Neptune Township, New Jersey
Neptune Township is a township in Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 28,061, an increase of 126 from the 2010 census count of 27,935, which in turn reflected an increase of 245 from the 27,690 counted in the 2000 census.
Featuring Jersey Shore Medical Center, the historic community of Ocean Grove, along with office parks and cultural amenities, Neptune Township has been a longtime regional commercial and cultural hub of the Jersey Shore. The township was named for Neptune, the Roman water deity; referring to its location on the Atlantic Ocean.
History
Neptune was incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 26, 1879, from portions of Ocean Township. Portions of the township were taken to form Neptune City, Bradley Beach and Ocean Grove.Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 8.84 square miles, including 8.13 square miles of land and 0.72 square miles of water.Ocean Grove and Shark River Hills are census-designated places and unincorporated communities located within Neptune Township. Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Bradley Park, the Gables, Green Grove, Hamilton, Hamilton Mills, Mid-Town, Summerfield, Seaview Island, The Observatory, West Grove, West Neptune and Whitesville.
Neptune stretches from the Atlantic Ocean west to the Garden State Parkway. The southern border is the Shark River estuary and the northern border is with Asbury Park and Ocean Township. Neptune Township is a diverse community, both in terms of population and landscape, extending from the seaside community of Ocean Grove, a national historic site, to Mid-town which is undergoing a municipal-led revitalization, to the riverside residential community of Shark River Hills, to the open spaces of Shark River Park and the commercial corridor on Route 66 in the west.
The township borders the Monmouth County communities of Asbury Park, Avon-by-the-Sea, Belmar, Bradley Beach, Neptune City, Ocean Township, Tinton Falls and Wall Township.
Deal Lake covers and is overseen by the Deal Lake Commission, which was established in 1974. Seven municipalities border the lake, accounting for of shoreline, also including Allenhurst, Asbury Park, Deal, Interlaken, Loch Arbour and Ocean Township.
Demographics
2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 27,935 people, 11,201 households, and 6,844 families in the township. The population density was 3,414.3 per square mile. There were 12,991 housing units at an average density of 1,587.8 per square mile. The racial makeup was 53.18% White, 38.56% Black or African American, 0.34% Native American, 2.26% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 2.51% from other races, and 3.12% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.33% of the population.Of the 11,201 households, 23.6% had children under the age of 18; 39.6% were married couples living together; 16.6% had a female householder with no husband present and 38.9% were non-families. Of all households, 31.8% were made up of individuals and 11.7% 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 3.13.
20.6% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 24.8% from 25 to 44, 30.4% from 45 to 64, and 16.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42.7 years. For every 100 females, the population had 87.2 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 83.5 males.
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that median household income was $58,630 and the median family income was $74,422. Males had a median income of $56,743 versus $43,853 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $30,656. About 8.1% of families and 10.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.7% of those under age 18 and 6.7% of those age 65 or over.
2000 census
As of the 2000 United States census there were 27,690 people, 10,907 households, and 6,805 families residing in the township. The population density was. There were 12,217 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the township was 55.92% White, 38.16% African American, 0.17% Native American, 1.17% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.98% from other races, and 2.56% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.55% of the population.There were 10,907 households, out of which 26.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.6% were married couples living together, 15.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.6% were non-families. 31.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.14.
In the township the population was spread out, with 23.1% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 29.7% from 25 to 44, 23.8% from 45 to 64, and 16.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.0 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $46,250, and the median income for a family was $57,735. Males had a median income of $42,920 versus $31,057 for females. The per capita income for the township was $22,569. About 7.6% of families and 11.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.2% of those under age 18 and 9.7% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Local government
Neptune Township 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. At an annual reorganization meeting the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor and another as Deputy Mayor., Members of the Neptune Township committee are Mayor Robert Lane Jr., Deputy Mayor Kevin McMillan, Jason A. Jones, Derel M. Stroud and Tassie D. York.
In October 2024, after the township committee didn't make a choice from the three candidates nominated, the township's Democratic Party committee chose past Neptune Board of Education President Jason A. Jones to fill the seat expiring in December 2025 that became vacant following the resignation of Keith Cafferty the previous month.
In April 2021, the Township Committee selected Tassie York to fill the seat expiring in December 2022 that had been held by Carol J. Rizzo until she resigned from office to move out of the county. York served on an interim basis until the November 2022 general election, when she was elected to serve the balance of the term of office.
In January 2016, the Township Council selected Carol J. Rizzo from three candidates nominated by the Democratic municipal committee to fill the seat expiring in December 2016 which was vacated by Eric Houghtaling when he took office in the New Jersey General Assembly earlier that month.
Federal, state and county representation
Neptune Township is located in the 6th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 11th state legislative district.Politics
Education
The Neptune Township Schools serve students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. The district is one of 31 former Abbott districts statewide that were established pursuant to the decision by the New Jersey Supreme Court in Abbott v. Burke which are now referred to as "SDA Districts" based on the requirement for the state to cover all costs for school building and renovation projects in these districts under the supervision of the New Jersey Schools Development Authority.As of the 2022–23 school year, the district, comprised of seven schools, had an enrollment of 3,411 students and 331.0 classroom teachers, for a student–teacher ratio of 10.3:1. Schools in the district are
Gables Elementary School with 288 students in grades PreK–5,
Green Grove Elementary School with 294 students in grades PreK–5,
Midtown Community Elementary School with 430 students in grades PreK–5,
Shark River Hills Elementary School with 235 students in grades PreK–5,
Summerfield Elementary School with 380 students in grades PreK–5,
Neptune Middle School with 625 students in grades 6–8 and
Neptune High School with 1,102 students in grades 9–12.