Stafford Township, New Jersey
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Stafford Township is a Township in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 22,532.
Stafford Township was formed by Royal Charter on March 3, 1750, from portions of Shrewsbury Township, while the area was still part of Monmouth County. It was incorporated as one of New Jersey's first 104 townships by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798, and became part of the newly-formed Ocean County on February 15, 1850. Portions of the township were taken to form Union Township (March 10, 1846, now Barnegat Township), Eagleswood Township (March 17, 1874), Long Beach City borough (September 19, 1894, now Surf City) and Long Beach Township (March 23, 1899).[1]
Stafford Township is the gateway to the resort communities on Long Beach Island, with Route 72 providing the sole road access, ending in Ship Bottom as it crosses Manahawkin Bay via the Manahawkin Bay Bridge (formally known as the Dorland J. Henderson Memorial Bridge). The Garden State Parkway and U.S. Route 9 pass through the township and provide access to Route 72.
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[edit] History
Stafford is home to Ocean Acres, a master-planned community. Ocean Acres was started in the early 1960s, and in its first year, 2,000 lots were sold. Developers used to bus potential buyers to Stafford. Ocean Acres is currently still developing.
Ocean Acres is home to Southern Ocean County Hospital, a 144-bed hospital that started as a satellite of Burlington County Memorial Hospital and grew as the county grew.
The golf course at Ocean Acres Country Club was included in Golf Digest's "4,200 Best Places To Play" and was designed by course architect Hal Purdy.
[edit] Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 142.0 km² (54.8 mi²). 120.5 km² (46.5 mi²) of it is land and 21.5 km² (8.3 mi²) of it (15.12%) is water.
Beach Haven West (2000 Census population of 4,444) and Manahawkin (2,004) are census-designated places and unincorporated areas contained within Stafford Township. Ocean Acres (13,155) is a census-designated place and unincorporated area split between Barnegat Township and Stafford Township. Warren Grove is an unincorporated rural area located within the township.
[edit] Demographics
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1930 | 1,039 |
|
|
| 1940 | 1,253 | 20.6% | |
| 1950 | 1,347 | 7.5% | |
| 1960 | 1,930 | 43.3% | |
| 1970 | 3,684 | 90.9% | |
| 1980 | 10,385 | 181.9% | |
| 1990 | 13,325 | 28.3% | |
| 2000 | 22,532 | 69.1% | |
| historical data source: [2] | |||
As of the census² of 2000, there were 22,532 people, 8,535 households, and 6,435 families residing in the township. The population density was 187.0/km² (484.3/mi²). There were 11,522 housing units at an average density of 95.6/km² (247.6/mi²). The racial makeup of the township was 96.79% White, 0.74% African American, 0.09% Native American, 0.96% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.51% from other races, and 0.88% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.41% of the population.
There were 8,535 households out of which 31.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.6% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.6% were non-families. 20.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.5% 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 3.01.
In the township the population was spread out with 23.8% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 23.9% from 45 to 64, and 18.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 94.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.8 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $52,269, and the median income for a family was $59,072. Males had a median income of $44,706 versus $30,687 for females. The per capita income for the township was $25,397. About 2.3% of families and 4.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.0% of those under age 18 and 6.1% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Government
[edit] Local government
Stafford Township is governed by a Mayor and Six Township Council members. The Mayor and Council members are elected to 3-year terms. The Mayor can vote on all issues. This seven-member governing body is empowered to enact local ordinances, to levy municipal taxes and conduct the affairs of the community.[3]
The Mayor of Stafford Township is Carl Block. Members of the Stafford Township Council are Sal Baglio, Jeanne DiPaola, Marie-Elena O'Connor, Dr. Fred Seeber, John Spodofora and David Wyrsch.[4]
[edit] Federal, state and county representation
Stafford Township is in the Third Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 9th Legislative District.[5]
New Jersey's Third Congressional District, covering portions of Burlington County, Camden County and Ocean County, is represented by Jim Saxton (R, Mount Holly). New Jersey is represented in the Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Bob Menendez (D, Hoboken).
The 9th legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Leonard T. Connors (R, Forked River) and in the Assembly by Christopher J. Connors (R, Forked River) and Brian E. Rumpf (R, Forked River). The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).
Ocean County is governed by a five-member Board of Chosen Freeholders. Ocean County's Freeholders are: John C. Bartlett Jr., John P. Kelly, James F. Lacey, Gerry P. Little and Joseph H. Vicari.
[edit] Education
For grades K through 6, students attend the Stafford Township School District, which serves 2,727 students in Pre-Kindergarten through 6th grade. Schools in the district are Ocean Acres School with 736 students and Oxycocus School with 343 students, which both serve grades Pre-K to 2, McKinley Avenue School with 701 students in grades 3 and 4, and Stafford Intermediate School which has an enrollment of 700 students in grades 5 and 6.
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 students from Beach Haven and Stafford Township, together with students from Barnegat Township (grades 9 - 12 only) and Ocean Township who attend as part of sending/receiving relationships. The current district population is approximately 4,000 students. Both schools are in the Manahawkin section of the township.
Also seated in Manahawkin is the Marine Academy of Technology and Environmental Science. It is located within a quarter mile of Southern Regional High School. MATES is a comprehensive and challenging career high school. It is part of the Ocean County Vocational School District.
[edit] Notable residents
Notable current and former residents of Stafford Township include:
- Paul Johnson, a native of Stafford Township, was beheaded in Saudi Arabia by Al-Qaida affiliated men.
- Martin Truex Jr., a NASCAR NEXTEL Cup driver who currently pilots the #1 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS lived in the Mayetta section of Stafford.
[edit] External links
- Stafford Township website
- Stafford Township School District
- Stafford Township School District's 2005-06 School Report Card from the New Jersey Department of Education
- National Center for Education Statistics data for the Stafford Township School District
- Southern Regional School District
- Ocean County Vocational Technical School District
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