Mansfield Township, Warren County, New Jersey


Mansfield Township is a township in Warren County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township's population was 7,725, reflecting an increase of 1,072 from the 6,653 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn declined by 501 from the 7,154 counted in the 1990 Census. The township is part of the eastern region of the Lehigh Valley.
What is now Mansfield Township was formed on May 30, 1754, as Mansfield-Woodhouse Township from portions of Greenwich Township, while the area was still part of Sussex County, and was incorporated as Mansfield Township on February 21, 1798, as one of New Jersey's initial group of 104 townships by an act of the New Jersey Legislature. The township became part of the newly formed Warren County on November 20, 1824. Portions of the township were taken to form Franklin Township and Washington Township. The township was named after William Murray, 1st Earl of Mansfield.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 29.928 square miles, including 29.815 square miles of land and 0.113 square mile of water.
Anderson, Beattystown and Port Murray are unincorporated communities and census-designated places located within the township.
Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Karrsville, Mount Bethel, Penwell, Rockport and Stephensburg.
The township borders the municipalities of Hackettstown, Independence Township, Liberty Township, Oxford Township and Washington Township in Warren County; Lebanon Township in Hunterdon County; and Washington Township in Morris County.

Demographics

The Township's economic data is calculated by the US Census Bureau as part of the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Census 2010

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that median household income was $74,063 and the median family income was $87,434. Males had a median income of $56,567 versus $41,583 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $32,259. About 5.1% of families and 6.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.3% of those under age 18 and 3.9% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 6,653 people, 2,334 households, and 1,750 families residing in the township. The population density was 222.3 people per square mile. There were 2,415 housing units at an average density of 80.7 per square mile. The racial makeup of the township was 90.91% White, 4.51% African American, 0.24% Native American, 1.22% Asian, 1.59% from other races, and 1.53% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.37% of the population.
There were 2,334 households out of which 39.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.3% were married couples living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.0% were non-families. 18.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.76 and the average family size was 3.18.
In the township the population was spread out with 27.0% under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 32.4% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 11.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.2 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $61,763, and the median income for a family was $76,102. Males had a median income of $50,295 versus $35,737 for females. The per capita income for the township was $26,277. About 2.7% of families and 3.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.9% of those under age 18 and 5.9% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

Mansfield 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 conducted during the first week of January, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor and another to serve as Deputy Mayor.
, members of the Mansfield Township Committee are Mayor Joseph Watters, Deputy mayor Ron Hayes, Desiree Mora Dillon and Joseph Farino, with one seat vacant.
In January 2020, Tony Cardell, who had been elected as a Republican in November 2019, announced that he would not be taking office for the seat expiring in December 2022.

Federal, state and county representation

Mansfield Township is located in the 5th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 23rd state legislative district.

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 4,443 registered voters in Mansfield Township, of which 779 were registered as Democrats, 1,784 were registered as Republicans and 1,877 were registered as Unaffiliated. There were three voters registered to other parties. Among the township's 2010 Census population, 57.5% were registered to vote, including 74.6% of those ages 18 and over.
In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 1,789 votes, ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 1,232 votes and other candidates with 45 votes, among the 3,105 ballots cast by the township's 4,596 registered voters, for a turnout of 67.6%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 1,925 votes, ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 1,328 votes and other candidates with 50 votes, among the 3,349 ballots cast by the township's 4,504 registered voters, for a turnout of 74.4%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 2,043 votes, ahead of Democrat John Kerry with 1,076 votes and other candidates with 34 votes, among the 3,163 ballots cast by the township's 4,227 registered voters, for a turnout of 74.8%.
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 74.1% of the vote, ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 23.7%, and other candidates with 2.2%, among the 1,715 ballots cast by the township's 4,683 registered voters, for a turnout of 36.6%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 1,415 votes, ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 482 votes, Independent Chris Daggett with 171 votes and other candidates with 29 votes, among the 2,129 ballots cast by the township's 4,360 registered voters, yielding a 48.8% turnout.

Education

Students in public school for pre-kindergarten through sixth grade are served by the Mansfield Township School District at Mansfield Township Elementary School. As of the 2018–19 school year, the district, comprised of one school, had an enrollment of 607 students and 56.8 classroom teachers, for a student–teacher ratio of 10.7:1.
Public school students in seventh through twelfth grades attend the schools of the Warren Hills Regional School District, which also serves students from the municipalities of Franklin Township, Washington Borough and Washington Township, along with those from Oxford Township. Schools in the district are
Warren Hills Regional Middle School with 542 students in grades 7 and 8 and
Warren Hills Regional High School with 1,205 students in grades 9 - 12. Seats on the high school district's nine-member board of education are allocated to based on the population of the constituent municipalities, with three seats assigned to Mansfield Township.
Students from the township and from all of Warren County are eligible to attend Ridge and Valley Charter School in Frelinghuysen Township or Warren County Technical School in Washington borough, with special education services provided by local districts supplemented throughout the county by the Warren County Special Services School District in Oxford Township.

Transportation

Roads and highways

, the township had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality, by Warren County and by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.
The only major roads that pass through are Route 31 which passes through briefly in the west, and Route 57 in the southern part.
No limited access roads traverse through. However, they are accessible two towns over such as Interstate 78 and Interstate 80.

Public transportation

A small general aviation airport, named Hackettstown Airport and holding the official database designation of is in Mansfield Township, only a few hundred yards from the municipal border with Hackettstown proper.
Rail service is provided into Hackettstown by NJ Transit over Norfolk Southern's Washington Secondary line which, in the Rockport section of Mansfield Township, passes the location of the Rockport Wreck, a train accident that occurred on June 16, 1925, that resulted in 50 fatalities.

Notable people

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