Upper Township, New Jersey


Upper Township is a large 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 12,373, reflecting an increase of 258 from the 12,115 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 1,434 from the 10,681 counted in the 1990 Census.
New Jersey Monthly magazine ranked Upper Township as its 2nd best place to live in its 2008 rankings of the "Best Places To Live" in New Jersey.
Upper Township is home to the only yellow fire trucks in Cape May County, a tradition started in 1985 when the Seaville Fire Rescue Company was purchasing a new vehicle and thought that federal regulations would require the color. Since being formed in 1964 and purchasing its first fire truck a year later, the Seaville company has served the area, responding to over 200 calls a year from its fire station is located on Route 50 across from Dino's Seaville Diner.

History

Upper Township was formed as a precinct on April 2, 1723, and was incorporated as one of New Jersey's initial 104 townships by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798. Portions of the township have been taken to form Dennis Township and Ocean City borough, and territorial changes were made involving Sea Isle City in March and April 1905. 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 Middle Township were created.
During 2008, Upper Township was considering consolidation with neighboring Corbin City. Corbin City already shares extensively with Upper Township for municipal service, but the question of consolidating municipalities across county borders presented an obstacle to a full merger.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 68.687 square miles, including 62.149 square miles of land and 6.538 square miles of water.
Strathmere is an unincorporated community and census-designated place located within Upper Township.
Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Beesley's Point, Blackmans Island, Cedar Springs, Corsons Inlet, Formosa, Greenfield, Marmora, Marshallville, Middletown, Miramar, Palermo, Petersburg, Seaville, Steelmantown, Tuckahoe, West Ocean City and Whale Beach. The township contains many different communities and enclaves that create a diverse area reaching from Great Egg Harbor to the Atlantic Ocean. Seaville is the largest community and Strathmere is the township's island containing a beach community.
The township borders the municipalities of Dennis Township, Ocean City, Sea Isle City and Woodbine in Cape May County; Corbin City, Egg Harbor Township, Estell Manor and Somers Point in Atlantic County; and Maurice River Township in Cumberland County.

Demographics

2010 Census

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that median household income was $81,250 and the median family income was $97,372. Males had a median income of $63,597 versus $46,250 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $38,702. About 2.5% of families and 4.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.9% of those under age 18 and 6.6% of those age 65 or over.

2000 Census

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 12,115 people, 4,266 households, and 3,365 families residing in the township. The population density was 191.8 people per square mile. There were 5,472 housing units at an average density of 86.6 per square mile. The racial makeup of the township was 97.59% White, 0.69% African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.61% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.19% from other races, and 0.74% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.28% of the population.
There were 4,266 households out of which 39.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.7% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.1% were non-families. 17.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.84 and the average family size was 3.23.
In the township the population was spread out with 28.6% under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 25.5% from 45 to 64, and 12.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.4 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $60,942, and the median income for a family was $68,824. Males had a median income of $46,528 versus $31,325 for females. The per capita income for the township was $27,498. About 2.4% of families and 3.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.1% of those under age 18 and 3.8% of those age 65 or over.

Parks and recreation

With its beaches in the Strathmere section, Upper Township is one of five municipalities in the state that offer free public access to oceanfront beaches monitored by lifeguards, joining Atlantic City, North Wildwood, Wildwood and Wildwood Crest.

Government

Local government

Upper Township is governed under the Township form of New Jersey municipal government, one of 141 municipalities statewide that use this form, the second-most commonly used form of government in the state. The Township Committee is comprised of five members, who are elected directly by the voters at-large in partisan elections to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats 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.
, members of the Upper Township Committee are Mayor Richard Palombo, Deputy Mayor Edward B. Barr Jr., John D. Coggins Jr., Curtis T. Corson Jr. and Hobart C. "Hobie" Young.

Federal, state and county representation

Upper 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 9,154 registered voters in Upper Township, of which 1,403 were registered as Democrats, 4,454 were registered as Republicans and 3,287 were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 10 voters registered to other parties.
In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 58.2% of the vote, ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 40.5%, and other candidates with 1.3%, among the 6,998 ballots cast by the township's 9,487 registered voters, for a turnout of 73.8%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 57.2% of the vote, ahead of Democrat Barack Obama, who received 40.9%, with 7,286 ballots cast among the township's 9,053 registered voters, for a turnout of 80.5%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 61.1% of the vote, outpolling Democrat John Kerry, who received around 37.6%, with 7,192 ballots cast among the township's 8,988 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 80.0.
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 70.2% of the vote, ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 28.2%, and other candidates with 1.6%, among the 4,974 ballots cast by the township's 9,433 registered voters, for a turnout of 52.7%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 57.8% of the vote, ahead of both Democrat Jon Corzine with 33.4% and Independent Chris Daggett with 6.3%, with 4,954 ballots cast among the township's 9,341 registered voters, yielding a 53.0% turnout.

Education

The Upper Township School District serves students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. As of the 2018–19 school year, the district, comprised of three schools, had an enrollment of 1,448 students and 131.0 classroom teachers, for a student–teacher ratio of 11.1:1. Schools in the district are
Upper Township Primary School with 492 students in grades PreK-2,
Upper Township Elementary School with 481 students in grades 3-5 and
Upper Township Middle School with 469 students in grades 6-8. Students from Corbin City, a non-operating school district, attend the Upper Township schools as part of a sending/receiving relationship.
Students in public school for ninth through twelfth grades from Upper Township attend Ocean City High School in Ocean City as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Ocean City School District, along with students from Corbin City, Longport and Sea Isle City. As of the 2018–19 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 1,245 students and 98.5 classroom teachers, for a student–teacher ratio of 12.6:1. About 60% of students in Ocean City High School are from Upper Township.

Police Department

Upper Township does not maintain its own municipal police department. The township is served by the New Jersey State Police who respond from their barracks in neighboring Woodbine.

Transportation

Roads and highways

, the township had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality, by Cape May County and by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.
The Garden State Parkway passes through and has two exits that provide access to Route 50 and U.S. Route 9. The Parkway connects Dennis Township on the south to Egg Harbor Township in the north. at Interchange 20 for Seaville / Tuckahoe and Interchange 25 for Ocean City / Marmora via County Route 623.
Other major roads that pass through include Route 49, CR 548 and CR 557.

Public transportation

offers the 313 and 315 inter-city bus routes that runs through the town three times a day and shuttle people between Cape May and Philadelphia, the 319 route between Cape May and the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan, and the 552 route between Cape May and Atlantic City.

Points of interest

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