Hainesport Township, New Jersey

History

In 1778, the township was the site of a skirmish during the American Revolutionary War, when American rebels fired upon Hessian soldiers after they were halted by the dismantling of a bridge over the Rancocas.

Hainesport Township was incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 12, 1924, from portions of Lumberton Township. The township was named for Barclay Haines, who bought property in the area and established a wharf near his home on the Rancocas Creek.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 6.723 square miles (17.414 km²), including 6.459 square miles (16.730 km²) of land and 0.264 square miles (0.685 km²) of water (3.93%).

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Clermont, Creekview, Franklin Estates, The Glen at Mason's Creek, Hainesport Chase, Lakeside at Creekview, Mason's Woods, Oakdale, Rancocas Heights, Sage Run and Union Mills.

The township borders Mount Laurel Township, Lumberton Township, Mount Holly Township and Westampton Township (across the Rancocas Creek north branch).

Census 2010

The 2010 United States Census counted 6,110 people, 2,239 households, and 1,726 families residing in the township. The population density was 945.9 per square mile (365.2/km²). The township contained 2,305 housing units at an average density of 356.8 per square mile (137.8/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 84.78% (5,180) White, 7.50% (458) Black or African American, 0.10% (6) Native American, 4.08% (249) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 1.42% (87) from other races, and 2.13% (130) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 5.07% (310) of the population.

Out of a total of 2,239 households, 34.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.0% were married couples living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.9% were non-families. 18.9% 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 2.72 and the average family size was 3.11.

In the township, 25.4% of the population were under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 24.2% from 25 to 44, 30.1% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.9 years. For every 100 females the census counted 92.9 males, but for 100 females at least 18 years old, it was 89.9 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $87,047 (with a margin of error of +/- $8,609) and the median family income was $95,054 (+/- $7,689). Males had a median income of $64,477 (+/- $9,344) versus $40,658 (+/- $8,999) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $35,813 (+/- $2,708). About 0.0% of families and 1.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.3% of those under age 18 and 1.1% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 4,126 people, 1,477 households, and 1,150 families residing in the township. The population density was 632.8 people per square mile (244.3/km²). There were 1,555 housing units at an average density of 238.5 per square mile (92.1/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 94.09% White, 2.67% African American, 0.10% Native American, 1.70% Asian, 0.51% from other races, and 0.95% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.13% of the population.

There were 1,477 households out of which 35.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.5% were married couples living together, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.1% were non-families. 17.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.3% 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 3.16.

In the township the population was spread out with 26.3% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 31.4% from 25 to 44, 24.9% from 45 to 64, and 11.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 95.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.5 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $66,417, and the median income for a family was $72,005. Males had a median income of $49,015 versus $33,932 for females. The per capita income for the township was $28,091. About 2.0% of families and 3.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.1% of those under age 18 and 5.2% of those age 65 or over.

Local government

Hainesport 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 Hainesport Township Committee are Mayor Michael Dickinson (R, term as committee member ends December 31, 2017; term as mayor ends 2016), Deputy Mayor Anthony Porto, II (R, term on committee ends 2017; term as deputy mayor ends 2016), William Boettcher, III (R, 2016), Michael Fitzpatrick (R, 2018) and Bruce MacLachlan (R, 2016).

Federal, state and county representation

Hainesport Township is located in the 3rd Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 8th state legislative district.

New Jersey's 3rd Congressional District is represented by Tom MacArthur (R, Toms River). 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 8th Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Dawn Marie Addiego (R, Evesham Township) and in the General Assembly by Maria Rodriguez-Gregg (R, Evesham Township) and Joe Howarth (R, Evesham Township). The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham Township). The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).

Burlington County is governed by a Board of chosen freeholders, whose five members are elected at-large in partisan elections to three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats coming up for election each year. The board chooses a director and deputy director from among its members at an annual reorganization meeting held in January. As of 2015, Burlington County's Freeholders are Director Mary Ann O'Brien (R, Medford Township, 2017; Director of Administration and Human Services), Deputy Director Bruce Garganio (R, Florence Township, 2017; Director of Public Works and Health), Aimee Belgard (D, Edgewater Park Township, 2015; Director of Hospital, Medical Services and Education) Joseph Donnelly (R, Cinnaminson Township, 2016; Director of Public Safety, Natural Resources, and Education) and Joanne Schwartz (D, Southampton Township, 2015; Director of Health and Corrections). Constitutional officers are County Clerk Tim Tyler, Sheriff Jean E. Stanfield and Surrogate George T. Kotch.

