Waterford Township, New Jersey

Waterford Township is a township in Camden County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 10,421,<ref name=Census2020/><ref name=LWD2020/> a decrease of 228 (−2.1%) from the 2010 census count of 10,649,<ref name=Census2010/><ref name=LWD2010/> which in turn reflected an increase of 155 (+1.5%) from the 10,494 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>

Waterford Township was originally created by Royal charter on June 1, 1695, while the area was still part of Gloucester County. The township was incorporated by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798. On March 13, 1844, Waterford Township became one of the original townships in the newly created Camden County. The settlement of Long-a-Coming (now the borough of Berlin) along the White Horse Pike (U.S. Route 30) in Waterford was the new county's first seat, but lost that designation in 1848 when the seat moved to the city of Camden.<ref>Snyder, 1969. p. 261.</ref> Portions of the township were taken over the years to form Delaware Township (on February 28, 1844, now Cherry Hill), Chesilhurst (November 26, 1887), Voorhees Township (March 1, 1899) and Berlin Township (March 11, 1910).<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. 109. Accessed May 30, 2024.</ref><ref>Honeyman, Abraham Van Doren. Index-analysis of the Statutes of New Jersey, 1896-1909: Together with References to All Acts, and Parts of Acts, in the 'General Statutes' and Pamphlet Laws Expressly Repealed: and the Statutory Crimes of New Jersey During the Same Period, p. 312. New Jersey Law Journal Publishing Company, 1910. Accessed October 22, 2015.</ref> The township was named for Waterford, Ireland.<ref>Prowell, George Reeser. The History of Camden County, New Jersey, p. 656. Richards, 1886. Accessed October 22, 2015. "On the 1st of June, 1695, the grand jury of Gloucester County made return to the court in which it was declared that, 'Whereas there was a law made by ye last assembly for dividing ye county into particular townships, therefore they (the jury) agree and order that from Pensaukin or Cropwell River to the lowermost branch of Coopers Creek shall be one constabulary or township,' which received the name of Waterford, it is supposed from a resemblance of the lower part of the territory to a fishing town on the Barrow in Ireland."</ref><ref>Hutchinson, Viola L. The Origin of New Jersey Place Names, New Jersey Public Library Commission, May 1945. Accessed October 22, 2015. Listed as "Waterford, England".</ref>

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 36.22 square miles (93.81 km²), including 36.00 square miles (93.25 km²) of land and 0.22 square miles (0.56 km²) of water (0.60%).<ref name=CensusArea/><ref name=GR1 />

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the borough include Atco, Atco Lake, Bishops, Dunbarton, Fisher, Jackson, Louden and Pestletown.<ref>Locality Search, State of New Jersey. Accessed October 22, 2015.</ref>

The township borders the municipalities of Berlin, Berlin Township, Chesilhurst and Winslow Township in Camden County; Hammonton in Atlantic County; and Evesham Township, Medford Township and Shamong Township in Burlington County.<ref>Areas touching Waterford Township, MapIt. Accessed March 14, 2020.</ref><ref>Municipalities within Camden County, NJ, Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission. Accessed March 14, 2020.</ref><ref>New Jersey Municipal Boundaries, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed November 15, 2019.</ref>

Demographics

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 10,649 people, 3,692 households, and 2,824 families in the township. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 3,839 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup was 90.59% (9,647) White, 4.83% (514) Black or African American, 0.10% (11) Native American, 1.16% (124) Asian, 0.03% (3) Pacific Islander, 1.56% (166) from other races, and 1.73% (184) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.39% (467) of the population.<ref name=Census2010/>

Of the 3,692 households, 32.9% had children under the age of 18; 60.4% were married couples living together; 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present and 23.5% were non-families. Of all households, 17.9% 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 2.84 and the average family size was 3.22.<ref name=Census2010/>

22.9% of the population were under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 32.1% from 45 to 64, and 9.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.7 years. For every 100 females, the population had 101.0 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 98.0 males.<ref name=Census2010/>

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $76,786 (with a margin of error of +/− $9,237) and the median family income was $87,774 (+/− $9,978). Males had a median income of $54,714 (+/− $3,576) versus $42,896 (+/− $4,994) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $31,193 (+/− $2,094). About 2.6% of families and 5.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.0% of those under age 18 and 7.7% of those age 65 or over.<ref>DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics from the 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates for Waterford township, Camden County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed October 12, 2012.</ref>

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States census<ref name="GR2" /> there were 10,494 people, 3,542 households, and 2,791 families residing in the township. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 3,671 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the township was 92.75% White, 4.18% African American, 0.21% Native American, 0.90% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.67% from other races, and 1.29% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.07% of the population.<ref name=Census2000>Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Waterford township, Camden County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed October 12, 2012.</ref><ref name=Census2000SF1>DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Waterford township, Camden County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed October 12, 2012.</ref>

