Raritan Township, New Jersey

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 37.690 square miles (97.615 km²), including 37.527 square miles (97.194 km²) of land and 0.163 square miles (0.422 km²) of water (0.43%).

Raritan Township completely surrounds Flemington, making it part one of 21 pairs of "doughnut towns" in the state, where one municipality entirely surrounds another. It borders Clinton Township, Delaware Township, East Amwell Township, Franklin Township and Readington Township in Hunterdon County; and Hillsborough Township in Somerset County.

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include: Bartles Corners, Cloverhill, Copper Hill, Croton, Flemington Junction, Gary Corner, Klinesville, Larisons Corners, Mount Carmel, Muirhead, Reaville, Rockefellows Mills, Thachers Hill and Voorhees Corner.

Census 2010

The 2010 United States Census counted 22,185 people, 8,056 households, and 6,058 families residing in the township. The population density was 591.2 per square mile (228.3/km²). The township contained 8,288 housing units at an average density of 220.9 per square mile (85.3/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 89.57% (19,870) White, 2.07% (459) Black or African American, 0.10% (23) Native American, 5.95% (1,319) Asian, 0.04% (9) Pacific Islander, 0.83% (185) from other races, and 1.44% (320) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 5.13% (1,138) of the population.

Out of a total of 8,056 households, 37.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.9% were married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.8% were non-families. 20.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.72 and the average family size was 3.19.

In the township, 26.2% of the population were under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 22.7% from 25 to 44, 33.2% from 45 to 64, and 12.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42.4 years. For every 100 females the census counted 94.8 males, but for 100 females at least 18 years old, it was 89.8 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $109,941 (with a margin of error of +/- $7,543) and the median family income was $130,514 (+/- $10,612). Males had a median income of $95,123 (+/- $8,996) versus $62,229 (+/- $3,584) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $48,782 (+/- $2,900). About 2.0% of families and 4.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.6% 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 19,809 people, 6,939 households, and 5,391 families residing in the township. The population density was 523.5 people per square mile (202.1/km²). There were 7,094 housing units at an average density of 187.5 per square mile (72.4/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 93.22% White, 1.23% African American, 0.09% Native American, 3.50% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.68% from other races, and 1.27% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.79% of the population.

There were 6,939 households out of which 43.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.2% were married couples living together, 7.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.3% were non-families. 18.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.81 and the average family size was 3.24.

In the township the population was spread out with 29.3% under the age of 18, 4.6% from 18 to 24, 32.6% from 25 to 44, 24.7% from 45 to 64, and 8.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 94.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.0 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $85,996, and the median income for a family was $96,336. Males had a median income of $69,485 versus $41,911 for females. The per capita income for the township was $38,919. About 1.2% of families and 2.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.6% of those under age 18 and 2.9% of those age 65 or over.

Local government

Raritan 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, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor and another as Deputy Mayor. The mayor presides at Township Committee meetings and votes as a member of the Committee, but has no other special powers under the township form of government law. All legislative and executive powers, including the power of appointments, are exercised by the committee as a whole.

As of 2016, members of the Raritan Township Committee are Mayor Karen Gilbert (R, term on committee ends December 31, 2019; term as mayor ends 2017), Deputy Mayor Mike Mangin (term on committee and as deputy mayor ends 2016), Richard Chen (R, 2017), Craig O'Brien (R, 2018) and Louis C. Reiner (R, 2017).

Federal, state and county representation

Raritan Township is located in the 7th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 16th state legislative district. Prior to the 2010 Census, Raritan Township had been part of the 11th Congressional District, a change made by the New Jersey Redistricting Commission that took effect in January 2013, based on the results of the November 2012 general elections.

New Jersey's Seventh Congressional District is represented by Leonard Lance (R, Clinton Township). 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 16th Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Christopher Bateman (R, Branchburg) and in the General Assembly by Jack Ciattarelli (R, Hillsborough Township) and Andrew Zwicker (D, South Brunswick). The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham Township). The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).

