Lawrence Township, Cumberland County, New Jersey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lawrence Township, New Jersey
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Township
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Old Stone Church
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Location of Lawrence Township in Cumberland County highlighted in red (right). Inset map: Location of Cumberland County in New Jersey highlighted in red (left).
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Census Bureau map of Lawrence Township, Cumberland County, New Jersey
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 Lawrence Township, New Jersey
Location in Cumberland County, New Jersey
Lawrence Township, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Lawrence Township, New Jersey
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  New Jersey |
| County | Cumberland |
| Incorporated | February 17, 1885 |
| Named for | Capt. James Lawrence |
| Government | |
| • Type | Township |
| • Body | Township Committee |
| Area | |
| • Total | 38.39 sq mi (99.43 km2) |
| • Land | 36.92 sq mi (95.63 km2) |
| • Water | 1.47 sq mi (3.80 km2) 3.82% |
| Area rank | 61st of 565 in state 6th of 14 in county |
| Elevation | 39 ft (12 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 3,087 |
| • Estimate
(2023)
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3,073 |
| • Rank | 447th of 565 in state 10th of 14 in county |
| • Density | 83.6/sq mi (32.3/km2) |
| • Density rank | 548th of 565 in state 10th of 14 in county |
| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT)) |
| ZIP Code |
08311 – Cedarville
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| Area code(s) | 856 exchange: 447 |
| FIPS code | 3401139450 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0882060 |
| Website | |
Lawrence Township is a township in Cumberland County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is part of the Vineland-Bridgeton metropolitan statistical area for statistical purposes. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 3,087, a decrease of 203 (−6.2%) from the 2010 census count of 3,290, which in turn reflected an increase of 569 (+20.9%) from the 2,721 counted in the 2000 census.
Lawrence Township was incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 17, 1885, from portions of Fairfield Township. The township was named in honor of Captain James Lawrence—commander of the frigate USS Chesapeake and one of the naval heroes of the War of 1812—best known for his dying command of "Don't Give up the Ship".
Lawrence Township is a dry township, where alcohol cannot be sold.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 38.39 square miles (99.43 km2), including 36.92 square miles (95.63 km2) of land and 1.47 square miles (3.80 km2) of water (3.82%).
Cedarville (2010 population of 776) and Centre Grove are unincorporated communities and census-designated places (CDP) located Lawrence Township.
Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Jones Island, Lummis Mill, Lummistown and Sayres Neck.
The township borders the Cumberland County municipalities of Downe Township, Fairfield Township, Millville, and the Delaware Bay.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1890 | 1,729 | — | |
| 1900 | 1,658 | −4.1% | |
| 1910 | 1,746 | 5.3% | |
| 1920 | 1,549 | −11.3% | |
| 1930 | 1,770 | 14.3% | |
| 1940 | 1,754 | −0.9% | |
| 1950 | 2,044 | 16.5% | |
| 1960 | 2,639 | 29.1% | |
| 1970 | 2,329 | −11.7% | |
| 1980 | 2,116 | −9.1% | |
| 1990 | 2,433 | 15.0% | |
| 2000 | 2,721 | 11.8% | |
| 2010 | 3,290 | 20.9% | |
| 2020 | 3,087 | −6.2% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 3,073 | −6.6% | |
| Population sources: 1890–2010 1890–1920 1890–1910 1910–1930 1940–2000 2000 2010 2020 |
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2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 3,290 people, 1,102 households, and 850 families in the township. The population density was 89.1 per square mile (34.4/km2). There were 1,221 housing units at an average density of 33.1 per square mile (12.8/km2). The racial makeup was 81.03% (2,666) White, 9.24% (304) Black or African American, 1.16% (38) Native American, 0.40% (13) Asian, 0.03% (1) Pacific Islander, 5.02% (165) from other races, and 3.13% (103) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.37% (374) of the population.
Of the 1,102 households, 36.3% had children under the age of 18; 59.9% were married couples living together; 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present and 22.9% were non-families. Of all households, 17.5% were made up of individuals and 6.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.95 and the average family size was 3.28.
26.2% of the population were under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 27.1% from 45 to 64, and 10.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.8 years. For every 100 females, the population had 99.5 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 100.1 males.
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $70,948 (with a margin of error of +/− $4,480) and the median family income was $72,014 (+/− $2,843). Males had a median income of $55,208 (+/− $6,323) versus $30,382 (+/− $5,144) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $27,934 (+/− $3,545). About 5.2% of families and 6.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.1% of those under age 18 and 8.6% of those age 65 or over.
Education
The Lawrence Township School District serves public school students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade at Myron L. Powell School. As of the 2018–19 school year, the district, comprised of one school, had an enrollment of 507 students and 42.4 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.0:1.
For ninth through twelfth grades, public school students in Lawrence Township are assigned to one of two school districts based on the location of their residence. Students attend high school either in Bridgeton or Millville, based on sending/receiving relationships with the respective school districts, the Bridgeton Public Schools and the Millville Public Schools. Students sent to Bridgeton attend Bridgeton High School. Students sent to Millville join students from Commercial Township, Maurice River Township and Woodbine and attend Memorial High School for ninth grade and half of the tenth grade and Millville Senior High School for half of the tenth grade through the twelfth grade.
Students are also eligible to attend Cumberland County Technical Education Center in Vineland, serving students from the entire county in its full-time technical training programs, which are offered without charge to students who are county residents.
Transportation
_just_north_of_Cumberland_County_Route_629_(Back_Road-Newport-Centre_Grove_Road)_in_Lawrence_Township,_Cumberland_County,_New_Jersey.jpg)
As of May 2010[update], the township had a total of 54.06 miles (87.00 km) of roadways, of which 26.30 miles (42.33 km) were maintained by the municipality and 27.76 miles (44.68 km) by Cumberland County.
County Route 553 is the most significant roadway serving Lawrence Township.
Notable people
People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Lawrence Township include:
- Ephraim Bateman (1780–1829), represented New Jersey in the United States Senate from 1826 to 1829 and in the United States House of Representatives from 1815 to 1823
- John Davis (died 1863), United States Navy sailor in the American Civil War who received the Medal of Honor for his action aboard the USS Valley City
- Ebenezer Elmer (1752–1843), physician and politician who represented New Jersey in the House of Representatives from 1801 to 1807
- Jonathan Elmer (1745–1817), politician who represented New Jersey in the United States Senate from 1789 to 1791
- Benjamin Franklin Howell (1844–1933), represented New Jersey's 3rd congressional district from 1895 to 1911
- Samuel Alexander Kinnier Wilson (1878–1937), neurologist who described hepatolenticular degeneration, a copper metabolism disorder affecting the liver and central nervous system, that would later be called Wilson's disease
