Wantage Township, New Jersey

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 67.481 square miles (174.776 km²), including 66.753 square miles (172.890 km²) of land and 0.728 square miles (1.886 km²) of water (1.08%). The township is located in the Kittatinny Valley which is a section of the Great Appalachian Valley that stretches for 700 miles (1,100 km) from Canada to Alabama.

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Beemerville, Colesville, Hanford, Lake Neepaulin, Lake Rutherford, Lewisburg, Libertyville, Martins, Mount Salem, Papakating, Plumbsock, Quarryville, Rockport, Roys and Woodbourne.

Rutan Hill, also called Volcanic Hill, located near the Beemerville section of Wantage Township, is New Jersey's only volcanic site that was last active over 440 million years ago.

Rivers and streams in Wantage are tributaries in the Wallkill River watershed, and include:

The township completely surrounds Sussex borough, making it part of 21 pairs of "doughnut towns" in the state, where one municipality entirely surrounds another. Wantage borders the municipalities of Frankford Township, Hardyston Township, Lafayette Township, Montague Township, Sandyston Township and Vernon Township in Sussex County; and both Greenville and Minisink in Orange County, New York.

Census 2010

As of the census of 2010, there were 11,358 people, 3,910 households, and 3,116 families residing in the township. The population density was 170.1 per square mile (65.7/km²). There were 4,173 housing units at an average density of 62.5 per square mile (24.1/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 95.23% (10,816) White, 1.21% (137) Black or African American, 0.11% (13) Native American, 0.99% (113) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 0.93% (106) from other races, and 1.52% (173) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.23% (594) of the population.

There were 3,910 households out of which 34.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.8% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.3% were non-families. 15.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.90 and the average family size was 3.25.

In the township, the population was spread out with 25.0% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 22.5% from 25 to 44, 32.2% from 45 to 64, and 11.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.2 years. For every 100 females there were 98.6 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and old there were 96.7 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $72,270 (with a margin of error of +/− $7,478) and the median family income was $78,934 (+/− $9,462). Males had a median income of $55,509 (+/− $8,605) versus $41,013 (+/− $3,999) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $29,266 (+/− $2,047). About 4.3% of families and 3.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.0% of those under age 18 and 5.3% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 10,387 people, 3,441 households, and 2,856 families residing in the township. The population density was 154.8 people per square mile (59.8/km²). There were 3,663 housing units at an average density of 54.6 per square mile (21.1/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 97.10% White, 0.65% African American, 0.06% Native American, 0.67% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.41% from other races, and 1.10% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.89% of the population.

There were 3,441 households out of which 43.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 71.5% were married couples living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.0% were non-families. 13.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.02 and the average family size was 3.33.

In the township the population was spread out with 29.4% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 30.0% from 25 to 44, 24.8% from 45 to 64, and 8.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 96.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.0 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $58,440, and the median income for a family was $65,339. Males had a median income of $42,697 versus $30,160 for females. The per capita income for the township was $22,488. About 4.2% of families and 4.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.7% of those under age 18 and 5.2% of those age 65 or over.

Local government

Wantage Township 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 and another as Deputy Mayor.

As of 2016, members of the Wantage Township Committee are Mayor Ronald Bassani (R, term on committee and as mayor ends December 31, 2016), Deputy Mayor Jon Morris (R, term on committee ends 2017; term as deputy mayor ends 2016) and William Gaechter (R, 2018).

Federal, state and county representation

Wantage Township is located in the 5th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 24th state legislative district.

New Jersey's Fifth Congressional District is represented by Josh Gottheimer (D, Wyckoff). 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 24th Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Steve Oroho (R, Franklin) and in the General Assembly by Parker Space (R, Wantage Township) and Gail Phoebus (R, Andover Township). The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham Township). The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).

