Hunterdon County, New Jersey


Hunterdon County is a county located in the western section of the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2019 Census estimate, the county's population was 124,371, making it the state's 18th-most populous county, representing a 3.1% decrease from the 128,349 enumerated in the 2010 United States Census, in turn increasing by 6,360 from the 121,989 counted in the 2000 Census. Its county seat is Flemington.
In 2015, the county had a per capita personal income of $80,759, the third-highest in New Jersey and ranked 33rd of 3,113 counties in the United States. The Bureau of Economic Analysis ranked the county as having the 19th-highest per capita income of all 3,113 counties in the United States as of 2009. Hunterdon County is noted for having the second-lowest level of child poverty of any county in the United States.
Geographically, much of the county lies in the Delaware Valley as a geographic concept, that is, the drainage basin of the Delaware River. Local businesses and the Delaware Valley Regional High School carry the name. However, "Delaware Valley" is also used to refer to the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden Combined Statistical Area, and Hunterdon County does not belong to the Philadelphia CSA, but rather to the New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island Metropolitan Statistical Area, part of the larger New York-Newark Combined Statistical Area. It is located within the state's Skylands Region.
Hunterdon County was established on March 11, 1714, separating from Burlington County, at which time it included all of present-day Morris, Sussex and Warren counties. The rolling hills and rich soils which produce bountiful agricultural crops drew Native American tribes and then Europeans to the area.

Geology

Around 500 million years ago, a chain of volcanic islands shaped like an arch collided with proto North America and rode over the top of the North American plate. The rock from the islands created the highlands of Hunterdon County as there was a shallow sea where Hunterdon County is now located. Then around four hundred million B.C., a small continent that was long and thin, collided with proto North America. This collision created compression, which caused heat. The Paleozoic sediment of shale and sandstone folded and faulted. The heat allowed the igneous rock to bend, thus Hunterdon County was born.
The African plate which later collided with North America created more folding and faulting, especially in the southern Appalachians. Then the African and North America plates tore and drifted away from each other.
The Wisconsin glacier that entered into New Jersey around 21,000 BCE and then melted around 13,000 BCE did not reach Hunterdon County. However, there are glacial outwash deposits from streams and rivers that flowed from the glacier southward depositing rock and sediment.
Hunterdon County has two geophysical provinces. The first is the Highlands which is the western section of the county. The other is the Piedmont which is the eastern and southern section of the county. The Highlands account for one-third of the area and Piedmont accounts for two-thirds of the county.
The Highlands are part of the Reading Prong. Limestone and shale over igneous rock comprise the Highlands.
Piedmont includes the Hunterdon Plateau and the Raritan Valley Lowlands which are above sea level. Piedmont is made up of shale and sandstone.

Paleo Indians and Native Americans

Paleo Indians moved into Hunterdon County between 12,000 BCE and 11,000 BCE. The area was warming due to climate change. The Wisconsin Glacier in Warren and Sussex County was retreating northward. The area was that of Taiga/Boreal forests. Paleo Indians traveled in small groups in search of game and edible plants. They used spears made of bone, jasper or black chert. Their camp sites are difficult to find as they are many feet below the present surface.
Native Americans moved into the area but the time they arrived is unknown. Most have come from the Mississippi River area. Many tribes of the Delaware Nation lived in Hunterdon County especially along the Delaware River and in the Flemington area. These tribes were agricultural in nature, growing corn, beans and squash. Those that lived along the South Branch of the Raritan River fished and farmed. There was a Native American trail that went along the South Branch of the Raritan River.

European settlement

Land purchases from Native Americans occurred from 1688 to 1758. Large land purchases from Native Americans occurred in 1703, 1709 and 1710. Over were bought with metal knives and pots, clothing, blankets, barrels of rum or hard cider, guns, powder and shot. This allowed for European settlers to enter into Hunterdon County in the early 18th century. After 1760, nearly all Native Americans left New Jersey and relocated to eastern Canada or the Mississippi River area.
The first European settlers were Col. John Reading who settled in Reading Township in 1704 and John Holcombe who settled in Lambertville in 1705.

