Lower Township, New Jersey
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| Lower Township, New Jersey | |
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| Coordinates: | |
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| Country | United States |
| State | New Jersey |
| County | Cape May |
| Area | |
| - Total | 72.6 sq mi (188.0 km²) |
| - Land | 46.8 sq mi (121.2 km²) |
| - Water | 25.8 sq mi (66.8 km²) |
| Elevation | 3 ft (1 m) |
| Population (2000) | |
| - Total | 1,851 |
| - Density | 39.6/sq mi (15.3/km²) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| - Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| FIPS code | 34-41640[1] |
| GNIS feature ID | 0882065[2] |
Lower Township is a township in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 22,945.
Lower Township was formed as a precinct on April 2, 1723, and was incorporated as one of New Jersey's initial 104 townships by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798. Portions of the township were taken to form Cape Island Borough (March 8, 1848, now known as Cape May city), Cape May Point borough (created April 19, 1878, restored to Lower Township on April 8, 1896, recreated April 6, 1908), Holly Beach (April 14, 1885, now part of Wildwood city), South Cape May (August 27, 1894, restored to Lower Township on April 30, 1945), Wildwood Crest (April 6, 1910) and North Cape May (March 19, 1928, restored to Lower Township on April 30, 1945).[3]
New Jersey Monthly magazine ranked Lower Township as its 34th best place to live in its 2008 rankings of the "Best Places To Live" in New Jersey.[4]
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[edit] Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 31.1 square miles (80.5 km²), of which, 28.2 square miles (73.1 km²) of it is land and 2.8 square miles (7.4 km²) of it (9.17%) is water. Diamond Beach, Erma, North Cape May and Villas are census-designated places and unincorporated areas located within Lower Township.
Lower Township borders Middle Township, Wildwood City, Wildwood Crest Borough, Cape May City, West Cape May Borough, Cape May Point Borough, the Delaware Bay, and the Atlantic Ocean.
[edit] Demographics
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1930 | 1,444 |
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| 1940 | 1,693 | 17.2% | |
| 1950 | 2,737 | 61.7% | |
| 1960 | 6,332 | 131.3% | |
| 1970 | 10,154 | 60.4% | |
| 1980 | 17,105 | 68.5% | |
| 1990 | 20,820 | 21.7% | |
| 2000 | 22,945 | 10.2% | |
| Est. 2006 | 20,785 | [5] | -9.4% |
| Population 1930 - 1990.[6] | |||
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 22,945 people, 9,328 households, and 6,380 families residing in the township. The population density was 813.0 people per square mile (313.9/km²). There were 13,924 housing units at an average density of 493.4/sq mi (190.5/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 96.26% White, 1.39% African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.53% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.65% from other races, and 0.92% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.88% of the population.
There were 9,328 households out of which 28.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.9% were married couples living together, 11.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.6% were non-families. 27.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.95.
In the township the population was spread out with 23.7% under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 25.1% from 25 to 44, 24.4% from 45 to 64, and 20.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 90.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.2 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $38,977, and the median income for a family was $45,058. Males had a median income of $35,201 versus $24,715 for females. The per capita income for the township was $19,786. About 5.3% of families and 7.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.3% of those under age 18 and 5.3% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Government
[edit] Local government
Lower Township adopted the Council-Manager form of government under the Faulkner Act in 1984. The council is composed of five council members (Mayor, Council Member-at-Large, and three Wards), each elected on a partisan basis, serving the Township for a four-year term. Because the terms overlap, elections to council are held every two years.
The Mayor presides at all Council meetings and has a voice and vote in the proceedings. Powers are limited to those expressly conferred by the Charter. The Manager serves the Council for an indefinite term of office and may be removed by a majority vote of the Council. The Manager is the chief executive and administrator of the Township.