There were 3,542 households, out of which 39.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.5% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.2% were non-families. 16.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.90 and the average family size was 3.27.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>

In the township the population was spread out, with 25.7% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 32.6% from 25 to 44, 25.4% from 45 to 64, and 8.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.6 males.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>

The median income for a household in the township was $59,075, and the median income for a family was $63,693. Males had a median income of $41,561 versus $28,763 for females. The per capita income for the township was $21,676. About 3.6% of families and 5.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.9% of those under age 18 and 7.8% of those age 65 or over.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>

Government

Local government

Waterford Township is governed under the Township form of New Jersey municipal government, one of 141 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this form, the second-most commonly used form of government in the state.<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 Township Committee is comprised of five members, who are elected directly by the voters at-large in partisan elections to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats coming up for election each year as part of the November general election 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. 33.</ref><ref>"Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey", p. 7. Rutgers University Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref> The Mayor and Deputy Mayor are chosen by the Township Committee from among its members during a reorganization meeting held each January.<ref name=Administrator/>

Template:As of, members of the Waterford Township Committee are Mayor Thomas Giangiulio Jr. (R, term on committee and as mayor ends 2023), Depuy Mayor Andrew L. Wade (I, term on committee ends December 31, 2024; term as deputy mayor ends 2023), Stephanie Jones-Freitag (R, 2025), Joel Thompson (R, 2025) and Richard T. Yeatman Sr. (D, 2023).<ref name=Committee>Committee Members, Waterford Township. Accessed June 8, 2023.</ref><ref>2023 Municipal Data Sheet, Waterford Township. Accessed June 8, 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>

Federal, state, and county representation

Waterford Township is located in the 1st Congressional District<ref name=PCR2022>2022 Redistricting Plan, New Jersey Redistricting Commission, December 8, 2022.</ref> and is part of New Jersey's 4th state legislative district.<ref>Districts by Number for 2023-2031, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed September 18, 2023.</ref>

Politics

As of March 2011, there were a total of 7,364 registered voters in Waterford Township, of which 2,438 (33.1%) were registered as Democrats, 1,386 (18.8%) were registered as Republicans and 3,536 (48.0%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 4 voters registered as Libertarians or Greens.<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 50.4% of the vote (2,501 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 48.5% (2,406 votes), and other candidates with 1.2% (58 votes), among the 5,012 ballots cast by the township's 7,783 registered voters (47 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 64.4%.<ref name=2012Elections>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=2012VoterReg>Template:Cite web</ref> In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 50.0% of the vote (2,708 cast), ahead of Republican John McCain, who received around 46.5% (2,517 votes), with 5,411 ballots cast among the township's 7,323 registered voters, for a turnout of 73.9%.<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, Republican George W. Bush received 49.3% of the vote (2,582 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry, who received around 47.1% (2,468 votes), with 5,242 ballots cast among the township's 7,107 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 73.8.<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 70.7% of the vote (2,253 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 27.9% (889 votes), and other candidates with 1.4% (43 votes), among the 3,271 ballots cast by the township's 7,828 registered voters (86 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 41.8%.<ref name=2013Elections>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=2013VoterReg>Template:Cite web</ref> In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 54.9% of the vote (1,749 ballots cast), ahead of both Democrat Jon Corzine with 36.7% (1,168 votes) and Independent Chris Daggett with 4.9% (155 votes), with 3,186 ballots cast among the township's 7,462 registered voters, yielding a 42.7% 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

The Waterford Township School District serves public school students in pre-kindergarten through sixth grade.<ref>Waterford Township Board of Education District Policy 0110 - Identification, Waterford Township School District. Accessed April 3, 2020. "Purpose: The Board of Education exists for the purpose of providing a thorough and efficient system of free public education in grades Pre-Kindergarten through six in the Waterford Township School District. Composition: The Waterford Township School District is comprised of all the area within the municipal boundaries of Waterford Township."</ref> As of the 2018–19 school year, the district, comprised of three schools, had an enrollment of 819 students and 78.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 10.4:1.<ref name=NCES>District information for Waterford Township School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed April 1, 2020.</ref> Schools in the district (with 2018–19 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics<ref>School Data for the Waterford Township School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed April 1, 2020.</ref>) are Thomas Richards Early Childhood Center<ref>Thomas Richards Early Childhood Center, Waterford Township School District. Accessed April 3, 2020.</ref> with 221 students in grades 2–3 (now Pre-K–K), Atco Elementary School<ref>Atco Elementary School, Waterford Township School District. Accessed April 3, 2020.</ref> with 193 students in grades K–1 (now grades 1–2) and Waterford Elementary School<ref>Waterford Elementary School, Waterford Township School District. Accessed April 3, 2020.</ref> with 400 students in grades 4–6.<ref>About Us, Waterford Township School District. Accessed April 3, 2020. "Waterford Township School District is a prekindergarten – 6th grade district serving approximately 890 students in three schools. Upon graduating from 6th grade, students continue their public education in nearby Hammonton Public School District. School / Grades: Thomas Richards Early Childhood Center Preschool & Kindergarten; Atco Elementary School Grades 1-2; Waterford Elementary School Grades 3- 6"</ref><ref>New Jersey School Directory for the Waterford Township School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2024.</ref>