County origin

Hunterdon County was separated from Burlington County on March 11, 1714. At that time Hunterdon County was large, going from Assunpink Creek near Trenton to the New York State line which at that time was about north of Port Jervis, New York. Hunterdon County was named for Robert Hunter, a colonial governor of New Jersey. Language changes over time and location, so by stemming of , and a → lenition of the name of his family seat of "Hunterston" in Ayrshire, Scotland, the name "Hunterdon" was derived.
On March 15, 1739, Morris County was separated from Hunterdon County. The boundary between Hunterdon and Somerset counties is evidence of the old Keith Line which separated the provinces of West Jersey and East Jersey.
Hunterdon County was reduced in area on February 22, 1838, with the formation of Mercer County from portions of Burlington County, Hunterdon County and Middlesex County. In February 1839, the remaining portion of Hopewell Township was annexed to Mercer County. On March 13, 1844 Hopewell Township returned to Hunterdon County while Tewksbury Township was annexed by Somerset County but in February 1845 both of these changes were repealed. Since then, the county boundaries have remained the same.
Hunterdon County was being affected by industrialization in the state and nation, mining speculation in northwest New Jersey, and competitors constructing railroads. The Elizabethtown and Somerville Railroad leased a section to White House just south of Tewksbury Township in 1848.

Recent history

Transitioning from rural to suburban, Hunterdon County is an exurb on the western edge of New Jersey and home to commuters to New York City and Philadelphia. The county seat, Flemington, is noted as the site of the Lindbergh kidnapping trial which convicted Bruno Hauptmann of the murder of aviator Charles Lindbergh's son. With growing towns and shopping areas, as well as relaxing rural areas, Hunterdon County is a far stretch from the urban areas stereotypically associated with New Jersey. Due to the presence of natural habitats with many homes in wooded settings, Hunterdon County was recently found to have the third highest case rate of Lyme disease out of all counties in the United States.

Geography

According to the 2010 Census, the county had a total area of, including of land and of water.
Much of the county is hilly, with several hills rising to one thousand foot in elevation. The highest points are two areas in Lebanon Township, one on the Morris County line, both reaching approximately above sea level. The first is at Smith on the Morris County line and the second is north of the area called Little Brook. This area is known as the Highlands of New Jersey.
The lowest elevation is where the Mercer County line reaches the Delaware River, approximately 50 feet above sea level.
The county is drained by the Musconetcong River in the north. The river flows in a southwest direction. The Lamington River drains the county in the east. The central portion of the county is drained by the South Branch of the Raritan River. The Delaware River drains the western side of the county.

Adjacent counties

The county borders the following:
Hunterdon has a humid continental climate which is hot-summer except in some higher northern areas where it is warm-summer. The hardiness zone is mainly 6b except for some 6a in higher northern areas and 7a along the Delaware River in West Amwell Township. Average monthly temperatures in Clinton range from 29.0 °F in January to 74.0 °F in July, while in Flemington they range from 30.0 °F in January to 74.8 °F in July and in Lambertville they range from 31.1 °F in January to 75.7 °F in July.

Hunting and fishing

Hunterdon County is considered the premier place to hunt white tailed deer in New Jersey. More deer are harvested each year than any other county according to New Jersey Fish and Game records.
The premier fishing streams are the Musconetcong in the north and the Lamington River. The NJ Fish and Game stocks thousands of rainbow, brown, and brook trout in these streams as well as other streams such as the South Branch of the Raritan River.
Round Valley Reservoir and Spruce Run Reservoir are manmade reservoirs that provide boating and fishing opportunities for patrons. Covering and the state's largest reservoir with of water, Round Valley is one of New Jersey's trophy trout lakes, and holds the state records for smallmouth bass, brown trout, lake trout, and American eel. Spruce Run, the state's third-largest reservoir, held the state record for Northern Pike for nearly 30 years, and offers a large variety of species for anglers to pursue.
New Jersey Fish and Game has nine Wildlife Management Areas for hunting ducks, deer, pheasants, quail, rabbits, squirrels and bears.

Economy

Based on data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, Hunterdon County had a gross domestic product of $6.8 billion in 2018, which was ranked 16th in the state and represented an increase of -0.4% from the previous year.
Hunterdon County ranked as the 19th among the highest-income counties in the United States with a 2010 per capita income of $67,053. It ranks fourth among U.S. counties for household income according to the most recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Hunterdon County's median household income was $105,186, behind only Loudoun County and Fairfax County in Virginia, and Howard County, Maryland.
As of 2005, Hunterdon had the third-highest median property tax of any county in the nation at $6,988, the highest in New Jersey. As of the Tax Foundation's rankings based on 2006 data, Hunterdon had taken the top spot for highest median property tax at $7,999.
As of 2011, Hunterdon still had the nation's highest taxes, with a median of $8,216.

