West Wildwood, New Jersey
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West Wildwood is a
borough A borough is an administrative division in various English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely. History In the Middle Ag ...
in Cape May County,
New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delawa ...
, United States. It is part of the Ocean City
metropolitan statistical area In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally incorporated as a city or tow ...
. As of the
2020 United States census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to off ...
, the borough's population was 540, a decrease of 63 (−10.4%) from the 2010 census count of 603, which in turn reflected an increase of 155 (+34.6%) from the 448 counted in the 2000 census. The summer population grows to as much as 5,000. West Wildwood was incorporated as a borough by an act of the
New Jersey Legislature The New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and the ...
on April 21, 1920, from portions of Middle Township.Snyder, John P
''The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968''
Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 116. Accessed October 17, 2012.


Geography

According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of th ...
, the borough had a total area of 0.36 square miles (0.94 km2), including 0.29 square miles (0.74 km2) of land and 0.08 square miles (0.20 km2) of water (21.67%). The borough borders the Cape May County municipalities of Middle Township, North Wildwood City and Wildwood City. Located on a small island connected to Wildwood by a two-lane bridge, the borough consists primarily vacation and year-round homes with a single night club, a miniature golf course and several marinas. Created using landfill to cover existing marshes in the 1920s, the borough is surrounding by bulkheads to protect it from flooding, though heavy winds and high tides can overtop the flood protection mechanisms.Miller, Jen A
"Great Homes & Destinations , Havens , West Wildwood, N.J.; A 'Gated' Community Surrounded by Water"
''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'', August 28, 2008. Accessed October 28, 2019. "To get onto the island of West Wildwood, N.J., you have two options: the two-lane Glenwood Avenue Bridge or a boat. The tiny island has no schools, but there’s one bar, one liquor store, one mini-golf course, one church and lots of marinas.... The town has about 700 year-round residents, a number that swells to 5,000 on summer weekends, according to the police department."


Demographics


2010 census

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010
American Community Survey The American Community Survey (ACS) is a demographics survey program conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the decennial census, such as ancestry, citizenship, educati ...
showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars)
median household income The median income is the income amount that divides a population into two equal groups, half having an income above that amount, and half having an income below that amount. It may differ from the mean (or average) income. Both of these are ways ...
was $38,750 (with a margin of error of +/− $10,914) and the median family income was $57,981 (+/− $16,263). Males had a median income of $36,607 (+/− $10,003) versus $36,364 (+/− $10,046) for females. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...
for the borough was $27,606 (+/− $4,119). About 6.7% of families and 8.9% of the population were below the
poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 7.5% of those under age 18 and 6.5% of those age 65 or over.


2000 census

As of the
2000 United States census The United States census of 2000, conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2 percent over the 248,709,873 people enumerated during the 1990 c ...
there were 448 people, 202 households, and 117 families residing in the borough. The
population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...
was 1,698.0 people per square mile (665.3/km2). There were 775 housing units at an average density of 1, 150.9/km2 (2,937.4/sq mi). The racial makeup of the borough was 95.76%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...
, 0.22% Asian, 2.23% from
other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 1.79% from two or more races.
Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...
or Latino of any race were 3.79% of the population.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for West Wildwood borough, New Jersey
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of th ...
. Accessed October 17, 2012.
DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for West Wildwood borough, Cape May County, New Jersey
,
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of th ...
. Accessed October 17, 2012.
There were 202 households, out of which 20.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.0% were
married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...
living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.6% were non-families. 36.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.92. In the borough the population was spread out, with 18.8% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 23.7% from 25 to 44, 32.8% from 45 to 64, and 19.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.6 males. The median income for a household in the borough was $33,393, and the median income for a family was $50,625. Males had a median income of $38,281 versus $21,190 for females. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...
for the borough was $17,839. About 3.2% of families and 6.5% of the population were below the
poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 13.4% of those under age 18 and 5.6% of those age 65 or over.


