Upper Pittsgrove Township, New Jersey

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 40.486 square miles (104.857 km²), including 40.328 square miles (104.449 km²) of land and 0.158 square miles (0.408 km²) of water (0.39%). Upper Pittsgrove leads New Jersey in acres of active agriculture and preserved farmland. The Salem River has its source in the township.

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Ballingers Mill, Daretown, Foxs Mill, Friendship Church, Monroeville, New Freedom, Newkirk, Pittsgrove, Pole Tavern, Shirley, Whig Lane and Woods Mills.

The township borders Alloway Township, Elmer, Pilesgrove Township and Pittsgrove Township. Upper Pittsgrove Township also borders Cumberland County and Gloucester County.

Census 2010

As of the census of 2010, there were 3,505 people, 1,247 households, and 931.5 families residing in the township. The population density was 86.9 per square mile (33.6/km²). There were 1,310 housing units at an average density of 32.5 per square mile (12.5/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 94.89% (3,326) White, 2.17% (76) Black or African American, 0.43% (15) Native American, 0.23% (8) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 0.91% (32) from other races, and 1.37% (48) from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.02% (106) of the population.

There were 1,247 households out of which 28.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.6% were married couples living together, 6.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.3% were non-families. 20.9% 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 2.73 and the average family size was 3.17.

In the township, the population was spread out with 22.4% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 21.8% from 25 to 44, 32.5% from 45 to 64, and 15.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.7 years. For every 100 females there were 102.6 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and old there were 100.4 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $80,957 (with a margin of error of +/- $12,476) and the median family income was $83,438 (+/- $13,632). Males had a median income of $55,246 (+/- $4,750) versus $36,316 (+/- $13,317) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $30,264 (+/- $3,595). About 2.4% of families and 5.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.2% of those under age 18 and 4.2% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 3,468 people, 1,207 households, and 959 families residing in the township. The population density was 85.9 people per square mile (33.2/km²). There were 1,250 housing units at an average density of 31.0 per square mile (11.9/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 94.84% White, 2.16% African American, 0.52% Native American, 0.32% Asian, 1.30% from other races, and 0.87% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.14% of the population.

There were 1,207 households out of which 35.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.5% were married couples living together, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.5% were non-families. 16.9% 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 2.80 and the average family size was 3.13.

In the township the population was spread out with 25.3% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 27.5% from 25 to 44, 26.0% from 45 to 64, and 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 99.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.4 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $53,813, and the median income for a family was $56,768. Males had a median income of $41,319 versus $27,976 for females. The per capita income for the township was $21,732. About 6.0% of families and 8.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.7% of those under age 18 and 5.6% of those age 65 or over.

Local government

Upper Pittsgrove Township is governed under the Township form of New Jersey municipal 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 council selects one of its members to serves as mayor and another as deputy mayor.

As of 2016, members of the Upper Pittsgrove Township Council are Mayor Jack R. Cimprich (R, term on committee ends December 31, 2018; term as mayor ends December 31, 2016), Deputy Mayor Edward J. Meschi (R, term on committee ends 2017; term as deputy mayor ends 2016), Bruce W. Bishop (R, 2018), William W. Gantz Jr. (D, 2016) and David Zeck Sr. (R, 2017).

Federal, state and county representation

Upper Pittsgrove Township is located in the 2nd Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 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 3rd Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Stephen M. Sweeney (D, West Deptford Township) and in the General Assembly by John J. Burzichelli (D, Paulsboro) and Adam Taliaferro (D, Woolwich Township). The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham Township). The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).

Salem County is governed by a seven-member Board of Chosen Freeholders who are elected at-large to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either two or three seats coming up for election each year. At an annual reorganization meeting held in the beginning of January, the board selects a Director and a Deputy Director from among its members. As of 2014, Salem County's Freeholders (with party, residence, term-end year and committee chairmanship listed in parentheses) are Director Julie A. Acton (R, Pennsville Township, 2016; Administration), Deputy Director Dale A. Cross (R, Pennsville Township, 2014; Public Safety), Bruce L. Bobbitt (D, Pilesgrove Township, 2014; Public Services), Ben Laury (R, Elmer, 2015; Public Works) Beth E. Timberman (D, Woodstown, 2015; Social Services), Robert J. Vanderslice (R, Pennsville Township, 2014; Health and Human Services) Lee R. Ware (D, Elsinboro Township, 2016; Transportation, Agriculture and Cultural Affairs). Constitutional officers elected on a countywide basis are County Clerk Gilda T. Gill (2014), Sheriff Charles M. Miller (2015) and Surrogate Nicki A. Burke (2015).

