Country United States County Cumberland Incorporated February 21, 1798 Area 113.8 km² Local time Sunday 1:33 AM Named for Fairfield | State New Jersey Formed May 12, 1697 Founded 21 February 1798 Elevation 91 cm Population 6,283 (2000) | |
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Area rank 45th of 566 in state
5th of 14 in county Weather -4°C, Wind NW at 18 km/h, 44% Humidity | ||
Fairfield Township is a township in Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the Vineland-Millville- Bridgeton Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area for statistical purposes. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township's population was 6,295, reflecting an increase of 12 (+0.2%) from the 6,283 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 584 (+10.2%) from the 5,699 counted in the 1990 Census.
Contents
- Map of Fairfield Township NJ USA
- Geography
- Census 2010
- Census 2000
- Local government
- Federal state and county representation
- Politics
- Education
- Roads and highways
- Public transportation
- Notable people
- References
Map of Fairfield Township, NJ, USA
Fairfield Township was formed by Royal charter on May 12, 1697, from portions of the Cohansey Township area, while still part of Salem County, and was formed as a precinct in the newly created Cumberland County on January 19, 1748. It was incorporated on February 21, 1798, as one of the initial group of 104 townships in the state by an act of the New Jersey Legislature. Portions of the township were taken to form Downe Township (September 26, 1772), Millville Township (February 24, 1801) and Lawrence Township (February 17, 1885).
The name Fairfield refers to its original settlers, who were émigrés from Fairfield, Connecticut. The oldest Presbyterian church in South Jersey is said to date from before 1697. There is a plaque and an old cemetery which indicates the original log building.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 43.950 square miles (113.830 km2), including 41.260 square miles (106.864 km2) of land and 2.690 square miles (6.966 km2) of water (6.12%).
Fairton (with a 2010 Census population of 1,264) is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Fairfield Township.
Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Back Neck, Ben Davis Point, Clarks Pond, Fordville, Gouldtown, Lanings Wharf, Mulfords Landing, New England Crossroads and Sea Breeze and Tindells Landing.
The township has three primary population centers: Sea Breeze, Fairton (originally named Bumbridge) and Gouldtown, an old African American community from the segregation period.
Fairfield Township borders Lawrence Township, Millville, Deerfield Township, Upper Deerfield Township, Bridgeton, Hopewell Township, Greenwich Township, and the Delaware Bay.
Census 2010
The 2010 United States Census counted 6,295 people, 1,882 households, and 1,357 families residing in the township. The population density was 152.6 per square mile (58.9/km2). The township contained 2,058 housing units at an average density of 49.9 per square mile (19.3/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 37.49% (2,360) White, 47.53% (2,992) Black or African American, 5.10% (321) Native American, 0.44% (28) Asian, 0.03% (2) Pacific Islander, 4.58% (288) from other races, and 4.83% (304) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 12.84% (808) of the population.
Out of a total of 1,882 households, 24.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.6% were married couples living together, 21.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.9% were non-families. 24.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.14.
In the township, 17.8% of the population were under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 32.5% from 25 to 44, 27.3% from 45 to 64, and 13.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.0 years. For every 100 females the census counted 139.4 males, but for 100 females at least 18 years old, it was 148.8 males.
The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $46,895 (with a margin of error of +/- $3,014) and the median family income was $55,286 (+/- $4,900). Males had a median income of $45,333 (+/- $4,287) versus $32,763 (+/- $2,703) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $20,619 (+/- $1,444). About 6.7% of families and 10.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.1% of those under age 18 and 4.3% of those age 65 or over.
Census 2000
As of the 2000 United States Census there were 6,283 people, 1,751 households, and 1,322 families residing in the township. The population density was 148.6 people per square mile (57.4/km2). There were 1,915 housing units at an average density of 45.3 per square mile (17.5/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 41.41% White, 47.43% African American, 5.08% Native American, 0.56% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 2.39% from other races, and 3.10% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.87% of the population.
There were 1,751 households out of which 28.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.7% were married couples living together, 18.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.5% were non-families. 20.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.78 and the average family size was 3.19.
In the township the population was spread out with 19.8% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 36.4% from 25 to 44, 24.3% from 45 to 64, and 10.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 146.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 161.7 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $37,891, and the median income for a family was $41,326. Males had a median income of $31,858 versus $23,931 for females. The per capita income for the township was $17,547. About 6.9% of families and 11.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.9% of those under age 18 and 7.8% of those age 65 or over.
Local government
Fairfield 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.
As of 2016, members of the Fairfield Township Committee are Mayor Benjamin Byrd Sr. (Democratic Party, term on committee and as mayor ends December 31, 2016; term as deputy mayor ends 2015), Deputy Mayor Tommy Clark Jr. (D, term on committee ends 2017; term as deputy mayor ends 2016), Bernard A. Manson (I, 2018) and Marvin Pierce Jr. (D, 2018), with the seat formerly held by Troy Pitts being vacant.
JoAnne Servais was appointed to serve the unexpired term ending December 2014 of Dennis Pierce, who had resigned from office in June 2012 citing health issues.
Federal, state and county representation
Fairfield 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, Fairfield 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 3,639 registered voters in Fairfield Township, of which 1,603 (44.1%) were registered as Democrats, 409 (11.2%) were registered as Republicans and 1,627 (44.7%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were no voters registered to other parties.
In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 76.9% of the vote (1,830 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 22.4% (534 votes), and other candidates with 0.6% (15 votes), among the 2,405 ballots cast by the township's 3,739 registered voters (26 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 64.3%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 75.9% of the vote (1,860 cast), ahead of Republican John McCain, who received 22.3% (547 votes), with 2,451 ballots cast among the township's 3,707 registered voters, for a turnout of 66.1%. In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 68.7% of the vote (1,476 ballots cast), outpolling Republican George W. Bush, who received around 29.6% (636 votes), with 2,149 ballots cast among the township's 3,400 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 63.2.
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Democrat Barbara Buono received 61.0% of the vote (774 cast), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 37.2% (472 votes), and other candidates with 1.7% (22 votes), among the 1,315 ballots cast by the township's 3,584 registered voters (47 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 36.7%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 65.% of the vote (925 ballots cast), ahead of both Republican Chris Christie with 27.2% (387 votes) and Independent Chris Daggett with 3.9% (56 votes), with 1,424 ballots cast among the township's 3,586 registered voters, yielding a 39.7% turnout.
Education
The Fairfield Township School District serves public school students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. The district opened the new Fairfield Township School in September 2006, consolidating all grades into a single building located at 375 Gouldtown-Woodruff Road in the Gouldtown section of the township. As of the 2014-15 school year, the district and its one school had an enrollment of 909 students and 53.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 17.2:1.
Public school students in ninth through twelfth grades attend Cumberland Regional High School, which also serves students from Deerfield Township, Greenwich Township, Hopewell Township, Shiloh Borough, Stow Creek Township and Upper Deerfield Township. As of the 2014-15 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 1,354 students and 87.9 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 15.4:1.
Roads and highways
As of May 2010, the township had a total of 74.45 miles (119.82 km) of roadways, of which 30.89 miles (49.71 km) were maintained by the municipality, 39.90 miles (64.21 km) by Cumberland County and 3.66 miles (5.89 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.
Public transportation
NJ Transit offers service on the 553 route between Upper Deerfield Township and Atlantic City.
Notable people
People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Fairfield Township include: