| Ocean Township, New Jersey | |
|---|---|
| — Township — | |
| Map of Ocean Township in Monmouth County. Inset: Location of Monmouth County highlighted in the State of New Jersey. | |
| Census Bureau map of Ocean Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey | |
| Coordinates: | |
| Country | United States |
| State | New Jersey |
| County | Monmouth |
| Incorporated | February 21, 1849 |
| Government[1] | |
| • Type | Faulkner Act (Council-Manager) |
| • Mayor | William F. Larkin |
| • Administrator | Andrew Brannen[2] |
| Area | |
| • Total | 11.1 sq mi (28.8 km2) |
| • Land | 11.0 sq mi (28.6 km2) |
| • Water | 0.1 sq mi (0.2 km2) |
| Elevation[3] | 79 ft (24 m) |
| Population (2010)[4] | |
| • Total | 27,291 |
| • Density | 2,454.3/sq mi (947.6/km2) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 07712 |
| Area code(s) | 732 |
| FIPS code | 34-54270[5][6] |
| GNIS feature ID | 0882601[7] |
| Website | http://www.oceantwp.org |
Ocean Township is a township located in east central Monmouth County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 27,291.[4]
Oakhurst (2010 Census population of 3,995) and Wanamassa (pop. 4,532) are census-designated places and unincorporated areas located within Ocean Township.
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The Township of Ocean was created by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1849, from portions of Shrewsbury Township. Portions of the township have been taken to form Long Branch (April 11, 1867), Eatontown (April 4, 1873), Asbury Park (March 26, 1874), Neptune Township (February 26, 1879), Sea Bright (March 21, 1889), Allenhurst (April 26, 1897), Deal (March 7, 1898), Monmouth Beach (March 9, 1906), Interlaken (March 11, 1922) and Loch Arbour (April 23, 1957).[8] The original boundaries of the township stretched from the Shrewsbury River to the southern tip of Avon-by-the-Sea.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 11.1 square miles (29 km2), of which 11.0 square miles (28 km2) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2), or 0.81%, is water.
Ocean Township is bordered by Eatontown and West Long Branch on the north; Long Branch, Deal, Allenhurst and Interlaken on the east; Neptune and Asbury Park on the south; and Tinton Falls on the west.
Ocean Township's many neighborhoods include West Allenhurst, Colonial Terrace, Deal Park, Oakhurst, Shadow Lawn Manor, West Deal, Wanamassa, and Wayside.
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1930 | 2,892 |
|
|
| 1940 | 4,200 | 45.2% | |
| 1950 | 6,734 | 60.3% | |
| 1960 | 11,622 | * | 72.6% |
| 1970 | 18,643 | 60.4% | |
| 1980 | 23,570 | 26.4% | |
| 1990 | 25,058 | 6.3% | |
| 2000 | 26,959 | 7.6% | |
| 2010 | 27,291 | 1.2% | |
| * lost territory Population 1930 - 1990.[9] |
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As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 26,959 people, 10,254 households, and 7,341 families residing in the township. The population density was 2,443.3 people per square mile (943.7/km²). There were 10,756 housing units at an average density of 974.8 per square mile (376.5/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 84.48% White, 5.67% African American, 0.15% Native American, 6.27% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 1.58% from other races, and 1.92% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.51% of the population.
There were 10,254 households out of which 35.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.3% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.4% were non-families. 24.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.4% 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 3.14.
In the township the population was spread out with 25.5% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 29.8% from 25 to 44, 25.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 92.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.6 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $62,058, and the median income for a family was $74,572. Males had a median income of $52,376 versus $35,439 for females. The per capita income for the township was $30,581. About 3.6% of families and 5.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.1% of those under age 18 and 5.0% of those age 65 or over.
A brief stretch of the North Jersey Coast Rail Line passes through in the east, but the closest stations are Allenhurst and Elberon.[10]
Ocean is accessible by a few major roads. The Route 18 freeway traverses the western part while Route 35 passes through in the east. Route 66 runs along the southern border with Neptune and Route 71 straddles the eastern border with Deal and West Long Branch.
The Garden State Parkway is located west of Ocean in neighboring Tinton Falls.
Ocean Township operates under the Faulkner Act (Council-Manager) form of government. The Township Committee is elected at large by the voters in nonpartisan elections to serve four-year terms of office on a concurrent basis.[1] At an annual reorganization meeting, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor. The five-member Council sets policy and adopts local ordinances while the Council-appointed Township Manager oversees the day-to-day administration of the Township. The Council sets policy for the municipality. The Mayor presides over the Council and, as a member, has a voice and a vote in its proceedings.[11]
As of 2011[update], members of the Township Council are Mayor William F. Larkin, W. Michael Evans, William J. Garofalo, Donna L. Schepiga and Christopher P. Siciliano. The terms of all five councilmembers end on June 30, 2011.[11]
On October 10, 2002, former mayor Terrance D. Weldon pleaded guilty in United States District Court for the District of New Jersey in Newark to taking $64,000 in bribes. His arrest was part of the first phase of a federal investigation known as Operation Bid Rig.[12] On August 25, 2007, after almost 5 years, Weldon was finally sentenced to 58 months of prison by Senior U.S. District Judge William Walls.[13]
Ocean Township is in the 6th Congressional district and is part of New Jersey's 11th Legislative District.[14]
New Jersey's Sixth Congressional District is represented by Frank Pallone (D, Long Branch). New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Bob Menendez (D, Hoboken).
11th legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature, which is represented in the New Jersey Senate by Sean T. Kean (R, Wall Township) and in the New Jersey General Assembly by Mary Pat Angelini (R, Ocean Township) and Dave Rible (R, Wall Township).[15] The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham).[16] The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).[17]
Monmouth County is governed by a Board of Chosen Freeholders consisting of five members who are elected at-large to serve three year terms of office on a staggered basis, with one or two seats up for election each year. [18] As of 2011, Monmouth County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director Robert D. Clifton (R, Matawan; term ends December 31, 2013)[19], Freeholder Deputy Director John P. Curley (R, Red Bank; 2012)[20], Thomas A. Arnone (R, Neptune City; 2013), Lillian G. Burry (R, Colts Neck Township; 2011)[21] and Amy A. Mallet (D, Fair Haven, 2011).[22][23][24]
Ocean Township is part of the Ocean Township School District, a consolidated school district serving students in grades K - 12 in both Loch Arbour and Ocean Township.[25] Schools in the district (with 2008-09 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics[26]) are Ocean Township Elementary School (K-4; 455 students), Wanamassa Elementary School (K-4; 360 students), Wayside Elementary School (K-4; 652 students), Ocean Township Intermediate School (5-8; 1,327 students) and Ocean Township High School (9-12; 1,386 students).
Ocean Township has five named parks. The largest, Joe Palaia Park (formerly the Deal Test Site), is the site of the township's July 4 celebration, and the Italian American Association of the Township of Ocean's annual four-day festival.[27] Ocean Township also contains Weltz Park, an undeveloped parcel of the Monmouth County Park System.
Ocean Township maintains a membership-based pool and tennis club for residents.
Notable current and former residents of Ocean Township include:
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