Manasquan, New Jersey

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 2.530 square miles (6.553 km²), including 1.383 square miles (3.583 km²) of land and 1.147 square miles (2.970 km²) of water (45.33%).

The borough borders the municipalities of Brielle, Sea Girt and Wall Township in Monmouth County; and Point Pleasant Beach in Ocean County.

Census 2010

The 2010 United States Census counted 5,897 people, 2,374 households, and 1,550 families residing in the borough. The population density was 4,263.0 per square mile (1,646.0/km²). The borough contained 3,500 housing units at an average density of 2,530.2 per square mile (976.9/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 96.07% (5,665) White, 0.31% (18) Black or African American, 0.02% (1) Native American, 0.61% (36) Asian, 0.02% (1) Pacific Islander, 1.93% (114) from other races, and 1.05% (62) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 7.02% (414) of the population.

Out of a total of 2,374 households, 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.5% were married couples living together, 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.7% were non-families. 28.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.10.

In the borough, 23.3% of the population were under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 22.6% from 25 to 44, 31.3% from 45 to 64, and 16.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.5 years. For every 100 females the census counted 95.3 males, but for 100 females at least 18 years old, it was 91.4 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $87,525 (with a margin of error of +/- $21,227) and the median family income was $107,130 (+/- $13,653). Males had a median income of $98,408 (+/- $6,173) versus $56,250 (+/- $8,110) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $51,068 (+/- $8,350). About 3.1% of families and 5.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.2% of those under age 18 and 4.7% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 6,310 people, 2,600 households, and 1,635 families residing in the borough. The population density was 4,579.6 people per square mile (1,765.4/km²). There were 3,531 housing units at an average density of 2,562.7 per square mile (987.9/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 97.89% White, 0.41% Black, 0.11% Native American, 0.44% Asian, 0.48% from other races, and 0.67% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.48% of the population.

There were 2,600 households out of which 29.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.3% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.1% were non-families. 30.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 3.06.

In the borough the population was spread out with 23.8% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 29.6% from 25 to 44, 25.1% from 45 to 64, and 14.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 96.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.4 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $63,079, and the median income for a family was $73,670. Males had a median income of $52,368 versus $33,333 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $32,898. About 2.2% of families and 3.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.8% of those under age 18 and 5.3% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Manasquan 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 Manasquan, 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 Manasquan is Democrat Edward G. Donovan, whose term of office ends December 31, 2019. Members of the Borough Council are Jeffrey K. Lee (D, 2017), Michael W. Mangan (D, 2017), Owen McCarthy (D, 2016), Gregg Olivera (R, 2018), Richard Read (D, 2016; appointed to serve an unexpired term) and James Walsh (D, 2018).

In January 2016, the Borough Council appointed Richard Read to fill the council seat expiring in December 2016 that became vacant when Edward Donovan was sworn in as mayor.

Federal, state, and county representation

Manasquan is located in the 4th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 30th state legislative district. Prior to the 2011 reapportionment following the 2010 Census, Manasquan had been in the 10th state legislative district.

New Jersey's Fourth Congressional District is represented by Christopher Smith (R). 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 30th Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Robert Singer (R, Lakewood Township) and in the General Assembly by Sean T. Kean (R, Wall Township) and Dave Rible (R, Wall Township). The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham Township). The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).

Monmouth County is governed by a Board of Chosen Freeholders consisting of five members who are elected at-large to serve three year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats up for election each year as part of the November general election. At an annual reorganization meeting held in the beginning of January, the board selects one of its members to serve as Director and another as Deputy Director. As of 2014, Monmouth County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director Lillian G. Burry (R, Colts Neck Township; term ends December 31, 2014), Freeholder Deputy Director Gary J. Rich, Sr. (R, Spring Lake; 2014), Thomas A. Arnone (R, Neptune City; 2016), John P. Curley (R, Middletown Township; 2015) and Serena DiMaso (R, Holmdel Township; 2016). Constitutional officers elected on a countywide basis are County Clerk M. Claire French (Wall Township), Sheriff Shaun Golden (Farmingdale) and Surrogate Rosemarie D. Peters (Middletown Township).

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 4,277 registered voters in Manasquan, of which 956 (22.4%) were registered as Democrats, 1,271 (29.7%) were registered as Republicans and 2,047 (47.9%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were three voters registered to other parties.