Hunterdon County is governed by a five-member Board of Chosen Freeholders, who serve three-year terms of office at-large on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats up for election each year on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. At an annual reorganization meeting held each January, the freeholders select one member to serve as the board's Director and another to serve as Deputy Director. As of 2015, Hunterdon County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director John King (R; Raritan Township, 2015), Freeholder Deputy Director Suzanne Lagay (R; Holland Township, 2016), J. Matthew Holt (R; Clinton Town, 2015), John E. Lanza (R; Flemington, 2016) and Robert G. Walton (R; Hampton, 2017). Constitutional officers elected on a countywide basis are County Clerk Mary H. Melfi (R; Flemington, 2017), Sheriff Fredrick W. Brown (R; Alexandria Township, 2016) and Surrogate Susan J. Hoffman (R; Kingwood Township, 2018).

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 15,130 registered voters in Raritan Township, of which 3,008 (19.9%) were registered as Democrats, 4,944 (32.7%) were registered as Republicans and 7,166 (47.4%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 12 voters registered to other parties.

In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 57.8% of the vote (6,798 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 41.2% (4,843 votes), and other candidates with 1.0% (118 votes), among the 11,834 ballots cast by the township's 16,049 registered voters (75 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 73.7%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 54.7% of the vote (6,705 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 43.5% (5,339 votes) and other candidates with 1.0% (121 votes), among the 12,261 ballots cast by the township's 15,254 registered voters, for a turnout of 80.4%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 59.7% of the vote (6,727 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry with 39.7% (4,470 votes) and other candidates with 0.7% (97 votes), among the 11,265 ballots cast by the township's 13,693 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 82.3.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 74.1% of the vote (5,504 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 24.5% (1,818 votes), and other candidates with 1.5% (109 votes), among the 7,595 ballots cast by the township's 16,003 registered voters (164 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 47.5%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 64.8% of the vote (5,440 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 25.9% (2,173 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 7.4% (618 votes) and other candidates with 0.6% (47 votes), among the 8,396 ballots cast by the township's 14,991 registered voters, yielding a 56.0% turnout.

Transportation

As of May 2010, the township had a total of 181.46 miles (292.03 km) of roadways, of which 146.40 miles (235.61 km) were maintained by the municipality, 22.36 miles (35.98 km) by Hunterdon County and 12.70 miles (20.44 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

Major roads in Raritan Township include Route 12, Route 31, and U.S. Route 202 (the latter two run concurrent for about four miles (6.4 km) in the southern part of the township).

Major county roads that go through include CR 514 (which runs along the southeastern border), CR 523 and CR 579 (which runs along the southwestern border).

The closest limited access road is Interstate 78 in neighboring Clinton and Franklin Townships.

The Black River and Western Railroad is a historic short-line railroad that passes through the township. It operates today as a heritage railway.

The Norfolk Southern Railway's Lehigh Line (formerly the mainline of the Lehigh Valley Railroad), runs through most of the northeast part of Raritan Township close to its northeast boundary.

Education

Children in public school for pre-kindergarten through eighth grade attend the Flemington-Raritan Regional School District, which also serves children from the neighboring community of Flemington. As of the 2014-15 school year, the district and its six schools had an enrollment of 5,045 students and 322.8 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 15.6:1. The district consists of four K - 4 elementary schools, one intermediate school for grades 5 and 6 and a middle school for grades 7 and 8. Schools in the district (with 2014-15 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Barley Sheaf School (grades K-4; 353 students; located in Flemington), Copper Hill School (PreK-4; 507; Ringoes), Francis A. Desmares School (K-4; 474; Flemington), Robert Hunter School (K-4; 383; Flemington), Reading-Fleming Intermediate School (5-6; 782; Flemington) and J. P. Case Middle School (7-8; 840; Flemington).

Public school students in ninth through twelfth grades attend Hunterdon Central Regional High School, part of the Hunterdon Central Regional High School District, which also serves students in central Hunterdon County from Delaware Township, East Amwell Township, Flemington and Readington Township. As of the 2014-15 school year, the school had an enrollment of 3,043 students and 236.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.9:1.

High school students from Raritan Township and from all of Hunterdon County are eligible to attend Hunterdon County Polytech Career Academy, a county-wide vocational school that offers career and technical education at two campuses in Raritan Township as part of the Hunterdon County Vocational School District.

Notable people

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