Readington Township is a township located in the easternmost portion of Hunterdon County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 16,128, an increase of two people (+0.0%) from the 2010 census count of 16,126, which in turn reflected an increase of 323 (+2.0%) from the 15,803 counted in the 2000 census.Table 7. Population for the Counties and Municipalities in New Jersey: 1990, 2000 and 2010, New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, February 2011. Accessed May 1, 2023.

Created by Royal charter of King George II, "Reading" Township was formed on July 15, 1730, from portions of Amwell Township. It was the first new township created after Hunterdon was established as an independent county. The township was incorporated as Readingtown Township, one of New Jersey's initial group of 104 townships, on February 21, 1798. Portions of the township were annexed by Tewksbury Township in 1832 and 1861.Snyder, John P. The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 157. Accessed May 30, 2024. The township was named for John Reading, the first native-born governor of the British Province of New Jersey.Hutchinson, Viola L. The Origin of New Jersey Place Names, New Jersey Public Library Commission, May 1945. Accessed September 21, 2015.Reading, David R. "Gov. John Reading (1686-1767)", The Mount Amwell Project. Accessed September 21, 2015. "On July 15, 1730, Reading Township (present Readington, N.J.) was named in his honor."

Covering more than , it is the largest township in the county,About Us, Readington Township. Accessed November 20, 2019. "Created by Royal Charter of King George II 'Readings' Township was formed July 15, 1730. It was the first new township created after Hunterdon became a county. Containing almost forty-eight square miles, it remains the largest township in the County." covering almost 11% of the county's area.GCT-PH1: Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County -- County Subdivision and Place from 2010 Census Summary File 1 for Hunterdon County, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed July 14, 2012. More than of land have been preserved from development. Readington Township is bounded on the north by the Lamington River and Rockaway Creek; to the east by Somerset County, which existed as the boundary between East and West Jersey from 1688 to 1695;Where Was the West Jersey/East Jersey Line?, WestJersey.org to the south, the South Branch of the Raritan River; and to the west by the old West Jersey Society's line which crosses the Cushetunk Mountains.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 47.83 square miles (123.88 km2), including 47.56 square miles (123.17 km2) of land and 0.27 square miles (0.70 km2) of water (0.57%).

Cushetunk Mountain is a ring-shaped mountain located in Clinton Township. The diabase mountain was formed 160 million years ago. The Lenape called the mountain "Cushetunk" meaning "place of hogs".Cushetunk Mountain Preserve , Hunterdon County, New Jersey Division of Parks and Recreation. Accessed November 14, 2012. In the 1960s, the valley was filled with water to create Round Valley Reservoir, at in depth the second-deepest in the state."Round Valley Recreation Area Offers Something for Everyone", New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. Accessed November 14, 2012.

Whitehouse Station (2010 Census population of 2,089DP-1 - Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data for White House Station CDP, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed July 14, 2012.) is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Readington Township.New Jersey: 2010 - Population and Housing Unit Counts - 2010 Census of Population and Housing (CPH-2-32), United States Census Bureau, August 2012. Accessed November 15, 2012.

The township borders the municipalities of Clinton Township, Raritan Township and Tewksbury Township in Hunterdon County; and Branchburg and Hillsborough Township in Somerset County.Areas touching Readington Township, MapIt. Accessed January 4, 2015.Map of County Municipalities, Hunterdon County, New Jersey. Accessed July 30, 2023.New Jersey Municipal Boundaries, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed November 15, 2019.