Demographics

2010 Census

2000 Census

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 121,989 people, 43,678 households, and 32,845 families residing in the county. The population density was 284 people per square mile. There were 45,032 housing units at an average density of 105 per square mile. The racial makeup of the county was 93.91% White, 2.25% Black or African American, 0.14% Native American, 1.92% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.75% from other races, and 0.99% from two or more races. 2.76% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Among those residents listing their ancestry, 24.9% were German, 20.7% Irish, 20.6% Italian, 12.5% English, 10.0% Polish and 4.6% American ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 43,678 households out of which 37.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.30% were married couples living together, 6.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.80% were non-families. 20.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.14.
In the county, the population was spread out with 25.70% under the age of 18, 5.80% from 18 to 24, 31.30% from 25 to 44, 27.10% from 45 to 64, and 10.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.30 males.
Hunterdon County's median income for a household was $79,888, which made it the fourth-highest county in the country based on median household income. Median income for a family was $91,050. Males had a median income of $61,888 versus $40,852 for females. The per capita income for the county was $36,370, which ranks as the thirteenth highest county in the country based on per capita income. About 1.6% of families and 2.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.1% of those under age 18 and 4.2% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation

Roads and highways

, the county had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the local municipality, by Hunterdon County and by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and by the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission.
Many important roads pass through the county. They include state routes, such as Route 12, Route 29, Route 31, Route 173 and Route 179. Two U.S. Routes pass through the county, which are U.S. Route 22 and U.S. Route 202. The only limited access road that passes through is Interstate 78.

Public Transportation

Limited rail service to the northern part of the county from Newark Penn Station/Pennsylvania Station is provided to High Bridge, Annandale, Lebanon and Whitehouse Station by NJ Transit's Raritan Valley Line.
The Norfolk Southern Railway's Lehigh Line, runs through Hunterdon County.
In addition, The Hunterdon County Link operates demand-response service across the county, as well as fixed-route service in Flemington. Trans-Bridge Lines also provides service to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan, as well as several towns/cities west in Pennsylvania. Stops include Clinton, Flemington, Lambertville, and Frenchtown.

Government

Hunterdon County is governed by a five-member Board of Chosen Freeholders, who serve three-year terms of office at-large on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats up for election each year on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. At an annual reorganization meeting held each January, the freeholders select one member to serve as the board's Director and another to serve as Deputy Director. The Freeholder Board is the center of legislative and administrative responsibility and, as such, performs a dual role. As legislators they draw up and adopt a budget, and in the role of administrators they are responsible for spending the funds they have appropriated. In 2016, freeholders were paid $16,000 and the freeholder director was paid an annual salary of $17,000.
, Hunterdon County's Freeholders are:
Pursuant to Article VII Section II of the New Jersey State Constitution, each county in New Jersey is required to have three elected administrative officials known as "constitutional officers." These officers are the County Clerk and County Surrogate and the County Sheriff. Hunterdon Conunty's constitutional officers, elected on a countywide basis, are:
The Hunterdon County Prosecutor is Anthony P. Kearns III of Clinton, who was nominated by Governor of New Jersey Chris Christie in September 2016.
Hunterdon County is a part of Vicinage 13 of the New Jersey Superior Court, which is seated at the Somerset County Courthouse in Somerville, the county seat of Somerset County; the Assignment Judge for Vicinage 15 is Yolanda Ciccone. The Hunterdon County Courthouse is in Flemington.
Hunterdon County falls entirely within the 7th congressional district.
The county is part of the 15th, 16th and 23rd Districts in the New Jersey Legislature.

Politics

Hunterdon County is solidly Republican and has traditionally elected some of the most conservative members of the New Jersey legislature. It has also provided big votes for independent conservative third party candidates opposing liberal and moderate Republicans, particularly in 1997, when 13% of county voters backed two conservative independent candidates against incumbent Governor Christine Todd Whitman. Hunterdon supported Steve Lonegan for Governor over Chris Christie in the 2009 Republican Primary, by a 4.0% margin. All five County Freeholders are Republican, as are all countywide elected officers and the majority of township committee and borough council members.
As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 86,284 registered voters in Hunterdon County, of which 34,031 were registered as Republicans, 17,322 were registered as Democrats and 34,857 were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 74 voters registered to other parties.
In the 2008 U.S. presidential election, Barack Obama defeated John McCain by a 13.3% margin nationally, but Obama defeated McCain in New Jersey by a 15.5% margin. Republican John McCain received 55.5% of the vote, ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 42.3% and other candidates with 1.4%, among the 70,409 ballots cast by the county's 87,460 registered voters, for a turnout of 80.5%. In the 2004 U.S. presidential election, George W. Bush carried the county by a 20.8% margin over John Kerry, with Kerry carrying the state by 6.7% over Bush. Bush received 60.0% of the vote, outpolling Democrat John Kerry with 39.2% and other candidates with 0.9%, among the 66,522 ballots cast by the county's 81,185 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 81.9.
In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 64.9% of the vote, ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 25.1%, Independent Chris Daggett with 8.0% and other candidates with 0.8%, among the 51,372 ballots cast by the county's 86,186 registered voters, yielding a 59.6% turnout.

