Franklin Township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 22.998 square miles (59.563 km²), including 22.803 square miles (59.058 km²) of land and 0.195 square miles (0.505 km²) of water (0.85%).

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Allens Corner, Alvater Corner, Cherryville (previously known as Dogtown), Grandin, Kingtown, Lansdowne, Littletown, Oak Grove, Pittstown, Quakertown (previously known as Fairview), Sidney and Sunnyside. Pittstown, previously known as Hoffs, is also spread across Alexandria Township and Union Township.

The Capoolong Creek, which runs through Pittstown, was an attraction to early settlers and they soon established three of the oldest churches in present-day Hunterdon: Thomas Episcopal, established in 1723, Bethlehem Presbyterian, organized in 1730 and the Quaker Church in 1733.

Census 2010

The 2010 United States Census counted 3,195 people, 1,137 households, and 908.5 families residing in the township. The population density was 140.1 per square mile (54.1/km²). The township contained 1,204 housing units at an average density of 52.8 per square mile (20.4/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 96.84% (3,094) White, 0.69% (22) Black or African American, 0.16% (5) Native American, 1.25% (40) Asian, 0.09% (3) Pacific Islander, 0.44% (14) from other races, and 0.53% (17) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 3.44% (110) of the population.

Out of a total of 1,137 households, 34.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 71.0% were married couples living together, 5.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.1% were non-families. 15.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.9% 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 3.13.

In the township, 24.7% of the population were under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 19.4% from 25 to 44, 34.6% from 45 to 64, and 15.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45.0 years. For every 100 females the census counted 98.1 males, but for 100 females at least 18 years old, it was 98.9 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $104,500 (with a margin of error of +/- $19,534) and the median family income was $118,182 (+/- $16,643). Males had a median income of $72,303 (+/- $13,313) versus $52,202 (+/- $5,525) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $46,892 (+/- $5,196). About 1.7% of families and 1.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.0% 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 2,990 people, 1,091 households, and 890 families residing in the township. The population density was 130.7 people per square mile (50.5/km²). There were 1,125 housing units at an average density of 49.2 per square mile (19.0/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 97.53% White, 0.40% African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.77% Asian, 0.33% from other races, and 0.74% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.24% of the population.

There were 1,091 households out of which 34.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 73.8% were married couples living together, 5.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.4% were non-families. 14.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.0% 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 3.04.

In the township the population was spread out with 24.9% under the age of 18, 4.4% from 18 to 24, 28.0% from 25 to 44, 30.6% from 45 to 64, and 12.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 98.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.1 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $91,364, and the median income for a family was $96,320. Males had a median income of $66,667 versus $44,779 for females. The per capita income for the township was $39,668. About 1.5% of families and 1.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.5% of those under age 18 and 4.9% of those age 65 or over.

Local government

Franklin 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 Franklin Township Committee are Mayor Susan Soloway (R, term on committee and as mayor ends December 31, 2016), Deputy Mayor Kathryn Blew (R, term on committee ends 2017; term as deputy mayor ends 2016), Joseph Darocha (R, 2018), James Fania (R, 2016; appointed to serve an unexpired term) and Craig Repmann (R, 2018).

In April 2016, the Township Committee selected Jim Fania from three candidates nominated by the Republican municipal committee to fill the seat expiring on December 2016 that was vacated by Tim Wintermute who left office after moving out of the township.

Federal, state and county representation

Franklin Township is located in the 7th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 23rd state legislative district. Prior to the 2010 Census, Franklin Township had been part of the 12th Congressional District, a change made by the New Jersey Redistricting Commission that took effect in January 2013, based on the results of the November 2012 general elections.

New Jersey's Seventh Congressional District is represented by Leonard Lance (R, Clinton Township). 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 23rd Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Michael J. Doherty (R, Washington Township, Warren County) and in the General Assembly by John DiMaio (R, Hackettstown) and Erik Peterson (R, Franklin Township, Hunterdon County). The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham Township). The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).

Hunterdon County is governed by a five-member Board of Chosen Freeholders, who serve three-year terms of office at-large on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats up for election each year on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. At an annual reorganization meeting held each January, the freeholders select one member to serve as the board's Director and another to serve as Deputy Director. As of 2015, Hunterdon County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director John King (R; Raritan Township, 2015), Freeholder Deputy Director Suzanne Lagay (R; Holland Township, 2016), J. Matthew Holt (R; Clinton Town, 2015), John E. Lanza (R; Flemington, 2016) and Robert G. Walton (R; Hampton, 2017). Constitutional officers elected on a countywide basis are County Clerk Mary H. Melfi (R; Flemington, 2017), Sheriff Fredrick W. Brown (R; Alexandria Township, 2016) and Surrogate Susan J. Hoffman (R; Kingwood Township, 2018).

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 2,253 registered voters in Franklin Township, of which 382 (17.0%) were registered as Democrats, 1,021 (45.3%) were registered as Republicans and 850 (37.7%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were no voters registered to other parties.

In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 65.8% of the vote (1,166 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 33.2% (588 votes), and other candidates with 1.0% (18 votes), among the 1,781 ballots cast by the township's 2,362 registered voters (9 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 75.4%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 61.0% of the vote (1,118 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 36.6% (670 votes) and other candidates with 1.7% (31 votes), among the 1,833 ballots cast by the township's 2,228 registered voters, for a turnout of 82.3%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 63.3% of the vote (1,130 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry with 35.3% (630 votes) and other candidates with 1.1% (24 votes), among the 1,784 ballots cast by the township's 2,133 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 83.6.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 77.8% of the vote (861 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 20.3% (225 votes), and other candidates with 1.9% (21 votes), among the 1,132 ballots cast by the township's 2,279 registered voters (25 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 49.7%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 69.5% of the vote (977 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 21.6% (303 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 8.0% (112 votes) and other candidates with 0.3% (4 votes), among the 1,406 ballots cast by the township's 2,215 registered voters, yielding a 63.5% turnout.

Education

The Franklin Township School District serves public school students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade at Franklin Township School. As of the 2012-13 school year, the district's one school had an enrollment of 285 students and 25.8 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.05:1.

Public school students in ninth through twelfth grades attend North Hunterdon High School in Annandale together with students from Bethlehem Township, Clinton Town, Clinton Township, Lebanon Borough and Union Township. As of the 2014-15 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 1,747 students and 134.8 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 13.0:1. The school is part of the North Hunterdon-Voorhees Regional High School District, which also includes students from Califon, Glen Gardner, Hampton, High Bridge, Lebanon Township and Tewksbury Township, who attend Voorhees High School in Lebanon Township.

Transportation

As of May 2010, the township had a total of 53.09 miles (85.44 km) of roadways, of which 32.91 miles (52.96 km) were maintained by the municipality, 19.55 miles (31.46 km) by Hunterdon County and 0.63 miles (1.01 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

County roads that pass through include CR 513 and CR 579.

Route 12 passes through for just less than ½ mile. Interstate 78/U.S. Route 22 traverse through for a fifth of a mile with an interchange (Exit 15) at the northern tip of the township (which is the eastern overlapping end of Route 173).

The Norfolk Southern Railway's Lehigh Line (formerly the mainline of the Lehigh Valley Railroad), runs through the northern part of Franklin Township.

Notable people

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