Economy

Portions of the borough—together with areas in
North Wildwood North Wildwood is a city located on the Jersey Shore in Cape May County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is part of the Ocean City metropolitan statistical area. As of the 2020 United States census, the city's population was 3,621, a dec ...
, Wildwood and Wildwood Crest—are part of a joint Urban Enterprise Zone (UEZ), one of 32 zones covering 37 municipalities statewide. The four municipalities in
The Wildwoods The Wildwoods are a group of five communities (four distinct municipalities and one census-designated place) in Cape May County, New Jersey. These are situated on the Island of Five Mile Beach, a barrier island facing the Atlantic Ocean. These Je ...
were selected in 2002 as one of a group of three zones added to participate in the program as part of a joint zone with. In addition to other benefits to encourage employment and investment within the Zone, shoppers can take advantage of a reduced 3.3125%
sales tax A sales tax is a tax paid to a governing body for the sales of certain goods and services. Usually laws allow the seller to collect funds for the tax from the consumer at the point of purchase. When a tax on goods or services is paid to a gove ...
rate (half of the % rate charged statewide) at eligible merchants. Established in November 2002, the borough's Urban Enterprise Zone status expires in December 2023. The joint UEZ is overseen by the Enterprise Zone Development Corporation of the Wildwoods Board, which includes representatives from all four municipalities.


Government


Local government

West Wildwood has been governed under the
Walsh Act The Walsh Act is a legislation in the U.S. state of New Jersey that permits municipalities to adopt a non-partisan commission form of government. The legislation was signed by Governor of New Jersey Woodrow Wilson on April 25, 1911. The commissi ...
form of New Jersey municipal government since 1964. The borough is one of 71 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use the commission form of government. The governing body is comprised of three commissioners, who are elected
at-large At large (''before a noun'': at-large) is a description for members of a governing body who are elected or appointed to represent a whole membership or population (notably a city, county, state, province, nation, club or association), rather than ...
on a
non-partisan Nonpartisanism is a lack of affiliation with, and a lack of bias towards, a political party. While an Oxford English Dictionary definition of ''partisan'' includes adherents of a party, cause, person, etc., in most cases, nonpartisan refers s ...
basis to serve concurrent four-year terms of office as part of the November general election. At a reorganization meeting conducted after each election, the commission selects one of its members to serve as mayor and designates for each commissioner an assigned department to oversee.''2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book'',
Rutgers University Rutgers University (; RU), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a public land-grant research university consisting of four campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's College, and was ...
Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 8.
, members of the West Wildwood Borough Board of Commissioners are
Mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well ...
Matthew J. Ksiazek (Commissioner of Public Works, Parks and Public Property), John J. Banning (Commissioner of Public Safety and Public Affairs), Joseph D. Segrest (Commissioner of Revenue and Finance), all serving terms of office ending December 31, 2024.Officials
Borough of West Wildwood. Accessed August 4, 2022.
2021 County & Municipal Elected Officials Cape May County, NJ -- July 2021
Cape May County, New Jersey Cape May County is the southernmost county in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Much of the county is located on Cape May bound by Delaware Bay to its west and the Atlantic Ocean to its south and east. Adjacent to the Atlantic coastline are ...
, September 13, 2021. Accessed April 28, 2022.
2020 General Election Successful Candidates
Cape May County, New Jersey Cape May County is the southernmost county in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Much of the county is located on Cape May bound by Delaware Bay to its west and the Atlantic Ocean to its south and east. Adjacent to the Atlantic coastline are ...
, updated December 4, 2020. Accessed January 1, 2021.
In June 2019, Cornelius J. Maxwell (who had been serving as Commissioner of Revenue and Finance) resigned from office, citing personal reasons. The meeting where Maxwell resigned was the first following the disclosure of ethics fines of nearly $25,000—the largest in state history by the board—that had been assessed by the Local Finance Board against Mayor Fox relating to his actions on behalf of Police Chief Jacqueline Ferentz. In November 2019, Amy Korbellis was elected to fill the vacant seat.Cape May County 2019 General Election Successful Candidates
Cape May County, New Jersey Cape May County is the southernmost county in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Much of the county is located on Cape May bound by Delaware Bay to its west and the Atlantic Ocean to its south and east. Adjacent to the Atlantic coastline are ...
, updated November 18, 2016. Accessed January 1, 2020.
In the same May 2012 election in which the three incumbent commissioners were elected, the voters approved a ballot question shifting elections from May to November, extending the terms of the three elected commissioners by an additional six months, with the next municipal election taking place in November 2016.


Federal, state and county representation

West Wildwood is located in the 2nd Congressional DistrictPlan Components Report
New Jersey Redistricting Commission, December 23, 2011. Accessed February 1, 2020.
and is part of New Jersey's 1st state legislative district.Municipalities Sorted by 2011-2020 Legislative District
New Jersey Department of State The secretary of state of New Jersey oversees the Department of State, which is one of the original state offices. The Secretary is responsible for overseeing artistic, cultural, and historical programs within the U.S. state of New Jersey, as ...
. Accessed February 1, 2020.
''2019 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government''
New Jersey
League of Women Voters The League of Women Voters (LWV or the League) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan political organization in the United States. Founded in 1920, its ongoing major activities include registering voters, providing voter information, and advocating for vot ...
. Accessed October 30, 2019.


Politics

As of March 2011, there were a total of 463 registered voters in West Wildwood, of which 124 (26.8%) were registered as Democrats, 184 (39.7%) were registered as Republicans and 154 (33.3%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There was one voter registered to another party. In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat
Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the U ...
received 51.6% of the vote (165 cast), ahead of Republican
Mitt Romney Willard Mitt Romney (born March 12, 1947) is an American politician, businessman, and lawyer serving as the junior United States senator from Utah since January 2019, succeeding Orrin Hatch. He served as the 70th governor of Massachusetts f ...
with 48.1% (154 votes), and other candidates with 0.3% (1 vote), among the 323 ballots cast by the borough's 459 registered voters (3 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 70.4%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican
John McCain John Sidney McCain III (August 29, 1936 – August 25, 2018) was an American politician and United States Navy officer who served as a United States senator from Arizona from 1987 until his death in 2018. He previously served two terms ...
received 52.4% of the vote (177 cast), ahead of Democrat
Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the U ...
, who received 45.0% (152 votes), with 338 ballots cast among the borough's 462 registered voters, for a turnout of 73.2%. In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat
John Kerry John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is an American attorney, politician and diplomat who currently serves as the first United States special presidential envoy for climate. A member of the Forbes family and the Democratic Party (Unite ...
received 51.4% of the vote (171 ballots cast), outpolling Republican
George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...
, who received 47.1% (157 votes), with 333 ballots cast among the borough's 422 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 78.9. In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican
Chris Christie Christopher James Christie (born September 6, 1962) is an American politician, lawyer, political commentator, lobbyist, and former federal prosecutor who served as the 55th governor of New Jersey from 2010 to 2018. Christie, who was born in Ne ...
received 75.4% of the vote (175 cast), ahead of Democrat
Barbara Buono Barbara A. Buono (born July 28, 1953) is an American politician who served in the New Jersey Senate from 2002 to 2014, where she represented the 18th Legislative District. She served from 2010 to 2012 as the Majority Leader in the Senate, succ ...
with 23.3% (54 votes), and other candidates with 1.3% (3 votes), among the 236 ballots cast by the borough's 435 registered voters (4 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 54.3%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 48.2% of the vote (148 ballots cast), ahead of both Democrat
Jon Corzine Jon Stevens Corzine ( ; born January 1, 1947) is an American financial executive and retired politician who served as a United States Senator from New Jersey from 2001 to 2006 and the 54th governor of New Jersey from 2006 to 2010. Corzine ran fo ...
with 41.7% (128 votes) and Independent
Chris Daggett Christopher Jarvis Daggett (born March 7, 1950) is an American businessman who is the president and CEO of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, one of the largest foundations in New Jersey. A former regional administrator of the United States En ...
with 4.9% (15 votes), with 307 ballots cast among the borough's 493 registered voters, yielding a 62.3% turnout.


Education

Public school students from West Wildwood, a non-operating school district, attend Margaret Mace School in
North Wildwood North Wildwood is a city located on the Jersey Shore in Cape May County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is part of the Ocean City metropolitan statistical area. As of the 2020 United States census, the city's population was 3,621, a dec ...
, of the North Wildwood School District, for grades PreK–8 and
Wildwood High School Wildwood High School is a comprehensive community public high school that serves students in ninth through twelfth grades from Wildwood, in Cape May County, New Jersey. It is the sole secondary school of the Wildwood City School District. ...
of Wildwood City School District for ninth grade through
twelfth grade Twelfth grade, 12th grade, senior year, or grade 12 is the final year of secondary school in most of North America. In other regions, it may also be referred to as class 12 or Year 13. In most countries, students are usually between the ages of 17 ...
as part of a
sending/receiving relationship A sending/receiving relationship is one in which a public school district sends some or all of its students to attend the schools of another district. This is often done to achieve costs savings in smaller districts or continues after districts hav ...
. In 2019, North Wildwood district received 20 students from West Wildwood, making up 11% of the North Wildwood district enrollment. As of the 2021–22 school year, the district, comprised of one school, had an enrollment of 207 students and 33.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a
student–teacher ratio Student–teacher ratio or student–faculty ratio is the number of students who attend a school or university divided by the number of teachers in the institution. For example, a student–teacher ratio of 10:1 indicates that there are 10 students ...
of 6.3:1.District information for North Wildwood School District
National Center for Education Statistics The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is the part of the United States Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences (IES) that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on education and public school district finance ...
. Accessed December 1, 2022.
As of the 2021–22 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 263 students and 31.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a
student–teacher ratio Student–teacher ratio or student–faculty ratio is the number of students who attend a school or university divided by the number of teachers in the institution. For example, a student–teacher ratio of 10:1 indicates that there are 10 students ...
of 8.5:1. Students are also eligible to attend
Cape May County Technical High School Cape May County Technical High School, located in Middle Township, which provides vocational and technical education to students in ninth through twelfth grades from Cape May County, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Cape May ...
in the Cape May Court House area, which serves students from the entire county in its comprehensive and vocational programs, which are offered without charge to students who are county residents. Special needs students may be referred to
Cape May County Special Services School District The Cape May County Special Services School District (CMCSSSD) is a special education public school district headquartered in Middle Township, in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States, whose schools offer educational and therapeutic services ...
in the Cape May Court House area. In 2020, the West Wildwood School Board commissioned a study from
Stockton University Stockton University is a public university in Galloway Township, New Jersey. It is part of New Jersey's public system of higher education. It is named for Richard Stockton, one of the New Jersey signers of the U.S. Declaration of Independence ...
exploring whether switching K–8 education to the Wildwood School District would have effects, causing a negative reaction from multiple parents who preferred that their children attend Mace School. The study stated that West Wildwood would save $177,118 per year if it used Wildwood City district for K–8.


Transportation

, the borough had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality and by Cape May County. County Route 614 (Glenwood Avenue) runs through the borough to its northern tip.Cape May County Route 614
New Jersey Department of Transportation The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) is the agency responsible for transportation issues and policy in New Jersey, including maintaining and operating the state's highway and public road system, planning and developing transportat ...
, August 1999. Accessed November 11, 2013.


References


External links


West Wildwood Borough website

''The Wildwood Leader'', covering West Wildwood
{{authority control 1920 establishments in New Jersey Boroughs in Cape May County, New Jersey New Jersey District Factor Group none New Jersey Urban Enterprise Zones Populated places established in 1920 The Wildwoods, New Jersey Walsh Act