Wantage Township, New Jersey


Wantage Township is a township in Sussex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 10,811, a decrease of 547 from the 2010 census count of 11,358, which in turn reflected an increase of 971 from the 10,387 counted in the 2000 census.
Wantage Township was formed as a precinct on May 30, 1754, from portions of [Newton Township, Sussex County, New Jersey|Sussex County, New Jersey|Newton Township]. It was incorporated as a township on February 21, 1798, as part of the state's initial group of 104 townships. Boundary exchanges were made with Frankford Township in both 1826 and 1834. Portions of the township were taken on October 14, 1891, to form the Borough of Deckertown. The township was named for Wantage, England.
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Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 67.48 square miles, including 66.76 square miles of land and 0.72 square miles of water. The township is located in the Kittatinny Valley which is a section of the Great Appalachian Valley that stretches for from Canada to Alabama.
Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Beemerville, Colesville, Hanford, Lake Neepaulin, Lake Rutherford, Lewisburg, Libertyville, Martins, Mount Salem, Papakating, Plumbsock, Quarryville, Rockport, Roys and Woodbourne.
Rutan Hill, also called Volcanic Hill, located near the Beemerville section of Wantage Township, is New Jersey's only volcanic site that was last active over 440 million years ago.
Rivers and streams in Wantage are tributaries in the Wallkill River watershed, and include:
The township completely surrounds Sussex borough, making it part of 21 pairs of "doughnut towns" in the state, where one municipality entirely surrounds another. Wantage borders the municipalities of Frankford Township, Hardyston Township, Lafayette Township, Montague Township, Sandyston Township and Vernon Township in Sussex County; and both Greenville and Minisink in Orange County, New York.

Demographics

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 11,358 people, 3,910 households, and 3,116 families in the township. The population density was 170.1 per square mile. There were 4,173 housing units at an average density of 62.5 per square mile. The racial makeup was 95.23% White, 1.21% Black or African American, 0.11% Native American, 0.99% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.93% from other races, and 1.52% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.23% of the population.
Of the 3,910 households, 34.7% had children under the age of 18; 66.8% were married couples living together; 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present and 20.3% were non-families. Of all households, 15.8% were made up of individuals and 6.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.90 and the average family size was 3.25.
25.0% of the population were under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 22.5% from 25 to 44, 32.2% from 45 to 64, and 11.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.2 years. For every 100 females, the population had 98.6 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 96.7 males.
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that median household income was $72,270 and the median family income was $78,934. Males had a median income of $55,509 versus $41,013 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $29,266. About 4.3% of families and 3.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.0% of those under age 18 and 5.3% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States census there were 10,387 people, 3,441 households, and 2,856 families residing in the township. The population density was. There were 3,663 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the township was 97.10% White, 0.65% African American, 0.06% Native American, 0.67% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.41% from other races, and 1.10% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.89% of the population.
There were 3,441 households, out of which 43.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 71.5% were married couples living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.0% were non-families. 13.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.02 and the average family size was 3.33.
In the township the population was spread out, with 29.4% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 30.0% from 25 to 44, 24.8% from 45 to 64, and 8.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.0 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $58,440, and the median income for a family was $65,339. Males had a median income of $42,697 versus $30,160 for females. The per capita income for the township was $22,488. About 4.2% of families and 4.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.7% of those under age 18 and 5.2% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

Wantage 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 governing body is comprised of the Township Committee, whose three members are elected directly by the voters at-large in partisan elections to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with one seat 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 Wantage Township Committee are Mayor William Gaechter, Deputy Mayor Ronald Bassani and Justin VanderGroef.

Federal, state and county representation

Wantage Township is located in the 5th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 24th state legislative district.

Politics

As of March 2011, there were a total of 7,397 registered voters in Wantage Township, of which 969 were registered as Democrats, 3,315 were registered as Republicans and 3,104 were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 9 voters registered as Libertarians or Greens. Among the township's 2010 Census population, 65.1% were registered to vote, including 86.8% of those ages 18 and over.

Education

Public school students in kindergarten through eighth grade attend the schools of the Sussex-Wantage Regional School District, together with students from Sussex Borough. As of the 2019–20 school year, the district, comprised of three schools, had an enrollment of 1,049 students and 99.0 classroom teachers, for a student–teacher ratio of 10.6:1. Schools in the district are
Clifton E. Lawrence School in Wantage, with 376 students in grades K–2,
Wantage Elementary School in Wantage, with 340 students in grades 3–5 and
Sussex Middle School in Sussex, with 328 students in grades 6–8.
For ninth through twelfth grades, public school students from both Sussex and Wantage attend High Point Regional High School, together with students from Branchville, Frankford Township, Lafayette Township and Montague Township. As of the 2019–20 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 866 students and 76.9 classroom teachers, for a student–teacher ratio of 11.3:1. Seats on the high school district's nine-member board of education are allocated based on the population of the constituent municipalities, with seven seats assigned to Wantage Township.

Transportation

Roads and highways

, the township had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality, by Sussex County and by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.
Route 23, Route 284, CR 519 and CR 565 all pass through the township. Route 284 connects to NY 284, providing access to U.S. Route 6.

Aviation

Sussex Airport, a small general aviation airport, is located in Wantage Township.

Winery

Notable people

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