Hazlet, New Jersey


Hazlet is a township in Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The township is located near the Raritan Bay within the Raritan Valley region. It is located in the New York Metropolitan Area and is a bedroom community of New York City. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 20,125, a decrease of 209 from the 2010 census count of 20,334, which in turn reflected a decline of 1,044 from the 21,378 counted in the 2000 census.
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History

What is now Hazlet was originally incorporated as Raritan Township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 25, 1848, from portions of Middletown Township. Portions of the township were taken to form Holmdel Township, Matawan Township, Keyport, Keansburg and Union Beach. The township was renamed "Hazlet Township" as of November 28, 1967, based on the results of a referendum held on November 7, 1967. Hazlet derives its name from Dr. John Hazlett, who had an estate in Raritan Township near the Keyport-Holmdel Turnpike, now Holmdel Road.
Hazlet was the site of the last drive-in movie theater in New Jersey, the Route 35 Drive-In, which closed in 1991, until the Delsea Drive-In in Vineland reopened in 2004.
Hazlet was part of the Bayshore Regional Strategic Plan, an effort by nine municipalities in northern Monmouth County to reinvigorate the area's economy by emphasizing the traditional downtowns, dense residential neighborhoods, maritime history, and the natural environment of the Raritan Bayshore coastline. The plan has since been integrated into the 2016 Monmouth County Master Plan.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 5.67 square miles, including 5.57 square miles of land and 0.10 square miles of water. Hazlet is roughly south of New York City and northeast of Philadelphia.
Unincorporated communities located partially or completely within Hazlet include Centerville, Mechanicsville, North Centerville, South Keyport, Tiltons Corner, Van Marters Corner and West Keansburg.
The township borders Aberdeen Township, Holmdel Township, Keansburg, Keyport, Middletown Township and Union Beach.

Demographics

2024 Census

Estimates from the 2024 United States census counted 20,641 people and 7,659 households, with the estimated persons per household 2.63. With an owner-occupied housing unit rate of 88.5%, the median value of owner-occupied housing units was an estimated $441,300. Persons under 5 years old made up 5.3% of the population, persons under 18 years old made up 19.1 percent of the population, and persons 65 years and older made up 20.1% of the population. The last reported population density was 3613.8 people per square mile. 52.4% of Hazlet's population was estimated to be female. The racial makeup in Hazlet was listed as 85.1% White,.7% Black or African American, 1.9% Asian and 13.5% Hispanic or Latino.
In terms of education, 92.7% of the population in Hazlet has a high school education or higher, and 30.4% of the population has a bachelor's degree or higher.

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 20,334 people, 7,140 households, and 5,526 families in the township. The population density was 3,659.4 per square mile. There were 7,417 housing units at an average density of 1,334.8 per square mile. The racial makeup was 91.93% White, 1.48% Black or African American, 0.07% Native American, 3.40% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.58% from other races, and 1.51% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.87% of the population.
Of the 7,140 households, 33.4% had children under the age of 18; 63.0% were married couples living together; 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present and 22.6% were non-families. Of all households, 19.3% were made up of individuals and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.82 and the average family size was 3.26.
22.7% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 23.9% from 25 to 44, 31.0% from 45 to 64, and 14.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42.3 years. For every 100 females, the population had 92.4 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 89.3 males.
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that median household income was $89,415 and the median family income was $102,743. Males had a median income of $71,710 versus $53,371 for females. The per capita income for the township was $33,051. About 1.2% of families and 2.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.3% of those under age 18 and 6.0% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States census there were 21,378 people, 7,244 households, and 5,802 families residing in the township. The population density was. There were 7,406 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the township was 93.17% White, 1.10% African American, 0.06% Native American, 3.39% Asian, 1.13% from other races, and 1.15% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.87% of the population.
There were 7,244 households, out of which 37.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.2% were married couples living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.9% were non-families. 17.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.92 and the average family size was 3.32.
In the township the population was spread out, with 25.5% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 29.2% from 25 to 44, 25.0% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.1 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $65,697, and the median income for a family was $71,361. Males had a median income of $51,776 versus $32,439 for females. The per capita income for the township was $25,262. About 2.3% of families and 3.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.6% of those under age 18 and 6.6% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

Hazlet is governed under the Township form of New Jersey municipal government, one of 141 municipalities statewide that use this form, the second-most commonly used form of government in the state. 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. The Mayor and Deputy Mayor are elected annually by the Committee from among its five members at a reorganization meeting held each January.
, members of the Hazlet Township Committee are Mayor Michael C. Sachs, Deputy Mayor Peter Terranova, James A. Cavuto, Robert Preston Jr. and Alice Campos Zanghi.
In April 2022, the Township Committee selected Peter Terranova to fill the seat expiring in December 2024 that had been held by Tara Corcoran-Clark until she stepped down from office in February due to health issues. In May 2022, Robert Preston was appointed to the seat that had been held by Scott Aagre until resigned from office the previous month from a seat expiring in December 2022.
In January 2019, former councilmember Michael Sachs was selected to fill the council seat expiring in December 2020 that had been held by Susan Kiley until she resigned to take office on the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders. Sachs served on an interim basis until the November 2019 general election, when he was chosen to serve the balance of the term of office.

Federal, state and county representation

Hazlet Township is located in the 6th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 13th state legislative district.

Education

The Hazlet Township Public Schools serve students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. As of the 2022–23 school year, the district, comprised of eight schools, had an enrollment of 2,703 students and 247.0 classroom teachers, for a student–teacher ratio of 10.9:1. Schools in the district are
Sycamore Drive Early Childhood Learning Center with 282 students in grades PreK-K,
Lilian Drive Elementary School with 258 students in grades 1–4,
Middle Road Elementary School with 271 students in grades 1–4,
Raritan Valley Elementary School with 251 students in grades 1–4,
Beers Street Elementary School with 188 students in grades 5–6,
Cove Road Elementary School with 188 students in grades 5–6
Hazlet Middle School with 402 students in grades 7–8 and
Raritan High School with 838 students in grades 9–12.

Transportation

Roads and highways

, the township had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality, by Monmouth County and by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.
Route 35, Route 36 and County Route 516 are within Hazlet's borders. The Garden State Parkway also travels through the township, providing access to the Jersey Shore and destinations including South Jersey, New York City and destinations north. The Parkway's interchange 117, labeled for Keyport / Hazlet, is located within the township.

Public transportation

NJ Transit train service is available at the Hazlet station. The station offers commuter service on the North Jersey Coast Line to Hoboken Terminal, Newark Penn Station and New York Penn Station in Midtown Manhattan.
NJ Transit provides local bus service on the 817 route.
Through rail freight service is provided by Conrail Shared Assets Operations, which provides freight service between South Amboy and Lakehurst via Red Bank.

Cemeteries

The Aumack Family Burying Ground contains the graves of 20 people, including Private Garret Aumack and Corporal Leonard Aumack, who served in the War of 1812.

Notable people

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