Washington Township, Gloucester County, New Jersey facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Washington Township, New Jersey
Township
George Jr. and Sarah Morgan House, listed on the NRHP
Seal
Location of Washington Township in Gloucester County, New Jersey. Inset: Location of Gloucester County in New Jersey.
Census Bureau map of Washington Township, Gloucester County, New Jersey
Washington Township, New Jersey Location in Gloucester County, New Jersey Show map of Gloucester County, New Jersey Washington Township, New Jersey Location in New Jersey Show map of New Jersey Washington Township, New Jersey Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	New Jersey
County	Gloucester
Incorporated	February 17, 1836
Named for	George Washington
Government
• Type	Faulkner Act (mayor–council)
• Body	Township Council
Area
• Total	21.55 sq mi (55.81 km2)
• Land	21.35 sq mi (55.28 km2)
• Water	0.20 sq mi (0.53 km2)  0.95%
Area rank	130th of 565 in state 4th of 24 in county
Elevation	115 ft (35 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	48,677
• Estimate  (2023)	49,378
• Rank	40th of 565 in state 1st of 24 in county
• Density	2,280.4/sq mi (880.5/km2)
• Density rank	274th of 565 in state 10th of 24 in county
Time zone	UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EDT))
ZIP Codes	Blackwood – 08012 Glassboro – 08028 Grenloch – 08032 Pitman – 08071 Sicklerville – 08081 Sewell – 08080
Area code(s)	856
FIPS code	3401577180
GNIS feature ID	0882140
Website

Washington Township is a township in Gloucester County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 48,677, an increase of 118 (+0.2%) from the 2010 census count of 48,559, which in turn reflected an increase of 1,445 (+3.1%) from the 47,114 counted in the 2000 census. For 2023, the Census Bureau's Population Estimates Program calculated a population of 49,378.

Washington Township was incorporated by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 17, 1836, from portions of Deptford Township. The township officially moved to the newly created Camden County on March 13, 1844. Monroe Township was created on March 3, 1859, from part of the township. Most of Washington Township, along with all of Monroe Township, was moved back into Gloucester County on February 28, 1871, with the remaining portions of Washington Township that were still in Camden County being transferred to Gloucester Township. Additional transfers to Gloucester Township were made in 1926 and 1931. The township was named for George Washington, one of more than ten communities statewide named for the first president. It is one of five municipalities in the state of New Jersey with the name Washington Township. Washington, New Jersey, another borough, is surrounded by Washington Township in Warren County.

The township is part of the Delaware Valley, also known as the Philadelphia metropolitan area, and the South Jersey region of the state. In 2008, CNN and Money magazine ranked Washington Township 58th on its list of the "100 Best Cities to Live in the United States".

History

The oldest community in Washington Township, Grenloch Terrace, was a thriving Lenape Native American settlement called Tetamekon. Some of the early settlers to the area were the Collins family of Chestnut Ridge Farm, for whom Chestnut Ridge Middle School is named; the Turner family, for whom Turnersville was named; the Hurff family, for whom Hurffville and Hurffville Elementary School are named; the Heritage family, whose family began the Heritage's Dairy Farm Stores, and for whom the community Heritage Valley is named; the Morgan family, who were the first residents of the Olde Stone House, a landmark for residents of the township; and the Bell Family, who arrived in 1899 and for whom Bells Lake Park and Bells Elementary School are named. Sewell is named after General William Joyce Sewell, who was elected to the United States Senate in 1881 and 1895, and served as president of the New Jersey Senate in 1876, 1879 and 1880.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 21.55 square miles (55.81 km²), including 21.35 square miles (55.28 km²) of land and 0.20 square miles (0.53 km²) of water (0.95%).

Turnersville, with a 2010 census population of 3,742, is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Washington Township.

Other unincorporated communities, localities, and places located partially or completely in the township include Bells Lake, Cressville, Dilkesboro, Fairview, Green Tree, Grenloch Terrace, Hurffville, Mount Pleasant, and Prossers Mill.

The township borders the municipalities of Deptford Township, Glassboro, Mantua Township, Monroe Township, Pitman in Gloucester County; and Gloucester Township in Camden County.

Demographics

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 48,559 people, 17,287 households, and 13,328 families in the township. The population density was 2,271.0 per square mile (876.8/km²). There were 17,810 housing units at an average density of 833.0 per square mile (321.6/km²). The racial makeup was 87.70% (42,588) White, 5.82% (2,825) Black or African American, 0.11% (52) Native American, 3.78% (1,836) Asian, 0.02% (9) Pacific Islander, 0.85% (415) from other races, and 1.72% (834) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.65% (1,774) of the population.