Municipalities

The following 26 municipalities are located in Hunterdon County :
Municipality
Municipal
type		PopulationHousing
Units		Total
Area		Water
Area		Land
Area		Pop.
Density		Housing
Density		Communities
Alexandria Township township4,9381,86527.640.2227.42180.168.0Everittstown
Little York
Mechlings Corner
Mount Pleasant
Mount Salem
Swinesburg
Bethlehem Township township3,9791,38620.830.1220.71192.166.9Charlestown
Polktown
Swinesburg
West Portal
Bloomsbury borough8703580.910.030.88991.9408.1
Califon borough1,0764190.970.020.951,133.3441.3Lower Valley
Clinton town2,7191,0981.420.081.342,032.6820.8
Clinton Township township13,4784,73733.823.9529.88451.1158.6Annandale CDP
Cedar Heights
Cokesbury
Hamden
Mariannes Corner
Potterstown
Stone Mill
Sunnyside
Delaware Township township4,5631,92737.020.3936.64124.552.6Bowne
Brookville
Dilts Corner
Headquarters
Locktown
Prallsville
Raven Rock
Rosemont
Sand Brook
Sandy Ridge
Sergeantsville
East Amwell Township township4,0131,58028.560.1028.46141.055.5Amwell
Boss Road
Bowne
Buttonwood Corners
Cloverhill
Furmans Corner
Larisons Corners
Linvale
Reaville
Rileyville
Ringoes
Rocktown
Snydertown
Unionville
Vanlieu Corners
Wertsville
Flemington borough4,5811,9261.080.001.084,252.21,787.8
Franklin Township township3,1951,20423.000.2022.80140.152.8Allens Corner
Alvater Corner
Cherryville
Grandin
Kingtown
Lansdowne
Littletown
Oak Grove
Quakertown
Sidney
Sunnyside
Frenchtown borough1,3736561.360.101.261,087.2519.4
Glen Gardner borough1,7048251.520.001.521,117.8541.2Bells Crossing
Clarksville
Hampton borough1,4016121.540.011.53915.1399.7Hampton Junction
High Bridge borough3,6481,4812.430.042.391,526.9619.9Pierce Heights
Holland Township township5,2912,06624.020.5123.51225.087.9Amsterdam
Hughesville
Little York
Mount Joy
Riegel Ridge
Spring Mills
Kingwood Township township3,8451,56935.770.6235.16109.444.6Barbertown
Byram
Idell
Milltown
Point Breeze
Tumble Falls
Lambertville city3,9142,0791.300.141.153,386.11,798.8
Lebanon borough1,3586640.890.000.891,532.0749.1
Lebanon Township township6,5882,43931.700.2431.46209.477.5Anthony
Bunnvale
Hampton Junction
Hoffmans
Little Brook
Lower Valley
Mount Lebanon
New Hampton
Newport
Penwell
Red Mill
Scrappy Corner
Spruce Run
Stone Mill
Woodglen
Milford borough1,2335521.230.081.151,073.4480.5
Raritan Township township22,1778,28437.690.1637.53591.2220.9Bartles Corners
Cloverhill
Copper Hill
Croton
Flemington Junction
Gary Corner
Klinesville
Larisons Corners
Muirhead
Reaville
Rockefellows Mills
Thachers Hill
Voorhees Corner
Readington Township township16,1266,19148.040.3047.74337.8129.7Barley Sheaf
Centerville
Cushetunk
Darts Mills
Dreahook
Holcomb Mills
McCrea Mills
Mechanicsville
Pleasant Run
Potterstown
Readington Village
Riverside
Rowland's Mills
Stanton
Three Bridges
Whitehouse
Whitehouse Station CDP
Stockton borough5382590.610.080.541,005.6484.1
Tewksbury Township township5,9932,32331.700.1731.53190.173.7Bissell
Cokesbury
Fairmount
Farmersville
Laurel Farms
Lower Fairmount
Mountainville
Oldwick
Sutton
Vernoy
Union Township township5,9081,83020.611.8718.74315.397.7Coles Mills
Grandin
Hensfoot
Jutland
Kingtown
Mechlings Corner
Mount Salem
Norton
Pattenburg
Perryville
Polktown
Van Syckel
West Amwell Township township2,8421,15721.780.1921.58177.953.6Alexauken
Bowne
Linvale
Mount Airy
Rocktown
Hunterdon Countycounty127,35149,487437.449.62427.82300.0115.7-

Other unincorporated places

Other unincorporated places within Hunterdon County include:
The Hunterdon County Department of Parks and Recreation manages these parks.

High schools

In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Flemington have ranged from a low of in January to a high of in July, although a record low of was recorded in January 1984 and a record high of was recorded in July 1936. Average monthly precipitation ranged from in February to in July.