Mansfield Township, Warren County, New Jersey

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 29.928 square miles (77.514 km²), including 29.815 square miles (77.221 km²) of land and 0.113 square mile (0.293 km²) of water (0.38%).

Anderson (with a 2010 Census population of 342), Beattystown (4,554) and Port Murray (129) are unincorporated communities and census-designated places (CDPs) located within the township.

Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Karrsville, Mount Bethel, Penwell, Rockport and Stephensburg.

Demographics

The Township's economic data (as is all of Warren County) is calculated by the US Census Bureau as part of the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Census 2010

The 2010 United States Census counted 7,725 people, 2,972 households, and 2,000 families residing in the township. The population density was 259.1 per square mile (100.0/km²). The township contained 3,316 housing units at an average density of 111.2 per square mile (42.9/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 86.73% (6,700) White, 4.89% (378) Black or African American, 0.18% (14) Native American, 3.21% (248) Asian, 0.03% (2) Pacific Islander, 3.06% (236) from other races, and 1.90% (147) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 10.94% (845) of the population.

Out of a total of 2,972 households, 31.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.8% were married couples living together, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.7% were non-families. 25.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.08.

In the township, 22.9% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 26.8% from 25 to 44, 29.7% from 45 to 64, and 12.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.7 years. For every 100 females the census counted 94.6 males, but for 100 females at least 18 years old, it was 93.4 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $74,063 (with a margin of error of +/- $8,316) and the median family income was $87,434 (+/- $8,330). Males had a median income of $56,567 (+/- $5,612) versus $41,583 (+/- $1,597) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $32,259 (+/- $2,751). About 5.1% of families and 6.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.3% of those under age 18 and 3.9% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 6,653 people, 2,334 households, and 1,750 families residing in the township. The population density was 222.3 people per square mile (85.9/km²). There were 2,415 housing units at an average density of 80.7 per square mile (31.2/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 90.91% White, 4.51% African American, 0.24% Native American, 1.22% Asian, 1.59% from other races, and 1.53% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.37% of the population.

There were 2,334 households out of which 39.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.3% were married couples living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.0% were non-families. 18.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.76 and the average family size was 3.18.

In the township the population was spread out with 27.0% under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 32.4% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 11.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 94.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.2 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $61,763, and the median income for a family was $76,102. Males had a median income of $50,295 versus $35,737 for females. The per capita income for the township was $26,277. About 2.7% of families and 3.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.9% of those under age 18 and 5.9% of those age 65 or over.

Local government

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

As of 2016, members of the Mansfield Township Committee are Mayor Shirley Kocher (R, term on committee ends December 31, 2017; term as mayor ends 2016), Deputy mayor Michael Clancy (R, term on committee and as deputy mayor ends 2016), Cindy Korczukowski (R, 2017), Michael Misertino (R, 2016) and Joseph Watters (R, 2018).

Federal, state and county representation

Mansfield Township is located in the 5th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 23rd state legislative district.

New Jersey's Fifth Congressional District is represented by Josh Gottheimer (D, Wyckoff). 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).

Warren County is governed by a Board of Chosen Freeholders whose three members are chosen at-large on a staggered basis in partisan elections with one seat coming 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 Freeholder Director and other as Deputy Director. As of 2014, Warren County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director Edward J. Smith (R, Asbury / Franklin Township, 2015), Freeholder Deputy Director Richard D. Gardner (R, Asbury / Franklin Township, 2014) and Freeholder Jason Sarnoski (R, Lopatcong Township, 2016). Constitutional officers elected on a countywide basis are County Clerk Patricia J. Kolb (Blairstown Township), Sheriff David Gallant (Blairstown Township) and Surrogate Kevin O'Neill (Hackettstown). The County Administrator, Steve Marvin, is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operation of the county and its departments.

