Harrison Township, New Jersey

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 19.228 square miles (49.798 km²), including 19.141 square miles (49.574 km²) of land and 0.087 square miles (0.224 km²) of water (0.45%).

Mullica Hill is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Harrison Township that had a 2010 Census population of 3,982. Richwood is a CDP that is in portions of both Harrison Township and Mantua Township, which had a 2010 population of 3,459, of which 3,400 were in Harrison Township and 59 in Mantua Township.

Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Ewan, Ewans Mills, Heritage, Jefferson and Sherwin.

The township borders Woolwich Township, East Greenwich Township, Mantua Township, Glassboro, Elk Township, and South Harrison Township.

Census 2010

The 2010 United States Census counted 12,417 people, 3,942 households, and 3,315 families residing in the township. The population density was 648.7 per square mile (250.5/km²). The township contained 4,089 housing units at an average density of 213.6 per square mile (82.5/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 90.57% (11,246) White, 3.83% (475) Black or African American, 0.09% (11) Native American, 3.38% (420) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 0.48% (59) from other races, and 1.66% (206) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 3.01% (374) of the population.

Out of a total of 3,942 households, 49.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 72.7% were married couples living together, 7.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 15.9% were non-families. 13.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.15 and the average family size was 3.47.

In the township, 31.8% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 22.8% from 25 to 44, 29.6% from 45 to 64, and 8.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.1 years. For every 100 females the census counted 95.9 males, but for 100 females at least 18 years old, it was 94.2 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $102,162 (with a margin of error of +/- $10,851) and the median family income was $121,366 (+/- $9,400). Males had a median income of $88,157 (+/- $6,618) versus $47,857 (+/- $10,273) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $36,354 (+/- $2,640). About 5.0% of families and 5.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.4% of those under age 18 and 2.8% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 8,788 people, 2,848 households, and 2,323 families residing in the township. The population density was 459.3 people per square mile (177.4/km²). There were 2,939 housing units at an average density of 153.6 per square mile (59.3/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 95.16% White, 2.96% African American, 0.13% Native American, 0.73% Asian, 0.41% from other races, and 0.61% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.78% of the population.

There were 2,848 households out of which 49.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 71.8% were married couples living together, 7.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.4% were non-families. 15.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.06 and the average family size was 3.44.

In the township the population was spread out with 33.2% under the age of 18, 5.6% from 18 to 24, 33.7% from 25 to 44, 20.8% from 45 to 64, and 6.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 98.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.5 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $77,143, and the median income for a family was $84,379. Males had a median income of $61,770 versus $39,583 for females. The per capita income for the township was $28,645. About 2.1% of families and 3.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.5% of those under age 18 and 7.7% of those age 65 or over.

Local government

Harrison 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 held each January, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor and another as Deputy Mayor.

As of 2016, the members of the Harrison Township Committee are Mayor Louis Manzo (R, term on committee ends December 31, 2018 and as mayor ends December 31, 2017), Deputy Mayor Dennis Clowney (R, term on committee ends 2017; term as deputy mayor ends 2017), Don Heim (R, 2018), Vince Gangemi, Sr (R, 2019) and Jeff Jacques (R, 2019).

Federal, state and county representation

Harrison Township is located in the 2nd Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 5th state legislative district. Prior to the 2011 reapportionment following the 2010 Census, Harrison 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 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). The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham Township). The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).

Gloucester County is governed by a Board of Chosen Freeholders, whose seven members are elected at-large to three-year terms of office on a staggered basis in partisan elections, 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. As of 2016, Gloucester County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director Robert M. Damminger (D, West Deptford Township; term ends December 31, 2018), Deputy Freeholder Director Giuseppe "Joe" Chila (D, Woolwich Township; 2018), Lyman J. Barnes (D, Logan Township; 2017), Daniel Christy (D, Washington Township; 2016), Frank J. DiMarco (D, Deptford Township; 2016), Heather Simmons (D, Glassboro; 2017) and Jim Jefferson (D, Woodbury; 2017). Constitutional officers elected countywide are County Clerk James N. Hogan, Surrogate Helene M. Reed (Monroe Township) and Sheriff Carmel Morina (Greenwich Township).

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 7,889 registered voters in Harrison Township, of which 1,903 (24.1%) were registered as Democrats, 2,533 (32.1%) were registered as Republicans and 3,447 (43.7%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 6 voters registered to other parties.

In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 56.9% of the vote (3,561 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 41.8% (2,612 votes), and other candidates with 1.3% (81 votes), among the 6,292 ballots cast by the township's 8,439 registered voters (38 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 74.6%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 52.3% of the vote (3,280 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 45.7% (2,867 votes) and other candidates with 1.1% (68 votes), among the 6,273 ballots cast by the township's 7,975 registered voters, for a turnout of 78.7%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 58.0% of the vote (3,039 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry with 40.7% (2,132 votes) and other candidates with 0.6% (42 votes), among the 5,236 ballots cast by the township's 6,540 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 80.1.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 73.8% of the vote (2,515 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 24.6% (839 votes), and other candidates with 1.5% (52 votes), among the 3,454 ballots cast by the township's 8,407 registered voters (48 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 41.1%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 59.5% of the vote (2,214 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 31.7% (1,178 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 7.1% (265 votes) and other candidates with 0.6% (23 votes), among the 3,718 ballots cast by the township's 7,900 registered voters, yielding a 47.1% turnout.

Education

The Harrison Township School District serves students in public school for pre-kindergarten through sixth grade. As of the 2011-12 school year, the district's two schools had an enrollment of 1,481 students and 111.3 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 13.31:1. Schools in the district (with 2011-12 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Harrison Township Elementary School (827 students in grades PreK-3) and Pleasant Valley School (654 students in grades 4-6).

Public school students in seventh through twelfth grades attend the schools of the Clearview Regional High School District, which serves students from Harrison Township and Mantua Township. Schools in the district (with 2013-14 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Clearview Regional Middle School with 867 students (grades 7 and 8) and Clearview Regional High School with 1,623 students (grades 9-12).

Friends School Mullica Hill is a private, nonsectarian, coeducational day school located in the Mullica Hill section of Harrison Township that was established in 1969 and now serves students pre-kindergarten through eighth grade.

Roads and highways

As of May 2010, the township had a total of 93.60 miles (150.63 km) of roadways, of which 56.92 miles (91.60 km) were maintained by the municipality, 29.64 miles (47.70 km) by Gloucester County, 6.94 miles (11.17 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and 0.10 miles (0.16 km) by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.

The major county road that goes through is CR 581. State routes include Route 45, Route 55, and Route 77. U.S. Route 322 passes through the center of town. The New Jersey Turnpike runs through the township for a tenth of a mile, but the nearest interchange is just over the border in neighboring Woolwich Township.

Public transportation

NJ Transit bus service is available between Bridgeton and Philadelphia on the 410 route.

Wineries

Notable people

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