Sandyston Township, New Jersey
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Sandyston Township is a small semi-rural Township located in the north-western part of the state in Sussex County, New Jersey, near the Pennsylvania border. The township is surrounded by and part of many National and State Parks.
As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 1,825, though in 2004 the US Census estimated that the population had increased to 1,905. Recently, the township has been ranked by New Jersey Monthly magazine as the sixth most desirable municipality in the State of New Jersey to live. Sandyston's growth in recent years has been attributed to the influx of people from more urban parts of the state and even New York City, located less than 75 miles away.
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[edit] Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 112.2 km² (43.3 mi²). 110.4 km² (42.6 mi²) of it is land and 1.8 km² (0.7 mi²) of it (1.62%) is water.
Sandyston Township sits anywhere between 300 and 1,600 feet above sea-level. A ridge runs along the eastern half of the township called the Kittatinny Mountains. The highest point in the township is Sunrise Mountain in Stokes State Forest. The lowest point is around the Delaware River in the western half of the township.
[edit] Demographics
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1930 | 610 |
|
|
| 1940 | 651 | 6.7% | |
| 1950 | 829 | 27.3% | |
| 1960 | 1,019 | 22.9% | |
| 1970 | 1,303 | 27.9% | |
| 1980 | 1,485 | 14.0% | |
| 1990 | 1,732 | 16.6% | |
| 2000 | 1,825 | 5.4% | |
| historical data source: [1] | |||
As of the census2 of 2000, there were 1,825 people, 693 households, and 503 families residing in the township. The population density was 16.5/km² (42.8/mi²). There were 907 housing units at an average density of 8.2/km² (21.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the township was 97.86% White, 0.38% African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.44% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 0.05% from other races, and 0.99% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.32% of the population.
There were 793 households out of which 35.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.9% were married couples living together, 5.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.3% were non-families. 22.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.12.
In the township the population was spread out with 25.2% under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 26.9% from 45 to 64, and 13.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 101.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.6 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $55,667, and the median income for a family was $65,774. Males had a median income of $46,167 versus $30,660 for females. The per capita income for the township was $23,854. About 3.6% of families and 5.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.8% of those under age 18 and 6.4% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Government
Sandyston Township has been considered one of the most consistently Republican municipalities in New Jersey. In the past two Presidential elections of 2000 and 2004, the township has voted overwhelmingly Republican. Currently all three councilmen are Republican.
- 2000 Bush 484 - Gore 242
- 2004 Bush 638 - Kerry 291
[edit] Local government
The Township of Sandyston operates under the Township form of government. Three Committee Members are elected at large, one each year, for a three year term. The Mayor and Deputy Mayor are appointed to one-year terms by the Township Committee members at the annual reorganization meeting. Each Committee Member serves a three-year term of office, with one seat coming up for election each year.
Members of the Sandyston Township Committee are Mayor Fred MacDonald (term ends December 2006), Deputy Mayor George Harper (2008) and William Leppert (2007).[2]
[edit] Federal, state and county representation
Sandyston Township is in the Fifth Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 24th Legislative District.[3]
New Jersey's Fifth Congressional District, covering the northern portions of Bergen County, Passaic County and Sussex County and all of Warren County, is represented by Scott Garrett (R, Wantage Township). New Jersey is represented in the Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Bob Menendez (D, Hoboken).
The 24th legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Robert Littell (R, Franklin) and in the Assembly by Guy R. Gregg (R, Flanders) and Alison Littell McHose (R, Sparta). The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).
Sussex County is governed by a five-member Board of Chosen Freeholders. Sussex County's Freeholders are Director Gary R. Chiusano (term ends December 31, 2008), Deputy Director Harold J. Wirths (2007), Steven V. Oroho (2007), Glen Vetrano (2006) and Susan M. Zellman (2006).
[edit] Education
Students in Kindergarten through sixth grade attend the schools of the Sandyston-Walpack Consolidated School District, together with students from Walpack Township. The school serves 180 students and is in Layton.
The students of middle and high school age attend Kittatinny Regional High School located in Hampton Township, which serves 1,300 students who reside in Fredon Township, Hampton Township, Sandyston Township, Stillwater Township and Walpack Township. The high school is located in Hampton, about 7 minutes outside of the County seat of Newton.
[edit] Transportation
U.S. Route 206 bisects the township. The Dingman's Ferry Bridge, one of the last privately owned toll bridge on the Delaware River and one of the last few in the United States, carries two lanes of PA 739 and NJ County Route 560, connecting to Delaware Township, Pike County, Pennsylvania.
[edit] References
- ^ New Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930 - 1990. Retrieved on 2007-03-03.
- ^ Sandyston Township Committee, accessed [{December 6]], 2006
- ^ League of Women Voters: 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, p. 63, accessed August 30, 2006
[edit] External links
- Sandyston Township
- Sussex County webpage for Sandyston Township
- Sandyston-Walpack Consolidated School
- Kittatinny Regional High School
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(County seat: Newton) |
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| Boroughs | Andover | Branchville | Franklin | Hamburg | Hopatcong | Ogdensburg | Stanhope | Sussex |  |
| Town | Newton | |
| Townships | Andover Township | Byram Township | Frankford Township | Fredon Township | Green Township | Hampton Township | Hardyston Township | Lafayette Township | Montague Township | Sandyston Township | Sparta Township | Stillwater Township | Vernon Township | Walpack Township | Wantage Township | |
| CDPs and other communities | Crandon Lakes | Highland Lake | Lake Mohawk | Stockholm | Vernon Valley | |
| Rivers | Clove Brook | Delaware River | Flat Brook | Lubbers Run | Musconetcong River | Papakating Creek | Paulins Kill | Pequannock River | Pequest River | Punkhorn Creek | Wallkill River | Wawayanda Creek | |
