Lebanon Township, New Jersey

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 31.696 square miles (82.092 km²), including 31.458 square miles (81.476 km²) of land and 0.238 square miles (0.616 km²) of water (0.75%).

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Anthony, Bunnvale, Changewater, Hampton Junction, Hoffmans, Little Brook, Lower Valley, Mount Lebanon, New Hampton, Newport, Penwell, Red Mill, Saint Nicholas Village, Scrappy Corner, Spruce Run, Stone Mill, The Point and Woodglen.

The township borders Bethlehem Township, Califon, Clinton Township, Glen Gardner, Hampton, High Bridge, Tewksbury Township and Union Township in Hunterdon County; Washington Township in Morris County; and Mansfield Township and Washington Township in Warren County.

Census 2010

The 2010 United States Census counted 6,588 people, 2,296 households, and 1,761 families residing in the township. The population density was 209.4 per square mile (80.8/km²). The township contained 2,439 housing units at an average density of 77.5 per square mile (29.9/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 95.01% (6,259) White, 1.68% (111) Black or African American, 0.06% (4) Native American, 1.47% (97) Asian, 0.11% (7) Pacific Islander, 0.59% (39) from other races, and 1.08% (71) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 3.11% (205) of the population.

Out of a total of 2,296 households, 33.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.7% were married couples living together, 6.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.3% were non-families. 18.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.11.

In the township, 22.6% of the population were under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 19.8% from 25 to 44, 35.6% from 45 to 64, and 15.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45.4 years. For every 100 females the census counted 99.1 males, but for 100 females at least 18 years old, it was 98.0 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $96,489 (with a margin of error of +/- $7,123) and the median family income was $110,893 (+/- $29,973). Males had a median income of $78,056 (+/- $22,457) versus $56,346 (+/- $14,410) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $43,424 (+/- $5,347). About 4.4% of families and 5.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.8% of those under age 18 and 1.6% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 5,816 people, 1,963 households, and 1,556 families residing in the township. The population density was 183.5 people per square mile (70.9/km²). There were 2,020 housing units at an average density of 63.7 per square mile (24.6/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 96.97% White, 0.81% African American, 0.10% Native American, 0.93% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.38% from other races, and 0.79% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.72% of the population.

There were 1,963 households out of which 38.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 71.1% were married couples living together, 5.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.7% were non-families. 15.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.79 and the average family size was 3.15.

In the township the population was spread out with 25.5% under the age of 18, 5.1% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 28.7% from 45 to 64, and 11.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 97.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.1 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $77,662, and the median income for a family was $86,145. Males had a median income of $58,306 versus $40,474 for females. The per capita income for the township was $30,793. About 1.0% of families and 2.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 8.4% of those age 65 or over.

Local government

Lebanon 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 during the first week of January, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor and another as Deputy Mayor.

As of 2016, members of the Lebanon Township Committee are Mayor Marc Laul (R, term on committee ends December 31, 2017; term as mayor ends 2016), Deputy Mayor Thomas R. McKee (R, term on committee ends 2017; term as deputy mayor ends 2016), Ronald S. Milkowski (R, 2016), Mike Schmidt (R, 2018) and Brian K. Wunder (R, 2016).

Federal, state and county representation

Lebanon Township is located in the 7th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 23rd state legislative district.

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 4,366 registered voters in Lebanon Township, of which 723 (16.6%) were registered as Democrats, 1,759 (40.3%) were registered as Republicans and 1,881 (43.1%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 3 voters registered to other parties.

In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 63.3% of the vote (2,048 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 35.3% (1,140 votes), and other candidates with 1.4% (46 votes), among the 3,250 ballots cast by the township's 4,543 registered voters (16 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 71.5%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 60.4% of the vote (2,119 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 37.2% (1,305 votes) and other candidates with 1.7% (59 votes), among the 3,507 ballots cast by the township's 4,450 registered voters, for a turnout of 78.8%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 63.9% of the vote (2,152 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry with 34.7% (1,170 votes) and other candidates with 1.2% (49 votes), among the 3,370 ballots cast by the township's 4,249 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 79.3.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 74.6% of the vote (1,547 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 23.0% (477 votes), and other candidates with 2.5% (51 votes), among the 2,118 ballots cast by the township's 4,499 registered voters (43 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 47.1%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 70.3% of the vote (1,851 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 20.5% (539 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 7.9% (208 votes) and other candidates with 0.6% (15 votes), among the 2,633 ballots cast by the township's 4,396 registered voters, yielding a 59.9% turnout.

Education

The Lebanon Township Schools serves students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. As of the 2014-15 school year, the district and its two schools had an enrollment of 1,037 students and 68.4 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 15.2:1. Schools in the district (with 2014-15 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Valley View School (for grades PreK-4; 340 students) and Woodglen School (for grades 5-8; 343 students). Both schools are located in Lebanon Township, but have a Califon mailing address.

Public school students in ninth through twelfth grades attend Voorhees High School, which also serves students from Califon, Glen Gardner, Hampton, High Bridge and Tewksbury Township. As of the 2014-15 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 1,067 students and 88.4 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.1:1. The school is part of the North Hunterdon-Voorhees Regional High School District, which also includes students from Bethlehem Township, Clinton Town, Clinton Township, Franklin Township, Lebanon Borough and Union Township who attend North Hunterdon High School in Annandale.

Lebanon Township is also home to the Hunterdon Learning Center, an alternative education school founded by James Butters in 1975.

Roads and highways

As of May 2010, the township had a total of 89.89 miles (144.66 km) of roadways, of which 75.20 miles (121.02 km) were maintained by the municipality, 12.96 miles (20.86 km) by Hunterdon County and 1.73 miles (2.78 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

Route 31 passes through the township, providing access to Interstate 78.

Public transportation

Local bus service is provided by NJ Transit on the 884 route, with train service on the Raritan Valley Line available at the High Bridge station.

Notable people

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