For seventh through twelfth grades, public school students attend the Hammonton Public Schools in Hammonton as part of a sending/receiving relationship, alongside students from Folsom, who attend for grades 9–12 as part of an agreement with the Folsom Borough School District.<ref>Hammonton Public Schools 2015 Report Card Narrative, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed May 24, 2016. "The Hammonton Public School System serves children from Hammonton, Waterford, and Folsom - as well as over 140 NJ Department of Education Choice students."</ref><ref>Puko, Timothy. "Sending Towns Feeling Pinched by Hammonton", The Press of Atlantic City, March 13, 2007. Accessed June 29, 2011. "The two school districts that send students to Hammonton are disputing tuition adjustments that would allow Hammonton School District to avoid a tax hike this year but cause large tax hikes in the sending districts. The school budgets for Hammonton and its sending districts Waterford and Folsom could hang in limbo well past next month's school board elections, and Waterford and Folsom could be left with budget fights and massive cuts, sending district superintendents said."</ref> In the wake of the dissolution of the Lower Camden County Regional School District, the Hammonton board of education voted in 1999 to begin accepting an estimated 800 students from Waterford Township for grades 7–12 starting as soon as 2002, with the tuition paid by students from Waterford helping to lower overall costs to Hammonton taxpayers and the New Jersey Department of Education approved the agreement.<ref>Arnold, Stephanie L. "Hammonton Board Decides To Accept Waterford Students More Money For An Improved Curriculum Is Expected Once The 800 Junior And Senior High Pupils Arrive.", The Philadelphia Inquirer, March 25, 1999. Accessed December 15, 2014. "The school board has been mulling the issue since the Waterford Board of Education, in Camden County, decided in September that it wanted to send its 800 junior high and high school students to the Atlantic County school district. Last year, five of seven towns that make up the Lower Camden County Regional School District voted to dissolve it within three years, leaving each town responsible for educating its students."</ref><ref>Board of Education of the Town of Hammonton, Atlantic County, petitioner, New Jersey Department of Education, January 4, 2000. Accessed December 15, 2014. "This matter arises from the pending dissolution of the Lower Camden County Regional School District No. 1 (LCCR). Petitioner, Hammonton BOE, has a proposed sending/receiving contract with Waterford, one of the constituent districts of the LCCR, to accept that district's students in grades 7-12....The Commissioner found that education law poses no impediment to Hammonton entering a sending/receiving relationship with Waterford pursuant to the parties' proposed agreement (N.J.S.A. 18A:38-11)."</ref> Schools in the Hammonton district attended by Waterford Township students (with 2018–19 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics<ref>School Data for the Hammonton Public Schools, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed April 1, 2020.</ref>) are Hammonton Middle School<ref>Hammonton Middle SchoolTemplate:Dead link, Hammonton Public Schools. Accessed April 3, 2020.</ref> with 879 students in grades 6–8 and Hammonton High School<ref>Hammonton High School Template:Webarchive, Hammonton Public Schools. Accessed April 3, 2020.</ref> with 1,393 students in grade 9–12.<ref>New Jersey School Directory for the Hammonton Public Schools, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2024.</ref>

Assumption School, located in Atco, was an elementary school that operated under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden, which closed the school at the end of the 2012–2013 school year in the wake of declining enrollment, though parents and contributors argued that they had raised the funds and met the attendance criteria needed to keep the school operating.<ref>Laday, Jason. "Fuming parents question whereabouts of $340K after closure of Atco Catholic school", South Jersey Times, May 10, 2013. Accessed November 11, 2013. "There is a serious lack of trust, and $340,000, at Assumption School in Atco. The Diocese of Camden's decision in February to close the school at the end of this academic year has caused a wave of anger and accusations from parents and other supporters, who have since cried fraud over the apparent disappearance of hundreds of thousands of dollars they say they have raised over the last two and a half years in order to keep the school going."</ref>

Transportation

File:2021-07-21 10 26 07 View west along U.S. Route 30 (White Horse Pike) from the overpass for New Jersey State Route 73 in Waterford Township, Camden County, New Jersey.jpg

U.S. Route 30 westbound at Route 73 in Waterford Township

Roads and highways

Template:As of, the township 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 November 11, 2013.</ref>

U.S. Route 30 (White Horse Pike) enters from Berlin borough and continues for Template:Convert into Chesilhurst.<ref>U.S. Route 30 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, April 2008. Accessed November 11, 2013.</ref> while Route 73 runs for a short distance along the township's western border, entering from Winslow Township and exiting into Berlin borough.<ref>Route 73 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, March 2009. Accessed November 11, 2013.</ref> U.S. 30 and NJ 73 intersect on the west side of the township.<ref>Enlarged View 16 (Winslow Township, Berlin Borough, Berlin Township and Waterford Township, Camden County), New Jersey Department of Transportation, June 2009. Accessed November 11, 2013.</ref>

County Route 534 (Jackson Road) enters from Berlin Township on the west near the Atco station and continues for almost Template:Convert across the township's northern border, into Shamong Township in Burlington County.<ref>County Route 534 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, March 2007. Accessed November 11, 2013.</ref> County Route 536 (New Brooklyn / Cedarbrook Road / Pump Branch Road / Pennington Avenue) runs for Template:Convert from Monroe Township in Gloucester County into Waterford Township.<ref>County Route 536 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, August 2006. Accessed November 11, 2013.</ref>

The closest limited access road is the Atlantic City Expressway in neighboring Winslow Township. Interstate 295 and the New Jersey Turnpike are two towns away.

Public transportation

File:Atco Station.jpg

Atco station, which is served by NJ Transit's Atlantic City Line

The Atco station<ref>Atco station Template:Webarchive, NJ Transit. Accessed November 11, 2013.</ref> provides NJ Transit train service to the 30th Street Station in Philadelphia and the Atlantic City Rail Terminal in Atlantic City on the Atlantic City Line.<ref>Atlantic City Rail Line, NJ Transit. Accessed November 11, 2013.</ref>

NJ Transit local bus service is available on the 554 route from Lindenwold to Atlantic City and on the 459 route.<ref>Camden County Bus / Rail Connections, NJ Transit, backed up by the Internet Archive as of May 22, 2009. Accessed October 12, 2012.</ref><ref>South Jersey Transit Guide Template:Webarchive, Cross County Connection, as of April 1, 2010. Accessed November 11, 2013.</ref>

Notable people

Template:Category see also People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Waterford Township include:

• Marvin Borowsky (1907-1969), novelist and screenwriter<ref>"University of California: In Memoriam, December 1970 - Marvin Borowsky, Theater Arts: Los Angeles", Calisphere. Accessed March 26, 2024. "Marvin Borowsky, a brilliant teacher and an extraordinary man, was born in Atco, New Jersey, in 1907."</ref>
• Kellyanne Conway (born 1967), strategist and pollster who was campaign manager for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump in 2016<ref>Johnson, Brent. "How N.J. native Conway got Trump over the finish line", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, November 9, 2016. Accessed November 9, 2016. "Conway, who grew up in the Atco section of Waterford Township in Camden County, was hired in August, at a time when Trump was suffering from gaffes and drooping poll numbers."</ref>
• Rey Ramsey, social justice entrepreneur<ref>Rey Ramsey, The HistoryMakers. Accessed December 15, 2014. "Lawyer and Chief Executive Officer of One Economy Corporation Rey Ramsey was born Reynard Ramsey on September 10, 1960, in Lower Marion Township, Pennsylvania. At the age of five, Ramsey and his family moved to a predominantly white neighborhood in Atco, New Jersey, where he attended grammar and high school."</ref>
• Jimmy Snuka (1943–2017), semi-retired professional wrestler and actor<ref>via Associated Press. "Ex-wrestler Jimmy 'Superfly' Snuka charged in girlfriend's 1983 death", The Record, September 1, 2015. Accessed September 2, 2015. "Snuka, now 72 and living in Waterford Township, N.J., wrote about Argentino's death in his 2012 autobiography, maintaining his innocence and saying the episode had ruined his life."</ref>
• Sally Starr (1923–2013), 1950s celebrity television personality<ref>Sally Starr, Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia. Accessed September 2, 2015. "Sally was instrumental in the resurrection of the "Wilson Line Show Cruises." She was a survivor, having had a heart attack in 1993. She lived in her home in Atco, New Jersey."</ref>
• John Wesley Wescott (1849–1927), lawyer and jurist who served as New Jersey Attorney General from 1914 to 1919<ref>Lundy, F. L., et al. Manual of the Legislature of New Jersey, Volume 142, p. 377. J.A. Fitzgerald, 1918. Accessed December 15, 2014. "John Wesley Wescott, Camden. Mr. Wescott was born at Waterford, N. J., February 20th, 1849."</ref>

External links

• Waterford Township municipal website
• Waterford Township School District website
• Template:NJReportCard
• School Data for the Waterford Township School District, National Center for Education Statistics
• School closing information
• Hammonton Public Schools