Westampton Township, New Jersey

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, Westampton township had a total area of 11.195 square miles (28.994 km²), including 11.025 square miles (28.555 km²) of land and 0.170 square miles (0.439 km²) of water (1.51%).

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Rancocas, Timbuctoo and Woodlane.

Census 2010

The 2010 United States Census counted 8,813 people, 3,195 households, and 2,428 families residing in the township. The population density was 799.4 per square mile (308.7/km²). The township contained 3,291 housing units at an average density of 298.5 per square mile (115.3/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 61.00% (5,376) White, 25.45% (2,243) Black or African American, 0.19% (17) Native American, 6.90% (608) Asian, 0.03% (3) Pacific Islander, 2.26% (199) from other races, and 4.16% (367) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 8.84% (779) of the population.

Out of a total of 3,195 households, 34.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.4% were married couples living together, 13.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.0% were non-families. 19.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.76 and the average family size was 3.18.

In the township, 24.4% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 27.2% from 25 to 44, 30.3% from 45 to 64, and 10.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.3 years. For every 100 females the census counted 91.5 males, but for 100 females at least 18 years old, it was 87.8 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $89,713 (with a margin of error of +/- $10,240) and the median family income was $97,080 (+/- $9,080). Males had a median income of $65,651 (+/- $7,331) versus $45,956 (+/- $4,844) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $38,334 (+/- $4,669). About 2.8% of families and 4.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.6% of those under age 18 and 5.7% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 7,217 people, 2,525 households, and 1,966 families residing in the township. The population density was 653.6 people per square mile (252.4/km²). There were 2,581 housing units at an average density of 233.8 per square mile (90.3/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 70.81% White, 21.27% African American, 0.28% Native American, 3.03% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.83% from other races, and 2.74% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.21% of the population.

There were 2,525 households out of which 42.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.2% were married couples living together, 13.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.1% were non-families. 18.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.83 and the average family size was 3.24.

In the township the population was spread out with 29.3% under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 33.4% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 9.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 90.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.6 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $63,973, and the median income for a family was $69,656. Males had a median income of $46,536 versus $32,167 for females. The per capita income for the township was $26,594. About 2.7% of families and 2.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.1% of those under age 18 and 4.9% of those age 65 or over.

Local government

Westampton 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 and another as Deputy Mayor.

As of 2016, members of the Westampton Township Committee are Mayor C. Andre Daniels (D, term on committee ends December 31, 2017; term as mayor ends December 31, 2016), Deputy Mayor Abraham López (R, term on committee ends on 2018; term as deputy mayor ends December 31, 2016), Carolyn V. Chang (D, 2016), Maureen Smith-Hartman (R, 2018) and Patricia Winsett Teleisa (D, 2017).

Federal, state and county representation

Westampton Township is located in the 3rd Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 8th state legislative district. Prior to the 2011 reapportionment following the 2010 Census, Westampton Township had been in the 7th state legislative district.

New Jersey's 3rd Congressional District is represented by Tom MacArthur (R, Toms River). 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 8th Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Dawn Marie Addiego (R, Evesham Township) and in the General Assembly by Maria Rodriguez-Gregg (R, Evesham Township) and Joe Howarth (R, Evesham Township). The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham Township). The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).

Burlington County is governed by a Board of chosen freeholders, whose five members are elected at-large in partisan elections to three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats coming up for election each year. The board chooses a director and deputy director from among its members at an annual reorganization meeting held in January. As of 2015, Burlington County's Freeholders are Director Mary Ann O'Brien (R, Medford Township, 2017; Director of Administration and Human Services), Deputy Director Bruce Garganio (R, Florence Township, 2017; Director of Public Works and Health), Aimee Belgard (D, Edgewater Park Township, 2015; Director of Hospital, Medical Services and Education) Joseph Donnelly (R, Cinnaminson Township, 2016; Director of Public Safety, Natural Resources, and Education) and Joanne Schwartz (D, Southampton Township, 2015; Director of Health and Corrections). Constitutional officers are County Clerk Tim Tyler, Sheriff Jean E. Stanfield and Surrogate George T. Kotch.