Sussex County is governed by a Board of Chosen Freeholders whose five members are elected at-large in partisan elections on a staggered basis, with either 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 Freeholder Director and Deputy Director from among its members, with day-to-day supervision of the operation of the county delegated to a County Administrator. As of 2014, Sussex County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director Richard Vohden (R, Green Township, 2016), Deputy Director Dennis J. Mudrick (R, Sparta Township, 2015), Phillip R. Crabb (R, Franklin, 2014), George Graham (R, Stanhope, 2016) and Gail Phoebus (R, Andover Township, 2015). Graham was chosen in April 2013 to fill the seat vacated by Parker Space, who had been chosen to fill a vacancy in the New Jersey General Assembly. Constitutional officers elected on a countywide basis are County Clerk Jeff Parrott (R, 2016), Sheriff Michael F. Strada (R, 2016) and Surrogate Gary R. Chiusano (R, filling the vacancy after the resignation of Nancy Fitzgibbons). The County Administrator is John Eskilson.

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 7,397 registered voters in Wantage Township, of which 969 (13.1% vs. 16.5% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 3,315 (44.8% vs. 39.3%) were registered as Republicans and 3,104 (42.0% vs. 44.1%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 9 voters registered to other parties. Among the township's 2010 Census population, 65.1% (vs. 65.8% in Sussex County) were registered to vote, including 86.8% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 86.5% countywide).

In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 3,269 votes (62.8% vs. 59.4% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 1,800 votes (34.6% vs. 38.2%) and other candidates with 119 votes (2.3% vs. 2.1%), among the 5,203 ballots cast by the township's 7,467 registered voters, for a turnout of 69.7% (vs. 68.3% in Sussex County). In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 3,454 votes (62.2% vs. 59.2% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 1,987 votes (35.8% vs. 38.7%) and other candidates with 74 votes (1.3% vs. 1.5%), among the 5,551 ballots cast by the township's 7,319 registered voters, for a turnout of 75.8% (vs. 76.9% in Sussex County). In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 3,300 votes (67.0% vs. 63.9% countywide), ahead of Democrat John Kerry with 1,564 votes (31.7% vs. 34.4%) and other candidates with 48 votes (1.0% vs. 1.3%), among the 4,928 ballots cast by the township's 6,500 registered voters, for a turnout of 75.8% (vs. 77.7% in the whole county).

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 70.0% of the vote (2,107 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 27.0% (812 votes), and other candidates with 3.0% (89 votes), among the 3,038 ballots cast by the township's 7,582 registered voters (30 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 40.1%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 2,602 votes (63.7% vs. 63.3% countywide), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 999 votes (24.5% vs. 25.7%), Independent Chris Daggett with 388 votes (9.5% vs. 9.1%) and other candidates with 59 votes (1.4% vs. 1.3%), among the 4,084 ballots cast by the township's 7,192 registered voters, yielding a 56.8% turnout (vs. 52.3% in the county).

Education

Public school students in kindergarten through eighth grade attend the schools of the Sussex-Wantage Regional School District, together with children from Sussex Borough. As of the 2014-15 school year, the district and its three schools had an enrollment of 1,806 students and 110.8 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 16.3:1. Schools in the district (with 2014-15 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Clifton E. Lawrence School in Wantage (377 students; grades K - 2), Wantage Elementary School in Sussex (358; 3 - 5) and Sussex Middle School in Sussex (412; 6 - 8).

For ninth through twelfth grades, public school students attend High Point Regional High School, together with students from Branchville, Frankford Township, Lafayette Township, Montague Township, Sussex Borough and Wantage Township (where the school is located). As of the 2014-15 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 1,002 students and 94.3 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 10.6:1.

Roads and highways

As of May 2010, the township had a total of 172.15 miles (277.05 km) of roadways, of which 119.72 miles (192.67 km) were maintained by the municipality, 35.31 miles (56.83 km) by Sussex County and 17.12 miles (27.55 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

CR 519, CR 565, Route 23 and Route 284 all pass through the township. Route 284 connects to NY 284, providing access to U.S. Route 6.

Aviation

Sussex Airport, a small general aviation airport, is located in Wantage Township.

Wineries

Notable people

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