1,262 students and 103.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.3:1.

Students from Corbin City, and all of Atlantic County, have the option to attend the career technical programs and full-time career academies offered by the Atlantic County Institute of Technology located in the Mays Landing section of Hamilton Township or the Charter-Tech High School for the Performing Arts, located in Somers Point.

Roads and highways

As of May 2010, the city had a total of 10.44 miles (16.80 km) of roadways, of which 3.52 miles (5.66 km) were maintained by the municipality, 4.55 miles (7.32 km) by Atlantic County and 2.37 miles (3.81 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

Route 50 is the main road that passes through the city. The Garden State Parkway is accessible in neighboring Upper Township.

Public transportation

NJ Transit provide bus service in the township on the 315 route that runs between Cape May and Philadelphia.

Media

WENJ (97.3 FM) is a radio station affiliated with ESPN Radio that has its transmitter in Corbin City, while its studios are in Northfield, New Jersey.