Country United States County Gloucester Elevation 23 ft (7 m) Local time Saturday 9:41 AM Area code Area code 856 | State New Jersey Incorporated April 28, 1914 Zip code 08093 Population 4,250 (2013) | |
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Area rank 463rd of 566 in state
21st of 24 in county Weather 6°C, Wind N at 24 km/h, 77% Humidity | ||
Westville is a borough in Gloucester County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 4,288, reflecting a decline of 212 (-4.7%) from the 4,500 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn declined by 73 (-1.6%) from the 4,573 counted in the 1990 Census. The Borough of Westville is known as "The Gateway to South Jersey!"
Contents
- Map of Westville NJ USA
- Geography
- Census 2010
- Census 2000
- Local government
- Federal state and county representation
- Politics
- Education
- Roads and highways
- Public transportation
- Notable people
- References
Map of Westville, NJ, USA
Westville was formed as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 7, 1914, from portions of Deptford Township and West Deptford Township, based on the results of a referendum held on April 28, 1914. The borough was reincorporated on March 8, 1924. Legislation had been passed in 1900 to create Westville, but it had to have a majority vote in favor of the new municipality in both Deptford and West Deptford. The borough was named for Thomas West, who built a home in the area in 1775 that still stands.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 1.378 square miles (3.568 km2), including 1.024 square miles (2.652 km2) of land and 0.354 square miles (0.916 km2) of water (25.66%).
Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the borough include Newbold, South Westville, Business District, Victoria, and Gardner Tract. .
The borough borders Deptford Township, West Deptford Township, and Camden County.
Census 2010
The 2010 United States Census counted 4,288 people, 1,755 households, and 1,095 families residing in the borough. The population density was 4,187.0 per square mile (1,616.6/km2). The borough contained 1,912 housing units at an average density of 1,867.0 per square mile (720.9/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 89.53% (3,839) White, 4.90% (210) Black or African American, 0.16% (7) Native American, 1.49% (64) Asian, 0.05% (2) Pacific Islander, 2.31% (99) from other races, and 1.56% (67) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 6.02% (258) of the population.
Out of a total of 1,755 households, 26.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.9% were married couples living together, 14.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.6% were non-families. 31.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.06.
In the borough, 20.4% of the population were under the age of 18, 10.1% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 29.1% from 45 to 64, and 11.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.8 years. For every 100 females the census counted 96.1 males, but for 100 females at least 18 years old, it was 94.1 males.
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $49,854 (with a margin of error of +/- $4,131) and the median family income was $65,089 (+/- $13,208). Males had a median income of $45,294 (+/- $5,957) versus $39,732 (+/- $7,921) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $26,908 (+/- $3,575). About 13.7% of families and 15.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.7% of those under age 18 and 24.2% of those age 65 or over.
Census 2000
As of the 2000 United States Census there were 4,500 people, 1,812 households, and 1,125 families residing in the borough. The population density was 4,666.1 people per square mile (1,809.9/km2). There were 1,938 housing units at an average density of 2,009.5 per square mile (779.4/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 93.47% White, 2.71% Black, 0.13% Native American, 1.00% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.29% from other races, and 1.38% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.96% of the population.
There were 1,812 households out of which 29.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.4% were married couples living together, 12.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.9% were non-families. 31.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.15.
In the borough the age distribution of the population shows 24.5% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 32.0% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 14.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 94.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.4 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $39,570, and the median income for a family was $49,005. Males had a median income of $35,909 versus $27,220 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $18,747. About 7.4% of families and 8.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.9% of those under age 18 and 5.9% of those age 65 or over.
Local government
Westville is governed under the Borough form of New Jersey municipal government. The governing body consists of a Mayor and a Borough Council comprising six council members, with all positions elected at-large on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. A Mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The Borough Council consists of six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle. The Borough form of government used by Westville, the most common system used in the state, is a "weak mayor / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can veto ordinances subject to an override by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council.
As of 2016, the Mayor of Westville is Democrat Russell W. Welsh Jr., whose term of office ends December 31, 2018. Members of the Westville Borough Council are Council President Michael O. Ledrich (D, 2018), Paul C. Mailley (D, 2016), Donna Moan (D, 2016), Charles D. Murtaugh (D, 2017), Bruce Nordaby (D, 2018) and Fritz H. Sims Jr. (D, 2017).
