Middle Township, New Jersey


Middle 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 2010 United States Census, the township's population was 18,911, reflecting an increase of 2,506 from the 16,405 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 1,634 from the 14,771 counted in the 1990 Census. The township's Cape May Court House section is the county seat of Cape May County.

History

Middle Township was formed as a precinct on April 2, 1723, and was incorporated by Township Act of 1798 of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798 as one of New Jersey's initial group of 104 townships. Portions of the township have been taken to form Anglesea Borough, Avalon Borough, Wildwood, Stone Harbor Borough and West Wildwood. The township's name came from its location when Cape May was split into three townships in 1723 at the same time that Lower Township and Upper Township were created.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 82.955 square miles, including 70.333 square miles of land and 12.622 square miles of water.
Burleigh, Cape May Court House, Rio Grande and Whitesboro are unincorporated communities and census-designated places located within Middle Township; Whitesboro and Burleigh had previously been combined for statistical purposes by the Census Bureau as Whitesboro-Burleigh through the 2000 Census. Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Del Haven, Dias Creek, Goshen, Goshen Landing, Green Creek, Holly Beach, Mayville, Norburys Landing, Nummytown, Pierces, Pierces Point, Reeds Beach, Shellbed Landing, Swain Point, Swainton, Wildwood Gardens and Wildwood Junction.
The township borders the Cape May County municipalities of Avalon Borough, Dennis Township, Lower Township, North Wildwood City, Sea Isle City, Stone Harbor Borough, Wildwood City and West Wildwood Borough, along with the Atlantic Ocean and Delaware Bay.

Demographics

2010 Census

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that median household income was $57,244 and the median family income was $66,451. Males had a median income of $49,645 versus $48,029 for females. The per capita income for the township was $28,087. About 4.4% of families and 6.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.4% of those under age 18 and 5.6% of those age 65 or over.

2000 Census

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 16,405 people, 6,009 households, and 4,218 families residing in the township. The population density was 230.2 people per square mile. There were 7,510 housing units at an average density of 105.4 per square mile. The racial makeup of the township was 85.21% White, 10.86% African American, 0.23% Native American, 1.44% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.66% from other races, and 1.58% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.12% of the population.
There were 6,009 households out of which 31.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.9% were married couples living together, 12.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.8% were non-families. 24.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.08.
In the township the population was spread out with 24.7% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 23.2% from 45 to 64, and 17.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.5 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $41,533, and the median income for a family was $49,030. Males had a median income of $37,531 versus $27,166 for females. The per capita income for the township was $19,805. About 8.6% of families and 10.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.5% of those under age 18 and 10.6% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

Middle Township is governed under the Township form of government, one of 141 of 565 municipalities statewide that use this form, the second-most commonly used form of government in the state. The governing body is a three-member Township Committee, whose members are elected directly by the voters at-large in partisan elections to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with one seat coming up for election each year as part of the November general election in a three-year cycle. At an annual reorganization meeting, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor and another as Deputy Mayor.
, the Township Committee consists of Mayor Timothy C. Donohue, Deputy Mayor Theron "Ike" Gandy and James Norris.

Federal, state and county representation

Middle Township is located in the 2nd Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 1st state legislative district.

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 12,114 registered voters in Middle Township, of which 3,041 were registered as Democrats, 3,823 were registered as Republicans and 5,244 were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 6 voters registered to other parties.
In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 49.6% of the vote, ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 49.3%, and other candidates with 1.1%, among the 8,796 ballots cast by the township's 12,717 registered voters, for a turnout of 69.2%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 49.5% of the vote, ahead of Democrat Barack Obama, who received 48.4%, with 9,059 ballots cast among the township's 11,493 registered voters, for a turnout of 78.8%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 54.0% of the vote, outpolling Democrat John Kerry, who received around 44.1%, with 8,133 ballots cast among the township's 10,977 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 74.1.
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 67.5% of the vote, ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 30.8%, and other candidates with 1.7%, among the 5,911 ballots cast by the township's 12,651 registered voters, for a turnout of 46.7%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 48.4% of the vote, ahead of both Democrat Jon Corzine with 41.5% and Independent Chris Daggett with 6.1%, with 6,244 ballots cast among the township's 12,320 registered voters, yielding a 50.7% turnout.

Education

The Middle Township Public Schools serve students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. As of the 2018–19 school year, the district, comprising four schools, had an enrollment of 2,608 students and 208.0 classroom teachers, for a student–teacher ratio of 12.5:1. Schools in the district are
Middle Township Elementary School #1 with 670 students in grades PreK-2,
Middle Township Elementary School #2 with 563 students in grades 3-5,
Middle Township Middle School with 533 students in grades 6-8 and
Middle Township High School with 767 students in grades 9-12. Students from Avalon, Dennis Township, Stone Harbor and Woodbine attend the district's high school as part of sending/receiving relationships. The district was categorized in 2005 as being "In Need of Improvement" under the terms of the No Child Left Behind Act.
Students are also eligible to attend Cape May County Technical High School in Cape May Court House, which serves students from the entire county in its comprehensive and vocational programs, which are offered without charge to students who are county residents.
Bishop McHugh Regional Catholic School is a K-8 elementary school that operates under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden and is supported by four parishes in Cape May County.

Infrastructure

Transportation

Roads and highways

, the township had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality, by Cape May County, by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.
The Garden State Parkway runs for more than as the main highway serving Middle Township. Other significant highways serving the township include U.S. Route 9, New Jersey Route 47 and New Jersey Route 147.

Public transportation

offers bus service between Cape May and Philadelphia on the 313, 315 and 316 routes, between Cape May and the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan on the 319, between Rio Grande and Wildwood on the 510, and between Cape May and Atlantic City on the 552 route.
The Great American Trolley Company operates trolley service from North Wildwood and Wildwood to shopping centers in Rio Grande on Mondays through Fridays in the summer months.

Health care

, located in Cape May Court House, is the only hospital in Cape May County. It was known as Burdette Tomlin Memorial Hospital until April 2007.

Wineries

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Middle Township include: