Middletown Township, New Jersey
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Map of Middletown Township in Monmouth County |
Middletown Township is a
township in
Monmouth County,
New Jersey,
United States. As of the
United States 2000 Census had a total population of 66,327.
Belford (2000 Census population of 1,340),
Fairview (3,942),
Leonardo (2,823),
Lincroft (6,255),
Navesink (1,962),
North Middletown (3,165) and
Port Monmouth (3,742) are all
Census-designated places and
unincorporated areas located within Middletown Township.
Though small communities of
Lenape Native Americans were common throughout the area, the first known European landing in what would become Middletown Township occurred in 1609, when the English explorer
Henry Hudson landed along the shores of the
Sandy Hook Bay. Hudson was in search of the elusive
Northwest Passage in the service of the
Dutch West India Company. Permanent settlement of the area began in earnest in 1664, when Middletown Township was established. During the
American Revolution, Middletown and much of the rest of Eastern
Monmouth County was held by the British. After the
Battle of Monmouth, the British retreat from
Freehold Township, New Jersey carried them down King's Highway in Middletown to their embarkation points in the bay. Upon the completion of a railroad junction in 1875, the town grew more rapidly, eventually changing from a group of small and loosely connected fishing and agricultural villages into a wealthy and alarmingly fast-growing suburb at the turn of the 21st century. Middletown was extremely hard hit during the attack on the
World Trade Center, losing 36 of its residents, among the largest number for any municipality in New Jersey.
According to the
United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 153.7
km² (59.3
mi²). 106.5 km² (41.1 mi²) of it is land and 47.2 km² (18.2 mi²) of it (30.72%) is water.
Middletown borders
Colts Neck Township,
Holmdel Township,
Red Bank, the
Boro of Tinton Falls,
Atlantic Highlands,
Rumson,
Sea Bright,
Highlands,
Fair Haven,
Keansburg and
Hazlet Township.
As of the
census² of 2000, there were 66,327 people, 23,236 households, and 18,100 families residing in the township. The
population density was 622.8/km² (1,613.0/mi²). There were 23,841 housing units at an average density of 223.9/km² (579.8/mi²). The racial makeup of the township was 94.71%
White, 1.21%
African American, 0.07%
Native American, 2.59%
Asian, 0.03%
Pacific Islander, 0.53% from
other races, and 0.86% from two or more races.
Hispanic or
Latino of any race were 3.41% of the population.
There were 23,236 households out of which 37.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.3% were
married couples living together, 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.1% were non-families. 18.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.1% 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 3.27.
In the township the population was spread out with 26.3% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 25.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 94.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.0 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $75,566, and the median income for a family was $86,124. Males had a median income of $60,755 versus $36,229 for females. The
per capita income for the township was $34,196. About 1.9% of families and 3.1% of the population were below the
poverty line, including 3.2% of those under age 18 and 5.7% of those age 65 or over.
Local government
The Township Committee operates under a
special charter approved on
June 23,
1971, by the
New Jersey Legislature. Middletown Township is governed by a five-member Township Committee. At an anuual reorganization meeting, the Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor and another as Deputy Mayor, each for a one-year term. The term for each Committee member is three years. The Township Committee supervises the operation of municipal government by establishing policies and programs and appropriating funds
[Township Committee Description, accessed July 27, 2006].
After the municipal elections of November 2005, the
Mayor of Middletown Township remained Thomas G. Hall. Other members of the Township Committee are
Deputy Mayor Gerard P. Scharfenberger, Pamela M. Brightbill, Rosemarie D. Peters, and Thomas P. Wilkens
[Mayor & Township Committee, accessed July 27, 2006].
Federal, state and county representation
Middletown Township is split between the Sixth and Twelfth Congressional Districts and is part of New Jersey's 13th Legislative District.
The
Middletown Township Public School District consists of seventeen public schools, with a student population of more than 10,000. There are two four-year high schools, three middle schools (Grade 6-8), and twelve K-5 elementary schools. Four elementary schools feed into each of the three middle schools. The facilities vary in age, architecture, size, and student population.
Elementary Schools (K-5)*
Bayview Elementary School - Principal: Dr. John Andl
*
Fairview Elementary School - Principal: Dr. Charles Bindig
*
Harmony Elementary School - Principal: Patricia Corridon
*
Leonardo Elementary School - Principal: Kathleen Sidoti
*
Lincroft Elementary School - Principal: Michaele McKenna, Ed.D.
*
Middletown Village Elementary School - Principal: Beth Bournias
*
Navesink Elementary School - Principal: Dorie Tchourumoff
*
New Monmouth Elementary School - Principal: Linda Chadwick
*
Nut Swamp Elementary School - Principal: Claire Skelton
*
Ocean Avenue Elementary School - Principal: Dr. Diana Cantillo
*
Port Monmouth Elementary School - Principal: Dean W. Bisgrove
*
River Plaza Elementary School - Principal: Marie Hartnett
Middle Schools (6-8)*
Bayshore Middle School - Principal: Carol Force
*
Thompson Middle School - Principal: Patrick C. Houston
*
Thorne Middle School - Principal: Victa McKenzie, Principal
High Schools (9-12)*
Middletown High School North [
1] - Principal: Jeffrey Simon
*
Middletown High School South [
2] - Principal: Mark Kelly
Christian Brothers Academy is an all boys
College preparatory school with a focus on Christian education run by the
Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools.
Exits 109 and 114 of the
Garden State Parkway's are located in Middletown Township, which provides easy access to the
New Jersey Turnpike,
New York City and the state of
New York.
Routes 35 and
36 pass through Middletown.
One of Middletown's most famous residents is musician
Jon Bon Jovi. Former residents include
Geraldo Rivera,
Kevin Smith and
Connie Chung. It is the hometown of NBC anchorman
Brian Williams and of the van Zandt brothers: rocker
Steven and actor/playwright
Billy van Zandt.
*
Middletown Township website*
Middletown Township Public School District*
National Center for Education Statistics data for the Middletown Township Public School District*
Middletown Township Public Library