Of the 17,287 households, 34.3% had children under the age of 18; 61.4% were married couples living together; 11.6% had a female householder with no husband present and 22.9% were non-families. Of all households, 19.3% were made up of individuals and 8.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.80 and the average family size was 3.23.

24.0% of the population were under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 23.5% from 25 to 44, 31.0% from 45 to 64, and 12.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.6 years. For every 100 females, the population had 92.7 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 89.0 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $79,017 (with a margin of error of +/− $3,281) and the median family income was $94,585 (+/− $3,639). Males had a median income of $62,702 (+/− $2,103) versus $46,628 (+/− $2,959) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $33,038 (+/− $1,285). About 2.6% of families and 3.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.3% of those under age 18 and 5.4% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Washington Township Public School District serves students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. As of the 2018–19 school year, the district, comprised of 11 schools, had an enrollment of 7,202 students and 651.3 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.1:1. Schools in the district (with 2018–19 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Grenloch Terrace Early Childhood Center (with 339 students; in kindergarten), Bells Elementary School (429; 1–5), Birches Elementary School (443; 1–5), Hurffville Elementary School (492; 1–5), Thomas Jefferson Elementary School (527; 1–5), Wedgewood Elementary School (460; 1–5), Whitman Elementary School (494; 1–5), Bunker Hill Middle School (586; 6–8), Chestnut Ridge Middle School (696; 6–8), Orchard Valley Middle School (544; 6–8), and Washington Township High School with 2,237 students in grades 9–12.

Students from across the county are eligible to apply to attend Gloucester County Institute of Technology, a four-year high school in Deptford Township that provides technical and vocational education. As a public school, students do not pay tuition to attend the school.

Economy

Washington Township has two major economic centers. The town center is focused around the square formed by Greentree Road, Egg Harbor Road, Ganttown Road, and Hurffville-Crosskeys Road. Washington Township High School, the TD Bank Arts Centre, Washington Lake Park, and the township municipal building are located around this general vicinity. The other major center is located around Route 42, which connects Philadelphia to the Jersey Shore.

Washington Township is sometimes referred to as "South Jersey's Premier Community", "South Philly South", or "Little South Philly" since a large percentage of its citizens moved to the town from the largely Italian South Philadelphia region over the past several decades. It is also known simply as "Township".

Recent expansion

Washington Township is largely the frontline between open space and home developers. A township that in the 1960s was comprised of several isolated housing areas gravitating around the Wedgwood, Whitman Square, Birches, Birches West, and Hurffville neighborhoods has expanded outwards.

Transportation

The junction of Route 42 and the Atlantic City Expressway in Washington Township

Roads and highways

As of May 2010^[update], the township had a total of 199.78 miles (321.51 km) of roadways, of which 154.61 miles (248.82 km) were maintained by the municipality, 35.72 miles (57.49 km) by Gloucester County, 8.36 miles (13.45 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and 1.09 miles (1.75 km) by the South Jersey Transportation Authority.

There are several major roadways that pass through Washington Township. Route 42 (Black Horse Pike) heads along the east side of the township, entering in the south from Monroe Township and continuing north for 4 miles (6.4 km) towards Gloucester Township in Camden County, where the road is known as the North-South Freeway. Route 168 (also known as Black Horse Pike) has its southern terminus at Route 42 in Washington Township and heads north along the township border towards Gloucester Township. Route 47 (Delsea Drive) runs along the western quarter of the township, entering in the south from Glassboro and proceeding north for 3.2 miles (5.1 km) towards Deptford Township. Route 55 clips the eastern tip of Gloucester Township, extending for 0.4 miles (0.64 km) from Mantua Township in the south to Deptford Township in the north. The Atlantic City Expressway enters from Gloucester Township, and zig-zags through both until its western terminus in Washington Township at Route 42.

County Route 534 (Good Intent Road) enters from Deptford Township on the east and heads into Gloucester Township. County Route 555 (Tuckahoe Road) enters from Monroe Township on the west and continues for 1.1 miles (1.8 km) to its terminus at Route 42.

Public transportation

NJ Transit's Atlantic City commuter rail line and PATCO Speedline rapid transit are accessible at the Lindenwold station, located 10 miles (16 km) northeast of the township.

NJ Transit bus service is available to Philadelphia on the 315, 400, 403, 408 and 412 routes, with local service on the 463 route.

In popular culture

Musical groups from Washington Township include pop punk band I Call Fives and pop/hip hop group Kicking Sunrise.

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Washington Township include: