Stow Creek Township, New Jersey

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 18.846 square miles (48.811 km²), including 18.300 square miles (47.396 km²) of land and 0.546 square miles (1.415 km²) of water (2.90%).

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Cumberland Causeway, Garrisons Corner, Gum Tree Corner, Jericho, Kernans Corner, Macanippock, Marlboro, Roadstown, Seventh Day Mill, Stow Creek Landing, Town Hall and Willis Corner.

The township borders Hopewell Township, Shiloh, Greenwich Township, Salem County, and the Delaware Bay.

Census 2010

The 2010 United States Census counted 1,431 people, 543 households, and 412.1 families residing in the township. The population density was 78.2 per square mile (30.2/km²). The township contained 568 housing units at an average density of 31.0 per square mile (12.0/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 91.33% (1,307) White, 4.47% (64) Black or African American, 1.40% (20) Native American, 0.28% (4) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 0.98% (14) from other races, and 1.54% (22) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 4.40% (63) of the population.

Out of a total of 543 households, 26.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.7% were married couples living together, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.1% were non-families. 19.2% 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 2.64 and the average family size was 3.01.

In the township, 20.8% of the population were under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 21.5% from 25 to 44, 32.1% from 45 to 64, and 17.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44.6 years. For every 100 females the census counted 101.0 males, but for 100 females at least 18 years old, it was 97.9 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $71,333 (with a margin of error of +/- $7,849) and the median family income was $78,583 (+/- $7,836). Males had a median income of $52,500 (+/- $12,034) versus $38,036 (+/- $3,668) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $29,860 (+/- $3,146). About 4.1% of families and 6.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.3% of those under age 18 and 4.3% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 1,429 people, 536 households, and 425 families residing in the township. The population density was 77.5 people per square mile (29.9/km²). There were 560 housing units at an average density of 30.4 per square mile (11.7/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 93.42% White, 3.50% African American, 1.61% Native American, 0.21% Asian, 0.84% from other races, and 0.42% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.68% of the population.

There were 536 households out of which 32.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.0% were married couples living together, 6.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.7% were non-families. 17.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.01.

In the township the population was spread out with 23.5% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 29.0% from 45 to 64, and 14.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 96.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.8 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $52,500, and the median income for a family was $58,583. Males had a median income of $35,500 versus $26,528 for females. The per capita income for the township was $20,925. About 5.7% of families and 6.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.1% of those under age 18 and 12.1% of those age 65 or over.

Local government

Stow Creek is governed under the Township form of government. The governing body is a three-member Township Committee, whose members are elected directly by the voters at-large in partisan elections to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with one seat 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.

As of 2016, members of the Stow Creek Township Committee are Mayor Melvin R. "Randy" Dickinson Jr. (R, term on committee ends December 31, 2018; term as mayor ends 2016), Tom Burton (R, 2016) and Dale F. Cruzan Sr. (R, 2017).

Federal, state and county representation

Stow Creek Township is located in the 2nd Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 1st state legislative district. Prior to the 2011 reapportionment following the 2010 Census, Stow Creek Township had been in the 3rd state legislative district.

New Jersey's Second Congressional District is represented by Frank LoBiondo (R, Ventnor City). 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 1st Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Jeff Van Drew (D, Dennis Township) and in the General Assembly by Bob Andrzejczak (D, Middle Township) and R. Bruce Land (D, Vineland). The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham Township). The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).

Cumberland County is governed by a seven-member Board of Chosen Freeholders, who are elected at-large in partisan elections to serve staggered three-year terms in office, with two or three seats coming up for election each year. At an annual reorganization meeting held each January, the freeholders select one member to serve as Freeholder Director and another as Deputy Director. As of 2014, Cumberland County's Freeholders (with committee liaison assignments, political party, residence and term-end dates listed in parentheses) are Freeholder Director Joseph Derella (Administration / Public Safety; D, Millville, term ends December 31, 2015), Freeholder Deputy Director Douglas M. Long (NA; D, Upper Deerfield Township, 2015), Darlene Barber (Education; D, 2016, Upper Deerfield Township), Carol Musso (Community Services; D, Deerfield Township, 2014), James Sauro (Agriculture; R, Vineland, 2014), Thomas Sheppard (Health; R, Lawrence Township, 2016) and Tony Surace (Public Works; D, Millville, 2014). The county's constitutional officers are County Clerk Gloria Noto (Vineland, 2014), Sheriff Robert A. Austino (Vineland, 2014) and Surrogate Douglas M. Rainear (Bridgeton, 2018).

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 979 registered voters in Stow Creek Township, of which 200 (20.4%) were registered as Democrats, 362 (37.0%) were registered as Republicans and 416 (42.5%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There was one voter registered to another party.

In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 64.9% of the vote (447 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 34.5% (238 votes), and other candidates with 0.6% (4 votes), among the 697 ballots cast by the township's 982 registered voters (8 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 71.0%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 58.5% of the vote (431 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama, who received 38.4% (283 votes), with 737 ballots cast among the township's 979 registered voters, for a turnout of 75.3%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 64.6% of the vote (455 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry, who received around 34.4% (242 votes), with 704 ballots cast among the township's 915 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 76.9.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 75.1% of the vote (355 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 24.1% (114 votes), and other candidates with 0.8% (4 votes), among the 483 ballots cast by the township's 942 registered voters (10 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 51.3%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 60.6% of the vote (308 ballots cast), ahead of both Democrat Jon Corzine with 29.1% (148 votes) and Independent Chris Daggett with 6.3% (32 votes), with 508 ballots cast among the township's 962 registered voters, yielding a 52.8% turnout.

Education

The Stow Creek School District serves public school students in kindergarten through eighth grade at Stow Creek School. As of the 2014-15 school year, the district and its one school had an enrollment of 180 students and 22.2 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 8.1:1.

Under the Greenwich - Stow Creek Partnership established in 2009 with the Greenwich Township School District in Greenwich Township, students from both townships attend Morris Goodwin School for grades K-4 and Stow Creek School for grades 5-8.

Public school students in ninth through twelfth grades attend Cumberland Regional High School, which also serves students from Deerfield Township, Fairfield Township, Greenwich Township, Hopewell Township, Shiloh Borough and Upper Deerfield Township. As of the 2014-15 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 1,354 students and 87.9 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 15.4:1.

Transportation

As of May 2010, the township had a total of 44.04 miles (70.88 km) of roadways, of which 10.66 miles (17.16 km) were maintained by the municipality, 31.24 miles (50.28 km) by Cumberland County and 2.14 miles (3.44 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.