Berkeley Township, New Jersey
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Berkeley Township is a Township in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 39,991.
Berkeley Township was incorporated as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 31, 1875, from portions of Dover Township (now Toms River Township). Portions of the township were taken to form Seaside Park (March 3, 1898), Seaside Heights (February 6, 1913), Beachwood (March 22, 1917), Ocean Gate (February 28, 1918) Pine Beach (February 26, 1925), South Toms River (March 28, 1927) and Island Beach (June 23, 1933, reabsorbed into Berkeley Township in 1965).[1]
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[edit] Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 144.5 km² (55.8 mi²). 111.1 km² (42.9 mi²) of it is land and 33.4 km² (12.9 mi²) of it (23.12%) is water.
The Township is located in the central part of Ocean County along the Atlantic Ocean and Barnegat Bay, which is part of the Intracoastal Waterway.
Approximately 72% of the Townships land area is within the federally designated New Jersey Pinelands National Reserve. Approximately 38% is within the State's Pineland Area, which is within the Pinelands National Reserve. Toms River Township forms the northern border of the Township, Cedar Creek and Lacey Township form the Township's southern border. The barrier island, on which South Seaside Park and Island Beach State Park are situated, is the Township's eastern boundary[2].
Holiday City-Berkeley (2000 Census population of 13,884), Holiday City South (4,047), Holiday Heights (2,389) and Silver Ridge (1,311) are census-designated places and unincorporated areas located within Berkeley Township. Bayville is an unincorporated area located within the Township.
[edit] Demographics
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1930 | 811 |
|
|
| 1940 | 1,127 | 39.0% | |
| 1950 | 1,550 | 37.5% | |
| 1960 | 4,272 | 175.6% | |
| 1970 | 7,918 | 85.3% | |
| 1980 | 23,151 | 192.4% | |
| 1990 | 37,319 | 61.2% | |
| 2000 | 39,991 | 7.2% | |
| historical data source: [3] | |||
As of the census² of 2000, there were 39,991 people, 19,828 households, and 12,174 families residing in the township. The population density was 359.9/km² (932.3/mi²). There were 22,288 housing units at an average density of 200.6/km² (519.6/mi²). The racial makeup of the township was 97.10% White, 1.30% African American, 0.04% Native American, 0.45% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.43% from other races, and 0.66% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.33% of the population.
There were 19,828 households out of which 11.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.1% were married couples living together, 6.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.6% were non-families. 35.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 29.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.99 and the average family size was 2.52.
In the township the population was spread out with 11.4% under the age of 18, 3.6% from 18 to 24, 14.7% from 25 to 44, 18.3% from 45 to 64, and 52.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 66 years. For every 100 females there were 79.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.1 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $32,134, and the median income for a family was $40,208. Males had a median income of $41,643 versus $28,640 for females. The per capita income for the township was $22,198. About 3.4% of families and 5.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.1% of those under age 18 and 5.9% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Government
[edit] Local government
Effective July 1, 1983, Berkeley Township is governed under the Mayor-Council system of municipal government under the Faulkner Act. The Township is governed by a Mayor who is elected for a four-year term and a seven-member Council elected on a staggered basis for terms of four years, with the respective terms commencing on January 1st.
The members of the Berkeley Township Committee are:[4]
- Jason J. Varano, Mayor
- Nathan Abbe, Council Vice President - Councilman at Large
- Anne M. Wolff, Council President, Chairman – Board of Health and Councilwoman at Large
- Karen Davis, Councilwoman Ward 1
- Carmen F. Amato, Jr., Councilman Ward 2
- Bill Villane, Councilman at Large
- Glennon Depetris, Vice Chairman – Board of Health & Councilman Ward 3
- John R. Napurano, Councilman Ward 4
[edit] Federal, state and county representation
Berkeley Township is in the Third Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 9th Legislative District[5].
New Jersey's Third Congressional District, covering portions of Burlington County, Camden County and Ocean County, is represented by Jim Saxton (R, Mount Holly). New Jersey is represented in the Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Bob Menendez (D, Hoboken).
The 9th legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Leonard T. Connors (R, Forked River) and in the Assembly by Christopher J. Connors (R, Forked River) and Brian E. Rumpf (R, Forked River). The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).
Ocean County is governed by a five-member Board of Chosen Freeholders. Ocean County's Freeholders are: John C. Bartlett Jr., John P. Kelly, James F. Lacey, Gerry P. Little and Joseph H. Vicari.
[edit] Education
The Berkeley Township School District is responsible for the education of children in grades K through 6. Schools in the district are Bayville School, Clara B. Worth School, and H & M Potter School, all of which serve K-4, and Berkeley Township Elementary School for grades 5&6.
Students in grades 7 through 12 attend the schools of the Central Regional School District, which serves students from the municipalities of Berkeley Township, Island Heights, Ocean Gate, Seaside Heights and Seaside Park. The total student population in the district is approximately 2,400, instructed by 200 staff members. The schools in the district are Central Regional Middle School for grades 7 and 8 (833 students), and Central Regional High School for grades 9 - 12 (1,494 students).
[edit] Transportation
The Garden State Parkway is the primary access route, with two exits in the Township. U.S. Route 9 and Route 37 run westerly from the Barrier Island to Route 70.
[edit] References
- ^ "The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 201.
- ^ Berkeley Township General Information, accessed February 25, 2006
- ^ New Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930 - 1990. Retrieved on 2007-03-03.
- ^ Berkeley Township Government, accessed February 25, 2006
- ^ League of Women Voters: 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, p. 54, accessed August 30, 2006
[edit] External links
- Berkeley Township website
- Berkeley Township School District
- Berkeley Township School District's 2005-06 School Report Card from the New Jersey Department of Education
- National Center for Education Statistics data for the Berkeley Township Elementary Schools
- Central Regional School District
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