Maple Shade Township, New Jersey

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 3.823 square miles (9.901 km²), including 3.822 square miles (9.898 km²) of land and 0.001 square miles (0.003 km²) of water (0.03%).

The township borders Cinnaminson Township, Moorestown Township, Mount Laurel Township, and the Camden County municipalities of Cherry Hill Township and Pennsauken Township.

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Maple Shade Township has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.

Census 2010

The 2010 United States Census counted 19,131 people, 8,525 households, and 4,655 families residing in the township. The population density was 5,006.1 per square mile (1,932.9/km²). The township contained 9,186 housing units at an average density of 2,403.7 per square mile (928.1/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 78.62% (15,040) White, 9.54% (1,826) Black or African American, 0.16% (31) Native American, 5.65% (1,080) Asian, 0.03% (5) Pacific Islander, 3.14% (601) from other races, and 2.86% (548) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 8.32% (1,591) of the population.

Out of a total of 8,525 households, 22.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.9% were married couples living together, 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45.4% were non-families. 36.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.94.

In the township, 18.4% of the population were under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 31.9% from 25 to 44, 26.6% from 45 to 64, and 13.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.6 years. For every 100 females the census counted 94.6 males, but for 100 females at least 18 years old, it was 93.2 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $50,730 (with a margin of error of +/- $2,897) and the median family income was $69,014 (+/- $5,613). Males had a median income of $47,357 (+/- $2,987) versus $38,628 (+/- $4,085) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $27,290 (+/- $1,093). About 6.9% of families and 9.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.4% of those under age 18 and 5.3% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 19,079 people, 8,462 households, and 4,721 families residing in the township. The population density was 4,959.4 people per square mile (1,913.4/km²). There were 9,009 housing units at an average density of 2,341.8 per square mile (903.5/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 83.17% White, 7.21% African American, 0.16% Native American, 6.10% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.69% from other races, and 1.62% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.46% of the population.

There were 8,462 households out of which 23.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.4% were married couples living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.2% were non-families. 36.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the township the population was spread out with 19.4% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 36.0% from 25 to 44, 20.7% from 45 to 64, and 15.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 95.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.6 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $45,426, and the median income for a family was $53,912. Males had a median income of $40,290 versus $30,858 for females. The per capita income for the township was $23,812. About 3.8% of families and 5.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.8% of those under age 18 and 7.6% of those age 65 or over.

Local government

Maple Shade Township operates within the Faulkner Act (formally known as the Optional Municipal Charter Law) under the Council-Manager (Plan E) form of municipal government, implemented based on the recommendations of a Charter Study Commission as of January 1, 1975. The township is governed by a five-member Township Council, whose members are elected at-large in partisan elections to serve four-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either two or three seats up for election every other year as part of the November general election. At a reorganization meeting held during the first week of January after each election, the Council selects one of its members to serve as Mayor and another as Deputy Mayor.

As of 2016, members of the Maple Shade Township Council are Mayor Claire B. Volpe (D, term on committee and as mayor ends December 31, 2016), Deputy Mayor Louis A. Manchello (D, term on committee and as deputy mayor ends 2016), Charles Kauffman (D, 2016; elected to serve an unexpired term of office), Rob Wells (D, 2018) and J. Nelson Wiest (D, 2016).

Federal, state and county representation

Maple Shade Township is located in the 1st Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 6th state legislative district. Prior to the 2011 reapportionment following the 2010 Census, Maple Shade Township had been in the 7th 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 6th Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by James Beach (D, Voorhees Township) and in the General Assembly by Louis Greenwald (D, Voorhees Township) and Pamela Rosen Lampitt (D, Cherry Hill). The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham Township). The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).

Burlington County is governed by a Board of chosen freeholders, whose five members are elected at-large in partisan elections to three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats coming up for election each year. The board chooses a director and deputy director from among its members at an annual reorganization meeting held in January. As of 2015, Burlington County's Freeholders are Director Mary Ann O'Brien (R, Medford Township, 2017; Director of Administration and Human Services), Deputy Director Bruce Garganio (R, Florence Township, 2017; Director of Public Works and Health), Aimee Belgard (D, Edgewater Park Township, 2015; Director of Hospital, Medical Services and Education) Joseph Donnelly (R, Cinnaminson Township, 2016; Director of Public Safety, Natural Resources, and Education) and Joanne Schwartz (D, Southampton Township, 2015; Director of Health and Corrections). Constitutional officers are County Clerk Tim Tyler, Sheriff Jean E. Stanfield and Surrogate George T. Kotch.

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 10,638 registered voters in Maple Shade Township, of which 4,172 (39.2% vs. 33.3% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 1,593 (15.0% vs. 23.9%) were registered as Republicans and 4,863 (45.7% vs. 42.8%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 10 voters registered to other parties. Among the township's 2010 Census population, 55.6% (vs. 61.7% in Burlington County) were registered to vote, including 68.2% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 80.3% countywide).

In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 5,003 votes here (65.1% vs. 58.1% countywide), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 2,546 votes (33.2% vs. 40.2%) and other candidates with 92 votes (1.2% vs. 1.0%), among the 7,680 ballots cast by the township's 11,433 registered voters, for a turnout of 67.2% (vs. 74.5% in Burlington County). In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 4,904 votes here (61.7% vs. 58.4% countywide), ahead of Republican John McCain with 2,844 votes (35.8% vs. 39.9%) and other candidates with 120 votes (1.5% vs. 1.0%), among the 7,942 ballots cast by the township's 10,653 registered voters, for a turnout of 74.6% (vs. 80.0% in Burlington County). In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 4,628 votes here (59.0% vs. 52.9% countywide), ahead of Republican George W. Bush with 3,060 votes (39.0% vs. 46.0%) and other candidates with 76 votes (1.0% vs. 0.8%), among the 7,848 ballots cast by the township's 10,658 registered voters, for a turnout of 73.6% (vs. 78.8% in the whole county).

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 2,333 votes here (60.5% vs. 61.4% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 1,419 votes (36.8% vs. 35.8%) and other candidates with 53 votes (1.4% vs. 1.2%), among the 3,857 ballots cast by the township's 11,283 registered voters, yielding a 34.2% turnout (vs. 44.5% in the county). In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 2,059 ballots cast (48.2% vs. 44.5% countywide), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 1,904 votes (44.5% vs. 47.7%), Independent Chris Daggett with 230 votes (5.4% vs. 4.8%) and other candidates with 57 votes (1.3% vs. 1.2%), among the 4,275 ballots cast by the township's 10,780 registered voters, yielding a 39.7% turnout (vs. 44.9% in the county).

Education

The Maple Shade School District serves public school students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. As of the 2011-12 school year, the district's four schools had an enrollment of 2,113 students and 154.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 13.68:1. Schools in the district (with 2011-12 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Howard R. Yocum Elementary School (Grades K to 2; 564 students), Maude M. Wilkins Elementary School (Grades 3 to 4; 349), Ralph J. Steinhauer Elementary School (Grades 5 to 6; 311) and Maple Shade High School (Grades 7 to 12; 889).

Students from Maple Shade Township, and from all of Burlington County, are eligible to attend the Burlington County Institute of Technology, a countywide public school district that serves the vocational and technical education needs of students at the high school and post-secondary level at its campuses in Medford and Westampton Township.

Roads and highways

As of May 2010, the township had a total of 51.98 miles (83.65 km) of roadways, of which 42.65 miles (68.64 km) were maintained by the municipality, 3.38 miles (5.44 km) by Burlington County and 5.95 miles (9.58 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

Passing through the township are Route 38, Route 41 and Route 73. The New Jersey Turnpike (Interstate 295) is accessible just outside the township by way of Route 73.

Public transportation

NJ Transit provides bus service to and from Philadelphia on route 317 (from Asbury Park), and 407 (from Moorestown Mall) to Camden, and on the 413 route between Camden, and Burlington.

Notable people

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