Roxbury, New Jersey


Roxbury is a township in western Morris County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 22,950, a decrease of 374 from the 2010 census count of 23,324, which in turn reflected a decline of 559 from the 23,883 counted in the 2000 census. The township is located approximately west-northwest of New York City, west-northwest of Newark, New Jersey and east of the Delaware Water Gap on the border of New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
Roxbury was formed on December 24, 1740, from portions of Morris Township. It was formally incorporated by the Township Act of 1798 of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798, as part of the state's initial group of 104 townships. Portions of the township were taken to form Mendham Township, [Washington Township, Morris County, New Jersey|Morris County, New Jersey|Washington Township], Chester Township, Jefferson Township, Mount Olive Township, Mount Arlington and Netcong.
WWW roxburynj.us

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 21.98 square miles, including 20.85 square miles of land and 1.13 square miles of water.
Kenvil, Landing, Ledgewood, Lower Berkshire Valley, Port Morris, and Succasunna are unincorporated communities and census-designated places within the township. Previously, as of the 2000 United States census, the Succasunna and Kenvil communities had been consolidated as Succasunna-Kenvil, which had a 2000 Census population of 12,569.
Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Baker Mill Pond, Bertrand Island, Carys, Lake Junction, Lake Rogerene, Port Morris Landing, Rustic and Shippenport.
Roxbury borders the municipalities of Chester Township, Jefferson Township, Mine Hill Township, Mount Arlington, Mount Olive Township, Netcong, Randolph Township, Wharton in Morris County; and both Hopatcong and Stanhope in Sussex County.

Demographics

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 23,324 people, 8,292 households, and 6,484 families in the township. The population density was. There were 8,582 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup was 88.21% White, 2.34% Black or African American, 0.09% Native American, 5.77% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 1.55% from other races, and 1.99% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.93% of the population.
Of the 8,292 households, 36.0% had children under the age of 18; 65.6% were married couples living together; 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present and 21.8% were non-families. Of all households, 18.2% were made up of individuals and 8.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.80 and the average family size was 3.19.
24.6% of the population were under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 23.6% from 25 to 44, 32.4% from 45 to 64, and 12.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.9 years. For every 100 females, the population had 95.8 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 92.5 males.
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that median household income was $95,676 and the median family income was $110,538. Males had a median income of $75,417 versus $47,556 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $38,576. About 2.5% of families and 3.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.0% of those under age 18 and 5.2% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States census there were 23,883 people, 8,364 households, and 6,532 families residing in the township. The population density was. There were 8,550 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the township was 92.57% White, 1.91% Black or African American, 0.15% Native American, 3.58% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 0.68% from other races, and 1.04% from two or more races. 4.83% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 8,364 households, out of which 39.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.8% were married couples living together, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.9% were non-families. 17.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.84 and the average family size was 3.25.
In the township the population was spread out, with 27.0% under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 31.4% from 25 to 44, 25.7% from 45 to 64, and 9.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.0 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $72,982, and the median income for a family was $83,409. Males had a median income of $59,488 versus $36,353 for females. The per capita income for the township was $30,174. About 2.1% of families and 2.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.2% of those under age 18 and 3.1% of those age 65 or over.

Crime

According to the 2008 New Jersey State Police Uniform Crime Report, crime had declined in Roxbury versus 2007 data. There was an uptick in crime for 2009.
PopulationViolent crimeMurder and non-negligent man-slaughterForcible rapeRobberyAggravated assaultProperty crimeBurglaryLarceny-theftMotor vehicle theftArson
23,311170331129956230130

Economy

Ledgewood Mall and Roxbury Mall are regional shopping malls located within the township.

Government

Local government

Roxbury operates under the Council-Manager form of Government under the Faulkner Act. The township is one of 42 municipalities statewide that use this form of government. The Township Council is comprised of seven elected officials, with three seats elected from the entire township at-large and one elected from each of the four wards. Council members are elected for four-year terms on a staggered basis in partisan elections held in odd-numbered years, with the three at-large seats selected together and the four ward seats up for election at the same time two years later. The mayor and deputy mayor are chosen from within the council by the members of the council at a reorganization meeting held each year during the first week in January to serve one-year terms of office. The manager is responsible for the day-to-day operations associated with all municipal activities. The manager directs, administers and coordinates the activities of the municipality in full support of policies, goals and objectives established by the governing body.
, the members of Roxbury's Township Council are:
  • Mayor Shawn Potillo ;
  • Deputy Mayor Mark Crowley ;
  • James "Jim" Rilee ;
  • Robert "Bob" DeFillippo ;
  • Jacqueline "Jaki" Albrect ;
  • Thomas "Tom" Carey, and
  • Fred Hall.
In April 2021, the Township Council selected Shawn Potillo from a list of three candidates submitted by the Republican municipal committee to the fill the Ward 1 council seat expiring in December 2022 that had been held by Richard Zoschak until his death the previous month. Potillo served on an interim basis until the November 2021 general election, when he was elected to serve the balance of the term of office. Two years later, November 7, 2023, Mayor Potillo was re-elected to a full, four-year term.

Roxbury Mount Arlington Study Commission

In March 2014, members of the public petitioned the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs to form the Roxbury Mount Arlington Study Commission to consider a possible consolidation of Roxbury and the neighboring municipality of Mount Arlington. In March 2015, the commission was formed with five members and two alternates from each municipality. If the commission votes to recommend a merger, the decision would have to be ratified by a referendum of the voters in each community.

Federal, state and county representation

Roxbury is located in the 7th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 24th state legislative district.

Education

The Roxbury School District serves public school students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. As of the 2023–24 school year, the district, comprised of seven schools, had an enrollment of 3,389 students and 316.6 classroom teachers, for a student–teacher ratio of 10.7:1. Schools in the district consists of the following are
Franklin Elementary School with 294 students in grades K–4,
Jefferson Elementary School with 351 students in grades PreK–4,
Kennedy Elementary School with 255 students in grades K–4,
Nixon Elementary School with 245 students in grades K–4,
Lincoln / Roosevelt School with 506 students in grades 5–6,
Eisenhower Middle School with 525 students in grades 7–8 and
Roxbury High School with 1,171 students in grades 9–12.
The district's high school also serves students from Mount Arlington, who attend as part of a sending/receiving relationship; there were 160 students sent from Mount Arlington in 2023–24.
Established in 1963, St. Therese School is a Catholic school operated under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Paterson.

Transportation

Roads and highways

, the township had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality, by Morris County and by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.
Interstate 80, U.S. Route 46, U.S. Route 206, Route 10 and Route 183 all pass through the township.

Public transportation

The NJ Transit Lake Hopatcong station is served by the Morris & Essex Lines and the Montclair-Boonton Line, with service to Hoboken Terminal or to Pennsylvania Station in Midtown Manhattan via Midtown Direct which requires a transfer at Dover or Montclair State University.
Morristown & Erie Railway's Chester Branch and High Bridge Branch freight lines run through the township on weekdays.
Port Morris was the starting point for the Lackawanna Cut-Off, an engineering marvel constructed by the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad between 1908 and 1911. NJ Transit is considering plans to restore passenger service on the route between the Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania and Hoboken Terminal.
NJ Transit provides limited local bus service on the 875 route between the Ledgewood Mall, Dover and Morristown.
Lakeland Bus Lines stops in the Landing section of the township providing service to and from the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan.

In popular culture

Tom's Diner was featured in the music video from Time After Time by Cyndi Lauper. Constructed in the 1940s, the long-derelict diner was demolished in 2021.

Notable people

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