Magnolia, New Jersey

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, Magnolia borough had a total area of 0.968 square miles (2.507 km²), all of which was land.

The borough borders Barrington, Gloucester Township, Lawnside, Runnemede and Somerdale.

Census 2010

The 2010 United States Census counted 4,341 people, 1,710 households, and 1,147 families residing in the borough. The population density was 4,485.3 per square mile (1,731.8/km²). The borough contained 1,850 housing units at an average density of 1,911.5 per square mile (738.0/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 74.71% (3,243) White, 18.27% (793) Black or African American, 0.30% (13) Native American, 1.89% (82) Asian, 0.05% (2) Pacific Islander, 2.21% (96) from other races, and 2.58% (112) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 7.83% (340) of the population.

Out of a total of 1,710 households, 28.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.4% were married couples living together, 15.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.9% were non-families. 26.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.08.

In the borough, 21.8% of the population were under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 29.0% from 25 to 44, 28.1% from 45 to 64, and 12.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.3 years. For every 100 females the census counted 93.6 males, but for 100 females at least 18 years old, it was 90.8 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $53,125 (with a margin of error of +/- $7,496) and the median family income was $74,042 (+/- $10,349). Males had a median income of $49,196 (+/- $2,966) versus $38,523 (+/- $5,667) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $27,896 (+/- $1,765). About 1.0% of families and 4.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.8% of those under age 18 and 0.0% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 4,409 people, 1,710 households, and 1,162 families residing in the borough. The population density was 4,543.3 people per square mile (1,755.0/km²). There were 1,836 housing units at an average density of 1,891.9 per square mile (730.8/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 77.00% White, 17.80% African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.93% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.54% from other races, and 2.47% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.06% of the population.

There were 1,710 households out of which 30.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.4% were married couples living together, 15.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.0% were non-families. 25.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.12.

In the borough the population was spread out with 24.7% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 33.2% from 25 to 44, 21.4% from 45 to 64, and 12.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 93.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.8 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $43,728, and the median income for a family was $50,791. Males had a median income of $38,480 versus $27,172 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $19,032. About 5.9% of families and 7.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.9% of those under age 18 and 5.0% of those age 65 or over.

Local government

Magnolia 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 Magnolia, 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 the Borough of Magnolia is Democrat BettyAnn Cowling-Carson, whose term of office ends December 31, 2019. Members of the Magnolia Borough Council are Council President Steve Whalen (D, 2017), Paula Bonamassa (D, 2016), Anthony DePrince, III (D, 2016), Richard V. Krause Jr. (D, 2018), Mary F. Martz (D, 2017) and Odell Saxton (D, 2018).

Federal, state and county representation

Magnolia is located in the 1st Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 5th 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 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).

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 2,918 registered voters in Magnolia, of which 1,170 (40.1%) were registered as Democrats, 367 (12.6%) were registered as Republicans and 1,381 (47.3%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were no voters registered to other parties.

In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 69.8% of the vote (1,383 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 29.3% (580 votes), and other candidates with 0.9% (18 votes), among the 2,002 ballots cast by the borough's 3,162 registered voters (21 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 63.3%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 66.2% of the vote (1,442 cast), ahead of Republican John McCain, who received around 30.1% (656 votes), with 2,177 ballots cast among the borough's 2,877 registered voters, for a turnout of 75.7%. In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 60.7% of the vote (1,293 ballots cast), outpolling Republican George W. Bush, who received around 37.3% (795 votes), with 2,129 ballots cast among the borough's 2,887 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 73.7.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 53.3% of the vote (555 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 44.9% (468 votes), and other candidates with 1.8% (19 votes), among the 1,070 ballots cast by the borough's 3,196 registered voters (28 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 33.5%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 53.7% of the vote (640 ballots cast), ahead of both Republican Chris Christie with 37.2% (443 votes) and Independent Chris Daggett with 5.3% (63 votes), with 1,191 ballots cast among the borough's 2,942 registered voters, yielding a 40.5% turnout.

Education

The Magnolia School District serves public school students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade at Magnolia School. As of the 2014-15 school year, the district and its one school had an enrollment of 612 students and 37.6 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 16.3:1.

For ninth through twelfth grades, public school students attend Sterling High School, a regional high school serving students from Magnolia, Somerdale, Stratford, along with students from Hi-Nella and Laurel Springs who attend as part of sending/receiving relationships. 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 17.53 miles (28.21 km) of roadways, of which 13.44 miles (21.63 km) were maintained by the municipality, 3.15 miles (5.07 km) by Camden County and 0.94 miles (1.51 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

Public transportation

NJ Transit offers bus service between Turnersville and Camden on the 403 route.