Merchantville, New Jersey


Merchantville is a borough in Camden County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 3,820, a decrease of one person from the 2010 census count of 3,821, which in turn reflected an increase of 20 from the 3,801 counted in the 2000 census.
The borough had the 22nd-highest property tax rate in New Jersey in 2020, with an equalized rate of 4.367% in 2020, compared to 3.470% in the county as a whole and a statewide average of 2.279%.
WWW Official Site

History

Merchantville was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 3, 1874, from portions of Delaware Township and the now-defunct Stockton Township.
While one source attributes the borough's name to a family named Merchant, Francis F. Eastlack, in his History of Merchantville, tells the story of the four developers of Merchantville—Matthias Homer, John Louty, Samuel McFadden and Frederick Gerker—meeting and discussing names, when it was suggested "Gentlemen, as you are all merchants, why not call it Merchantville?"

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, Merchantville borough had a total area of 0.59 square miles, all of which was land.
The borough borders the Camden County municipalities of Cherry Hill and Pennsauken Township.

Demographics

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 3,821 people, 1,574 households, and 966 families in the borough. The population density was. There were 1,688 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup was 76.58% White, 13.01% Black or African American, 0.37% Native American, 2.28% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 4.42% from other races, and 3.30% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.62% of the population.
Of the 1,574 households, 28.5% had children under the age of 18; 41.7% were married couples living together; 15.1% had a female householder with no husband present and 38.6% were non-families. Of all households, 32.0% were made up of individuals and 12.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 3.09.
22.5% of the population were under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 27.7% from 45 to 64, and 12.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.6 years. For every 100 females, the population had 91.1 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 88.5 males.
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that median household income was $62,358 and the median family income was $85,909. Males had a median income of $49,926 versus $41,369 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $34,308. About 11.7% of families and 11.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.7% 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 3,801 people, 1,524 households, and 946 families residing in the borough. The population density was. There were 1,607 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the borough was 85.90% White, 7.42% African American, 0.29% Native American, 2.10% Asian, 2.84% from other races, and 1.45% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.47% of the population.
There were 1,524 households, out of which 32.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.1% were married couples living together, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.9% were non-families. 32.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.6% 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 3.19.
In the borough the age distribution of the population shows 25.7% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 31.5% from 25 to 44, 22.1% from 45 to 64, and 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.6 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $49,392, and the median income for a family was $60,652. Males had a median income of $43,375 versus $30,771 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $25,589. About 5.8% of families and 6.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.4% of those under age 18 and 3.0% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

Merchantville is governed under the borough form of New Jersey municipal government, one of 218 municipalities statewide that use this form, the most commonly used form of government in the state. The governing body is comprised of a mayor and a borough council, with all positions elected at-large on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. A mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The borough council includes six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle.
The borough form of government used by Merchantville is a "weak mayor / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can veto ordinances subject to an override by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council.
, the mayor of Merchantville Borough is Democrat Edward F. "Ted" Brennan, whose term of office ends December 31, 2026. Members of the Borough Council are Council President Sean H. Fitzgerald, Andrew O. McLoone, Cindy Morales, Anthony J. Perno III, Daniel J. Sperrazza and Raymond H. Woods III.
In May 2018, the borough council appointed Sean Fitzgerald to fill the seat expiring in December 2020 that had been held by Katherine Swann until she resigned from office. Fitzgerald served on an interim basis until the November 2018 general election when he was elected to serve the balance of the term of office.

Federal, state and county representation

Merchantville is located in the 1st Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 5th state legislative district.

Politics

As of March 2011, there were a total of 2,610 registered voters in Merchantville, of which 990 were registered as Democrats, 489 were registered as Republicans and 1,129 were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 2 voters registered as either Libertarians or Greens.
In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 65.9% of the vote, ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 32.8%, and other candidates with 1.4%, among the 1,822 ballots cast by the borough's 1,970 registered voters, for a turnout of 92.5%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 63.8% of the vote, ahead of Republican John McCain, who received around 33.4%, with 1,998 ballots cast among the borough's 2,533 registered voters, for a turnout of 78.9%. In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 57.9% of the vote, outpolling Republican George W. Bush, who received around 37.2%, with 1,912 ballots cast among the borough's 2,461 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 77.7.

Education

Students in public school for pre-kindergarten through eighth grade attend the Merchantville School District at Merchantville Elementary School. As of the 2023–24 school year, the district, comprised of one school, had an enrollment of 400 students and 35.5 classroom teachers, for a student–teacher ratio of 11.3:1.
Merchantville had its own high school, Merchantville High School, which operated from 1929 until 1972, when it was shut down. At that point high school students attended Pennsauken High School in Pennsauken Township. The commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Education approved the district's proposal and beginning in September 2015 Merchantville began sending students to Haddon Heights High School for grades 9–12, joining students from Barrington and Lawnside, who already attended the school. As of the 2023–24 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 942 students and 80.0 classroom teachers, for a student–teacher ratio of 11.8:1.
St. Peter School is a K–8 elementary school that opened in 1927 and operates under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden.

Transportation

Roads and highways

, the borough had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality and by Camden County.
No Interstate, U.S. or state highways directly serve Merchantville, though U.S. Route 130 comes closest, passing by about two blocks from the borough's west end. The most significant road passing through the borough is County Route 537.

Public transportation

NJ Transit offers bus service in the borough on the 404, and 405 and 407 routes to Camden with connecting bus and rail services into Philadelphia. Passenger rail service to Merchantville ended in the late 1960s.

Notable people

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