As of 2008, members of the Lower Township Council are Mayor Walt Craig, Deputy Mayor Robert Nolan, 1st Ward Council Member Thomas Conrad, 2nd Ward Council Member Wayne Mazurek and 3rd Ward Council Member Glenn Douglass.[7]
[edit] Federal, state and county representation
Lower Township is in the Second Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 1st Legislative District.[8]
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 1st legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Nicholas Asselta (R) and in the Assembly by Nelson Albano (D, Vineland) and Jeff Van Drew (D, Dennis Township).[9] The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).[10]
Cape May County is governed by a Board of Chosen Freeholders consisting of five members, elected at large in partisan elections to serve staggered three-year terms in office. Cape May County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director Daniel Beyel (Upper Township, term expires December 31, 2008), Freeholder Vice-Director Ralph E. Sheets, Jr. (2008), Ralph E. Bakley, Sr. (2010), Leonard C. Desiderio (Sea Isle City, 2009) and Gerald M. Thornton (2010).[11]
[edit] Education
The Lower Township School District serves public school students in prekindergarten through sixth grade. Schools in the district (with 2005-06 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics[12]) are Memorial School (PreK and K; 405 students), Carl T. Mitnick School (1 and 2; 484), Maud T. Abrams School (3 and 4; 465) and Charles W. Sandman Consolidated School (5 and 6; 561).
The Lower Township School District participates in the Interdistrict Public School Choice Program, which allows non-resident students to attend the district's schools without cost to their parents, with tuition paid by the state. Available lots are announced annually by grade.[13]
For grades 7 - 12, public school students attend the schools of the Lower Cape May Regional School District, which serves students from Cape May City, Lower Township and West Cape May, along with students from Cape May Point.[14] Schools in the district are Richard M. Teitelman School (grades 7 and 8) and Lower Cape May Regional High School (grades 9-12).
There are also two private Catholic schools in Lower Township, Our Lady Star of The Sea Regional School (pre-K to 8) and Wildwood Catholic High School (9-12).
[edit] Transportation
Mile marker 0 of the Garden State Parkway is in Lower Township, at the intersection with US 9.[15] U.S. Route 9 passes through the township, as do Route 109, Route 162 and Ocean Drive.
[edit] Points of Interest
[edit] Notable residents
Notable current and former residents of Lower township include:
- Charles W. Sandman, Jr. (1921-1985), represented New Jersey's 2nd congressional district from 167 to 1975.[16]
[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. 114.
- ^ "Best Places To Live - The Complete Top Towns List 1-100", New Jersey Monthly, February 21, 2008. Accessed February 24, 2008.
- ^ Census data for Lower township, United States Census Bureau. Accessed September 18, 2007.
- ^ Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930 - 1990, Workforce New Jersey Public Information Network. Accessed March 1, 2007.
- ^ Lower Township Mayor and Council, Lower Township. Accessed April 16, 2008.
- ^ 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, New Jersey League of Women Voters, p. 59. 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.
- ^ Freeholders Home Page, Cape May County, New Jersey. Accessed January 30, 2008.
- ^ Data for the Lower Township School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed April 16, 2008.
- ^ Interdistrict Public School Choice: Approved Choice Districts, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed April 16, 2008.
- ^ Lower Cape May Regional - High School. Accessed April 16, 2008. "Lower Cape May Regional High School is a four year public school that serves students from four communities including Cape May, Lower Township, West Cape May and Cape May Point."
- ^ Garden State Parkway, New Jersey Department of Transportation Straight-line diagram. Accessed September 18, 2007.
- ^ Kerr, Peter. "EX-REP. CHARLES SANDMAN. NIXON SUPPORTER, DIES", The New York Times, August 27, 1985. Accessed October 21, 2007. "He was 64 and lived in Erma Park, N.J"
[edit] External links
- Lower Township website
- Lower Township School District
- Lower Township School District's 2006-07 School Report Card from the New Jersey Department of Education
- Data for the Lower Township School District, National Center for Education Statistics
- Lower Cape May Regional School District
- The Cape May Gazette - Weekly newspaper covering Lower Township
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