Gloucester County, New Jersey

Geography

According to the 2010 Census, the county had a total area of 337.18 square miles (873.3 km²), including 322.00 square miles (834.0 km²) of land (95.5%) and 15.17 square miles (39.3 km²) of water (4.5%).

Gloucester County is largely composed of low-lying rivers and coastal plains. The highest elevation in the county is a slight rise along County Route 654 southeast of Cross Keys that reaches approximately 180 feet (55 m) above sea level; the lowest point is at sea level on the Delaware River.

Adjacent counties

National protected area

History

Swedesboro and Bridgeport were the among the earliest European settlements in New Jersey as a part of the 17th century New Sweden colony. Gloucester dates back to May 26, 1686, when courts were established separate from those of Burlington. It was officially formed and its boundaries defined as part of West Jersey on May 17, 1694. Portions of Gloucester County were set off on February 7, 1837, to create Atlantic County, and on March 13, 1844 to create Camden County. The county was named for the city of Gloucester / county of Gloucestershire in England.

Woodbury, founded in 1683 by Henry Wood, is the oldest municipality in the county. National Park, another town in the county, was the site of the Revolutionary War Battle of Red Bank where Fort Mercer once stood. It is now the site of Red Bank Battlefield Park and the remains of the HMS Augusta laid there until they were moved and subsequently re sunk in Gloucester City on their way to Philadelphia. During the colonial era, Gloucester County's main economic activity was agriculture. Woodbury was the site of the county courthouse, the county jail, a Quaker meeting house (still in existence), and an inn (on the current location of Woodbury Crossings). Because of the county's many creeks leading to the Delaware River and the Atlantic Ocean, smuggling was very common.

In 2014, the county heroin death rate was 17.3 deaths per 100,000 people in 2014 — nearly seven times the national average.

Census 2010

The 2010 United States Census counted 288,288 people, 104,271 households, and 75,805 families residing in the county. The population density was 895.3 per square mile (345.7/km²). The county contained 109,796 housing units at an average density of 341 per square mile (132/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 83.56% (240,890) White, 10.06% (29,006) Black or African American, 0.17% (501) Native American, 2.64% (7,609) Asian, 0.03% (95) Pacific Islander, 1.41% (4,055) from other races, and 2.13% (6,132) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 4.76% (13,712) of the population.

Out of a total of 104,271 households, 33.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.6% were married couples living together, 12.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.3% were non-families. 22% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.9% 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 3.2.

In the county, 24.4% of the population were under the age of 18, 9.4% from 18 to 24, 25.6% from 25 to 44, 28.3% from 45 to 64, and 12.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.7 years. For every 100 females the census counted 94.4 males, but for 100 females at least 18 years old, it was 91.1 males.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 254,673 people, 90,717 households, and 67,221 families residing in the county. The population density was 784 people per square mile (303/km²). There were 95,054 housing units at an average density of 293 per square mile (113/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 87.07% White, 9.06% Black or African American, 0.19% Native American, 1.49% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.85% from other races, and 1.30% from two or more races. 2.58% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Among those residents listing their ancestry, 26.9% were of Italian, 24.4% Irish, 22.9% German and 11.5% English ancestry according to Census 2000.

There were 90,717 households out of which 36.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.3% were married couples living together, 11.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.9% were non-families. 25.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 23.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.75 and the average family size was 3.22.

In the county, the population was spread out with 26.40% under the age of 18, 8.90% from 18 to 24, 30.40% from 25 to 44, 22.60% from 45 to 64, and 11.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 93.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $54,273, and the median income for a family was $62,482. Males had a median income of $43,825 versus $31,077 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,708. About 4.3% of families and 6.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.6% of those under age 18 and 7.0% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Gloucester County is governed by a Board of Chosen Freeholders consisting of seven members. Freeholders are elected at large by the voters of Gloucester County in partisan elections and serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with two or three seats coming up for election each year. At a reorganization meeting held each January, the Board selects a Freeholder Director and a Deputy Freeholder Director from among its members. Gloucester County's Freeholders are:

Gloucester County's constitutional officers are County Clerk James N. Hogan, County Surrogate Helene M. Reed and County Sheriff Carmel Morina.

Cumberland County is a part of Vicinage 15 of the New Jersey Superior Court (along with Cumberland County and Salem County), which is seated at the Gloucester County Courthouse in Woodbury; the Assignment Judge for Vicinage 15 is the Honorable Georgia M. Curio.

Gloucester County is included in the 1st and 2nd Congressional Districts. New Jersey's First Congressional District is represented by Donald Norcross (D, Camden). New Jersey's Second Congressional District is represented by Frank LoBiondo (R, Ventnor City).

The county is part of the 3rd, 4th and 5th Districts in the New Jersey Legislature. For the 2016–2017 session (Senate, General Assembly), the 3rd Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Stephen M. Sweeney (D, West Deptford Township) and in the General Assembly by John J. Burzichelli (D, Paulsboro) and Adam Taliaferro (D, Woolwich Township). For the 2016–2017 session (Senate, General Assembly), the 4th Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Fred H. Madden (D, Washington Township, Gloucester County) and in the General Assembly by Paul Moriarty (D, Washington Township, Gloucester County) and Gabriela Mosquera (D, Gloucester Township). For the 2016–2017 session (Senate, General Assembly), the 5th Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Nilsa Cruz-Perez (D, Barrington) and in the General Assembly by Arthur Barclay (D, Camden) and Patricia Egan Jones (D, Barrington).

