Manchester Township, New Jersey

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 82.694 square miles (214.177 km²), including 81.620 square miles (211.395 km²) of land and 1.074 square miles (2.782 km²) of water (1.30%).

Cedar Glen Lakes (with a 2010 Census population of 1,421), Cedar Glen West (1,267), Crestwood Village (7,907), Leisure Knoll (2,490), Leisure Village West (3,493), Pine Lake Park (8,707) and Pine Ridge at Crestwood (2,369) are all unincorporated communities and census-designated places (CDPs) located within Manchester Township. Leisure Village West-Pine Lake Park had been a combined CDP through the 2000 United States Census and was split as of the 2010 enumeration.

Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Beckerville, Boyds Hotel, Brainards, Brick Yards, Buckingham, Giberson, Goose Pond, Horican, Keswick Grove, Old Halfway, Pasadena, Pine Lake Park Estates, Ridgeway, Roosevelt City and Whiting.

The township borders Berkeley Township, Jackson Township, Lacey Township, Plumsted Township and Toms River Township in Ocean County; and both Pemberton Township and Woodland Township in Burlington County. The township completely surrounds the independent borough of Lakehurst, making it part of 21 pairs of "doughnut towns" in the state, where one municipality entirely surrounds another.

Manchester's largest development, Pine Lake Park, is known for its man-made lake, Pine Lake, built in the 1970s.

Census 2010

The 2010 United States Census counted 43,070 people, 22,840 households, and 11,694 families residing in the township. The population density was 527.7 per square mile (203.7/km²). The township contained 25,886 housing units at an average density of 317.2 per square mile (122.5/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 92.00% (39,623) White, 3.84% (1,654) Black or African American, 0.09% (38) Native American, 1.78% (768) Asian, 0.02% (10) Pacific Islander, 1.11% (479) from other races, and 1.16% (498) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 4.79% (2,062) of the population.

Out of a total of 22,840 households, 9.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.5% were married couples living together, 6.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 48.8% were non-families. 45.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 36.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.85 and the average family size was 2.55.

In the township, 10.3% of the population were under the age of 18, 3.7% from 18 to 24, 12.6% from 25 to 44, 23.3% from 45 to 64, and 50.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 65.1 years. For every 100 females the census counted 74.5 males, but for 100 females at least 18 years old, it was 71.9 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $37,942 (with a margin of error of +/- $1,492) and the median family income was $54,114 (+/- $1,831). Males had a median income of $51,366 (+/- $2,772) versus $39,427 (+/- $3,352) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $27,264 (+/- $754). About 4.2% of families and 7.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.9% of those under age 18 and 6.2% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 38,928 people, 20,688 households, and 10,819 families residing in the township. The population density was 471.3 people per square mile (182.0/km²). There were 22,681 housing units at an average density of 274.6 per square mile (106.0/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 94.34% White, 3.06% African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.87% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.69% from other races, and 0.91% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.63% of the population.

There were 20,688 households out of which 9.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.8% were married couples living together, 5.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 47.7% were non-families. 45.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 39.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.85 and the average family size was 2.53.

In the township the population was spread out with 10.7% under the age of 18, 3.5% from 18 to 24, 13.4% from 25 to 44, 17.8% from 45 to 64, and 54.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 68 years. For every 100 females there were 73.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 70.1 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $29,525, and the median income for a family was $43,363. Males had a median income of $41,181 versus $30,523 for females. The per capita income for the township was $22,409. About 3.0% of families and 5.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.5% of those under age 18 and 4.7% of those age 65 or over.

Local government

Manchester Township is governed within the Faulkner Act, formally known as the Optional Municipal Charter Law, under the Mayor-Council (Plan 6) system of municipal government, as enacted by direct petition as of July 1, 1990. The Township is governed by a Mayor and a five-member Township Council. The mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term. Councilmembers are elected at-large on a non-partisan basis to serve four-year staggered terms with either two or three council seats up for election every other year, with the mayoral seat up for vote at the same time that two council seats are up for vote. The township's municipal elections were shifted from May to November, with estimates of savings of $50,000 each election cycle and greater voter participation cited as justifications. A referendum on the ballot in November 2011 to shift the election date passed by a margin of 5,875 to 3,429.

As of 2016, the Mayor of Manchester Township is Ken Palmer, whose term of office ends on December 31, 2018. Members of the Township Council are Council President James A. Vaccaro Sr. (2016), Council Vice President Samuel F. Fusaro Jr. (2016), Charles L. Frattini Sr. (2016), Craig Wallis (2018) and Brendan Weiner (2018).

