Wantage Township, New Jersey


Wantage Township is a township in Sussex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township's population was 11,358, reflecting an increase of 971 from the 10,387 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 900 from the 9,487 counted in the 1990 Census.
Wantage Township was formed as a precinct on May 30, 1754, from portions of 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.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 67.481 square miles, including 66.753 square miles of land and 0.728 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

Census 2010

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.

Census 2000

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 154.8 people per square mile. There were 3,663 housing units at an average density of 54.6 per square mile. 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 of 565 municipalities statewide that use this form, the second-most commonly used form of government in the state. The governing body is comprised of a 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 Jon Morris, Deputy Mayor William Gaechter and Ronald Bassani.

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 23, 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 to other parties. Among the township's 2010 Census population, 65.1% were registered to vote, including 86.8% of those ages 18 and over.
In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 3,269 votes, ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 1,800 votes and other candidates with 119 votes, among the 5,203 ballots cast by the township's 7,467 registered voters, for a turnout of 69.7%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 3,454 votes, ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 1,987 votes and other candidates with 74 votes, among the 5,551 ballots cast by the township's 7,319 registered voters, for a turnout of 75.8%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 3,300 votes, ahead of Democrat John Kerry with 1,564 votes and other candidates with 48 votes, among the 4,928 ballots cast by the township's 6,500 registered voters, for a turnout of 75.8%.
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 70.0% of the vote, ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 27.0%, and other candidates with 3.0%, among the 3,038 ballots cast by the township's 7,582 registered voters, for a turnout of 40.1%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 2,602 votes, ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 999 votes, Independent Chris Daggett with 388 votes and other candidates with 59 votes, among the 4,084 ballots cast by the township's 7,192 registered voters, yielding a 56.8% turnout.

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 2018–19 school year, the district, comprised of three schools, had an enrollment of 1,043 students and 104.5 classroom teachers, for a student–teacher ratio of 10.0:1. Schools in the district are
Clifton E. Lawrence School in Wantage, with 353 students in grades K - 2,
Wantage Elementary School in Sussex, with 355 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 2018–19 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 893 students and 81.9 classroom teachers, for a student–teacher ratio of 10.9:1. 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

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

Wineries

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