Manalapan Township, New Jersey


Manalapan Township is a township in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township's population was 38,872, representing an increase of 5,449 from the 33,423 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 6,707 from the 26,716 counted in the 1990 Census.
The name "Manalapan" is derived from a word in the Lenape language that would mean either "land of good bread", "good land to settle upon", "good bread" or "covered swamp with edible roots".

History

The Battle of Monmouth was fought in 1778 on land that is now part of Manalapan and Freehold townships. Monmouth Battlefield State Park occupies in the two townships.
Manalapan Township was formed by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 9, 1848, from portions of Freehold Township. Englishtown was formed as a borough from portions of Manalapan on January 4, 1888, based on the results of a referendum held the previous day.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 30.839 square miles, including 30.607 square miles of land and 0.232 square miles of water. The township has an elevation of.
The township completely surrounds Englishtown, making it part of 21 pairs of "doughnut towns" in the state, where one municipality entirely surrounds another. The township borders the municipalities of Freehold Township, Marlboro Township and Millstone Township in Monmouth County; and Monroe Township and Old Bridge Townshipin Middlesex County.
Yorketown is an unincorporated community and census-designated place located within Manalapan Township.
Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Cahills Corners, Clarks Mills, Elton, Gordons Corner, Lafayette Mills, Millhurst, Monmouth Heights, Oakland Mills, Smithburg, Taylors Mills, Tennent, Tracey, Whittier Oaks and Woodville.

Demographics

2010 Census

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that median household income was $103,970 and the median family income was $115,292. Males had a median income of $85,086 versus $51,695 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $41,049. About 2.5% of families and 2.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.7% of those under age 18 and 5.4% of those age 65 or over.

2000 Census

As the 2000 United States Census there were 33,423 people, 10,781 households, and 9,002 families residing in the township. The population density was 1,084.6 people per square mile. There were 11,066 housing units at an average density of 359.1 per square mile. The racial makeup of the township was 91.81% White, 1.99% African American, 0.03% Native American, 4.53% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.53% from other races, and 1.10% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.54% of the population. Manalapan has large Italian and Jewish communities.
There were 10,781 households out of which 47.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 75.9% were married couples living together, 5.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.5% were non-families. 14.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.09 and the average family size was 3.45.
In the township the population was spread out with 30.3% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 24.5% from 45 to 64, and 11.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.5 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $83,575, and the median income for a family was $94,112. Males had a median income of $72,198 versus $39,921 for females. The per capita income for the township was $32,142. About 3.2% of families and 3.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.1% of those under age 18 and 5.7% of those age 65 or over.

Parks and recreation

Manalapan's Recreation Center covers, offering two handball courts, nine softball/baseball fields, a fitness trail, two football fields, nine football/soccer fields, two street hockey courts, three tot lots, six basketball courts, six tennis courts, two bocce courts, two sand volleyball courts, a nine-hole disc golf course, a small water park, concession stand, two picnic areas, two maintenance buildings, two shelter buildings and a headquarters building.

Government

Local government

Manalapan Township is governed under the Township form of New Jersey municipal government, one of 141 of 565 municipalities statewide that use this form, the second-most commonly used form of government in the state. The Township Committee has 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 for one year.
, members of the Manalapan Township Committee are Mayor John P. "Jack" McNaboe, Deputy Mayor Susan Cohen, Barry Jacobson, Mary Ann Musich and Eric Nelson.

Federal, state and county representation

Manalapan Township is located in the 4th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 12th state legislative district. Prior to the 2010 Census, Manalapan Township had been split between the and the, a change made by the New Jersey Redistricting Commission that took effect in January 2013, based on the results of the November 2012 general elections.

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 26,256 registered voters in Manalapan Township, of which 6,925 were registered as Democrats, 4,439 were registered as Republicans and 14,875 were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 17 voters registered as members of other parties.
In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 54.2% of the vote, ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 44.8%, and other candidates with 0.9%, among the 18,449 ballots cast by the township's 27,734 registered voters, for a turnout of 66.5%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 51.9% of the vote, ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 45.9% and other candidates with 0.8%, among the 19,553 ballots cast by the township's 26,582 registered voters, for a turnout of 73.6%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 52.2% of the vote, outpolling Democrat John Kerry with 46.2% and other candidates with 0.4%, among the 17,730 ballots cast by the township's 23,926 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 74.1.
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 73.0% of the vote, ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 25.7%, and other candidates with 1.3%, among the 10,583 ballots cast by the township's 28,056 registered voters, for a turnout of 37.7%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 61.9% of the vote, ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 32.6%, Independent Chris Daggett with 4.4% and other candidates with 0.6%, among the 12,251 ballots cast by the township's 26,168 registered voters, yielding a 46.8% turnout.