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 4,014 registered voters in Hainesport Township, of which 1,089 (27.1% vs. 33.3% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 1,244 (31.0% vs. 23.9%) were registered as Republicans and 1,679 (41.8% vs. 42.8%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 2 voters registered to other parties. Among the township's 2010 Census population, 65.7% (vs. 61.7% in Burlington County) were registered to vote, including 88.0% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 80.3% countywide).

In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 1,650 votes here (50.9% vs. 40.2% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 1,545 votes (47.7% vs. 58.1%) and other candidates with 19 votes (0.6% vs. 1.0%), among the 3,239 ballots cast by the township's 4,217 registered voters, for a turnout of 76.8% (vs. 74.5% in Burlington County). In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 1,679 votes here (50.3% vs. 58.4% countywide), ahead of Republican John McCain with 1,594 votes (47.8% vs. 39.9%) and other candidates with 39 votes (1.2% vs. 1.0%), among the 3,338 ballots cast by the township's 4,022 registered voters, for a turnout of 83.0% (vs. 80.0% in Burlington County). In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 1,643 votes here (54.0% vs. 46.0% countywide), ahead of Democrat John Kerry with 1,367 votes (44.9% vs. 52.9%) and other candidates with 26 votes (0.9% vs. 0.8%), among the 3,045 ballots cast by the township's 3,650 registered voters, for a turnout of 83.4% (vs. 78.8% in the whole county).

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 1,444 votes here (69.7% vs. 61.4% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 566 votes (27.3% vs. 35.8%) and other candidates with 28 votes (1.4% vs. 1.2%), among the 2,073 ballots cast by the township's 4,222 registered voters, yielding a 49.1% turnout (vs. 44.5% in the county). In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 1,250 votes here (55.4% vs. 47.7% countywide), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 856 votes (37.9% vs. 44.5%), Independent Chris Daggett with 105 votes (4.7% vs. 4.8%) and other candidates with 27 votes (1.2% vs. 1.2%), among the 2,258 ballots cast by the township's 4,044 registered voters, yielding a 55.8% turnout (vs. 44.9% in the county).

Education

The Hainesport Township School District serves public school students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade at the Hainesport School. As of the 2014-15 school year, the district and its one school had an enrollment of 936 students and 57.8 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 16.2:1.

For ninth through twelfth grades, public school students attend the Rancocas Valley Regional High School, a comprehensive regional public high school serving students from five communities encompassing approximately 40 square miles (100 km²) and comprises the communities of Eastampton Township, Hainesport Township, Lumberton Township, Mount Holly Township and Westampton Township. As of the 2014-15 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 2,077 students and 110.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 18.9:1. The school is located in Mount Holly Township and is part of the Rancocas Valley Regional High School District.

Students from Hainesport Township, and from all of Burlington County, are eligible to attend the Burlington County Institute of Technology, a countywide public school district that serves the vocational and technical education needs of students at the high school and post-secondary level at its campuses in Medford and Westampton Township.

Roads and highways

As of May 2010, the township had a total of 43.05 miles (69.28 km) of roadways, of which 30.72 miles (49.44 km) were maintained by the municipality, 9.50 miles (15.29 km) by Burlington County and 2.83 miles (4.55 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

Route 38 passes through in the center of the township. The two major county roads that pass through are CR 537 near the center and CR 541 in the eastern section.

Interstate 295 and the New Jersey Turnpike are accessible outside the municipality in neighboring Westampton and Mount Laurel Townships.

Public transportation

NJ Transit provides bus service in the township on the 317 route between Asbury Park and Philadelphia, and on the 413 route between Camden and Burlington.

BurLink bus service is offered on the B1 route between Beverly and Pemberton.