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 5,540 registered voters in Westampton Township, of which 2,175 (39.3% vs. 33.3% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 1,115 (20.1% vs. 23.9%) were registered as Republicans and 2,249 (40.6% vs. 42.8%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There was one voter registered to another party. Among the township's 2010 Census population, 62.9% (vs. 61.7% in Burlington County) were registered to vote, including 83.2% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 80.3% countywide).

In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 3,060 votes here (67.9% vs. 58.1% countywide), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 1,368 votes (30.3% vs. 40.2%) and other candidates with 46 votes (1.0% vs. 1.0%), among the 4,509 ballots cast by the township's 5,848 registered voters, for a turnout of 77.1% (vs. 74.5% in Burlington County). In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 3,138 votes here (67.3% vs. 58.4% countywide), ahead of Republican John McCain with 1,448 votes (31.1% vs. 39.9%) and other candidates with 44 votes (0.9% vs. 1.0%), among the 4,661 ballots cast by the township's 5,556 registered voters, for a turnout of 83.9% (vs. 80.0% in Burlington County). In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 2,259 votes here (57.4% vs. 52.9% countywide), ahead of Republican George W. Bush with 1,640 votes (41.7% vs. 46.0%) and other candidates with 26 votes (0.7% vs. 0.8%), among the 3,937 ballots cast by the township's 4,795 registered voters, for a turnout of 82.1% (vs. 78.8% in the whole county).

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 1,410 votes here (52.7% vs. 61.4% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 1,187 votes (44.4% vs. 35.8%) and other candidates with 28 votes (1.0% vs. 1.2%), among the 2,675 ballots cast by the township's 5,802 registered voters, yielding a 46.1% turnout (vs. 44.5% in the county). In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 1,501 ballots cast (52.9% vs. 44.5% countywide), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 1,162 votes (41.0% vs. 47.7%), Independent Chris Daggett with 115 votes (4.1% vs. 4.8%) and other candidates with 33 votes (1.2% vs. 1.2%), among the 2,835 ballots cast by the township's 5,592 registered voters, yielding a 50.7% turnout (vs. 44.9% in the county).

Education

For pre-kindergarten through eighth grade, public school students attend the Westampton Township Schools. As of the 2014-15 school year, the district and its two schools had an enrollment of 1,384 students and 75.6 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 18.3:1. The schools in the district (with 2014-15 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Holly Hills Elementary School with 494 students in kindergarten through 4th grade and Westampton Township Middle School with 463 students in PreK and grades 5 to 8.

For ninth through twelfth grades, public school students attend the Rancocas Valley Regional High School, a comprehensive regional public high school that is part of the Rancocas Valley Regional High School District, which also serves students from the communities of Eastampton Township, Hainesport Township, Lumberton Township and Mount Holly Township. As of the 2014-15 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 2,077 students and 110.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 18.9:1. The school is located in Mount Holly Township and is part of the Rancocas Valley Regional High School District.

Burlington County Institute of Technology is a countywide public vocational-technical school district offering training to students throughout Burlington County, with a campus located in Westampton and the Burlington County Institute of Technology Medford Campus in Medford.

Roads and highways

As of May 2010, the township had a total of 55.24 miles (88.90 km) of roadways, of which 32.47 miles (52.26 km) were maintained by the municipality, 15.84 miles (25.49 km) by Burlington County and 2.83 miles (4.55 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and 4.10 miles (6.60 km) by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.

Westampton hosts one county route and two major highways. Interstate 295 runs through the northwestern section of the township for about 2½ miles, including an interchange, Exit 45. County Route 541 passes through the municipality from the northwestern section to the southeastern corner. Westampton Township houses a 4.1-mile (6.6 km) section of the New Jersey Turnpike, including a four-lane toll gate for Exit 5.

Public transportation

NJ Transit provides bus service on route 413 between Burlington and Camden.

BurLink bus service is offered on the B1 route (between Beverly and Pemberton) and on the B2 route (between Beverly and Westampton Township).

Academy Bus provides service from a park-and-ride facility near Exit 5 of the New Jersey Turnpike to the Port Authority Bus Terminal and other street service in Midtown Manhattan and to both Jersey City and the Wall Street area in Lower Manhattan.

Notable people

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