Voorhees Township, New Jersey facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Voorhees Township, New Jersey
Township
Voorhees Town Center in Voorhees Township, July 2011
Seal
Location of Voorhees Township in Camden County highlighted in red
Census Bureau map of Voorhees Township, New Jersey
Voorhees Township, New Jersey Location in Camden County, New Jersey Show map of Camden County, New Jersey Voorhees Township, New Jersey Location in New Jersey Show map of New Jersey Voorhees Township, New Jersey Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	New Jersey
County	Camden
Incorporated	March 1, 1899
Named for	Foster McGowan Voorhees
Government
• Type	Township
• Body	Township Committee
Area
• Total	11.64 sq mi (30.15 km2)
• Land	11.47 sq mi (29.71 km2)
• Water	0.17 sq mi (0.44 km2)  1.44%
Area rank	195th of 565 in state 6th of 37 in county
Elevation	112 ft (34 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	31,069
• Estimate  (2023)	31,169
• Rank	76th of 565 in state 6th of 37 in county
• Density	2,708.5/sq mi (1,045.8/km2)
• Density rank	238th of 565 in state 28th of 37 in county
Time zone	UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT))
ZIP Code	08043
Area code(s)	856
FIPS code	3400776220
GNIS feature ID	0882153

Voorhees Township is a township in Camden County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The township is a suburb in the Delaware Valley / Greater Philadelphia Metropolitan Area. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 31,069, an increase of 1,938 (+6.7%) from the 2010 census count of 29,131, which in turn reflected an increase of 1,005 (+3.6%) from the 28,126 counted in the 2000 census.

Voorhees Township was incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 1, 1899, from portions of Waterford Township. Portions of the township were taken on March 8, 1924, to form Gibbsboro.

The township is named for Foster McGowan Voorhees, the Governor of New Jersey who authorized its creation. The township is part of the state's South Jersey region.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 11.64 square miles (30.15 km²), including 11.47 square miles (29.71 km²) of land and 0.17 square miles (0.44 km²) of water (1.44%).

Echelon, with a 2010 population of 10,743, is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in the western part of the township between Cherry Hill and Gibbsboro.

Other unincorporated communities, localities, and places located partially or completely within the township include Ashland, Brighton Heights, Glendale, Kirkwood, Kresson. and Osage.

Voorhees borders the municipalities of Berlin Township, Cherry Hill, Gibbsboro, Lawnside, Lindenwold and Somerdale in Camden County; and Evesham Township to the east in Burlington County.

Climate

Voorhees has a Humid Continental/Humid Subtropical transition climate according to (Köppen Classification) with mild to very cold winters and hot, humid summers. Temperatures have ranged from 104 °F to −7 °F.

Demographics

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 29,131 people, 11,470 households, and 7,433 families in the township. The population density was 2,534.9 per square mile (978.7/km²). There were 12,260 housing units at an average density of 1,066.8 per square mile (411.9/km²). The racial makeup was 71.77% (20,908) White, 8.70% (2,534) Black or African American, 0.15% (44) Native American, 16.13% (4,700) Asian, 0.04% (11) Pacific Islander, 0.84% (246) from other races, and 2.36% (688) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.43% (998) of the population.

Of the 11,470 households, 30.0% had children under the age of 18; 53.8% were married couples living together; 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present and 35.2% were non-families. Of all households, 29.8% were made up of individuals and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.14.

22.1% of the population were under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 24.4% from 25 to 44, 30.1% from 45 to 64, and 16.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42.6 years. For every 100 females, the population had 90.5 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 86.8 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $82,146 (with a margin of error of +/− $6,405) and the median family income was $107,000 (+/− $4,910). Males had a median income of $72,430 (+/− $6,605) versus $51,322 (+/− $2,170) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $44,169 (+/− $2,717). About 4.0% of families and 6.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.9% of those under age 18 and 12.1% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

New Jersey American Water, previously based in Voorhees Township, is the largest water utility in New Jersey, serving over two million people in 176 communities throughout the state. New Jersey American Water is a wholly owned subsidiary of American Water.

