Laurel Springs, New Jersey

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, Laurel Springs borough had a total area of 0.471 square miles (1.220 km²), including 0.458 square miles (1.187 km²) of land and 0.013 square miles (0.033 km²) of water (2.70%).

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Watsontown.

Laurel Springs borders Lindenwold and Stratford.

Census 2010

The 2010 United States Census counted 1,908 people, 727 households, and 506 families residing in the borough. The population density was 4,163.7 per square mile (1,607.6/km²). The borough contained 771 housing units at an average density of 1,682.5 per square mile (649.6/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 92.87% (1,772) White, 3.46% (66) Black or African American, 0.10% (2) Native American, 1.00% (19) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 1.31% (25) from other races, and 1.26% (24) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 3.88% (74) of the population.

Out of a total of 727 households, 29.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.3% were married couples living together, 12.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.4% were non-families. 25.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.15.

In the borough, 22.8% of the population were under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 27.0% from 25 to 44, 28.5% from 45 to 64, and 12.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.5 years. For every 100 females the census counted 95.9 males, but for 100 females at least 18 years old, it was 94.1 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $69,405 (with a margin of error of +/- $8,221) and the median family income was $83,750 (+/- $12,497). Males had a median income of $57,900 (+/- $10,860) versus $49,028 (+/- $11,130) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $29,139 (+/- $3,021). About 11.4% of families and 11.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.5% of those under age 18 and 3.8% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2010 United States Census there were 1,970 people, 762 households, and 534 families residing in the borough. The population density was 4,213.5 people per square mile (1,618.3/km²). There were 806 housing units at an average density of 1,723.9 per square mile (662.1/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 94.37% White, 2.74% African American, 0.25% Native American, 0.96% Asian, 0.71% from other races, and 0.96% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.62% of the population.

There were 762 households out of which 32.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.5% were married couples living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.9% were non-families. 26.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.16.

In the borough the population was spread out with 24.1% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 31.0% from 25 to 44, 22.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 99.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.7 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $52,500, and the median income for a family was $58,854. Males had a median income of $41,349 versus $30,893 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $23,254. About 1.9% of families and 3.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.4% of those under age 18 and 1.4% of those age 65 or over.

Local government

Laurel Springs is governed under the Borough form of New Jersey municipal government. The governing body consists of a Mayor and a Borough Council comprising six council members, with all positions elected at-large on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. A Mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The Borough Council consists of six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle. The Borough form of government used by Laurel Springs, the most common system used in the state, is a "weak mayor / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can veto ordinances subject to an override by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council.

As of 2016, the Mayor of Laurel Springs Borough is Democrat Thomas A. "Tom" Barbera, whose term of office ends December 31, 2016. Members of the Laurel Springs Borough Council are Council President James W. "Jim" Redstreake (R, 2018), Joseph Cruz (D, 2017), Susan DiGregorio (D, 2018), Gene S. Letts (D, 2016), Richard J. McCunney, II (2017) and Kendra Mochel (D, 2016).

Federal, state and county representation

Laurel Springs is located in the 1st Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 4th state legislative district.

New Jersey's First Congressional District is represented by Donald Norcross (D, Camden). 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 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). The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham Township). The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).

Camden County is governed by a Board of Chosen Freeholders, whose seven members chosen at-large in partisan elections to three-year terms office on a staggered basis, with either two or three seats coming up for election each year. As of 2015, Camden County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director Louis Cappelli, Jr. (Collingswood, term as freeholder ends December 31, 2017; term as director ends 2015), Freeholder Deputy Director Edward T. McDonnell (Pennsauken Township, term as freeholder ends 2016; term as deputy director ends 2015), Michelle Gentek (Gloucester Township, 2015), Ian K. Leonard (Camden, 2015), Jeffrey L. Nash (Cherry Hill, 2015), Carmen Rodriguez (Merchantville, 2016) and Jonathan L. Young, Sr. (Berlin Township, November 2015; serving the unexpired term of Scot McCray ending in 2017)

Camden County's constitutional officers, all elected directly by voters, are County clerk Joseph Ripa, Sheriff Charles H. Billingham, and Surrogate Patricia Egan Jones. The Camden County Prosecutor Mary Eva Colalillo was appointed by the Governor of New Jersey with the advice and consent of the New Jersey Senate (the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature).

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 1,339 registered voters in Laurel Springs, of which 500 (37.3%) were registered as Democrats, 293 (21.9%) were registered as Republicans and 545 (40.7%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There was one voter registered to another party.

In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 58.9% of the vote (558 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 39.5% (374 votes), and other candidates with 1.6% (15 votes), among the 962 ballots cast by the borough's 1,422 registered voters (15 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 67.7%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 55.7% of the vote (583 cast), ahead of Republican John McCain, who received around 40.3% (422 votes), with 1,047 ballots cast among the borough's 1,346 registered voters, for a turnout of 77.8%. In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 55.6% of the vote (583 ballots cast), outpolling Republican George W. Bush, who received around 42.9% (450 votes), with 1,048 ballots cast among the borough's 1,328 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 78.9.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 63.5% of the vote (371 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 34.6% (202 votes), and other candidates with 1.9% (11 votes), among the 598 ballots cast by the borough's 1,438 registered voters (14 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 41.6%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 45.8% of the vote (324 ballots cast), ahead of both Democrat Jon Corzine with 43.5% (308 votes) and Independent Chris Daggett with 7.2% (51 votes), with 708 ballots cast among the borough's 1,368 registered voters, yielding a 51.8% turnout.

Education

The Laurel Springs School District serves public school students in pre-kindergarten through sixth grade at Laurel Spring School. As of the 2014-15 school year, the district and its one school had an enrollment of 359 students and 15.2 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 23.6:1.

Students in seventh and eighth grades attend Samuel S. Yellin Elementary School in Stratford as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Stratford School District.

For ninth grade through twelfth grade, public school students attend Sterling High School, a regional high school district that also serves students from Magnolia, Somerdale and Stratford, along with the sending districts of Hi-Nella and Laurel Springs. The high school is located in Somerdale. As of the 2014-15 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 961 students and 71.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 13.4:1.

Roads and highways

As of May 2010, the borough had a total of 10.51 miles (16.91 km) of roadways, of which 8.52 miles (13.71 km) were maintained by the municipality, 1.78 miles (2.86 km) by Camden County and 0.21 miles (0.34 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

Public transportation

NJ Transit offers service between the borough and Atlantic City on the 554 route, with local bus service offered on the 451 and 459 routes.

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Laurel Springs include: