Laurel Springs, New Jersey
Template:Short description Template:Use American English Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox settlement Laurel Springs is a borough in Camden County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 1,978,<ref name=LWD2020/> an increase of 70 (+3.7%) from the 2010 census count of 1,908,<ref name=Census2010/><ref name=LWD2010/> which in turn reflected a decline of 62 (−3.1%) from the 1,970 counted in the 2000 census.<ref>Table 7. Population for the Counties and Municipalities in New Jersey: 1990, 2000 and 2010, New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, February 2011. Accessed May 1, 2023.</ref>
Laurel Springs was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 2, 1913, from portions of Clementon Township, based on the results of a referendum held on May 1, 1913.<ref name=Story>Snyder, John P. The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 107. Accessed May 29, 2024.</ref> The borough was named for its therapeutic springs situated in laurel groves.<ref>Heavens, Alan J. "Town By Town: A big year for a small Camden County town", The Philadelphia Inquirer, September 1, 2013. Accessed September 2, 2015.</ref><ref>Hutchinson, Viola L. The Origin of New Jersey Place Names, New Jersey Public Library Commission, May 1945. Accessed September 2, 2015.</ref>
In 2021, the borough had the 11th-highest property tax rate in New Jersey, with an equalized rate of 4.803% in 2020, compared to 3.470% in the county as a whole and a statewide average of 2.279%.<ref>"Here are the 30 N.J. towns with the highest property tax rates", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, March 15, 2021. Accessed January 19, 2022. "The average equalized tax rate in New Jersey was 2.279 in 2020, according to data from the Department of Community Affairs. Here is the list of 30 New Jersey towns with the highest property tax rates.... 11. Laurel Springs Equalized tax rate in Laurel Springs Borough, Camden County, was 4.803 in 2020 Average equalized tax rate in Camden County: 3.470"</ref>
Geography
[edit]According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 0.46 square miles (1.19 km2), including 0.45 square miles (1.17 km2) of land and 0.01 square miles (0.02 km2) of water (2.17%).<ref name=CensusArea/><ref name=GR1 />
Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Watsontown.<ref>Locality Search, State of New Jersey. Accessed May 21, 2015.</ref>
Laurel Springs borders the Camden County municipalities of Lindenwold and Stratford.<ref>Areas touching Laurel Springs, MapIt. Accessed February 25, 2020.</ref><ref>Municipalities within Camden County, NJ, Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission. Accessed February 25, 2020.</ref><ref>New Jersey Municipal Boundaries, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed November 15, 2019.</ref>
Demographics
[edit]2010 census
[edit]The 2010 United States census counted 1,908 people, 727 households, and 506 families in the borough. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 771 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup was 92.87% (1,772) White, 3.46% (66) Black or African American, 0.10% (2) Native American, 1.00% (19) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 1.31% (25) from other races, and 1.26% (24) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.88% (74) of the population.<ref name=Census2010/>
Of the 727 households, 29.6% had children under the age of 18; 51.3% were married couples living together; 12.2% had a female householder with no husband present and 30.4% were non-families. Of all households, 25.7% were made up of individuals and 8.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.15.<ref name=Census2010/>
22.8% of the population were under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 27.0% from 25 to 44, 28.5% from 45 to 64, and 12.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.5 years. For every 100 females, the population had 95.9 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 94.1 males.<ref name=Census2010/>
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $69,405 (with a margin of error of +/− $8,221) and the median family income was $83,750 (+/− $12,497). Males had a median income of $57,900 (+/− $10,860) versus $49,028 (+/− $11,130) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $29,139 (+/− $3,021). About 11.4% of families and 11.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.5% of those under age 18 and 3.8% of those age 65 or over.<ref>DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics from the 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates for Laurel Springs borough, Camden County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed October 6, 2012.</ref>
2000 census
[edit]As of the 2000 United States census<ref name="GR2" /> there were 1,970 people, 762 households, and 534 families residing in the borough. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 806 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the borough was 94.37% White, 2.74% African American, 0.25% Native American, 0.96% Asian, 0.71% from other races, and 0.96% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.62% of the population.<ref name=Census2000>Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Laurel Springs borough, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed October 6, 2012.</ref><ref name=Census2000SF1>DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Laurel Springs borough, Camden County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed October 6, 2012.</ref>
There were 762 households, out of which 32.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.5% were married couples living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.9% were non-families. 26.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.16.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>
In the borough the population was spread out, with 24.1% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 31.0% from 25 to 44, 22.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.7 males.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>
The median income for a household in the borough was $52,500, and the median income for a family was $58,854. Males had a median income of $41,349 versus $30,893 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $23,254. About 1.9% of families and 3.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.4% of those under age 18 and 1.4% of those age 65 or over.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>
Government
[edit]Local government
[edit],_Nov._2024.jpg){kind=link}
Laurel Springs is governed under the borough form of New Jersey municipal government, which is used in 218 municipalities (of the 564) statewide, making it the most common form of government in New Jersey.<ref>Inventory of Municipal Forms of Government in New Jersey, Rutgers University Center for Government Studies, July 1, 2011. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref> The governing body is comprised of a mayor and a borough council, with all positions elected at-large on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. A mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The borough council includes six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle.<ref name=DataBook>2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 24.</ref> The borough form of government used by Laurel Springs is a "weak mayor / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can veto ordinances subject to an override by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council.<ref>Cerra, Michael F. "Forms of Government: Everything You've Always Wanted to Know, But Were Afraid to Ask" Template:Webarchive, New Jersey State League of Municipalities. Accessed November 30, 2014.</ref><ref>"Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey", p. 6. Rutgers University Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref>
Template:As of, the mayor of Laurel Springs Borough is Democrat Thomas A. "Tom" Barbera, whose term of office ends December 31, 2023. Members of the Laurel Springs Borough Council are Council President James W. "Jim" Redstreake (R, 2024), Joseph Cruz (D, 2023), Samuel V. Del Pidio (R, 2023), Susan DiGregorio (D, 2024), Sarah Bolam DiMarco (D, 2025) and Marc A. Riondino (D, 2025).<ref name=Council>Mayor and Borough Council, Borough of Laurel Springs. Accessed June 7, 2023.</ref><ref name=Budget>2022 Municipal Data Sheet, Borough of Laurel Springs. Accessed June 7, 2023.</ref><ref name=Camden2022>Official Election Results 2022 General Election November 8, 2022, Camden County, New Jersey, as of November 21, 2022. Accessed January 1, 2023.</ref><ref name=Camden2021>2021 General Election November 2, 2021 Official Election Results, Camden County, New Jersey, update November 15, 2021. Accessed January 1, 2022.</ref><ref name=Camden2020>2020 General Election November 3, 2020 Official Election Results, Camden County, New Jersey, update November 20, 2020. Accessed January 1, 2021.</ref><ref name=Camden2019>Official Election Results 2019 General Election November 5, 2019, Camden County, New Jersey, updated November 15, 2019. Accessed January 1, 2020.</ref>
Federal, state and county representation
[edit]Laurel Springs is located in the 1st Congressional District<ref name=PCR2012>Plan Components Report, New Jersey Redistricting Commission, December 23, 2011. Accessed February 1, 2020.</ref> and is part of New Jersey's 6th state legislative district.<ref>Districts by Number for 2023-2031, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed September 18, 2023.</ref>
Template:NJ Congress 01 Template:NJ Senate
Template:NJ Camden County Freeholders
Politics
[edit]As of March 2011, there were a total of 1,339 registered voters in Laurel Springs, of which 500 (37.3%) were registered as Democrats, 293 (21.9%) were registered as Republicans and 545 (40.7%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There was one voter registered to another party.<ref>Voter Registration Summary - Camden, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed October 15, 2012.</ref>
In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 58.9% of the vote (558 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 39.5% (374 votes), and other candidates with 1.6% (15 votes), among the 962 ballots cast by the borough's 1,422 registered voters (15 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 67.7%.<ref name=2012Elections>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=2012VoterReg>Template:Cite web</ref> In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 55.7% of the vote (583 cast), ahead of Republican John McCain, who received around 40.3% (422 votes), with 1,047 ballots cast among the borough's 1,346 registered voters, for a turnout of 77.8%.<ref>2008 Presidential General Election Results: Camden County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 23, 2008. Accessed October 15, 2012.</ref> In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 55.6% of the vote (583 ballots cast), outpolling Republican George W. Bush, who received around 42.9% (450 votes), with 1,048 ballots cast among the borough's 1,328 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 78.9.<ref>2004 Presidential Election: Camden County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 13, 2004. Accessed October 15, 2012.</ref>
Template:PresHead Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow |}
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 63.5% of the vote (371 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 34.6% (202 votes), and other candidates with 1.9% (11 votes), among the 598 ballots cast by the borough's 1,438 registered voters (14 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 41.6%.<ref name=2013Elections>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=2013VoterReg>Template:Cite web</ref> In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 45.8% of the vote (324 ballots cast), ahead of both Democrat Jon Corzine with 43.5% (308 votes) and Independent Chris Daggett with 7.2% (51 votes), with 708 ballots cast among the borough's 1,368 registered voters, yielding a 51.8% turnout.<ref>2009 Governor: Camden County Template:Webarchive, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 31, 2009. Accessed October 15, 2012.</ref>
Education
[edit]The Laurel Springs School District serves public school students in pre-kindergarten through sixth grade at Laurel Spring School.<ref>School Performance Reports for the Laurel Springs School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed April 1, 2024.</ref> As of the 2021–22 school year, the district, comprised of one school, had an enrollment of 177 students and 15.4 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.5:1.<ref name=NCES>District information for Laurel Springs School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed December 1, 2022.</ref>
For seventh and eighth grades, students from Laurel Springs attend Samuel S. Yellin Elementary School in Stratford as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Stratford School District.<ref name=PerformanceReport>Laurel Springs Public School District 2016 Report Card Narrative, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed May 12, 2017. "Laurel Springs students in grades seven (7) and eight (8) are sent as tuition students to the Samuel S. Yellin School in neighboring Stratford. Ninth (9th) through twelfth (12th) grade students are sent to Sterling Regional High School as tuition students."</ref><ref>Samuel S. Yellin School 2016 Report Card Narrative, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed May 12, 2017. "The Yellin School houses approximately 515 students that are comprised of five grade levels ranging from 4th Grade to 8th Grade. The nearby Laurel Springs School District is a sending district starting in 7th Grade. "</ref><ref>Beerman, William J. "Laurel Springs Considers Transferring Students", The Philadelphia Inquirer, June 21, 1989. Accessed October 17, 2013. "The Laurel Springs school board this week continued laying the groundwork for a possible attempt to withdraw Laurel Springs students from the Sterling Regional High School in Somerdale and the Yellin School in Stratford.... Laurel Springs has only one public school, the Laurel Springs School, which houses students from kindergarten through sixth grade. Laurel Springs' seventh and eighth graders go to Yellin."</ref> As of the 2021–22 school year, Yellin School had an enrollment of 484 students and 41.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.7:1.<ref>School data for Samuel S. Yellin Elementary School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed December 1, 2022.</ref>
For ninth grade through twelfth grade, public school students attend Sterling High School, a regional high school district that also serves students from Magnolia, Somerdale and Stratford, along with the sending districts of Hi-Nella and Laurel Springs.<ref name=PerformanceReport/><ref>Sterling High School 2016 Report Card Narrative, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed May 12, 2017. "Sterling High School District is a regional district serving Hi Nella, Laurel Springs, Magnolia, Somerdale and Stratford."</ref><ref>Annual Comprehensive Financial Report For the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 2011, Sterling High School District. Accessed December 8, 2014. "The purpose of the School District is to provide educational services for resident students in grades 9 through 12 that reside in the Boroughs of Magnolia, Somerdale and Stratford. In addition, the School District provides educational services for students in grades 9 through 12 received, on a tuition basis, from the Laurel Springs School District and the Hi-Nella School District."</ref> The high school is located in Somerdale. As of the 2021–22 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 897 students and 70.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.8:1.<ref>School data for Sterling High School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed December 1, 2022.</ref>
Transportation
[edit]_at_Madison_Avenue_along_the_border_of_Laurel_Springs_and_Lindenwold_in_Camden_County,_New_Jersey.jpg){kind=link}
Roads and highways
[edit]Template:As of, the borough had a total of Template:Convert of roadways, of which Template:Convert were maintained by the municipality, Template:Convert by Camden County and Template:Convert by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.<ref>Camden County Mileage by Municipality and Jurisdiction, New Jersey Department of Transportation, May 2010. Accessed July 18, 2014.</ref>
U.S. Route 30 is the main highway serving Laurel Springs.<ref>U.S. Route 30 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, updated March 2018. Accessed February 9, 2023.</ref> It runs along the northeast side of the borough, connecting it with Lindenwold and Stratford.<ref>Camden County Highway Map, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed February 8, 2023.</ref>
Public transportation
[edit]NJ Transit offers service between the borough and Atlantic City on the 554 route, with local bus service offered on the 451 and 459 routes.<ref>Camden County Bus / Rail Connections, NJ Transit, backed up by the Internet Archive as of May 22, 2009. Accessed October 3, 2012.</ref><ref>South Jersey Transit Guide Template:Webarchive, Cross County Connection, as of April 1, 2010. Accessed December 13, 2014.</ref>
Notable people
[edit]Template:Category see also People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Laurel Springs include:
- Daniel J. Dalton (born 1949), politician who served as New Jersey Senate Majority Leader and as Secretary of State of New Jersey<ref>Sokolic, William H. "This Town Of Tranquility Is Like A Step Back In Time Whitman Spent Summers Here. This Quiet Borough Has Resisted Urban Sprawl And Commercialism.", The Philadelphia Inquirer, October 11, 1992, backed up by the Internet Archive as of October 17, 2016. Accessed September 17, 2019. "'The springs are considered a fountain of youth,' said Daniel Dalton, the former state senator, who has lived in Laurel Springs for almost nine years."</ref>
- Ray Narleski (1928–2012), relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played with the Cleveland Indians (1954–1958) and Detroit Tigers (1959)<ref>Staff. "Glimpse into the major league career of South Jersey's Ray Narleski" Template:Webarchive, Courier-Post, April 13, 2000. Accessed June 1, 2015. "'When you're there in the major leagues, you're on top of the world,' said Narleski, 71, now retired and living in Laurel Springs."</ref>
- Jacob Rupertus (1822/1823–1921), handgun designer and manufacturer<ref>Philadelphia Inquirer, February 15, 1921 (Tuesday), "Rupertus--At Laurel Springs, Feb. 14th, Jacob, husband of the late Caroline Rupertus, aged 98 years. Relatives and friends invited to the service, Wed 2 P. M. at the Oliver H. Blair Bldg., 1820 Chestnut st."</ref><ref>1910 US Census for 'Jacob Rupertus' Clementon (Laurel Springs), Camden, New Jersey</ref><ref>1920 US Census for 'Jacob Rupertus' Laurel Springs, Camden, New Jersey</ref>
- William Burns Smith (1844–1917), politician who was the 74th Mayor of Philadelphia, serving from 1884 to 1887<ref>"Personals", Municipal Journal, December 15, 1917. Accessed September 17, 2019. "Smith, William Burns, mayor of Philadelphia, Pa., from 1884 to 1887, died recently at his home in Laurel Springs, N.J."</ref>
- Walt Whitman (1819–1892), poet who made his summer home here<ref>Sardella, Carlo M. "Laurel Springs Honors Whitman", The New York Times, May 20, 1979. Accessed October 6, 2012. "Laurel Springs - In the early summer of 1876, a prosperous local farmer was disturbed because his poet-friend, Walt Whitman, who lived in nearby Camden, was despairing over a paralytic condition brought on three years before by a mild stroke."</ref>
References
[edit]External links
[edit]- Laurel Springs Borough website
- Laurel Springs Fire Department website
- Laurel Spring School website
- Template:NJReportCard
- Data for Laurel Spring School, National Center for Education Statistics
- Stratford School District
- Template:NJReportCard
- Sterling High School
- Template:NJReportCard