Lower Township, New Jersey
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Lower 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 United States 2000 Census, the township population was 22,945.
Lower 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 were taken to form Cape Island Borough (March 8, 1848, now known as Cape May city), Cape May Point borough (created April 19, 1878, restored to Lower Township on April 8, 1896, recreated April 6, 1908), Holly Beach (April 14, 1885, now part of Wildwood city), South Cape May (August 27, 1894, restored to Lower Township on April 30, 1945), Wildwood Crest (April 6, 1910) and North Cape May (March 19, 1928, restored to Lower Township on April 30, 1945).[1]
Diamond Beach, Erma, North Cape May and Villas are census-designated places and unincorporated areas located within Lower Township.
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[edit] Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 80.5 km² (31.1 mi²). 73.1 km² (28.2 mi²) of it is land and 7.4 km² (2.8 mi²) of it (9.17%) is water.
Lower Township borders Middle Township, Wildwood City, Wildwood Crest Borough, Cape May City, West Cape May Borough, Cape May Point Borough, the Delaware Bay, and the Atlantic Ocean.
[edit] Demographics
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1930 | 1,444 |
|
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| 1940 | 1,693 | 17.2% | |
| 1950 | 2,737 | 61.7% | |
| 1960 | 6,332 | 131.3% | |
| 1970 | 10,154 | 60.4% | |
| 1980 | 17,105 | 68.5% | |
| 1990 | 20,820 | 21.7% | |
| 2000 | 22,945 | 10.2% | |
| Est. 2005 | 21,442 | [2] | -6.6% |
| Population 1930 - 1990[3] | |||
As of the census² of 2000, there were 22,945 people, 9,328 households, and 6,380 families residing in the township. The population density was 313.9/km² (813.0/mi²). There were 13,924 housing units at an average density of 190.5/km² (493.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the township was 96.26% White, 1.39% African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.53% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.65% from other races, and 0.92% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.88% of the population.
There were 9,328 households out of which 28.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.9% were married couples living together, 11.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.6% were non-families. 27.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.95.
In the township the population was spread out with 23.7% under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 25.1% from 25 to 44, 24.4% from 45 to 64, and 20.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 90.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.2 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $38,977, and the median income for a family was $45,058. Males had a median income of $35,201 versus $24,715 for females. The per capita income for the township was $19,786. About 5.3% of families and 7.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.3% of those under age 18 and 5.3% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Government
[edit] Local government
Lower Township adopted the Council-Manager form of government under the Faulkner Act in 1984. The council is composed of five council members (Mayor, Council Member-at-Large, and 3 Wards), each elected on a partisan basis, serving the Township for a four-year term. Because the terms overlap, elections to council are held every two years.
The Mayor presides at all Council meetings and has a voice and vote in the proceedings. Powers are limited to those expressly conferred by the Charter. The Manager serves the Council for an indefinite term of office and may be removed by a majority vote of the Council. The Manager is the chief executive and administrator of the Township.
Members of the Lower Township Council are:[4]
- Mayor - Walt Craig
- Deputy Mayor - Robert Nolan
- Council Member, 1st Ward - Thomas Conrad
- Council Member, 2nd Ward - Wayne Mazurek
- Council Member, 3rd Ward - Arthur "Stig" Blomkvest
[edit] Federal, state and county representation
Lower Township is in the Second Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 1st Legislative District.[5]
New Jersey's Second Congressional District, covering all of Atlantic County, Cape May County, Cumberland County and Salem County and portions of Burlington County, Camden County and Gloucester County, is represented by Frank LoBiondo (R, Vineland). New Jersey is represented in the Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Bob Menendez (D, Hoboken).
The 1st legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Nicholas Asselta (R) and in the Assembly by Nelson Albano (D, Vineland) and Jeff Van Drew (D, Dennis Township). The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).
Cape May County is governed by a five-member Board of Chosen Freeholders. Cape May County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director Daniel Beyel (term expires December 31, 2008), Freeholder Vice-Director Ralph E. Sheets, Jr. (2008), Ralph E. Bakley, Sr. (2007), Leonard C. Desiderio (2006) and Gerald M. Thornton (2007).
[edit] Education
The Lower Township School District serves students in prekindergarten through sixth grade. Schools in the district are Memorial School (PreK and K), Carl T. Mitnick School (1 and 2), Maud T. Abrams School (3 and 4) and Charles W. Sandman Consolidated School (5 and 6).
For grades 7 - 12, students attend the schools of the Lower Cape May Regional School District, which serves students from Cape May City, Lower Township and West Cape May, along with students from Cape May Point. Schools in the district are Richard M. Teitelman School (grades 7 and 8) and Lower Cape May Regional High School (grades 9-12).
[edit] Transportation
Mile marker 0 of the Garden State Parkway is in Lower Township. U.S. Route 9 passes through the township, as do Route 109, Route 162 and Ocean Drive.
[edit] References
- ^ "The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 114.
- ^ Census data for Lower township, United States Census Bureau, accessed March 1, 2007
- ^ Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930 - 1990, accessed March 1, 2007
- ^ Lower Township Mayor and Council, accessed March 7, 2007
- ^ League of Women Voters: 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, p. 59, accessed August 30, 2006
[edit] External links
- Lower Township website
- Lower Township School District
- Lower Township School District's 2005-06 School Report Card from the New Jersey Department of Education
- National Center for Education Statistics data for the Lower Township School District
- Lower Cape May Regional School District
- The Cape May Gazette - Weekly newspaper covering Lower Township
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(County seat: Cape May Court House) |
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| Boroughs | Avalon | Cape May Point | Stone Harbor | West Cape May | West Wildwood | Wildwood Crest | Woodbine |  |
| Cities | Cape May | North Wildwood | Ocean City | Sea Isle City | Wildwood | |
| Townships | Dennis Township | Lower Township | Middle Township | Upper Township | |
| CDPs and communities |
Cape May Court House | Diamond Beach | Erma | Marmora | North Cape May | Strathmere | Rio Grande | Villas | Whitesboro-Burleigh | |