Federal, state and county representation

Manchester Township is located in the 4th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 10th state legislative district. Prior to the 2011 reapportionment following the 2010 Census, Manchester Township had been in the 9th 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 10th Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by James W. Holzapfel (R, Toms River Township) and in the General Assembly by Gregory P. McGuckin (R, Toms River Township) and David W. Wolfe (R, Brick Township). The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham Township). The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).

Ocean County is governed by a Board of Chosen Freeholders consisting of five members, elected on an at-large basis in partisan elections and serving staggered three-year terms of office, with either one or two seats coming up for election each year as part of the November general election. At an annual reorganization held in the beginning of January, the board chooses a Director and a Deputy Director from among its members. As of 2015, Ocean County's Freeholders (with party affiliation, term-end year, residence and department directorship listed in parentheses) are Freeholder Director John C. Bartlett, Jr. (R, term ends December 31, 2015, Pine Beach; Finance, Parks and Recreation), Freeholder Deputy Director Gerry P. Little (R, 2015, Surf City; Human Services), John P. Kelly (R, 2016, Eagleswood Township; Law and Public Safety), James F. Lacey (R, 2016, Brick Township; Transportation) and Joseph H. Vicari (R, 2017, Toms River; Senior Services and County Operations). Constitutional officers elected on a countywide basis are County Clerk Scott M. Colabella (R, 2015, Barnegat Light), Sheriff Michael Mastronardy (R, 2016; Toms River) and Surrogate Jeffrey Moran (R, 2018, Beachwood).

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 31,380 registered voters in Manchester Township, of which 8,336 (26.6%) were registered as Democrats, 9,606 (30.6%) were registered as Republicans and 13,424 (42.8%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 14 voters registered to other parties. Among the township's 2010 Census population, 72.9% (vs. 63.2% in Ocean County) were registered to vote, including 81.2% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 82.6% countywide).

In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 55.9% of the vote (12,970 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 43.3% (10,041 votes), and other candidates with 0.8% (186 votes), among the 23,439 ballots cast by the township's 32,513 registered voters (242 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 72.1%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 56.2% of the vote (14,368 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 41.2% (10,533 votes) and other candidates with 1.5% (372 votes), among the 25,569 ballots cast by the township's 33,796 registered voters, for a turnout of 75.7%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 55.6% of the vote (13,652 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry with 42.9% (10,537 votes) and other candidates with 0.7% (235 votes), among the 24,572 ballots cast by the township's 32,133 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 76.5.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 77.5% of the vote (12,678 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 21.4% (3,500 votes), and other candidates with 1.1% (182 votes), among the 16,709 ballots cast by the township's 32,442 registered voters (349 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 51.5%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 62.9% of the vote (11,988 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 30.4% (5,796 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 4.7% (896 votes) and other candidates with 0.9% (177 votes), among the 19,070 ballots cast by the township's 32,422 registered voters, yielding a 58.8% turnout.

Education

The Manchester Township School District serves students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. Schools in the district (with 2010-11 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics.) are Manchester Township Elementary School (grades PreK-5; 582 students), Ridgeway Elementary School (PreK-5; 524) and Whiting Elementary School (K-5; 269) all feed into Manchester Township Middle School (grades 6-8; 673), and then to Manchester Township High School (9-12; 1,168). Students from neighboring Lakehurst attend the district's high school as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Lakehurst School District. As of 2012, Lakehurst has been considering the possibility of sending its students to Jackson Liberty High School, as part of a prospective agreement with the Jackson School District under which students would gain access to a broader range of academic programs and which could result in annual savings of $400,000 per year off of the $2 million that the Lakehurst district spends annually for the 150 students it sends to the Manchester district.

Media

The Asbury Park Press provides daily news coverage of the township, as does WOBM-FM radio. The township provides materials and commentary to The Manchester Times, which also covers Lakehurst as one of seven weekly papers from Micromedia Publications.

Roads and highways

As of May 2010, the township had a total of 168.51 miles (271.19 km) of roadways, of which 109.71 miles (176.56 km) were maintained by the municipality, 43.56 miles (70.10 km) by Ocean County and 15.24 miles (24.53 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

Route 70 passes through the heart of the township while Route 37 goes through in the east. CR 530 travels along Route 70 and then veers off to the east, while CR 539 goes from north to south. In addition, both CR 547 and CR 571 run through the northeastern part.

No limited access roads run through the municipality, but the closest ones are accessible in neighboring communities such as the Garden State Parkway in Toms River, Berkeley and Lacey townships and Interstate 195 in Jackson Township.

Public transportation

Ocean Ride local service is provided on the OC1 Whiting, OC1A Whiting Express and OC2 Manchester routes.

Notable people

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