Upper Township, New Jersey

History

Upper Township was formed as a precinct on April 2, 1723, and was incorporated as one of New Jersey's initial 104 townships by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798. Portions of the township have been taken to form Dennis Township (March 1, 1827) and Ocean City borough (March 3, 1884), and territorial changes were made involving Sea Isle City in March and April 1905. The township's name came from its location when Cape May was split into three townships in 1723 at the same time that Lower Township and Middle Township were created.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 68.687 square miles (177.900 km²), including 62.149 square miles (160.966 km²) of land and 6.538 square miles (16.934 km²) of water (9.52%).

Strathmere (2010 population of 158) is a unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Upper Township. Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Beesley's Point, Blackmans Island, Cedar Springs, Corsons Inlet, Formosa, Greenfield, Marmora, Marshallville, Middletown, Miramar, Palermo, Petersburg, Seaville, Steelmantown, Tuckahoe, West Ocean City and Whale Beach. The township contains many different communities and enclaves that create a diverse area reaching from Great Egg Harbor to the Atlantic Ocean. Seaville is the largest community and Strathmere is the township's island containing a beach community.

2010 Census

As of the census of 2010, there were 12,373 people, 4,566 households, and 3,461 families residing in the township. The population density was 199.1 per square mile (76.9/km²). There were 6,341 housing units at an average density of 102.0 per square mile (39.4/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 96.61% (11,954) White, 0.58% (72) Black or African American, 0.13% (16) Native American, 0.74% (92) Asian, 0.01% (1) Pacific Islander, 0.72% (89) from other races, and 1.20% (149) from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.36% (292) of the population.

There were 4,566 households out of which 32.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.2% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.2% were non-families. 20.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.14.

In the township, the population was spread out with 23.8% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 20.2% from 25 to 44, 34.0% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.6 years. For every 100 females there were 94.4 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and old there were 92.1 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $81,250 (with a margin of error of +/- $8,629) and the median family income was $97,372 (+/- $6,832). Males had a median income of $63,597 (+/- $2,442) versus $46,250 (+/- $4,552) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $38,702 (+/- $2,243). About 2.5% of families and 4.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.9% of those under age 18 and 6.6% of those age 65 or over.

2000 Census

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 12,115 people, 4,266 households, and 3,365 families residing in the township. The population density was 191.8 people per square mile (74.1/km²). There were 5,472 housing units at an average density of 86.6 per square mile (33.5/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 97.59% White, 0.69% African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.61% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.19% from other races, and 0.74% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.28% of the population.

There were 4,266 households out of which 39.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.7% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.1% were non-families. 17.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.84 and the average family size was 3.23.

In the township the population was spread out with 28.6% under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 25.5% from 45 to 64, and 12.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 93.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.4 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $60,942, and the median income for a family was $68,824. Males had a median income of $46,528 versus $31,325 for females. The per capita income for the township was $27,498. About 2.4% of families and 3.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.1% of those under age 18 and 3.8% of those age 65 or over.

Parks and recreation

With its beaches in the Strathmere section, Upper Township is one of five municipalities in the state that offer free public access to oceanfront beaches monitored by lifeguards, joining Atlantic City, North Wildwood, Wildwood and Wildwood Crest.

Local government

Upper 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.

As of 2016, members of the Upper Township Committee are Mayor Richard Palombo (R, term on committee ends December 31, 2018; term as mayor ends 2016), Deputy Mayor Edward Barr (R, term on committee ends 2018; term as deputy mayor ends 2016), John Coggins (R, 2016), Jeffrey L. Pierson (R, 2017) and Hobart "Hobie" Young (R, 2016).

Federal, state and county representation

Upper Township is located in the 2nd Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 1st 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).

Cape May County is governed by a Board of Chosen Freeholders consisting of five members, elected at-large in partisan elections 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 held each January, the freeholders select one member to serve as Director and another to serve as Vice-Director. As of 2015, Cape May County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director Gerald M. Thornton (Middle Township, term ends December 31, 2016), Freeholder Vice-Director Leonard C. Desiderio (Sea Isle City, 2015), Kristine Gabor (Upper Township, 2017), E. Marie Hayes (Ocean City, 2016), and Will Morey (Wildwood Crest, 2017). The county's constitutional officers are Sheriff Gary Schafer (Middle Township, 2017), Surrogate M. Susan Sheppard (Ocean City, 2017), and County Clerk Rita Fulginiti (Ocean City, 2015).

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 9,154 registered voters in Upper Township, of which 1,403 (15.3%) were registered as Democrats, 4,454 (48.7%) were registered as Republicans and 3,287 (35.9%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 10 voters registered to other parties.

In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 58.2% of the vote (4,027 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 40.5% (2,807 votes), and other candidates with 1.3% (89 votes), among the 6,998 ballots cast by the township's 9,487 registered voters (75 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 73.8%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 57.2% of the vote (4,165 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama, who received 40.9% (2,980 votes), with 7,286 ballots cast among the township's 9,053 registered voters, for a turnout of 80.5%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 61.1% of the vote (4,391 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry, who received around 37.6% (2,701 votes), with 7,192 ballots cast among the township's 8,988 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 80.0.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 70.2% of the vote (3,396 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 28.2% (1,364 votes), and other candidates with 1.6% (77 votes), among the 4,974 ballots cast by the township's 9,433 registered voters (137 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 52.7%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 57.8% of the vote (2,865 ballots cast), ahead of both Democrat Jon Corzine with 33.4% (1,655 votes) and Independent Chris Daggett with 6.3% (312 votes), with 4,954 ballots cast among the township's 9,341 registered voters, yielding a 53.0% turnout.

Education

The Upper Township School District serves students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. As of the 2014-15 school year, the district and its three schools had an enrollment of 2,071 students and 117.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 17.6:1. Schools in the district (with 2014-15 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Upper Township Primary School (grades PreK-2; 480 students), Upper Township Elementary School (3-5; 454) and Upper Township Middle School (6-8; 470).

Students from Corbin City, a non-operating school district, attend the Upper Township schools as part of a sending/receiving relationship.

Students in public school for ninth through twelfth grades from Upper Township attend Ocean City High School in Ocean City as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Ocean City School District, along with students from Corbin City and Sea Isle City. As of the 2014-15 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 1,262 students and 103.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.3:1. About 60% of students in Ocean City High School are from Upper Township.

Roads and highways

As of May 2010, the township had a total of 140.23 miles (225.68 km) of roadways, of which 74.84 miles (120.44 km) were maintained by the municipality, 36.95 miles (59.47 km) by Cape May County and 19.37 miles (31.17 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and 9.07 miles (14.60 km) by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.

The Garden State Parkway passes through and has two exits that provide access to Route 50 and U.S. Route 9 (since the Beesley's Point Bridge is closed). The Parkway connects Dennis Township on the south to Egg Harbor Township in the north. at Interchange 20 for Seaville / Tuckahoe and Interchange 25 for Ocean City / Marmora via County Route 623.

Other major roads that pass through include Route 49, CR 548 and CR 557.

Public transportation

NJ Transit offers the 313 and 315 (and the 316 offering seasonal service) inter-city bus routes that runs through the town three times a day and shuttle people between Cape May and Philadelphia, the 319 route to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan, and the 551 route between Philadelphia and Atlantic City.

Points of interest

Notable people

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