Federal, state and county representation
Westville is located in the 1st Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 5th state legislative district.
New Jersey's First Congressional District is represented by Donald Norcross (D, Camden). 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 5th Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Nilsa Cruz-Perez (D, Barrington) and in the General Assembly by Arthur Barclay (D, Camden) and Patricia Egan Jones (D, Barrington). The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham Township). The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).
Gloucester County is governed by a Board of Chosen Freeholders, whose seven members are elected at-large to three-year terms of office on a staggered basis in partisan elections, with two or three seats coming up for election each year. At a reorganization meeting held each January, the Board selects a Freeholder Director and a Deputy Freeholder Director from among its members. As of 2016, Gloucester County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director Robert M. Damminger (D, West Deptford Township; term ends December 31, 2018), Deputy Freeholder Director Giuseppe "Joe" Chila (D, Woolwich Township; 2018), Lyman J. Barnes (D, Logan Township; 2017), Daniel Christy (D, Washington Township; 2016), Frank J. DiMarco (D, Deptford Township; 2016), Heather Simmons (D, Glassboro; 2017) and Jim Jefferson (D, Woodbury; 2017). Constitutional officers elected countywide are County Clerk James N. Hogan, Surrogate Helene M. Reed (Monroe Township) and Sheriff Carmel Morina (Greenwich Township).
Politics
As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 2,636 registered voters in Westville, of which 898 (34.1%) were registered as Democrats, 481 (18.2%) were registered as Republicans and 1,256 (47.6%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There was one voter registered to another party.
In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 57.2% of the vote (967 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 40.5% (685 votes), and other candidates with 2.4% (40 votes), among the 1,711 ballots cast by the borough's 2,715 registered voters (19 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 63.0%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 57.0% of the vote (1,133 cast), ahead of Republican John McCain with 38.8% (770 votes) and other candidates with 2.5% (50 votes), among the 1,987 ballots cast by the borough's 2,854 registered voters, for a turnout of 69.6%. In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 55.5% of the vote (1,044 ballots cast), outpolling Republican George W. Bush with 43.1% (812 votes) and other candidates with 0.7% (19 votes), among the 1,882 ballots cast by the borough's 2,623 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 71.7.
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 64.2% of the vote (602 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 32.4% (304 votes), and other candidates with 3.4% (32 votes), among the 961 ballots cast by the borough's 2,666 registered voters (23 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 36.0%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 45.0% of the vote (514 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 41.5% (473 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 10.2% (116 votes) and other candidates with 0.9% (10 votes), among the 1,141 ballots cast by the borough's 2,759 registered voters, yielding a 41.4% turnout.
Education
The Westville School District is a community public school district that serves students in kindergarten through sixth grade at Parkview Elementary School, home of the Panthers. As of the 2011–12 school year, the district's one school had an enrollment of 347 students and 31.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.20:1.
For seventh through twelfth grade, students attend Gateway Regional High School, a regional public high school serving students from the boroughs of National Park, Wenonah, Westville and Woodbury Heights, as part of the Gateway Regional High School District. As of the 2014-15 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 961 students and 81.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.9:1.
Roads and highways
As of May 2010, the borough had a total of 18.05 miles (29.05 km) of roadways, of which 12.72 miles (20.47 km) were maintained by the municipality, 1.66 miles (2.67 km) by Gloucester County and 3.67 miles (5.91 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.
Major roads that pass through include CR 551, Route 45, Route 47, U.S. Route 130, and I-295.
Public transportation
NJ Transit bus service on the 401 route between Salem and Philadelphia, the 402 between Pennsville Township and Philadelphia, the 408 between Millville and Philadelphia, the 410 between Bridgeton and Philadelphia, the 412 route between Sewell and Philadelphia, the 455 between Cherry Hill Mall and Paulsboro, and the 463 route between Woodbury and the Avandale Park-and-Ride in Sicklerville.
Conrai's Penns Grove Secondary freight rail line passes through the town. The planned diesel multiple unit light rail system Glassboro-Camden Line, projected to open in 2019, will use the same right-of-way with a stop in Westville at Crown Point Road.
Notable people
People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Westville include: