Rocky Hill, New Jersey

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 0.622 square miles (1.612 km²), including 0.619 square miles (1.604 km²) of land and 0.003 square miles (0.008 km²) of water (0.52%).

The borough borders the Somerset County municipalities of Franklin Township and Montgomery Township.

Census 2010

The 2010 United States Census counted 682 people, 280 households, and 189 families residing in the borough. The population density was 1,101.4 per square mile (425.3/km²). The borough contained 292 housing units at an average density of 471.6 per square mile (182.1/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 91.64% (625) White, 1.47% (10) Black or African American, 0.00% (0) Native American, 2.35% (16) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 1.47% (10) from other races, and 3.08% (21) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 4.84% (33) of the population.

Out of a total of 280 households, 29.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.4% were married couples living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.5% were non-families. 26.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the borough, 23.2% of the population were under the age of 18, 4.7% from 18 to 24, 21.3% from 25 to 44, 32.4% from 45 to 64, and 18.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45.9 years. For every 100 females the census counted 103.0 males, but for 100 females at least 18 years old, it was 91.2 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $88,929 (with a margin of error of +/- $14,448) and the median family income was $102,917 (+/- $21,668). Males had a median income of $88,333 (+/- $16,491) versus $57,083 (+/- $7,607) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $47,582 (+/- $7,276). About 0.0% of families and 3.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.0% of those under age 18 and 0.0% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 662 people, 284 households, and 189 families residing in the borough. The population density was 982.0 people per square mile (381.5/km²). There were 295 housing units at an average density of 437.6 per square mile (170.0/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 95.17% White, 1.36% African American, 0.45% Asian, 0.60% Pacific Islander, 0.91% from other races, and 1.51% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.93% of the population.

There were 284 households out of which 24.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.9% were married couples living together, 4.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.1% were non-families. 27.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.82.

In the borough the population was spread out with 20.2% under the age of 18, 3.3% from 18 to 24, 28.1% from 25 to 44, 31.1% from 45 to 64, and 17.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 98.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.6 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $79,469, and the median income for a family was $100,314. Males had a median income of $54,375 versus $50,357 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $48,357. About 2.5% of families and 2.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.8% of those under age 18 and 5.3% of those age 65 or over.

Local government

Rocky Hill 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 Rocky Hill, 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 Rocky Hill is Independent Jeffrey Donahue, whose term of office ends December 31, 2018. Members of the Borough Council are Council President Thomas Bremner (I, 2016), Robert L. Ashbaugh (I, 2018), William "Billy" Dawson (D, 2017), John C. Hagemann (R, 2018), Philip Kartsonis (I, 2016) and Robert Uhrik (D, 2017).

At the January 2015 Reorganization Meeting, the Borough Council selected Robert Ashbaugh to fill the vacant seat expiring in December 2015 of Jeffrey Donohue, who vacated the seat when he took office as mayor.

Federal, state and county representation

Rocky Hill is located in the 7th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 16th state legislative district.

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).

Somerset County is governed by a five-member Board of Chosen Freeholders, whose members are elected at-large to three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with one or two seats coming up for election each year. At an annual reorganization meeting held in the beginning of January, the board selects a Director and Deputy Director from among its members. As of 2016, Somerset County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director Patricia L. Walsh (R, Green Brook Township, term ends December 31, 2016), Freeholder Deputy Director Peter S. Palmer (R, Bernardsville, 2017), Patrick Scaglione (R, Bridgewater Township, 2018), Mark Caliguire (R, Skillman in Montgomery Township, 2018), and Brian D. Levine (R, Franklin Township, 2017), Constitutional officers elected on a countywide basis are County Clerk Brett A. Radi (R, Somerville, 2017), Sheriff Frank J. Provenzano (R, Raritan, 2016) and Surrogate Frank Bruno (R, Branchburg, 2018).

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 527 registered voters in Rocky Hill, of which 183 (34.7% vs. 26.0% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 190 (36.1% vs. 25.7%) were registered as Republicans and 151 (28.7% vs. 48.2%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 3 voters registered to other parties. Among the borough's 2010 Census population, 77.3% (vs. 60.4% in Somerset County) were registered to vote, including 100.6% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 80.4% countywide).

In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 63.6% of the vote (252 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 34.6% (137 votes), and other candidates with 1.8% (7 votes), among the 397 ballots cast by the borough's 532 registered voters (1 ballot was spoiled), for a turnout of 74.6%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 258 votes (61.0% vs. 52.1% countywide), ahead of Republican John McCain with 154 votes (36.4% vs. 46.1%) and other candidates with 8 votes (1.9% vs. 1.1%), among the 423 ballots cast by the borough's 511 registered voters, for a turnout of 82.8% (vs. 78.7% in Somerset County). In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 241 votes (56.3% vs. 47.2% countywide), ahead of Republican George W. Bush with 181 votes (42.3% vs. 51.5%) and other candidates with 6 votes (1.4% vs. 0.9%), among the 428 ballots cast by the borough's 501 registered voters, for a turnout of 85.4% (vs. 81.7% in the whole county).

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 54.0% of the vote (150 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 42.8% (119 votes), and other candidates with 3.2% (9 votes), among the 282 ballots cast by the borough's 535 registered voters (4 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 52.7%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 153 votes (50.2% vs. 55.8% countywide), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 122 votes (40.0% vs. 34.1%), Independent Chris Daggett with 23 votes (7.5% vs. 8.7%) and other candidates with 2 votes (0.7% vs. 0.7%), among the 305 ballots cast by the borough's 522 registered voters, yielding a 58.4% turnout (vs. 52.5% in the county).

Education

Rocky Hill is a non-operating school district. All public school students from the Rocky Hill School District attend school in the Montgomery Township School District, in Montgomery Township as part of a sending/receiving relationship. As of the 2012-13 school year, the district's five schools had an enrollment of 5,045 students and 378.3 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 13.34:1. Schools in the district (with 2012-13 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Orchard Hill Elementary School (grades K-2; 844 students), Village Elementary School (3-4; 682), Montgomery Lower Middle School (5-6; 794), Montgomery Upper Middle School (7-8; 822) and Montgomery High School (9-12; 1,740).

Rocky Hill is home to the Rocky Hill Cooperative Nursery School, which was established in 1957.

Roads and highways

As of May 2010, the borough had a total of 4.38 miles (7.05 km) of roadways, of which 2.88 miles (4.63 km) were maintained by the municipality and 1.50 miles (2.41 km) by Somerset County.

The major road that passes through is County Route 518, which provides access to U.S. Route 206 to the west and Route 27 to the east.

The nearest limited access roads are at least 25 minutes away, such as Interstate 287, Interstate 295 and the New Jersey Turnpike (Interstate 95).

Airport

Princeton Airport, serving the neighboring town of Princeton, is located in Montgomery Township, just west of Rocky Hill.

Emergency services

Police coverage is provided by the New Jersey State Police, from the Kingwood Station in Hunterdon County. Part-time coverage is provided by the South Bound Brook Police for traffic enforcement only.

Fire protection is offered by the Rocky Hill Hook & Ladder Co #1/Station 53 Fire.

Emergency Medical Services are provided by the Rocky Hill First Aid and Rescue Squad (53 Rescue), which had been temporarily decommissioned as of March 2011 by Resolution 2011-33. An aggressive recruitment and training program under new operational and executive leadership led to Rocky Hill First and Rescue Squad returning to full primary EMS coverage in October 2012, covering all shifts on a scramble basis and offering mutual aid to squads based in Franklin Township, Kingston, and Princeton.

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Rocky Hill include: