Downe Township, New Jersey

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Template:Short description Template:Use American English Template:Use mdy dates Template:Main otherScript error: No such module "Infobox".Template:Template otherScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".Script error: No such module "Check for clobbered parameters".Template:Main other Downe 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.[1] As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 1,399,[2] a decrease of 186 (−11.7%) from the 2010 census count of 1,585,[3][4] which in turn reflected decline of 46 (−2.8%) from the 1,631 counted in the 2000 census.[5]

What is now Downe Township was formed by Royal charter on January 19, 1748, as Downes Township, from portions of Fairfield Township. Downe Township was incorporated as one of New Jersey's initial 104 townships by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798. Portions of the township were taken to form Commercial Township on February 27, 1874.[6] Downe Township is a dry township where alcohol is not allowed to be sold by law.[7][8]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Downe Township had a total area of 54.26 square miles (140.54 km2), including 48.40 square miles (125.36 km2) of land and 5.86 square miles (15.18 km2) of water (10.80%).[9][10]

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Beadons Point, Beaver Dam, Dividing Creek, Dragston, Egg Island Point, False Egg Island Point, Fortescue, Gandys Beach, Little Neck, Money Island (surrounded by the Gandy's Beach nature preserve[11]), Nantuxent Point, Newport, Newport Landing, Newport Neck, Newport Station, Shaws Mill, The Glades and Turkey Point.[12]

Fortescue was once known as the "weakfish capital of the world",[13] though the population of the fish has sharply declined, sharply impacting the economic vitality of the area.[14]

The township borders the Cumberland County municipalities of Commercial Township, Lawrence Township and Millville, along with the Delaware Bay.[15][16]

Demographics

Template:US Census population

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 1,585 people, 646 households, and 435 families in the township. The population density was 32.6 per square mile (12.6/km2). There were 996 housing units at an average density of 20.5 per square mile (7.9/km2). The racial makeup was 92.62% (1,468) White, 2.59% (41) Black or African American, 0.50% (8) Native American, 0.25% (4) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 1.64% (26) from other races, and 2.40% (38) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.85% (61) of the population.[3]

Of the 646 households, 21.8% had children under the age of 18; 52.0% were married couples living together; 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present and 32.7% were non-families. Of all households, 24.9% were made up of individuals and 13.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.93.[3]

19.6% of the population were under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 20.3% from 25 to 44, 33.2% from 45 to 64, and 20.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47.6 years. For every 100 females, the population had 97.9 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 98.6 males.[3]

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $45,250 (with a margin of error of +/− $5,437) and the median family income was $49,471 (+/− $9,499). Males had a median income of $36,739 (+/− $5,543) versus $32,841 (+/− $8,768) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $20,428 (+/− $2,019). About 6.7% of families and 14.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.5% of those under age 18 and 13.0% of those age 65 or over.[17]

2000 census

As of the 2000 U.S. census,[18] there were 1,631 people, 658 households, and 438 families residing in the township. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 1,134 housing units at an average density of 22.3 per square mile (8.6/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 91.05% White, 4.84% African American, 1.47% Native American, 0.18% Asian, 0.98% from other races, and 1.47% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.37% of the population.[19][20]

There were 658 households, out of which 26.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.1% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.3% were non-families. 27.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.03.[19][20]

In the township, the population was spread out, with 23.5% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 24.2% from 25 to 44, 27.0% from 45 to 64, and 18.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 107.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.7 males.[19][20]

The median income for a household in the township was $34,667, and the median income for a family was $39,375. Males had a median income of $35,000 versus $26,397 for females. The per capita income for the township was $17,366. About 11.5% of families and 13.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.1% of those under age 18 and 14.4% of those age 65 or over.[19][20]

Government

Local government

Downe 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.[21] 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.[22][23][24] At an annual reorganization meeting, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor and another to serve as Deputy Mayor.[25]

Template:As of, members of the Downe Township Committee are Mayor Michael L. Rothman (R, term on committee and as mayor ends December 31, 2025), Deputy Mayor Larry Jordan Sr. (R, term on committee and as deputy mayor ends 2025), Edward Bart (R, 2026), Stephen Byrne (R, 2026) and Robert Campbell (R, 2027).[25][26][27][28][29][30]

Federal, state and county representation

Downe Township is located in the 2nd Congressional District[31] and is part of New Jersey's 1st state legislative district.[32][33][34]

For the 119th United States Congress, Template:Ushr is represented by Jeff Van Drew (R, Dennis Township).[35] New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Democrats Cory Booker (Newark, term ends 2027) and Andy Kim (Moorestown, term ends 2031).[36]