In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 59.7% of the vote (1,826 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 39.3% (1,201 votes), and other candidates with 1.0% (32 votes), among the 3,080 ballots cast by the borough's 4,350 registered voters (21 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 70.8%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 56.8% of the vote (1,943 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 41.1% (1,406 votes) and other candidates with 1.0% (33 votes), among the 3,420 ballots cast by the borough's 4,384 registered voters, for a turnout of 78.0%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 62.2% of the vote (2,136 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry with 36.0% (1,237 votes) and other candidates with 1.0% (46 votes), among the 3,434 ballots cast by the borough's 4,452 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 77.1.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 76.2% of the vote (1,872 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 22.3% (549 votes), and other candidates with 1.5% (36 votes), among the 2,504 ballots cast by the borough's 4,378 registered voters (47 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 57.2%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 65.6% of the vote (1,695 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 26.1% (674 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 6.8% (175 votes) and other candidates with 0.9% (23 votes), among the 2,584 ballots cast by the borough's 4,269 registered voters, yielding a 60.5% turnout.

Community

Due to its location bordering the Atlantic Ocean, the population of Manasquan increases dramatically in the summer months as tourists flock to the beach.

The Manasquan Inlet provides surfers with waves that are corralled, refracted and enlarged by the jetty protruding out into the Atlantic Ocean. The Manasquan Inlet, reopened in 1931, is the northern terminus of the inland portion of the Intracoastal Waterway.

Manasquan has a downtown area with many small businesses. Algonquin Arts Theatre has shows and movies that play throughout the year. It is a historic 540-seat theatre, built in 1938 as a movie house but converted to a professional live performance space in May 1994.

The demolition of traditional beach bungalows and their replacement with much larger single-family dwellings has helped turn Manasquan into a year-round community. The decrease in tourism and rise in residency can be attributed to the decline of once popular tourist destinations. Manasquan no longer has a 24-hour diner or a miniature golf course, and has lost many of the bars once located in its borders. During the summer months, the local bar and party scene overwhelm the area between Brielle Road and Main Street from the bridges to the ocean, especially with local bars - Leggetts and The Osprey - contributing greatly to the amount of party goers in the town.

The Firemans' Fair occurs every July/August. The fair is the largest source of funds for Manasquan Volunteer Engine Company #2 and dates back to 1974.Though it was on a decade-long hiatus until the late 1990s, the five day-long festivities in 2011 were expected to draw 30,000 attendees.

Manasquan was home to the Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA), the largest registry of pedigreed cats in the world, until 2010.

Roads and highways

As of May 2010, the borough had a total of 27.22 miles (43.81 km) of roadways, of which 24.56 miles (39.53 km) were maintained by the municipality, 1.56 miles (2.51 km) by Monmouth County and 1.10 miles (1.77 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

The Garden State Parkway is the nearest major highway. Route 71 runs through the borough.

Public transportation

NJ Transit offers rail service at the Manasquan station on the North Jersey Coast Line. Passengers can travel south to Point Pleasant Beach and Bay Head or north to points such as Belmar, Long Branch, Newark, Hoboken Terminal and Penn Station in Midtown Manhattan.

NJ Transit provides bus transportation between Manasquan and Philadelphia on the 317 route and local service on the 830 route.

Education

The Manasquan Public Schools serves students from kindergarten through twelfth grade. As of the 2011-12 school year, the district's two schools had an enrollment of 1,697 students and 123.6 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 13.73:1. Schools in the district (with 2011-12 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Manasquan Elementary School with 678 students in grades K-8 and Manasquan High School with 1,019 students in grades 9-12. In addition to students from Manasquan, the district's high school also serves public school students from Avon-by-the-Sea, Belmar, Brielle, Lake Como, Sea Girt, Spring Lake, and Spring Lake Heights, who attend Manasquan High School as part of sending/receiving relationships with their respective districts. The two Manasquan public school buildings are across from each other on Broad Street, with Board of Education offices next door to the high school.

The Roman Catholic-affiliated St. Denis School served youth from pre-school through 8th grade under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Trenton. In 2014, the diocese announced that the school was closing at the end of the 2014-15 school year, as fewer students were attending, with enrollment having fallen from a peak of nearly 400 in the 1970s to 107 in 2014.

Notable people

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