Pine Beach, New Jersey

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 0.618 square miles (1.600 km²), including 0.614 square miles (1.590 km²) of land and 0.004 square miles (0.010 km²) of water (0.63%).

The borough borders the Ocean County municipalities of Beachwood and Berkeley Township.

Census 2010

The 2010 United States Census counted 2,127 people, 818 households, and 616.8 families residing in the borough. The population density was 3,465.4 per square mile (1,338.0/km²). The borough contained 903 housing units at an average density of 1,471.2 per square mile (568.0/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 96.47% (2,052) White, 0.38% (8) Black or African American, 0.14% (3) Native American, 1.41% (30) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 0.71% (15) from other races, and 0.89% (19) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 3.71% (79) of the population.

Out of a total of 818 households, 29.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.9% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.6% were non-families. 21.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the borough, 22.4% of the population were under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 20.9% from 25 to 44, 33.2% from 45 to 64, and 16.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44.9 years. For every 100 females the census counted 92.8 males, but for 100 females at least 18 years old, it was 85.6 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $75,972 (with a margin of error of +/- $10,628) and the median family income was $88,393 (+/- $8,889). Males had a median income of $58,542 (+/- $10,247) versus $40,781 (+/- $12,701) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $31,923 (+/- $3,004). About 1.9% of families and 2.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.0% of those under age 18 and 7.7% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 1,950 people, 767 households, and 558 families residing in the borough. The population density was 3,130.3 people per square mile (1,214.4/km²). There were 872 housing units at an average density of 1,399.8 per square mile (543.0/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 98.41% White, 0.26% African American, 0.05% Native American, 0.62% Asian, 0.21% from other races, and 0.46% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.36% of the population.

There were 767 households out of which 30.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.8% were married couples living together, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.2% were non-families. 22.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.1% 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 3.01.

In the borough the population was spread out with 22.7% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 27.2% from 25 to 44, 27.1% from 45 to 64, and 17.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 93.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.7 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $57,366, and the median income for a family was $67,404. Males had a median income of $50,256 versus $34,038 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $26,487. About 2.5% of families and 3.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.0% of those under age 18 and 3.0% of those age 65 or over.

Local government

Pine Beach 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 Pine Beach, 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 Pine Beach is Republican Lawrence W. Cuneo, whose term of office ends December 31, 2019. Members of the Pine Beach Borough Council are Robert D. Budesa (R, 2018), Susan Coletti (R, 2017), Raymond Newman (R, 2016), Richard Polhemus (R, 2017), Conrad Reitz (R, 2018) and Barry Wieck (R, 2016).

Federal, state and county representation

Pine Beach is located in the 3rd Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 9th state legislative district.

New Jersey's 3rd Congressional District is represented by Tom MacArthur (R, Toms River). 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 9th Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Christopher J. Connors (R, Lacey Township) and in the General Assembly by DiAnne Gove (R, Long Beach Township) and Brian E. Rumpf (R, Little Egg Harbor 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 1,609 registered voters in Pine Beach, of which 367 (22.8%) were registered as Democrats, 505 (31.4%) were registered as Republicans and 736 (45.7%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There was one voter registered to another party. Among the borough's 2010 Census population, 75.6% (vs. 63.2% in Ocean County) were registered to vote, including 97.5% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 82.6% countywide).

In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 53.2% of the vote (648 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 45.4% (554 votes), and other candidates with 1.4% (17 votes), among the 1,225 ballots cast by the borough's 1,661 registered voters (6 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 73.8%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 55.3% of the vote (742 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 41.5% (557 votes) and other candidates with 2.1% (28 votes), among the 1,341 ballots cast by the borough's 1,663 registered voters, for a turnout of 80.6%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 57.4% of the vote (737 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry with 40.8% (523 votes) and other candidates with 1.2% (19 votes), among the 1,283 ballots cast by the borough's 1,606 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 79.9.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 70.3% of the vote (622 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 27.5% (243 votes), and other candidates with 2.3% (20 votes), among the 918 ballots cast by the borough's 1,666 registered voters (33 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 55.1%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 63.0% of the vote (606 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 29.0% (279 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 5.9% (57 votes) and other candidates with 1.1% (11 votes), among the 962 ballots cast by the borough's 1,650 registered voters, yielding a 58.3% turnout.

Education

Public school students in kindergarten through twelfth grade attend the Toms River Regional Schools, a regional public school district based in Toms River Township that also includes student from the boroughs of Beachwood, Pine Beach and South Toms River, who attend as part of sending/receiving relationships.

Admiral Farragut Academy, which was established in 1933, operated until 1994, when its campus in Pine Beach was closed due to financial difficulties. The school continues to operate on an independent campus in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Roads and highways

As of May 2010, the borough had a total of 15.22 miles (24.49 km) of roadways, of which 11.32 miles (18.22 km) were maintained by the municipality, 3.64 miles (5.86 km) by Ocean County and 0.26 miles (0.42 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

One side of U.S. Route 9 (Atlantic City Boulevard) travels along the borough's border with Berkeley Township.

Public transportation

NJ Transit provides bus service between the borough and Atlantic City on the 559 bus route.

Notable people

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