Communities Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Backers Island, Higginsville, McCrea Mills, Riverside, Rockfellows Mills, Round Mountain, Stovers Mills and Wood Church, as well as the following:Locality Search, State of New Jersey. Accessed January 5, 2015. Barley Sheaf, a former hamlet within Readington Township, also known as Campbellsville and Farmersville Centerville, a hamlet that was located on the halfway point on the Swift Sure Stage route between New York City and Philadelphia Cushetunk was a settlement near Cushetunk Mountain and the railroad line Darts Mills, a hamlet centered around a former mill complex on the South Branch Raritan River Dreahook, a former community near Readington Road and Main Street that was taken from the Dutch word for triangle because of the configuration of the roads at the time Holcomb Mills was a community along the South Branch Raritan River Mechanicsville, the eastern section of Whitehouse Village on the Jersey Turnpike Neshanic Station, a village made up primarily of the Neshanic Station Historic District that is primarily located in Branchburg New Bromley, was a small community on the Rockaway Creek that was once home to William Paterson Pleasant Run, a small community along Pleasant Run (formerly Campbell's Brook) Potterstown, a small community at the western edge of the township Readington Village, the oldest settled community in the township, along Holland Brook Rowland's Mills, a deserted community on the South Branch Raritan River Stanton, a small community near Round Mountain that has carried the names of Mount Pleasant, Housel's Hill, Waggoner's Hill and Stanton Stilwells, a hamlet located south of Whitehouse Station named after the Stilwell family Three Bridges, small community that once had a passenger rail station Whitehouse, a community on the old Jersey Turnpike, north of Whitehouse Station Whitehouse Station, a community in the western section of Readington near Cushetunk Mountain and the location of the township's railroad station

Demographics

2010 census The 2010 United States census counted 16,126 people, 5,971 households, and 4,496 families in the township. The population density was 337.8 per square mile (130.4/km2). There were 6,191 housing units at an average density of 129.7 per square mile (50.1/km2). The racial makeup was 93.09% (15,011) White, 1.33% (214) Black or African American, 0.11% (18) Native American, 3.60% (581) Asian, 0.01% (1) Pacific Islander, 0.77% (124) from other races, and 1.10% (177) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.93% (633) of the population.

Of the 5,971 households, 35.1% had children under the age of 18; 66.0% were married couples living together; 6.6% had a female householder with no husband present and 24.7% were non-families. Of all households, 20.7% were made up of individuals and 8.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.70 and the average family size was 3.15.

25.1% of the population were under the age of 18, 5.6% from 18 to 24, 20.4% from 25 to 44, 35.3% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44.4 years. For every 100 females, the population had 96.2 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 94.1 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $120,821 (with a margin of error of +/− $9,180) and the median family income was $138,171 (+/− $10,232). Males had a median income of $100,647 (+/− $11,576) versus $61,372 (+/− $6,196) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $55,493 (+/− $4,019). About 1.3% of families and 1.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.7% of those under age 18 and 1.7% of those age 65 or over.DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics from the 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates for Readington township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed July 14, 2012.

2000 census As of the 2000 United States census there were 15,803 people, 5,676 households, and 4,410 families residing in the township. The population density was . There were 5,794 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the township was 95.14% White, 0.76% African American, 0.06% Native American, 2.56% Asian, 0.53% from other races, and 0.94% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.05% of the population.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Readington Township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed July 14, 2012.DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Readington township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed July 14, 2012.

There were 5,676 households, out of which 37.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.3% were married couples living together, 6.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.3% were non-families. 18.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.18.

In the township the population was spread out, with 26.5% under the age of 18, 4.9% from 18 to 24, 30.6% from 25 to 44, 28.3% from 45 to 64, and 9.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.7 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $95,356, and the median income for a family was $106,343. Males had a median income of $66,778 versus $48,385 for females. The per capita income for the township was $41,000. About 0.7% of families and 1.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.4% of those under age 18 and 1.8% of those age 65 or over.

Economy Readington Township is home to the personal and commercial lines of insurance of Chubb,Contact Us in the United States, Chubb Corp. Accessed January 4, 2015. and the QuickChek Corporation, which operates over 100 convenience stores throughout New Jersey and New York.Contact Us, QuickChek. Accessed January 4, 2015.

Readington was once also home to the global headquarters of Merck & Co., one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the country, but the company has since relocated to nearby Kenilworth, New Jersey.Caroom, Eliot. "Merck's plan to leave Readington for Summit is latest shake-up in N.J.'s pharmaceutical industry", The Star-Ledger, October 9, 2012. Accessed January 4, 2015. "In the latest shake-up of New Jersey's volatile pharmaceutical industry, drug giant Merck & Co. announced today it was moving its global headquarters – and the 1,000 employees who work there – from Whitehouse Station in Readington Township to Summit, some 30 miles to the east."

Readington's business climate benefits from its proximity to major highways, Princeton, Bridgewater Township and other centers of business in central New Jersey.

Arts and culture