For the 2024-2025 session, the 1st legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Mike Testa (R, Vineland) and in the General Assembly by Antwan McClellan (R, Ocean City) and Erik K. Simonsen (R, Lower Township).[37]

Template:NJ Cumberland County Freeholders

Politics

As of March 2011, there were a total of 1,128 registered voters in Downe Township, of which 249 (22.1%) were registered as Democrats, 484 (42.9%) were registered as Republicans and 394 (34.9%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There was one voter registered to another party.[38]

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In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 58.8% of the vote (415 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 39.1% (276 votes), and other candidates with 2.1% (15 votes), among the 715 ballots cast by the township's 1,172 registered voters (9 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 61.0%.[39][40] In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 56.7% of the vote (447 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama, who received 38.1% (300 votes), with 788 ballots cast among the township's 1,127 registered voters, for a turnout of 69.9%.[41] In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 59.1% of the vote (445 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry, who received 38.9% (293 votes), with 753 ballots cast among the township's 1,071 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 70.3.[42]

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In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 73.4% of the vote (353 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 23.5% (113 votes), and other candidates with 3.1% (15 votes), among the 502 ballots cast by the township's 1,072 registered voters (21 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 46.8%.[43][44] In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 51.7% of the vote (306 ballots cast), ahead of both Democrat Jon Corzine with 31.9% (189 votes) and Independent Chris Daggett with 9.8% (58 votes), with 592 ballots cast among the township's 1,127 registered voters, yielding a 52.5% turnout.[45]

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Education

The Downe Township School District serves public school students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade at Downe Township School. As of the 2018–19 school year, the district, comprised of one school, had an enrollment of 186 students and 17.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 10.9:1.[46] In the 2016–17 school year, Downe had the 38th smallest enrollment of any school district in the state, with 185 students.[47]

Public school students in ninth through twelfth grades attend Bridgeton High School in Bridgeton, as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Bridgeton Public Schools.[48][49] As of the 2018–19 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 1,404 students and 112.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.5:1.[50]

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, paid for by tax dollars of those who are county residents.[51]

Transportation

File:2018-08-08 09 11 26 View north along Cumberland County Route 553 (Main Street) at Campbell Street and Marts Lane in Downe Township, Cumberland County, New Jersey.jpg
County Route 553 in Downe Township

Template:As of, the township had a total of Template:Convert of roadways, of which Template:Convert were maintained by the municipality and Template:Convert by Cumberland County.[52]

County Route 553[53] and County Route 555[54] are the main roads serving Downe Township.[55]

