Commercial Township, New Jersey
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| Commercial, New Jersey | |
 |
|
| Coordinates: | |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| State | New Jersey |
| County | Cumberland |
| Area | |
| - Total | 34.5 sq mi (89.4 km²) |
| - Land | 32.5 sq mi (84.1 km²) |
| - Water | 2.0 sq mi (5.3 km²) |
| Elevation | 20 ft (6 m) |
| Population (2000) | |
| - Total | 5,259 |
| - Density | 162.0/sq mi (62.6/km²) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| - Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| FIPS code | 34-14710[1] |
| GNIS feature ID | 0882062[2] |
Commercial Township is a township in Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the Vineland-Millville- Bridgeton Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area for statistical purposes. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 5,259.
Commercial Township was incorporated as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 27, 1874, from portions of Downe Township.[3]
Laurel Lake and Port Norris are census-designated places and unincorporated areas located within Commercial Township. Mauricetown is an unincorporated area of the township.
Contents |
[edit] Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 34.5 square miles (89.4 km²), of which, 32.5 square miles (84.1 km²) of it is land and 2.0 square miles (5.3 km²) of it (5.91%) is water.
Commercial Township borders Maurice River Township, Millville, Downe Township, and the Delaware Bay.
[edit] Demographics
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1930 | 2,873 |
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| 1940 | 2,822 | -1.8% | |
| 1950 | 3,238 | 14.7% | |
| 1960 | 3,244 | 0.2% | |
| 1970 | 3,667 | 13.0% | |
| 1980 | 4,674 | 27.5% | |
| 1990 | 5,026 | 7.5% | |
| 2000 | 5,259 | 4.6% | |
| Est. 2006 | 5,419 | [4] | 3.0% |
| Population 1930 - 1990[5] | |||
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 5,259 people, 1,873 households, and 1,367 families residing in the township. The population density was 162.0 people per square mile (62.6/km²). There were 2,171 housing units at an average density of 66.9/sq mi (25.8/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 82.98% White, 13.42% African American, 0.42% Native American, 0.23% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.01% from other races, and 1.92% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.86% of the population.
There were 1,873 households out of which 35.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.1% were married couples living together, 16.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.0% were non-families. 21.4% 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 2.80 and the average family size was 3.22.
In the township the population was spread out with 28.3% under the age of 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 20.8% from 45 to 64, and 12.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 97.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.0 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $34,960, and the median income for a family was $37,500. Males had a median income of $35,030 versus $21,610 for females. The per capita income for the township was $14,663. About 13.0% of families and 15.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.3% of those under age 18 and 11.9% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Government
[edit] Local government
Members of the Commercial Township Council are Mayor George Garrison, Deputy Mayor Fletcher Jamison and William Riggin.[6]
[edit] Federal, state and county representation
Commercial Township is in the Second Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 3rd Legislative District.[7]
New Jersey's Second Congressional District, covering all of Atlantic County, Cape May County, Cumberland County and Salem County and portions of Burlington County, Camden County and Gloucester County, is represented by Frank LoBiondo (R, Ventnor). New Jersey is represented in the Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Bob Menendez (D, Hoboken).
The 3rd legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Stephen M. Sweeney (D, Thorofare) and in the Assembly by John J. Burzichelli (D, Thorofare) and Douglas H. Fisher (D, Thorofare).[8] The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).[9]
Cumberland County is governed by a seven-member Board of Chosen Freeholders, who are elected at large in partisan elections to serve staggered three-year terms in office, with two or three seats coming up for election each year.[10] As of 2008, Cumberland County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director Louis N. Magazzu (term ends December 31, 2009), Deputy Director Bruce T. Peterson (2008), Jane Yetman Christy (2008), Joseph Pepitone (2010), Douglas M. Rainear (2010), Joseph P. Riley (2009) and Jeffrey M. Trout (2008).[11]
[edit] Education
The Commercial Township School District serves public school students in kindergarten through eighth grade. Children attend the Haleyville-Mauricetown School from preschool to fifth grade. Port Norris Middle School serves students in sixth through eighth grade.
Public school students in grades 9-12 attend high school in Millville, as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Millville Public Schools. Students attend Memorial High School for grades 9 and half of the 10th grade and Millville Senior High School [1] for half of the 10th grade through the 12th grade.
[edit] Notable residents
Notable current and former residents of Commercial Township include:
- Henry C. Loudenslager (1852-1911), represented New Jersey's 1st congressional district from 1893 to 1911.[12]
[edit] References
- ^ a b American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ US Board on Geographic Names. United States Geological Survey (2007-10-25). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ "The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 120.
- ^ Census data for Commercial township, United States Census Bureau. Accessed August 11, 2007.
- ^ Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930 - 1990, Workforce New Jersey Public Information Network. Accessed March 1, 2007.
- ^ Commercial Township, Cumberland County, New Jersey. Accessed August 11, 2007.
- ^ 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, New Jersey League of Women Voters, p. 56. Accessed August 30, 2006.
- ^ Legislative Roster: 2008-2009 Session, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed June 6, 2008.
- ^ About the Governor, New Jersey. Accessed June 6, 2008.
- ^ About Cumberland County Government, Cumberland County, New Jersey. Accessed May 22, 2008.
- ^ County Freeholders, Cumberland County, New Jersey. Accessed May 23, 2008.
- ^ Henry Clay Loudenslager biography, United States Congress. Accessed August 11, 2007.
[edit] External links
- Cumberland County webpage for Commercial Township
- Commercial Township School District
- Commercial Township School District's 2006-07 School Report Card from the New Jersey Department of Education
- National Center for Education Statistics data for the Commercial Township School District
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