Woolwich Township, New Jersey


Woolwich Township is a township in Gloucester County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township's population was 10,200, reflecting an increase of 7,168 from the 3,032 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 1,573 from the 1,459 counted in the 1990 Census.
Woolwich was formed by royal charter on March 7, 1767, from portions of Greenwich Township, 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 were taken to form Franklin Township, Spicer Township, West Woolwich Township and Swedesboro. The township was named for Woolwich, England.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 21.227 square miles : 20.909 square miles of land and 0.318 square miles of water.
Swedesboro is an independent municipality entirely surrounded by the township, making it part one of 21 pairs of "doughnut towns" in the state, where one municipality entirely surrounds another. The township borders the Gloucester County municipalities of East Greenwich Township, New Jersey, Harrison Township, New Jersey, Logan Township, New Jersey, Oldmans Township, New Jersey, Pilesgrove Township, New Jersey and South Harrison Township, New Jersey.
Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Asbury, Dilkes Mills, Lippencott, Porches Mill, Robbins, Rulons and Scull.

Demographics

Census 2010

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that median household income was $109,360 and the median family income was $117,708. Males had a median income of $82,370 versus $52,083 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $36,898. About 3.6% of families and 3.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.7% of those under age 18 and 8.7% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 3,032 people, 959 households, and 838 families residing in the township. The population density was 144.8 people per square mile. There were 1,026 housing units at an average density of 49.0 per square mile. The racial makeup of the township was 91.13% White, 4.55% African American, 1.12% Asian, 1.95% from other races, and 1.25% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 3.89% of the population.
There were 959 households out of which 49.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 77.4% were married couples living together, 6.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 12.6% were non-families. 8.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.13 and the average family size was 3.35.
In the township the population was spread out with 31.4% under the age of 18, 5.2% from 18 to 24, 38.0% from 25 to 44, 18.6% from 45 to 64, and 6.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.6 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $83,790, and the median income for a family was $87,111. Males had a median income of $54,200 versus $38,571 for females. The per capita income for the township was $29,503. About 1.9% of families and 2.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 19.6% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Along U.S. Route 322 at New Jersey Turnpike exit 2, plans call for almost of retail and commercial space and an equal amount of office and flex park. Partnering with the state Office of Smart Growth, a major component of any development along Route 322 will include the use of transfer of development rights.

Government

Local government

Woolwich Township is governed under the Township form of New Jersey municipal government, one of 141 of 565 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 and another as Deputy Mayor.
, members of the Woolwich Township Committee are Mayor Vernon R. Marino D, term on committee and as mayor ends December 31, 2020), Deputy Mayor Natalie Matthias, Craig A. Frederick, Michael Nocentino and Gina Marie Santore.
In 2018, the township had an average property tax bill of $10,727, the highest in the county, compared to an average bill of $8,767 statewide.

Federal, state and county representation

Woolwich Township is located in the 2nd Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 3rd state legislative district.

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 6,032 registered voters in Woolwich, of which 1,675 were registered as Democrats, 1,287 were registered as Republicans and 3,067 were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 3 voters registered to other parties.
In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 52.0% of the vote, ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 46.9%, and other candidates with 1.1%, among the 4,897 ballots cast by the township's 6,682 registered voters, for a turnout of 73.3%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 50.9% of the vote, ahead of Republican John McCain with 47.6% and other candidates with 1.0%, among the 4,547 ballots cast by the township's 5,858 registered voters, for a turnout of 77.6%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 57.6% of the vote, outpolling Democrat John Kerry with 41.5% and other candidates with 0.5%, among the 3,070 ballots cast by the township's 3,736 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 82.2.
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 70.8% of the vote, ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 28.1%, and other candidates with 1.1%, among the 2,848 ballots cast by the township's 6,845 registered voters, for a turnout of 41.6%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 55.1% of the vote, ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 36.5%, Independent Chris Daggett with 6.7% and other candidates with 0.4%, among the 2,892 ballots cast by the township's 5,800 registered voters, yielding a 49.9% turnout.

Education

Public school students in kindergarten through sixth grade attend the Swedesboro-Woolwich School District, a consolidated school district that serves students from both Swedesboro and Woolwich Township. As of the 2017–18 school year, the district, comprising four schools, had an enrollment of 1,615 students and 141.7 classroom teachers, for a student–teacher ratio of 11.7:1. Schools in the district are
Margaret C. Clifford School,
Charles C. Stratton School,
Charles G. Harker School and
Walter Hill School.
Public school students in seventh through twelfth grades are educated by the Kingsway Regional School District, which also serves students from East Greenwich Township, South Harrison Township and Swedesboro, with the addition of students from Logan Township who attend the district's high school as part of a sending/receiving relationship in which tuition is paid on a per-pupil basis by the Logan Township School District. Woolwich Township accounts for one third of district enrollment. As of the 2017–18 school year, the district, comprising two schools, had an enrollment of 2,764 students and 185.8 classroom teachers, for a student–teacher ratio of 14.9:1. The schools in the district are
Kingsway Regional Middle School with 963 students in grades 7-8 and
Kingsway Regional High School with 1,750 students in grades 9-12. Under a 2011 proposal, Kingsway would merge with its constituent member's K-6 districts to become a full K-12 district, with various options for including Logan Township as part of the consolidated district.
Students from across the county are eligible to apply to attend Gloucester County Institute of Technology, a four-year high school in Deptford Township that provides technical and vocational education. As a public school, students do not pay tuition to attend the school.

Transportation

Roads and highways

, the township had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality, by Gloucester County and by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.
U.S. Route 322 passes through the center of the municipality while the New Jersey Turnpike passes through the southeastern part of the township for about and connects to Route 322 at Interchange 2.
Major county roads that pass through include CR 538 and CR 551.
Interstate 295 is accessible outside the municipality in neighboring Logan, Oldmans and Greenwich Townships.

Public transportation

bus service between Salem and Philadelphia is available on the 401 route.

Wineries

In its April 2006 issue listing the Top Places to Live in New Jersey, New Jersey Monthly magazine rated Woolwich as the worst place to live in all of New Jersey, placing 566th out of 566 municipalities.
As of February 2008, the municipality is ranked as 547 out of 566 municipalities. Meanwhile, its population has grown a staggering 185% from 2000–2006.
The community was labeled the "Number 1 Area Boomtown" in 2005.

Historic sites

The Gov. Charles C. Stratton House was built in 1791 and added to the National Register of Historic Places on January 29, 1973. The house was the home of New Jersey Governor Charles C. Stratton.
Moravian Church is a historic church building built in 1786 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.
Mount Zion African Methodist Episcopal Church and Mount Zion Cemetery is a historic church built in 1834 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2001. It played an important role in the Underground Railroad in South Jersey.

Notable people

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