References

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External links

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  1. ↑ New Jersey: 2020 Core Based Statistical Areas and Counties, United States Census Bureau. Accessed February 10, 2023.
  2. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named LWD2020
  3. ↑ a b c d Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Census2010
  4. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named LWD2010
  5. ↑ 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.
  6. ↑ Snyder, John P. The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 120. Accessed October 22, 2012.
  7. ↑ New Jersey Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control. New Jersey ABC list of dry towns (May 1, 2013)
  8. ↑ Giordano, Rita. "More towns catching liquor-license buzz; Moorestown considers ending its dry spell", The Philadelphia Inquirer, June 24, 2007. Accessed February 16, 2014.
  9. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named CensusArea
  10. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named GR1
  11. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  12. ↑ Locality Search, State of New Jersey. Accessed May 21, 2015.
  13. ↑ About, Downe Township. Accessed October 30, 2019. "It is home to several historic mixed use villages such as Dividing Creek, Newport, Moneys Island and Fortescue. Commercial and recreational fishing and boating are an important part of the way of life here, in fact, Downe and Fortescue are known as the 'weakfish capital' of the world."
  14. ↑ "Ever hear of a town called Fortescue?", Asbury Park Press, December 30, 2015. Accessed October 30, 2019. "Once having another, more positive title, the 'Weakfish capital of the World,' Fortescue has seen the fish population almost disappear, the economy in terrible shape, and many homes have not been repaired or were lost after Sandy."
  15. ↑ Map of Cumberland County, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed October 28, 2019.
  16. ↑ New Jersey Municipal Boundaries, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed November 15, 2019.
  17. ↑ DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics from the 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates for Downe township, Cumberland County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed October 22, 2012.
  18. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named GR2
  19. ↑ a b c d Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Downe township, Cumberland County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed October 22, 2012.
  20. ↑ a b c d DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Downe township, Cumberland County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed October 22, 2012.
  21. ↑ Inventory of Municipal Forms of Government in New Jersey, Rutgers University Center for Government Studies, July 1, 2011. Accessed June 1, 2023.
  22. ↑ 2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 19.
  23. ↑ "Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey", p. 7. Rutgers University Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.
  24. ↑ Cerra, Michael F. "Forms of Government: Everything You've Always Wanted to Know, But Were Afraid to Ask", New Jersey State League of Municipalities, March 2007. Accessed January 1, 2025.
  25. ↑ a b Township Committee, Downe Township. Accessed July 23, 2025. "The Township Committee is the governing body of the Township. Five committee members are elected by the voters of the Township. At the annual reorganization meeting held in the first days of January, the Township Committee votes to select one of its members to serve as Mayor and Deputy Mayor."
  26. ↑ 2025 Municipal Data Sheet, Downe Township. Accessed July 23, 2025.
  27. ↑ 2024 Directory of Cumberland County, New Jersey, Cumberland County, New Jersey. Accessed July 1, 2025.
  28. ↑ General Election Results November 5, 2024, Official Results, Cumberland County, New Jersey, updated November 22, 2024. Accessed January 1, 2025.
  29. ↑ November 7, 2023 General Election Results, Cumberland County, New Jersey, updated November 20, 2023. Accessed January 1, 2024.
  30. ↑ Election Summary Report General Election Cumberland County November 8, 2022, Cumberland County, New Jersey, updated November 28, 2022. Accessed January 1, 2023.
  31. ↑ Plan Components Report, New Jersey Redistricting Commission, December 23, 2011. Accessed February 1, 2020.
  32. ↑ Municipalities Sorted by 2011-2020 Legislative District, New Jersey Department of State. Accessed February 1, 2020.
  33. ↑ 2019 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, New Jersey League of Women Voters. Accessed October 30, 2019.
  34. ↑ Districts by Number for 2011-2020, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 6, 2013.
  35. ↑ Directory of Representatives: New Jersey, United States House of Representatives. Accessed January 3, 2019.
  36. ↑ States in the Senate: New Jersey, United States Senate. Accessed January 23, 2025. "Cory A. Booker (D) Hometown: Newark; Andy Kim (D) Hometown: Moorestown"
  37. ↑ Legislative Roster for District 1, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 12, 2024.
  38. ↑ Voter Registration Summary - Cumberland, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed October 23, 2012.
  39. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  40. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  41. ↑ 2008 Presidential General Election Results: Cumberland County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 23, 2008. Accessed October 23, 2012.
  42. ↑ 2004 Presidential Election: Cumberland County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 13, 2004. Accessed October 23, 2012.
  43. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  44. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  45. ↑ 2009 Governor: Cumberland County Template:Webarchive, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 31, 2009. Accessed October 23, 2012.
  46. ↑ District information for Downe Township School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed April 1, 2020.
  47. ↑ Guion, Payton. "These 43 N.J. school districts have fewer than 200 students", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, September 2017. Accessed January 30, 2020. "Based on data from the state Department of Education from the last school year and the Census Bureau, NJ Advance Media made a list of the smallest of the small school districts in the state, excluding charter schools and specialty institutions.... 38. Downe Township; Enrollment: 185; Grades: Pre-K-8; County: Cumberland; Town population: 1,585"
  48. ↑ Western/Southern Cumberland Region Strategic Plan Template:Webarchive, Cumberland Development Corporation, January 2003. Accessed January 30, 2017. "Students in Bridgeton, Downe and a portion of Lawrence Township attend Bridgeton High School. There are over 10,000 students enrolled in public schools in the study area (Table 26, Enrollment)."
  49. ↑ Staff. "Bridgeton High School", South Jersey Magazine. Accessed June 21, 2020. "Bridgeton High School provides opportunities for students from Bridgeton, Lawrence Township and Downe Township in Cumberland County to become members of society who are thoughtful, informed, involved and committed to life-long learning."
  50. ↑ School data for Bridgeton High School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed April 1, 2020.
  51. ↑ Admissions Booklet, Cumberland County Technical Education Center. Accessed December 20, 2022. "Who Can Apply? Applicants must be enrolled in 8th grade and live in Cumberland County."
  52. ↑ Cumberland County Mileage by Municipality and Jurisdiction, New Jersey Department of Transportation, May 2010. Accessed July 18, 2014.
  53. ↑ County Route 553 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, updated June 2012. Accessed October 30, 2019.
  54. ↑ County Route 555 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, updated June 2012. Accessed October 30, 2019.
  55. ↑ Cumberland County Highway Map, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed February 14, 2023.
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