Harmony Township, New Jersey

Harmony Township, New Jersey
—  Township  —
Map of Harmony Township in Warren County. Inset: Location of Warren County highlighted in the State of New Jersey.
Census Bureau map of Harmony Township, New Jersey
Coordinates:
Country United States
State New Jersey
County Warren
Incorporated April 8, 1839
Government[1]
 • Type Township (New Jersey)
 • Mayor Brian Tipton (2012)
Area
 • Total 24.1 sq mi (62.5 km2)
 • Land 23.8 sq mi (61.7 km2)
 • Water 0.3 sq mi (0.8 km2)
Elevation 367 ft (112 m)
Population (2010)
 • Total 2,667
 • Density 112.1/sq mi (43.2/km2)
Time zone Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
 • Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code 08865 - Phillipsburg
Area code(s) 908
FIPS code 34-30090[2][3]
GNIS feature ID 0882248[4]
Website http://www.harmonytwp-nj.gov

Harmony Township is a township located in the far eastern region of the Lehigh Valley in Warren County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, its population was 2,667.

Harmony Township was incorporated as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 8, 1839, from portions of Greenwich Township and Oxford Township, based on the results of a referendum held that day. Phillipsburg Township was created March 7, 1851, from portions of the township.[5]

Contents

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 24.1 square miles (62 km2), of which, 23.8 square miles (62 km2) of it is land and 0.3 square miles (0.78 km2) of it (1.37%) is water.

Demographics

Historical populations
Census Pop.
1930 1,311
1940 1,465 11.7%
1950 1,763 20.3%
1960 2,039 15.7%
1970 2,195 7.7%
1980 2,592 18.1%
1990 2,653 2.4%
2000 2,729 2.9%
2010 2,667 −2.3%
Population 1930 - 1990.[6]

As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 2,729 people, 1,010 households, and 786 families residing in the township. The population density was 114.6 people per square mile (44.3/km²). There were 1,076 housing units at an average density of 45.2 per square mile (17.4/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 97.91% White, 0.70% African American, 0.07% Native American, 0.40% Asian, 0.18% from other races, and 0.73% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.28% of the population.

There were 1,010 households out of which 34.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.3% were married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.1% were non-families. 17.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.05.

In the township the population was spread out with 24.1% under the age of 18, 5.2% from 18 to 24, 30.6% from 25 to 44, 26.2% from 45 to 64, and 13.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 97.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.2 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $60,977, and the median income for a family was $64,196. Males had a median income of $49,375 versus $28,750 for females. The per capita income for the township was $25,776. About 2.8% of families and 4.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.9% of those under age 18 and 5.3% of those age 65 or over.

Surrounding communities

Transportation

The only major road that traverses Harmony is CR 519 which leads to U.S. Route 22 to the south and U.S. Route 46 to the north.

The closest limited access road is Interstate 78 which is in neighboring Greenwich and Franklin.

Government

Local government

Harmony Township is governed under the Township form of government with a three-member Township Committee. The Township Committee is elected directly by the voters in partisan elections to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with one seat coming up for election each year.[1] At an annual reorganization meeting, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor.

As of 2011, the Harmony Township Committee consists of Mayor Brian Tipton (R, term ends December 31, 2012), Deputy Mayor Diane Yamrock (R, 2011) and Richard Cornely (R, 2013).[7][8]

Federal, state and county representation

Harmony Township is in the 5th Congressional district. New Jersey's Fifth Congressional District is represented by Scott Garrett (R, Wantage Township). New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Bob Menendez (D, Hoboken).

Harmony Township is in the 23rd Legislative District (New Jersey) of the New Jersey Legislature, which is represented in the New Jersey Senate by Michael J. Doherty (R, Oxford Township) and in the New Jersey General Assembly by John DiMaio (R, Hackettstown) and Erik Peterson (R, Franklin Township).[9]

Warren County is governed by a Board of Chosen Freeholders whose three members are elected at-large on a staggered basis with one seat coming up for election each year. As of 2011, Warren County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director Everett A. Chamberlain (Belvidere, term ends December 31, 2012), Freeholder Deputy Director Richard D. Gardner (Asbury, 2011) and Freeholder Jason Sarnoski (Lopatcong Township, 2013).[10]

Education

The Harmony Township School District serves students in public school for kindergarten through eighth grade, with an enrollment of 318 students as of the 2008-09 school year.[11] In 2006, a Harmony student won the state spelling bee becoming the first Harmony to student ever to accomplish that task and advance to the Scripps National Spelling Bee.[12]

Public school students in grades nine through twelve from Harmony, Hope and White Townships attend Belvidere High School as part of sending/receiving relationships with the Belvidere School District.[13]

References

  1. ^ a b 2005 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, April 2005, p. 103.
  2. ^ a b "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
  3. ^ A Cure for the Common Codes: New Jersey, Missouri Census Data Center. Accessed July 14, 2008.
  4. ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
  5. ^ "The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 246.
  6. ^ New Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930 - 1990, Workforce New Jersey Public Information Network. Accessed March 1, 2007.
  7. ^ Municipal Directory, Harmony Township. Accessed March 15, 2011.
  8. ^ Township of Harmony, Warren County, New Jersey. Accessed March 15, 2011.
  9. ^ "Legislative Roster: 2010-2011 Session". New Jersey Legislature. http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/members/roster.asp. Retrieved 2010-07-25. 
  10. ^ Board of Chosen Freeholders, Warren County, New Jersey. Accessed January 6, 2011.
  11. ^ Data for the Harmony Township School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed March 15, 2011.
  12. ^ Torrejn, Veronica. "New Jersey boy spells his way to nationals", The Morning Call, March 17, 2006.
  13. ^ Belvidere High School 2010 Report Card Narrative, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed March 15, 2011. "Belvidere High School is a small Group I school of approximately 560 students, encompassing grades nine through twelve. Students arrive from the Belvidere K-12 district and three surrounding K-8 districts; Hope, Harmony and White."

External links