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 4,443 registered voters in Mansfield Township, of which 779 (17.5% vs. 21.5% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 1,784 (40.2% vs. 35.3%) were registered as Republicans and 1,877 (42.2% vs. 43.1%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were three voters registered to other parties. Among the township's 2010 Census population, 57.5% (vs. 62.3% in Warren County) were registered to vote, including 74.6% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 81.5% countywide).

In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 1,789 votes (57.6% vs. 56.0% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 1,232 votes (39.7% vs. 40.8%) and other candidates with 45 votes (1.4% vs. 1.7%), among the 3,105 ballots cast by the township's 4,596 registered voters, for a turnout of 67.6% (vs. 66.7% in Warren County). In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 1,925 votes (57.5% vs. 55.2% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 1,328 votes (39.7% vs. 41.4%) and other candidates with 50 votes (1.5% vs. 1.6%), among the 3,349 ballots cast by the township's 4,504 registered voters, for a turnout of 74.4% (vs. 73.4% in Warren County). In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 2,043 votes (64.6% vs. 61.0% countywide), ahead of Democrat John Kerry with 1,076 votes (34.0% vs. 37.2%) and other candidates with 34 votes (1.1% vs. 1.3%), among the 3,163 ballots cast by the township's 4,227 registered voters, for a turnout of 74.8% (vs. 76.3% in the whole county).

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 74.1% of the vote (1,251 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 23.7% (401 votes), and other candidates with 2.2% (37 votes), among the 1,715 ballots cast by the township's 4,683 registered voters (26 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 36.6%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 1,415 votes (66.5% vs. 61.3% countywide), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 482 votes (22.6% vs. 25.7%), Independent Chris Daggett with 171 votes (8.0% vs. 9.8%) and other candidates with 29 votes (1.4% vs. 1.5%), among the 2,129 ballots cast by the township's 4,360 registered voters, yielding a 48.8% turnout (vs. 49.6% in the county).

Education

Students in public school for pre-kindergarten through sixth grade are served by the Mansfield Township School District at Mansfield Township Elementary School. As of the 2014-15 school year, the district and its one school had an enrollment of 691 students and 60.1 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.5:1.

Public school students in seventh through twelfth grades attend the schools of the Warren Hills Regional School District, which also serves students from the municipalities of Franklin Township, Washington Borough, Washington Township, along with those from Oxford Township (for 9-12 only, attending on a tuition basis as part of a sending/receiving relationship). Schools in the district (with 2014-15 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Warren Hills Regional Middle School (grades 7 and 8; 663 students) located in Washington Borough and Warren Hills Regional High School (grades 9 - 12; 1,276 students) located in Washington Township.

Students from the township and from all of Warren County are eligible to attend Ridge and Valley Charter School in Frelinghuysen Township (for grades K-8) or Warren County Technical School in Washington borough (for 9-12), with special education services provided by local districts supplemented throughout the county by the Warren County Special Services School District in Oxford Township (for PreK-12).

Roads and highways

As of May 2010, the township had a total of 72.40 miles (116.52 km) of roadways, of which 46.85 miles (75.40 km) were maintained by the municipality, 16.79 miles (27.02 km) by Warren County and 8.76 miles (14.10 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

The only major roads that pass through are Route 31 which passes through briefly in the west, and Route 57 in the southern part.

No limited access roads traverse through. However, they are accessible two towns over such as Interstate 78 (in Franklin, Union, Clinton and Tewksbury townships) and Interstate 80 (in Knowlton, Hope, Allamuchy and Mount Olive townships).

Public transportation

A small general aviation airport, named Hackettstown Airport and holding the official database designation of (FAA LID: N05) is in Mansfield Township, only a few hundred yards from the municipal border with Hackettstown proper.

Rail service is provided into Hackettstown by NJ Transit over Norfolk Southern's Washington Secondary line which, in the Rockport section of Mansfield Township, passes the location of the Rockport Wreck, a train accident that occurred on June 16, 1925, that resulted in 50 fatalities.

Notable people

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