| Ocean Township, New Jersey | |
|---|---|
| — Township — | |
| Map of Ocean Township in Ocean County. Inset: Location of Ocean County highlighted in the State of New Jersey. | |
| Census Bureau map of Ocean Township, Ocean County, New Jersey | |
| Coordinates: | |
| Country | United States |
| State | New Jersey |
| County | Ocean |
| Incorporated | April 13, 1876 |
| Government[1] | |
| • Type | Township (New Jersey) |
| • Mayor | Joseph Lachawiec |
| • Administrator | David Breeden[2] |
| Area | |
| • Total | 32.0 sq mi (82.9 km2) |
| • Land | 20.8 sq mi (53.9 km2) |
| • Water | 11.2 sq mi (29.1 km2) |
| Elevation | 89 ft (27 m) |
| Population (2010)[3] | |
| • Total | 8,332 |
| • Density | 310.1/sq mi (119.7/km2) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 08758 - Waretown |
| Area code(s) | 609 |
| FIPS code | 34-54300[4][5] |
| GNIS feature ID | 0882071[6] |
| Website | http://townshipofocean.org |
Ocean Township is a Township in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population increased to a record high of 8,332.
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Ocean Township was incorporated as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 13, 1876, from portions of both Lacey Township and Union Township (now Barnegat Township. Portions of the township were taken to create Long Beach Township (March 23, 1899) and Island Beach (June 23, 1933).[7]
Waretown (2000 Census population of 1,582) is a census-designated place and unincorporated area located within Ocean Township. All of Ocean Township is most commonly referred to as Waretown by local residents.[8] The local custom is so widespread that it surprises some new residents that the official name is Ocean Township. Non-residents have been known to confuse Ocean Township with the Ocean Township of Monmouth County. There was a petition drive in 2006 to get a name change to Township of Waretown on the ballot but it failed to obtain enough signatures to get on the ballot.[9]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 32.0 square miles (82.9 km²), of which, 20.8 square miles (53.9 km²) of it is land and 11.2 square miles (29.1 km²) of it (35.07%) is water.
| Lacey Twp | ||||
| Barnegat Twp | Atlantic Ocean | |||
| Ocean Twp | ||||
| Barnegat Twp | Barnegat Light and Long Beach |
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1930 | 387 |
|
|
| 1940 | 427 | 10.3% | |
| 1950 | 520 | 21.8% | |
| 1960 | 921 | 77.1% | |
| 1970 | 2,222 | 141.3% | |
| 1980 | 3,731 | 67.9% | |
| 1990 | 5,416 | 45.2% | |
| 2000 | 6,450 | 19.1% | |
| 2010 | 8,332 | 29.2% | |
| Population 1930 - 1990.[10] | |||
As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 6,450 people, 2,446 households, and 1,743 families residing in the township. The population density was 310.1 people per square mile (119.7/km²). There were 2,981 housing units at an average density of 143.3 per square mile (55.3/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 97.33% White, 0.74% African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.42% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.36% from other races, and 0.96% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.10% of the population.
There were 2,446 households out of which 33.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.5% were married couples living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.7% were non-families. 23.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.08.
In the township the population was spread out with 25.5% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 30.3% from 25 to 44, 23.7% from 45 to 64, and 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 98.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.3 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $46,461, and the median income for a family was $55,379. Males had a median income of $39,149 versus $32,188 for females. The per capita income for the township was $22,830. About 5.6% of families and 7.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.1% of those under age 18 and 4.6% of those age 65 or over.
Ocean Township is governed under the Township form of government with a three-member Township Committee. The Township Committee is elected at-large 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[update], Township Committee members are Mayor Joe Lachawiec (R, term ends December 31, 2012), Deputy Mayor Dennis Tredy (R, 2013) and Tina Wetter (R, 2011).[11][12]
On July 23, 2009, local Republican party member and former Mayor Daniel Van Pelt was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation as part of a state-wide money laundering investigation. In May 2010, Van Pelt was convicted on federal corruption charges, and is scheduled to be sentenced to federal prison on November 4, 2010.[13]
Ocean Township is in the 3rd Congressional district. New Jersey's Third Congressional District is represented by Jon Runyan (R, Mount Laurel Township). New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Bob Menendez (D, Hoboken).
Ocean Township is in the 9th district of the New Jersey Legislature, which is represented in the New Jersey Senate by Christopher J. Connors (R, Lacey Township) and in the New Jersey General Assembly by DiAnne Gove (R, Long Beach Township) and Brian E. Rumpf (R, Little Egg Harbor Township).[14]
Ocean County is governed by a Board of Chosen Freeholders consisting of five members, elected at large in partisan elections and serving staggered three-year terms of office, with either one or two seats coming up for election each year. As of 2011, Ocean County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director Joseph H. Vicari (Toms River, term ends December 31, 2011), Freeholder Deputy Director Gerry P. Little (Surf City, 2012), John C. Bartlett, Jr. (Pine Beach, 2012), John P. Kelly (Eagleswood Township, 2010) and James F. Lacey (Brick Township, 2013).[15][16]
For grades K through 6, public school students attend the Ocean Township School District, which serves 533 students in Pre-Kindergarten through 6th grade. Schools in the district (with 2008-09 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics[17]) are Waretown Elementary School with an enrollment of 321 students in pre-K to 3rd grade and Frederic A. Priff Elementary School with 215 students in grades 4 - 6.[18]
For grades 7 through 12, public school students attend the Southern Regional Middle School (grades 7 and 8) and Southern Regional High School (grades 9 - 12). These schools are part of the Southern Regional School District, which serves the five municipalities in the Long Beach Island Consolidated School District — Barnegat Light, Harvey Cedars, Long Beach Township, Ship Bottom and Surf City — along with students from Beach Haven and Stafford Township, together with the sending district of Ocean Township.[19] Both schools are in Manahawkin.
The Garden State Parkway (accessible via Exit 69) and U.S. Route 9 both pass through the township, as does County Route 532.
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