Saddlehill Vineyard and Winery was established on the site of the Stafford Farm in 2021.

Sports

Voorhees is the home of the Flyers Training Center, the training facility for the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League. In 2018, the Flyers, renovated and expanded their training facility. Current and former players of the team often become residents of Voorhees. Voorhees includes a community park that includes a running track, children's playground, gazebo, and dedicated areas for dogs.

The Philadelphia Soul of the now defunct Arena Football League practiced at the Coliseum in Voorhees.

Education

Students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade attend the Voorhees Township Public Schools. As of the 2019–20 school year, the district, comprised of five schools, had an enrollment of 2,976 students and 228.6 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 13.0:1. Schools in the district (with 2019–20 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Edward T. Hamilton Elementary School with 384 students in grades K–5, Kresson Elementary School with 382 students in grades K–5, Osage Elementary School with 684 students in grades K–5, Signal Hill Elementary School with 485 students in grades Pre-K–5, and Voorhees Middle School with 1,018 students in grades 6–8. For the 2003–2004 school year, Edward T. Hamilton Elementary School was recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School by the United States Department of Education, one of 233 selected nationwide.

Public school students in ninth through twelfth grades attend the Eastern Camden County Regional High School District, a limited-purpose, public regional school district that serves students at Eastern Regional High School from the constituent communities of Berlin Borough, Gibbsboro and Voorhees Township. As of the 2019–2020 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 1,928 students and 140.4 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 13.7:1. The district's board of education is comprised of nine members who set policy and oversee the fiscal and educational operation of the district through its administration. Representation on the Board of Education is determined by the population of each of the three sending districts, with six seats allocated to Voorhees Township.

Voorhees is home to two private schools. Kellman Brown Academy, formerly Harry B. Kellman Academy, is a private Jewish day school serving children aged 3 through 8th grade which had an enrollment of 112 students as of the 2019–2020 school year. The school was founded in 1958 in association with Congregation Beth El at Parkside in Camden and has been located in Voorhees independently since October 2008 as part of the Solomon Schechter Day School Association.

Naudain Academy is a Montessori education program for children from preschool to kindergarten, located near Kresson Elementary School. Naudain Academy first opened in 1977.

The largest branch of the Camden County Library is located in Voorhees. Officially named the M. Allan Vogelson Regional Branch, it was established in 1969.

Transportation

Route 73 southbound in Voorhees Township

Roads and highways

As of May 2010^[update], the township had a total of 119.81 miles (192.82 km) of roadways, of which 96.90 miles (155.95 km) were maintained by the municipality, 20.50 miles (32.99 km) by Camden County and 2.41 miles (3.88 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

The only major highway that passes through Voorhees is Route 73 (Berlin-Kresson Road), which travels from the southern border with Berlin Township towards Evesham Township in Burlington County. Interstate 295 and Route 70 provide access to nearby Philadelphia via Cherry Hill. Exit 32 of Interstate 295 is partially signed for Voorhees, though motorists can also use exits 29A (U.S. Route 30/Berlin), 31 (Woodcrest Station) or 36 (Route 73) to access parts of the township.

County Route 544 (Evesham Road) runs along the border with Cherry Hill on the north side of the township and County Route 561 (Haddonfield-Berlin Road) clips the southwest corner of the township, from Berlin Township in the south, passes through Gibbsboro, reenters the township's northwest corner before heading into Cherry Hill.

Public transportation

One station on the PATCO Speedline rail system, Ashland, is located within township limits. The Woodcrest and Lindenwold stations are also easily accessible to many residents.

NJ Transit bus service is offered between the township and Philadelphia on the 403 route, with local service provided by the 451 and 459 routes.

Notable people

People (and animals) who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Voorhees Township include:

See also

In Spanish: Municipio de Voorhees (Nueva Jersey) para niños