Education

Public school students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade attend the Manalapan-Englishtown Regional School District, which also serves children from Englishtown. Manalapan and Englishtown formally joined together as a regional elementary school district in 1963, with an initial enrollment of 1,140 students. As of the 2017–18 school year, the district, comprising eight schools, had an enrollment of 5,038 students and 412.6 classroom teachers, for a student–teacher ratio of 12.2:1. Over 90% of the district's students are from Manalapan. Schools in the district are
John I. Dawes Early Learning Center,
Clark Mills School,
Lafayette Mills School,
Milford Brook School,
Taylor Mills School,
Wemrock Brook School,
Pine Brook School and
Manalapan-Englishtown Middle School. The district is overseen by a nine-member board of education, which sets policy and oversees the fiscal and educational operation of the district; Seats on the board are allocated based on population, with eight seats assigned to Manalapan Township.
Students from Manalapan Township in public school for ninth through twelfth grades attend either Freehold Township High School or Manalapan High School as part of the Freehold Regional High School District, with the school attended based on the student's address. The Freehold Regional High School District also serves students from Colts Neck Township, Englishtown, Farmingdale, Freehold Borough, Freehold Township, Howell Township and Marlboro Township. As of the 2017–18 school year, Manalapan High School had an enrollment of 1,941 students and 126.4 classroom teachers, for a student–teacher ratio of 15.4:1 and Freehold Township High School had an enrollment of 2,072 students and 135.8 classroom teachers, for a student–teacher ratio of 15.3:1. The FRHSD board of education has nine members, who are elected to three-year terms from each of the constituent districts. Each member is allocated a fraction of a vote that totals to nine points, with Manalapan Township allocated one member, who has 1.4 votes.
Public high school students in Manalapan and all of Monmouth County also have the option of attending one of the Monmouth County Vocational School District's five career academies.

Crime

Manalapan's crime rate per 1,000 residents had reached a low of 8.4 in 2003. After reaching a peak of 12.1 in 2007, the rate dropped each subsequent year, reaching 10.4 in 2010 before an uptick to 10.8 in 2011. The violent crime rate per 1,000 had reached a low of 0.3 in 2005, before climbing to 0.8 in 2007, then declining or remaining level in each succeeding year, reaching a rate of 0.4 in 2011.
In 2008, seven residents of Manalapan were arrested on money laundering and drug trafficking charges for their involvement in an international drug ring bringing in a net of $1 million per month.

Community

Manalapan landmarks include the headquarters facility of the Monmouth County Library, the Manalapan Recreation Center, and the battlefield for the Battle of Monmouth. Manalapan Under the Stars, the township's community celebration featuring rides, concerts, fireworks, and other activities, is held annually at the Recreation Center. Performers featured in the series have included Herman's Hermits Starring Peter Noone and Tommy James and the Shondells.
In 2004, Manalapan was rated the second-hottest town on the East Coast by Money magazine.
On May 27, 2001, Manalapan was struck by a tornado rated F2 on the Fujita scale, causing over $1 million in damage. The tornado had winds of up to over a path of.

Transportation

Roads and highways

, the township had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality, by Monmouth County and by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.
Manalapan hosts U.S. Route 9 in the northeast, and State Route 33 passes through near the southern part of the township. Major county routes, such as 522 and 527 traverse through the municipality, while 537 goes along the southeast border of the township.
Other major roads that are accessible outside the township are the Garden State Parkway in bordering Old Bridge, Interstate 195 in bordering Millstone Township, and the New Jersey Turnpike in East Windsor Township and bordering Monroe Township.

Public transportation

provides bus service on the 139 route to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan, to Newark and Jersey City on the 64 and 67 routes, and local service on the 307 route.
The nearest commercial airports are Trenton-Mercer Airport which serves several domestic destinations via Frontier Airlines, located west; and Newark Liberty International Airport which serves as a major hub for United Airlines, north.

Notable people

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