Dennis Township, New Jersey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dennis Township, New Jersey
|
||
|---|---|---|
|
Township
|
||
Dennisville Historic District
|
||
|
||
Location of Dennis Township in Cape May County highlighted in red (left). Inset map: Location of Cape May County in New Jersey highlighted in red (right).
|
||
Census Bureau map of Dennis Township, New Jersey
|
||
 Dennis Township, New Jersey
Location in Cape May County, New Jersey
Dennis Township, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Dennis Township, New Jersey
Location in the United States
|
||
| Country |  United States |
|
| State |  New Jersey |
|
| County |  Cape May |
|
| Incorporated | March 1, 1827 | |
| Government | ||
| • Type | Township | |
| • Body | Township Committee | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 63.94 sq mi (165.61 km2) | |
| • Land | 60.42 sq mi (156.49 km2) | |
| • Water | 3.52 sq mi (9.12 km2) 5.51% | |
| Area rank | 19th of 565 in state 3rd of 16 in county |
|
| Elevation | 16 ft (5 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
|
||
| • Total | 6,285 | |
| • Estimate
(2023)
|
6,149 | |
| • Rank | 335th of 565 in state 5th of 16 in county |
|
| • Density | 104.0/sq mi (40.2/km2) | |
| • Density rank | 539th of 565 in state 16th of 16 in county |
|
| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST)) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT)) | |
| ZIP Code |
08214 – Dennisville
|
|
| Area code(s) | 609 exchanges: 624, 861 | |
| FIPS code | 3400917560 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 0882046 | |
Dennis Township is a township in Cape May County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The township, and all of Cape May County, is part of the South Jersey region of the state and of the Ocean City metropolitan statistical area, and is part of the Philadelphia-Wilmington-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD combined statistical area, also known as the Delaware Valley or Philadelphia metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 6,285, a decrease of 182 (−2.8%) from the 2010 census count of 6,467, which in turn reflected a decline of 25 (−0.4%) from the 6,492 counted in the 2000 census.
Dennis Township was incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 1, 1827, from portions of Upper Township. Portions of the township were taken to form Sea Isle City borough (May 22, 1882) and Woodbine borough (March 3, 1903).
New Jersey Monthly magazine ranked Dennis Township as its 20th best place to live in its 2008 rankings of the "Best Places To Live" in New Jersey.
History
Dennis Township had been a dry town, where alcohol could not be sold, until 2001 when voters passed a referendum allowing liquor to be sold; the township council authorized the sale of a single license, which netted the township $1.1 million.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 63.94 square miles (165.61 km2), including 60.42 square miles (156.49 km2) of land and 3.52 square miles (9.12 km2) of water (5.51%).
Belleplain (2010 Census population of 597) is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within the township.
Dennisville is the most important unincorporated community in Dennis Township. Ocean View is served as ZIP Code 08230. Other communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Clermont, East Creek, Eldora, Mount Pleasant, North Dennis, North-West Dennis, Ocean View, Savage Pond, South Dennis, South Seaville, Stipsons Island and West Creek Landing.
The township borders the municipalities of Avalon, Middle Township, Sea Isle City, Upper Township, Woodbine Borough in Cape May County; portions of Cumberland County, and the Delaware Bay.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1830 | 1,513 | — | |
| 1840 | 1,350 | −10.8% | |
| 1850 | 1,604 | 18.8% | |
| 1860 | 1,558 | −2.9% | |
| 1870 | 1,640 | 5.3% | |
| 1880 | 1,812 | 10.5% | |
| 1890 | 1,707 | * | −5.8% |
| 1900 | 2,778 | 62.7% | |
| 1910 | 1,751 | * | −37.0% |
| 1920 | 1,639 | −6.4% | |
| 1930 | 1,615 | −1.5% | |
| 1940 | 1,877 | 16.2% | |
| 1950 | 1,981 | 5.5% | |
| 1960 | 2,327 | 17.5% | |
| 1970 | 2,635 | 13.2% | |
| 1980 | 3,989 | 51.4% | |
| 1990 | 5,574 | 39.7% | |
| 2000 | 6,492 | 16.5% | |
| 2010 | 6,467 | −0.4% | |
| 2020 | 6,285 | −2.8% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 6,149 | −4.9% | |
| Population sources:1830–2000 1830–1920 1840 1850–1870 1850 1870 1880–1890 1890–1910 1910–1930 1940–2000 2000 2010 2020 * = Lost territory in previous decade. |
|||
2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 6,467 people, 2,370 households, and 1,792 families in the township. The population density was 106.4 per square mile (41.1/km2). There were 2,672 housing units at an average density of 43.9 per square mile (16.9/km2). The racial makeup was 96.75% (6,257) White, 0.79% (51) Black or African American, 0.19% (12) Native American, 0.56% (36) Asian, 0.03% (2) Pacific Islander, 0.32% (21) from other races, and 1.36% (88) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.81% (117) of the population.
