Somerdale, New Jersey

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 1.387 square miles (3.592 km²), all of which was land.

Somerdale borders the Camden County municipalities of Cherry Hill, Gloucester Township, Hi-Nella, Lawnside, Lindenwold, Magnolia, Stratford, Voorhees Township.

Census 2010

The 2010 United States Census counted 5,151 people, 2,026 households, and 1,345 families residing in the borough. The population density was 3,714.0 per square mile (1,434.0/km²). The borough contained 2,158 housing units at an average density of 1,556.0 per square mile (600.8/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 68.20% (3,513) White, 18.99% (978) Black or African American, 0.08% (4) Native American, 6.00% (309) Asian, 0.02% (1) Pacific Islander, 3.07% (158) from other races, and 3.65% (188) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 8.19% (422) of the population.

Out of a total of 2,026 households, 25.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.0% were married couples living together, 14.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.6% were non-families. 27.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.9% 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 3.11.

In the borough, 20.6% of the population were under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 29.0% from 45 to 64, and 15.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.1 years. For every 100 females the census counted 97.5 males, but for 100 females at least 18 years old, it was 96.4 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $60,991 (with a margin of error of +/- $10,116) and the median family income was $71,862 (+/- $7,180). Males had a median income of $46,132 (+/- $3,220) versus $32,287 (+/- $3,698) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $26,221 (+/- $2,206). About 2.2% of families and 5.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.8% 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 5,192 people, 2,068 households, and 1,379 families residing in the borough. The population density was 3,778.9 people per square mile (1,463.2/km²). There were 2,168 housing units at an average density of 1,577.9 per square mile (611.0/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 75.35% White, 17.66% African American, 0.21% Native American, 3.24% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.08% from other races, and 2.45% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.89% of the population.

There were 2,068 households out of which 27.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.4% were married couples living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.3% were non-families. 29.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.11.

In the borough the population was spread out with 22.3% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 31.3% from 25 to 44, 24.0% from 45 to 64, and 15.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 95.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.4 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $46,898, and the median income for a family was $54,200. Males had a median income of $37,008 versus $31,237 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $21,259. About 6.4% of families and 5.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.4% of those under age 18 and 6.2% of those age 65 or over.

Local government

Somerdale 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 Somerdale, 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 Somerdale is Democrat Gary J. Passanante, whose term of office ends December 31, 2015. Members of the Borough Council are Council President David A. Alexander (D, 2016), George C. Ehrmann (D, 2018), Edward J. Kain (D, 2016), Jennifer A. McQuaid (D, 2018), James J. Perry (2017) and Lawrence R. "Larry" Sefchick (D, 2017).

Federal, state and county representation

Somerdale 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, Somerdale had been in the 5th 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).

Camden County is governed by a Board of Chosen Freeholders, whose seven members chosen at-large in partisan elections to three-year terms office on a staggered basis, with either two or three seats coming up for election each year. As of 2015, Camden County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director Louis Cappelli, Jr. (Collingswood, term as freeholder ends December 31, 2017; term as director ends 2015), Freeholder Deputy Director Edward T. McDonnell (Pennsauken Township, term as freeholder ends 2016; term as deputy director ends 2015), Michelle Gentek (Gloucester Township, 2015), Ian K. Leonard (Camden, 2015), Jeffrey L. Nash (Cherry Hill, 2015), Carmen Rodriguez (Merchantville, 2016) and Jonathan L. Young, Sr. (Berlin Township, November 2015; serving the unexpired term of Scot McCray ending in 2017)

Camden County's constitutional officers, all elected directly by voters, are County clerk Joseph Ripa, Sheriff Charles H. Billingham, and Surrogate Patricia Egan Jones. The Camden County Prosecutor Mary Eva Colalillo was appointed by the Governor of New Jersey with the advice and consent of the New Jersey Senate (the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature).

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 3,457 registered voters in Somerdale, of which 1,919 (55.5%) were registered as Democrats, 318 (9.2%) were registered as Republicans and 1,215 (35.1%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 5 voters registered to other parties.

In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 72.4% of the vote (1,718 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 26.8% (635 votes), and other candidates with 0.8% (19 votes), among the 2,383 ballots cast by the borough's 3,747 registered voters (11 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 63.6%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 68.3% of the vote (1,758 cast), ahead of Republican John McCain, who received around 28.5% (734 votes), with 2,573 ballots cast among the borough's 3,437 registered voters, for a turnout of 74.9%. In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 65.2% of the vote (1,653 ballots cast), outpolling Republican George W. Bush, who received around 33.0% (836 votes), with 2,535 ballots cast among the borough's 3,444 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 73.6.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 49.2% of the vote (606 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 49.1% (604 votes), and other candidates with 1.7% (21 votes), among the 1,259 ballots cast by the borough's 3,753 registered voters (28 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 33.5%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 58.8% of the vote (842 ballots cast), ahead of both Republican Chris Christie with 33.6% (481 votes) and Independent Chris Daggett with 4.8% (69 votes), with 1,433 ballots cast among the borough's 3,469 registered voters, yielding a 41.3% turnout.

Education

The Somerdale School District serves public school students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade at Somerdale Park School. As of the 2014-15 school year, the district and its one school had an enrollment of 741 students and 46.7 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 15.9:1.

For ninth grade through twelfth grade, public school students attend Sterling High School, a regional high school district that also serves students from Magnolia and Stratford, along with the sending districts of Hi-Nella and Laurel Springs. The high school is located in Somerdale. As of the 2014-15 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 961 students and 71.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 13.4:1.

Our Lady of Grace was a K-8 elementary school that operated under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden. As part of the reorganization by the Camden Diocese, Our Lady of Grace School and the associated church were both closed, after a November 2009 announcement from the Camden Diocese that the Somerdale church would be one of three churches that would be closed and combined to create Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Lindenwold.

Roads and highways

As of May 2010, the borough had a total of 24.21 miles (38.96 km) of roadways, of which 19.46 miles (31.32 km) were maintained by the municipality, 3.52 miles (5.66 km) by Camden County and 1.23 miles (1.98 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

U.S. Route 30 traverses the borough, from the border with Magnolia to the north and to Stratford to the south .

Public transportation

NJ Transit bus service between the borough and Philadelphia is available on the 403 route (from Turnersville to Camden), with local service available on the 451.

Notable people

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