Ocean Township, Ocean County, New Jersey
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| Ocean Township, New Jersey | |
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| Coordinates: 39°47′28″N 74°13′3″W / 39.79111°N 74.2175°W | |
| Country | United States |
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| State | New Jersey |
| County | Ocean |
| Incorporated | April 13, 1876 |
| Government [1] | |
| - Type | Township (New Jersey) |
| - Mayor | Daniel Van Pelt |
| 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 (2007)[2] | |
| - Total | 8,643 |
| - 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[3][4] |
| GNIS feature ID | 0882071[5] |
| Website | http://townshipofocean.org |
Ocean Township is a Township in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 6,450.
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).[6]
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.[7] 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.[8]
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[edit] Geography
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.
[edit] Demographics
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1930 | 387 |
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| 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% | |
| Est. 2006 | 8,241 | [2] | 27.8% |
| Population 1930 - 1990.[9] | |||
As of the census[3] 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/sq mi (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.
[edit] Government
[edit] Local government
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.
Township Committee members are Mayor Daniel Van Pelt (R, 2009), Deputy Mayor Robert Kraft (R, 2008) and Committeeman Richard "Dick" Reilly (R, 2008).[10][11]
[edit] Federal, state and county representation
Ocean Township is in the Third Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 9th Legislative District.[12]
New Jersey's Third Congressional District, covering portions of Burlington County, Camden County and Ocean County, is represented by John Adler (D, Cherry Hill). New Jersey is represented in the Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Bob Menendez (D, Hoboken).
For the 2008-2009 Legislative Session, the 9th district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Christopher J. Connors (R, Lacey Township) and in the Assembly by Brian E. Rumpf (R, Little Egg Harbor Township) and Daniel Van Pelt (R, Ocean Township).[13] The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).[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. As of 2009[update], Ocean County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director John C. Bartlett, Jr. (Pine Beach, term ends December 31, 2009), Freeholder Deputy Director Gerry P. Little (Surf City, 2009), John P. Kelly (Eagleswood Township, 2010), James F. Lacey (Brick Township, 2010) and Joseph H. Vicari (Toms River, 2011).[15]
[edit] Education
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 2005-06 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics[16]) are Waretown Elementary School with an enrollment of 312 students in pre-K to 3rd grade and Frederic A. Priff Elementary School with 221 students in grades 4 - 6.
Students in public school for grades 7 through 12, 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.[17] The current district population is approximately 4,000 students. Both schools are in Manahawkin.
[edit] Transportation
The Garden State Parkway (accessible via Exit 69) and U.S. Route 9 both pass through the township, as does County Route 532.
[edit] References
- ^ a b 2005 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, April 2006, p. 49.
- ^ a b Census data for Ocean township, Ocean County, United States Census Bureau. Accessed December 7, 2008.
- ^ a b "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ A Cure for the Common Codes: New Jersey, Missouri Census Data Center. Accessed July 14, 2008.
- ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. 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. 204.
- ^ Ocean mayor visits other Ocean. Asbury Park Press. November 21, 2006
- ^ "Waretown activist plans to try again.", Ocean County Observer, August 22, 2006.
- ^ New Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930 - 1990, Workforce New Jersey Public Information Network. Accessed March 1, 2007.
- ^ Township Committee, Township of Ocean. Accessed September 3, 2008.
- ^ 2007 Elected Officials of Ocean County, Ocean County, New Jersey. p. 7. Accessed August 14, 2007.
- ^ 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, New Jersey League of Women Voters, p. 62. Accessed August 30, 2006.
- ^ Legislative Roster: 2008-2009 Session, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed June 6, 2008.
- ^ "About the Governor". New Jersey. http://www.nj.gov/governor/about/. Retrieved on 6 June 2008.
- ^ Board of Chosen Freeholders, Ocean County, New Jersey. Accessed January 19, 2009.
- ^ Data for the Ocean Township School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed March 10, 2008.
- ^ Southern Regional High School 2007 Report Card Narrative, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed March 10, 2008. "Situated in Manahawkin, the Southern Regional High School District draws from the constituent municipalities of Long Beach Township, Beach Haven, Surf City, Ship Bottom, Barnegat Light, Harvey Cedars and Stafford Township, as well as the tuition sending municipality of Ocean Township (Waretown)."
[edit] External links
- Ocean Township website
- Ocean Township School District
- Ocean Township School District's 2006-07 School Report Card from the New Jersey Department of Education
- Data for the Ocean Township School District, National Center for Education Statistics
- Southern Regional School District
- Waretown Branch of Ocean County Library
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