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 2,370 registered voters in Upper Pittsgrove Township, of which 447 (18.9% vs. 30.6% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 688 (29.0% vs. 21.0%) were registered as Republicans and 1,235 (52.1% vs. 48.4%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were no voters registered to other parties. Among the township's 2010 Census population, 67.6% (vs. 64.6% in Salem County) were registered to vote, including 87.1% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 84.4% countywide).

In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 65.3% of the vote (1,102 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 33.1% (558 votes), and other candidates with 1.6% (27 votes), among the 1,699 ballots cast by the township's 2,395 registered voters (12 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 70.9%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 1,173 votes (64.8% vs. 46.6% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 595 votes (32.9% vs. 50.4%) and other candidates with 23 votes (1.3% vs. 1.6%), among the 1,810 ballots cast by the township's 2,449 registered voters, for a turnout of 73.9% (vs. 71.8% in Salem County). In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 1,192 votes (64.4% vs. 52.5% countywide), ahead of Democrat John Kerry with 621 votes (33.6% vs. 45.9%) and other candidates with 29 votes (1.6% vs. 1.0%), among the 1,850 ballots cast by the township's 2,477 registered voters, for a turnout of 74.7% (vs. 71.0% in the whole county).

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 76.9% of the vote (896 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 20.1% (234 votes), and other candidates with 3.0% (35 votes), among the 1,172 ballots cast by the township's 2,372 registered voters (7 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 49.4%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 814 votes (59.2% vs. 46.1% countywide), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 372 votes (27.0% vs. 39.9%), Independent Chris Daggett with 138 votes (10.0% vs. 9.7%) and other candidates with 32 votes (2.3% vs. 2.0%), among the 1,376 ballots cast by the township's 2,441 registered voters, yielding a 56.4% turnout (vs. 47.3% in the county).

Education

The Upper Pittsgrove School District serves public school students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade at Upper Pittsgrove School. As of the 2012-13 school year, the district's one school had an enrollment of 395 students.

Students in public school for ninth through twelfth grades attend Woodstown High School in Woodstown, which serves students from Pilesgrove Township and Woodstown, along with students Alloway Township, Oldmans Township and Upper Pittsgrove Township who attend the high school as part of sending/receiving relationships with the Woodstown-Pilesgrove Regional School District. As of the 2013-14 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 710 students and 60.6 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.7:1.

Roads and highways

As of May 2010, the township has a total of 111.44 miles (179.35 km) of roadways, of which 43.02 miles (69.23 km) were maintained by the municipality, 51.38 miles (82.69 km) by Salem County and 17.04 miles (27.42 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

State Route 77 runs through the center of the township for 7.6 miles (12.2 km) from Upper Deerfield Township in Cumberland County to Elk Township in Gloucester County to the north. U.S. Route 40 (Harding Highway) runs across the township for about 10.0 miles (16.1 km), from Pilesgrove Township in the west, enters Elmer borough, re-enters the township and continues to Franklin Township in Gloucester County to the east. County Route 553 (Buck Road) cuts across the eastern panhandle of the township, from Pittsgrove Township in the south to Franklin Township in the north. County Route 581 (Commissioners Pike) enters on the western border from Pilesgrove Township and heads north for 3.5 miles (5.6 km) towards South Harrison Township.

Pole Tavern Circle is a traffic circle at the intersection of U.S. Route 40, State Route 77, Monroeville Road (County Route 604), and Daretown Road (County Route 635). The Pole Tavern Circle, named for a liberty pole that stood at the site during the American Revolutionary War, is the location of a large historic cannon that was first placed there in 1913.

Public transportation

NJ Transit provides service between Bridgeton and Philadelphia on the 410 route.

Wineries

Notable people

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