Dennis Township, New Jersey

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 64.328 square miles (166.611 km²), including 60.799 square miles (157.470 km²) of land and 3.529 square miles (9.141 km²) of water (5.49%).

Belleplain (2010 Census population of 597) is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within the township.

Dennisville is the most important unincorporated community in Dennis Township. Ocean View is served as ZIP code 08230. Other communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Clermont, East Creek, Eldora, Mount Pleasant, North Dennis, North-West Dennis, Ocean View, Savage Pond, South Dennis, South Seaville, Stipsons Island and West Creek Landing.

The township borders Cumberland County, Upper Township, Woodbine Borough, Sea Isle City, Middle Township, and the Delaware Bay.

Census 2010

The 2010 United States Census counted 6,467 people, 2,370 households, and 1,792 families residing in the township. The population density was 106.4 per square mile (41.1/km²). The township contained 2,672 housing units at an average density of 43.9 per square mile (16.9/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 96.75% (6,257) White, 0.79% (51) Black or African American, 0.19% (12) Native American, 0.56% (36) Asian, 0.03% (2) Pacific Islander, 0.32% (21) from other races, and 1.36% (88) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 1.81% (117) of the population.

Out of a total of 2,370 households, 29.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.8% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.4% were non-families. 19.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.07.

In the township, 21.4% of the population were under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 20.9% from 25 to 44, 34.1% from 45 to 64, and 15.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44.5 years. For every 100 females the census counted 96.9 males, but for 100 females at least 18 years old, it was 94.1 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $84,205 (with a margin of error of +/- $5,160) and the median family income was $84,400 (+/- $4,219). Males had a median income of $52,571 (+/- $3,535) versus $40,023 (+/- $5,496) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $30,545 (+/- $2,875). About 5.4% of families and 7.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.0% of those under age 18 and 5.4% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 6,492 people, 2,159 households, and 1,737 families residing in the township. The population density was 105.8 people per square mile (40.9/km²). There were 2,327 housing units at an average density of 37.9 per square mile (14.6/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 97.43% White, 0.96% African American, 0.09% Native American, 0.43% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.62% from other races, and 0.46% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.51% of the population.

There were 2,159 households out of which 41.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.9% were married couples living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.5% were non-families. 15.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.91 and the average family size was 3.24.

In the township the population was spread out with 28.3% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 30.6% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 12.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 96.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.4 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $56,595, and the median income for a family was $61,445. Males had a median income of $41,404 versus $31,329 for females. The per capita income for the township was $21,455. About 4.0% of families and 5.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.6% of those under age 18 and 4.2% of those age 65 or over.

Local government

Dennis Township is governed under the Township form of government. The five-member Township Committee is elected directly by the voters at-large in partisan elections to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats 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. The Committee members serve in a part-time capacity and receive an annual salary.

The governing body originally consisted of three elected officials, one of which would be elected by the membership to serve as the Mayor. In 1989 voters approved a ballot question to increase the membership from three members to five members, and in November 1990 the voters elected two additional Committee members. The first five-member committee took office in January 1991 at which time the governing body established the position of Township Administrator.

As of 2016, members of the Dennis Township Committee are Mayor John Murphy (D, term on committee and as mayor ends December 31, 2016), Deputy Mayor Brian D. O'Connor (D, term on committee and as deputy mayor ends 2016), Julie Fry-DeRose (R, 2018), Lisa Salimbene (D, 2017) and Donald Tozer (D, 2017).

Federal, state and county representation

Dennis Township is located in the 2nd Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 1st 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).

Cape May County is governed by a Board of Chosen Freeholders consisting of five members, elected at-large in partisan elections to three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with one or two seats coming up for election each year; At an annual reorganization held each January, the freeholders select one member to serve as Director and another to serve as Vice-Director. As of 2015, Cape May County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director Gerald M. Thornton (Middle Township, term ends December 31, 2016), Freeholder Vice-Director Leonard C. Desiderio (Sea Isle City, 2015), Kristine Gabor (Upper Township, 2017), E. Marie Hayes (Ocean City, 2016), and Will Morey (Wildwood Crest, 2017). The county's constitutional officers are Sheriff Gary Schafer (Middle Township, 2017), Surrogate M. Susan Sheppard (Ocean City, 2017), and County Clerk Rita Fulginiti (Ocean City, 2015).

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 4,499 registered voters in Dennis Township, of which 1,091 (24.2%) were registered as Democrats, 1,527 (33.9%) were registered as Republicans and 1,877 (41.7%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 4 voters registered to other parties.

In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 55.5% of the vote (1,809 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 43.1% (1,406 votes), and other candidates with 1.4% (45 votes), among the 3,296 ballots cast by the township's 4,624 registered voters (36 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 71.3%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 55.4% of the vote (1,904 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama, who received 42.4% (1,459 votes), with 3,437 ballots cast among the township's 4,331 registered voters, for a turnout of 79.4%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 58.1% of the vote (1,977 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry, who received around 40.0% (1,362 votes), with 3,401 ballots cast among the township's 4,424 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 76.9.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 69.1% of the vote (1,647 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 29.4% (702 votes), and other candidates with 1.5% (36 votes), among the 2,481 ballots cast by the township's 4,559 registered voters (96 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 54.4%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 51.9% of the vote (1,251 ballots cast), ahead of both Democrat Jon Corzine with 37.1% (894 votes) and Independent Chris Daggett with 8.2% (197 votes), with 2,411 ballots cast among the township's 4,572 registered voters, yielding a 52.7% turnout.

Education

The Dennis Township Public Schools serve students in kindergarten through eighth grade. As of the 2011-12 school year, the district's two schools had an enrollment of 608 students and 69.7 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 8.72:1. Schools in the district (with 2011-12 enrollment from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Dennis Township Primary School for grades K-2 (188 students), Dennis Township Elementary School for grades 3-5 and Dennis Township Middle School for grades 6-8 (420 students combined in grades 3-8).

Students in public school for ninth through twelfth grades attend Middle Township High School in Cape May Court House, together with students from Avalon, Stone Harbor and Woodbine, as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Middle Township Public Schools. As of the 2013-14 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 807 students and 67.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.0:1.

Students are also eligible to attend the Cape May County Technical High School in Cape May Court House, which serves students from the entire county in its comprehensive and vocational programs.

Transportation

As of May 2010, the township had a total of 112.5 miles (181.1 km) of roadways, of which 58.7 miles (94.5 km) were maintained by the municipality, 32.9 miles (52.9 km) by Cape May County, 16.7 miles (26.9 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and 4.2 miles (6.8 km) by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.

Notable people

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