Jefferson Township, New Jersey

Jefferson Township is the northernmost township in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township's population was 21,314, having increased by 1,597 (+8.1%) from the 19,717 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 1,892 (+10.6%) from the 17,825 counted in the 1990 Census.

Jefferson Township was formed as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 11, 1804, from portions of Pequannock Township and Roxbury Township.Snyder, John P
''The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968''
Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 193. Accessed October 26, 2012. The township was named after Thomas Jefferson, the President of the United States at the time the Township was created. The township is situated in the northernmost part of Morris County bordering both Passaic and Sussex counties.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 42.77 square miles (110.78 km²), including 38.90 square miles (100.75 km²) of land and 3.88 square miles (10.04 km²) of water (9.06%).

The township borders Mount Arlington, Rockaway Township, Roxbury Township and Wharton in Morris County; West Milford Township in Passaic County; and Hardyston Township, Hopatcong and Sparta Township in Sussex County.

The township has two large divisions, Milton and Lake Hopatcong. Each half has its own first-aid squad, fire department substation and set of elementary schools. Addresses in the Milton section of the township are classified under the Oak Ridge mailing city, which is shared with a portion of West Milford Township, or in the Newfoundland mailing area, shared with a portion of West Milford and Rockaway Township. Addresses in Lake Hopatcong use either Lake Hopatcong (not to be confused with the Hopatcong mailing city used in the Borough of Hopatcong) or Wharton as their mailing city. In 2016, there was an effort to change the mailing address for the Lake Shawnee section of town from a Wharton, NJ 07885 ZIP code, to a Lake Hopatcong, NJ 07849 ZIP code. The effort was narrowly defeated. In 2026, a new effort will be made to change the mailing address ZIP code to Lake Hopatcong, NJ 07849. The Jefferson Township Municipal Building, Middle School, High School, Recycling Center and school bus depot are positioned at the boundary between the two halves of the township.

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Berkshire Valley, Bowling Green Mountain, Cozy Lake, Espanong, Halsey Island, Hurdtown, Lake Forest, Lake Hopatcong, Lake Swannanoa, Lake Shawnee, Lake Winona, Longwood Mountains, Lower Longwood, Minisink, Moosepac Pond, Newfoundland, Nolans Point, Oak Ridge, Petersburg, Prospect Point, Raccoon Island, Russia, Upper Longwood, Weldon, Woodport, White Rock, and Woodstock.

Portions of the township are owned by the City of Newark, Essex County, for its Pequannock River Watershed, which provides water to the city from an area of that also includes portions of Hardyston Township, Kinnelon, Rockaway Township, Vernon Township, and West Milford.

Demographics

Census 2010

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $92,095 (with a margin of error of +/− $6,923) and the median family income was $102,324 (+/− $6,788). Males had a median income of $73,152 (+/− $3,827) versus $51,933 (+/− $2,776) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $37,912 (+/− $1,795). About 2.6% of families and 3.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.2% of those under age 18 and 4.2% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 19,717 people, 7,131 households, and 5,448 families residing in the township. The population density was 485.3 people per square mile (187.4/km²). There were 7,527 housing units at an average density of 185.2 per square mile (71.5/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 96.14% White, 0.83% African American, 0.16% Native American, 1.07% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.62% from other races, and 1.14% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.41% of the population.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Jefferson township, New Jersey
United States Census Bureau. Accessed August 7, 2012.DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Jefferson township, Morris County, New Jersey
, United States Census Bureau. Accessed August 7, 2012.

As of the 2000 Census, 25.7% of residents identified their ancestry as Italian, 22.9% Irish, 21.7% German, 11.6% English and 10.0% Polish.

There were 7,131 households, out of which 38.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.5% were married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.6% were non-families. 18.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.76 and the average family size was 3.17.

In the township the age distribution of the population shows 26.9% under the age of 18, 5.5% from 18 to 24, 33.8% from 25 to 44, 25.2% from 45 to 64, and 8.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.8 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $68,837, and the median income for a family was $76,974. Males had a median income of $51,359 versus $37,849 for females. The per capita income for the township was $27,950. About 1.0% of families and 2.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.2% of those under age 18 and 4.3% of those age 65 or over.

Arts and culture

Every year, the weekend following Independence Day, The Jefferson Arts Committee hosts a day of celebration known as Jefferson Township Day (it is colloquially referred to as "Jefferson Day"). Throughout the entire day, entertainment and festivities at the Jefferson Township High School are provided. Up until 2012 there would be a morning parade featuring the town's fire trucks, high school marching band and other local groups march down Weldon Road. Starting in 2013 the parade has been substituted with various activities such as a fishing contest, kids kart race and a road bowling tournament. There are a variety of activities set up on the Jefferson Township High School grounds for participants of Jefferson Day, including children's games, food and craft vendors, and performances at two stages. At night, th
Jefferson Township Community Band
directed by Peter Tummillo Jr., performs before the display of fireworks. Township resident Bill Child wrote an original song in September 2006, "My Sweet Home Jefferson", that has since been sung at many Jefferson Day celebrations.

Government

Local government

Jefferson Township is governed under a Mayor-Council system of municipal government under the Faulkner Act. The township is one of 71 (of the 564) municipalities statewide that use this form of government. The governing body is comprised of the Mayor and the five-member Township Council. All governing body officials are elected at-large in partisan elections to serve four-year terms on a staggered basis in even-numbered years as part of the November general election, with three council seats up together for election and then two council seats and the mayoral seat coming up for election together two years later.''2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book'', Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 116.

, the Mayor of Jefferson Township is Republican Eric Wilsusen, whose term of office ends December 31, 2022.Administration
Jefferson Township. Accessed May 1, 2022. Members of the Jefferson Township Council are Council President Melissa Senatore (R, 2022), Council Vice President Jay Dunham (R, 2024), Robert Birmingham (R, 2024), Josh Kalish (R, 2022; elected to serve an unexpired term) and H. Ronald Smith (R, 2024).''Morris County Manual 2022''
Morris County, New Jersey