Politics

The county leans toward the Democratic Party, though to a slightly lesser degree than the state of New Jersey as a whole. In the 2004 U.S. Presidential election, John Kerry carried Gloucester County by a 5.3% margin over George W. Bush, while Kerry carried the state by 6.7% over Bush.

In the 2008 U.S. Presidential election, Barack Obama carried Gloucester County by a 12.2% margin over John McCain, while Obama carried the state by 15.5% over McCain. However, in the 2009 Gubernatorial Election, Republican Chris Christie received 47% of the vote, defeating Democrat Jon Corzine, who received around 43%.

Roads and highways

As of 2010, the county had a total of 1,698.59 miles (2,733.62 km) of roadways, of which 1,126.99 miles (1,813.71 km) were maintained by the local municipality, 406.47 miles (654.15 km) by Gloucester County and 145.11 miles (233.53 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and 20.02 miles (32.22 km) by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.

Various county, state, U.S. routes and interstates pass through the county. Major county highways include County Road 534, County Road 536, County Road 538, County Road 544, County Road 551, County Road 553, County Road 555 and County Road 557.

State Routes include Route 41, Route 42 (part of the North-South Freeway), Route 45, Route 47, Route 55, Route 77, Route 168 and Route 324 (only in Logan). The three U.S. routes that traverse include U.S. Route 130 in the northwest, U.S. Route 322 near the center, and U.S. Route 40 in the southern tip.

Interstate 295 is the only interstate in the county which also runs through the northwest for about 14 miles. The New Jersey Turnpike also passes through in the northwest. Only one turnpike interchange is located within Gloucester: Exit 2 in Woolwich.

Public transportation

The Glassboro–Camden Line is a proposed 18-mile (28.97 km) diesel multiple unit (DMU) light rail system planned to connect with the River LINE and PATCO Speedline in Camden and expected to be in operation in 2019.

Located within the Conrail South Jersey/Philadelphia Shared Assets Area. freight rail in the county travels along Penns Grove Secondary, the Salem Branch, and the Vineland Secondary. SMS Rail Lines handles interchanges with CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern Railway.

Port

The Port of Paulsboro is located on the Delaware River and Mantua Creek in and around Paulsboro. Traditionally one of the nation's busiest for marine transfer operations of petroleum products, the port is being redeveloped as an adaptable omniport able to handle bulk, break bulk cargo and shipping containers. Studies completed in 2012 concluded that the port is well suited to become a center for the manufacture, assembly, and transport of wind turbines and platforms the development of wind power in New Jersey

Municipalities

The following municipalities are located in Gloucester County. The municipality type is listed in parentheses after the name, except where the type is included as part of the name. Census-designated places and other unincorporated communities are listed under their municipalities.

Emergency services

Gloucester County is home to the first county based EMS agency in New Jersey providing services to the municipalities of Logan, Woolwich, Swedesboro, East Greenwich, Gibbstown, Paulsboro, West Deptford, National Park, Mantua, Pitman, Glassboro, Clayton, Woodbury, South Harrison and Wenonah. GCEMS was started in September 2007; its goal is to provide emergency medical services to the residents of the county within nine minutes from the time of dispatch 90% of the time (considered to be the gold standard in EMS). Currently GCEMS has 10 ambulances in service around the clock and two "power shift" ambulances on duty from the hours of 8AM to 9PM seven days a week. The department operates out of 11 stations spread strategically throughout the county. The Gloucester County EMS administrative offices are located at the county's Emergency Response Center at 1200 N. Delsea Drive, Clayton, New Jersey 08312. It was the winner of the 2010 Outstanding Public EMS Agency by the State of New Jersey.

Gloucester County SWAT is a multi-jurisdictional team, composed of police officers from departments within the county. Officers are on-call 24/7 for emergency situations such as barricaded subjects, suicidal subjects and hostage rescue. They also provide high-risk warrant service, dignitary protection and counter-terrorism response.

Unified school districts

School districts in the county include the Gloucester County Vocational-Technical School District, with its one school being the Gloucester County Institute of Technology, which operates as a four-year vocational-technical high school that serves students from across the county.

Colleges and universities

Rowan University in Glassboro, is a public university that was founded in 1923 as Glassboro Normal School on a 25-acre (10 ha) site donated by the borough. After a series of alternative titles over the years, in 1992 the school was renamed Rowan College of New Jersey after Henry Rowan and his wife Betty gave the school $100 million, at the time the largest gift to a public college. It became Rowan University on March 21, 1997, when it won approval for university status from the New Jersey Commission on Higher Education. The Cold War Glassboro Summit Conference between U.S. President Lyndon Johnson and Soviet Premier Alexei Kosygin took place from June 23–25, 1967, in Hollybush Mansion. The site was chosen because of its location equidistant between New York City, where Kosygin was making a speech at the U.N., and Washington, D.C.

The county college is Rowan College at Gloucester County, having been established in 1966 as Gloucester County College and first opening to students two years later.

Wineries

Notable people

Climate and weather

In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Woodbury have ranged from a low of 26 °F (−3 °C) in January to a high of 87 °F (31 °C) in July, although a record low of −11 °F (−24 °C) was recorded in February 1934 and a record high of 106 °F (41 °C) was recorded in August 1918. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 2.75 inches (70 mm) in February to 4.35 inches (110 mm) in July.