Burlington County, New Jersey
Burlington County is a county in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The county is the largest by land area in New Jersey and ranks second behind neighboring Ocean County in total area. Its county seat is Mount Holly. As of the 2020 census, the county was the state's 11th-most-populous county, with a population of 461,860, its highest decennial count ever and an increase of 13,126 from the 448,734 recorded at the 2010 census, which in turn had reflected an increase of 25,340 from the 423,394 enumerated at the 2000 census. The United States Census Bureau's Population Estimates Program estimated a 2024 population of 475,515, an increase of 13,655 from the 2020 decennial census. The most populous place in the county was Evesham Township with 46,826 residents as of the 2020 census. Washington Township covered, the largest area of any municipality in the county. The county is part of the South Jersey region of the state.
Burlington County is located east of the Delaware River and borders Philadelphia, the nation's sixth-largest city. It is part of the Philadelphia-Camden-Vineland, PA-NJ-DE-MD combined statistical area, also known as the Delaware Valley. However, the county stretches across the state, and its southeast corner reaches tidal estuaries leading to New Jersey's Great Bay, which separates the county from the Atlantic Ocean.
Etymology
Anglo-European records of Burlington County date to 1681, when its court was established in the Province of West Jersey. The county was formed on May 17, 1694, "by the union of the first and second Tenths." The county was named for Bridlington, a town in England.History
Burlington County, originally the seat of government for the Province of West Jersey, merged with East Jersey in 1702 to form the Province of New Jersey. At its inception, Burlington County was considerably larger but was subsequently partitioned to form additional counties in response to population growth. Specifically, in 1714, a partition to the north led to the creation of Hunterdon County. Hunterdon County itself was further divided over time, resulting in the formation of three additional counties: Morris, Sussex and Warren.Initially, the county seat was in Burlington. However, as the population began to increase and spread toward the interior of the province, away from the Delaware River, a more central location became necessary. Consequently, the seat of government was relocated to Mount Holly in 1793.
The period of industrialization saw significant improvements in transportation within Burlington County, which in turn enhanced the profitability of its agricultural sector. Concurrently, a population surge in the coastal communities, fueled by flourishing international trade and ship repair industries, necessitated extensive road improvements throughout the county.
Geography and climate
According to the United States Census Bureau, as of the 2020 Census, the county had a total area of, of which was land and was water.Most of the county's land is coastal and alluvial plain, with little topographic relief. There are a few anomalous hills, such as Apple Pie Hill and Arney's Mount, the highest of the county and among the highest in South Jersey at approximately above sea level. The low point is sea level along the Delaware and Mullica rivers.
Most of the land is dotted with rivers, streams, and wetlands. Some of the largest and most important rivers in Burlington County include Rancocas Creek, Assiscunk Creek, Pennsauken Creek, Mullica River, Batsto River, and Wading River.
Average temperatures in the county seat of Mount Holly have ranged from a low of in January to a high of in July, although a record low of was recorded in February 1934 and a record high of was recorded in July 1936. Average monthly precipitation ranged from in February to in August. According to the Köppen climate classification, Burlington County has a humid subtropical climate, with relatively cool to cold winters and hot summers.
Severe weather is common in the warm months. Hurricanes have struck Burlington County on occasion, but tornadoes are uncommon. Severe thunderstorms, however, are common during the warm season. Snowfall is typical in the winter, with the snowfall averages in the county ranging from about 18 to 22 inches. The nearby Atlantic Ocean moderates Burlington County's climate, and rain is common year-round. The county seat receives about 41 inches of rain per year.
Another weather phenomenon that occurs in Burlington County is radiative cooling in the Pine Barrens, a large pine forest and reserve that takes up a good portion of Southern and Eastern Burlington County. Due to sandy soil, on clear and dry nights these areas might be colder than the surrounding areas, and there is a shorter frost-free season in these places. The sandy soil of the Pinelands loses heat much faster than the other soils or urban surfaces in the region, and so achieves a much lower temperature at night than the rest of the county. This effect is far less pronounced on moist, cloudy, or windy nights, as these three factors greatly reduce the radiative cooling of the sandy soil.
Demographics
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 461,860. The median age was 41.6 years. About 20.9% of residents were under the age of 18 and 17.7% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 95.9 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 93.9 males age 18 and over. Additionally, 90.2% of residents lived in urban areas, while 9.8% lived in rural areas.The racial makeup of the county was 65.6% White, 16.8% Black or African American, 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 5.7% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 3.5% from some other race, and 8.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 8.7% of the population.
There were 174,560 households in the county, of which 30.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 27.3% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 25.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.08.
There were 184,775 housing units, of which 5.5% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 73.8% were owner-occupied and 26.2% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.6% and the rental vacancy rate was 7.0%.
The county's median household income was $88,797, and the median family income was $105,488. About 5.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.5% of those under age 18 and 4.5% of those age 65 or over.
Racial and ethnic composition
2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 448,734 people, 166,318 households, and 117,254 families in the county. The population density was. There were 175,615 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup was 73.84% White, 16.60% Black or African American, 0.22% Native American, 4.32% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 2.05% from other races, and 2.92% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.42% of the population.Economy
The Bureau of Economic Analysis calculated that the county's gross domestic product was $27.4 billion in 2021, which was ranked 10th in the state and was a 5.9% increase from the prior year.In 2015, the county had a per capita personal income of $55,227, the tenth-highest in New Jersey and ranked 228th of 3,113 counties in the United States. The Bureau of Economic Analysis ranked the county as having the 158th-highest per capita income of all 3,113 counties in the United States as of 2009.
Government
County government
Burlington County is governed by a board of county commissioners composed of five members elected at-large by the voters in partisan elections that serve staggered three-year terms, with one or two seats up for election each year in a three-year cycle. Burlington County Board of County Commissioners have both administrative and policy-making powers. Each Burlington County Commissioner oversees a particular area of service: Administration & Natural Resources; Education & Justice; Public Works & Veteran Services; Public Safety & Health and Human Services; and Hospital and Medical Services & Elections. In 2016, commissioners were paid $10,553 and the commissioner director was paid an annual salary of $11,553; the commissioner salaries are the lowest of the state's 21 counties., Burlington County's Commissioners are :
| Commissioner | Party, Residence, Term |
| Director Felicia Hopson | D, Willingboro Township, 2027 |
| Deputy Director Tom Pullion | D, Edgewater Park, 2026 |
| Tyler Burrell | D, Delran Township, 2027 |
| Allison Eckel | D, Medford, 2025 |
| Balvir Singh | D, Burlington Township, 2026 |
Pursuant to Article VII Section II of the New Jersey State Constitution, each county in New Jersey is required to have three elected administrative officials known as "constitutional officers." These officers are the County Clerk and County Surrogate and the County Sheriff. Burlington County's Constitutional Officers are:
| Title | Representative |
| County Clerk | Joanne Schwartz |
| Sheriff | James H. Kostoplis |
| Surrogate | Brian J. Carlin |
The Burlington County Prosecutor is LaChia L. Bradshaw of the Columbus section of Mansfield Township who was nominated by Governor of New Jersey Phil Murphy and sworn into office in July 2022 after confirmation by the New Jersey Senate. Burlington County constitutes Vicinage 3 of the New Jersey Superior Court and is seated at the Burlington County Courts Facility and County Office Building in Mount Holly, with additional space in the Olde Courthouse and Rancocas Building, also in Mount Holly; the Assignment Judge for Vicinage 3 is Ronald E. Bookbinder.
In the 2012 general election, Democrats Aimee Belgard and Joanne Schwartz won the election as Freeholders over Republican incumbents Bruce Garganio and Mary Ann O'Brien, despite being outspent by a six-to-one margin. However, in 2014, both Garganio and O'Brien were successful in winning back seats on the Freeholder board, while Aimee Belgard lost her bid for U.S. Congress, losing the popular vote in both Ocean and Burlington counties. In 2015, Republican newcomers Kate Gibbs and Ryan Peters ousted Belgard and Schwartz, again giving the Republican Party full control on the Freeholder Board. In 2017, Democratic newcomers Tom Pullion and Balvir Singh defeated Republican incumbents Bruce Garganio and Linda Hughes, winning the county election for Democrats for the first time in a non-presidential election year in decades.
In 2018, Democrat Joanne Schwartz defeated Republican incumbent Tim Tyler in the County Clerk election. In the freeholder elections, Democrats Felicia Hopson and George Youngkin defeated Republican incumbents Kate Gibbs and Linda Hughes. This gave Democrats a 4-1 majority, gaining control of the Freeholder Board for the first time since 1975. George Youngkin won despite having suspended his campaign due to a past domestic violence charge that was later dropped. He resigned on January 2, the day after being sworn in. Democrats appointed Daniel J. O’Connell to replace him, until a special election could be held on November 5, 2019. In 2019, Democrat Anthony Basantis defeated Republican Michael Ditzel in the Sheriff election, replacing retired Republican Sheriff Jean Stanfield, who was elected to the State Assembly. In the regular election for one freeholder position, Democrat Linda A. Hynes defeated Republican Incumbent Latham Tiver. In the special election for the remaining 2 years of George Youngkin's term, incumbent Democrat Daniel J. O’Connell, who had originally been appointed to the seat, defeated Republican Lee Schneider. The election gave Democrats control over every county-wide office, except the Surrogate, which they won in 2021. Republicans have not won a county-wide race since 2016. However, the majority of Burlington County's state legislators are still Republicans.
In April 2022, Allison Eckel was appointed to fill the seat expiring in December 2022 that became vacant after Linda Hynes resigned to take office as a New Jersey Superior Court judge. The following month, Burlington County Republicans filed suit, claiming that Eckel should be removed from office and the seat left vacant until November 2022, because the statutory timeline for the appointment was not followed.