Of the 2,370 households, 29.5% had children under the age of 18; 60.8% were married couples living together; 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present and 24.4% were non-families. Of all households, 19.6% were made up of individuals and 8.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.07.
21.4% of the population were under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 20.9% from 25 to 44, 34.1% from 45 to 64, and 15.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44.5 years. For every 100 females, the population had 96.9 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 94.1 males.
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $84,205 (with a margin of error of +/− $5,160) and the median family income was $84,400 (+/− $4,219). Males had a median income of $52,571 (+/− $3,535) versus $40,023 (+/− $5,496) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $30,545 (+/− $2,875). About 5.4% of families and 7.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.0% of those under age 18 and 5.4% of those age 65 or over.
Education
The Dennis Township Public Schools serve students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. As of the 2020–21 school year, the district, comprised of two schools, had an enrollment of 615 students and 62.4 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 9.9:1. Schools in the district (with 2020–21 enrollment from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Dennis Township Primary School with 268 students in grades Pre-K–2 and Dennis Township Elementary / Middle School with 336 students in grades 3–8.
Students in public school for ninth through twelfth grades attend Middle Township High School in Cape May Court House, together with students from Avalon, Stone Harbor and Woodbine, as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Middle Township Public Schools. As of the 2020–21 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 741 students and 64.6 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.5:1.
Students are also eligible to attend the Cape May County Technical High School in Cape May Court House, which serves students from the entire county in its comprehensive and vocational programs, which are offered without charge to students who are county residents.
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden operates Bishop McHugh Regional School, a Catholic K–8 school. It is supported by four parishes in Cape May County. The school has a Cape May Courthouse postal address. The Press of Atlantic City describes the school as being in Ocean View, though it lies outside of the Ocean View CDP.
Transportation
_at_Exit_17_(Sea_Isle_City,_Dennis_Township)_in_Dennis_Township,_Cape_May_County,_New_Jersey.jpg)
As of May 2010[update], the township had a total of 112.5 miles (181.1 km) of roadways, of which 58.7 miles (94.5 km) were maintained by the municipality, 32.9 miles (52.9 km) by Cape May County, 16.7 miles (26.9 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and 4.2 miles (6.8 km) by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.
The Garden State Parkway is the most prominent highway serving Dennis Township, running for more than 4.1 miles (6.6 km) through the township. Other significant roads serving the township include U.S. Route 9, New Jersey Route 47, New Jersey Route 83 and New Jersey Route 347.
Notable people
People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Dennis Township include:
- Richard S. Leaming (1828–1895), ship builder and politician who served in both the New Jersey General Assembly and the New Jersey Senate and on the Cape May County Board of Chosen Freeholders
- Jonathan Maslow (1948–2008), author who wrote extensively about nature, with a focus on obscure and little-understood animals
- Jarrett Porter (born 1993), baritone known for his performances as an opera and lieder singer.
- Willie Royster (1954–2015), catcher who played in four games for the Baltimore Orioles in 1981
- Joshua Swain (1778–1855), politician and inventor
- Jeff Van Drew (born 1953), U.S. Representative for New Jersey's 2nd congressional district and former member of the New Jersey Senate, representing the 1st legislative district
