Washington Township is a township in Warren County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 6,492, a decrease of 159 (−2.4%) from the 2010 census count of 6,651, which in turn reflected an increase of 403 (+6.5%) from the 6,248 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.
The township is one of six municipalities in New Jersey under the name Washington (one of which is a borough, five of which are townships). Washington Township, Warren County completely surrounds the borough of Washington. Mansfield Township, also in Warren County, borders both this municipality and another Washington Township in Morris County.
Washington Township was incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 9, 1849, from portions of Mansfield Township. Portions of the township were taken on February 20, 1868, to create Washington Borough.Snyder, John P. The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 248. Accessed May 30, 2024. The township was named for George Washington, one of more than ten communities statewide named for the first president.Hutchinson, Viola L. The Origin of New Jersey Place Names, New Jersey Public Library Commission, May 1945. Accessed October 22, 2015.Rondinaro, Gene. "Washington Slept Here And There And. . .", The New York Times, February 17, 1985. Accessed October 22, 2015. "First in war, first in peace and, come tomorrow, first in the hearts of his countrymen, George Washington may be nowhere more fondly remembered than in New Jersey, where 12 communities are named for him. The profusion of such names - six Washington Townships, one each in Bergen, Burlington, Gloucester, Mercer, Morris and Warren Counties; Washington in Warren, Washington Crossing in Mercer, Washington Heights and Washington Park in Middlesex, Washingtonville in Sussex and Washington Valley in Morris - causes problems." It is one of five municipalities in the state of New Jersey with the name "Washington Township".Wilk, Tom. "Awash in Washingtons: New Jersey has six towns named for the father of our country.", New Jersey Monthly, January 17, 2011. Accessed October 22, 2015. "In New Jersey, Washington can lay claim to another first. He's number one in names selected for the state's 566 municipalities. Bergen, Burlington, Gloucester, Morris and Warren counties all have a Washington Township. Warren also has a Washington Borough surrounded—naturally—by Washington Township. The largest is Gloucester County's Washington, with 52,096 people; the smallest is the Washington in Burlington, with a population of 649. New Jersey had a sixth Washington Township in Mercer County until 2008, when voters there approved a name change to Robbinsville." Another municipality, Washington Borough, is completely surrounded by Washington Township.
Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 18.05 square miles (46.75 km2), including 17.96 square miles (46.52 km2) of land and 0.09 square miles (0.23 km2) of water (0.49%).
Brass Castle (with a 2020 Census population of 1,536) and Port Colden (260) are unincorporated communities and census-designated places (CDPs) located within the township.
Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Bowerstown, Butlers Park, Changewater, Fort Golden, Imlaydale, and Pleasant Valley.Locality Search, State of New Jersey. Accessed December 8, 2014.
Washington Township borders the municipalities of Franklin Township, Mansfield Township, Oxford Township and White Township in Warren County; and Bethlehem Township, Hampton and Lebanon Township in Hunterdon County.Municipal Directory, Warren County, New Jersey. Accessed July 30, 2023.New Jersey Municipal Boundaries, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed November 15, 2019. The borough of Washington is completely surrounded by Washington Township, making it part of 21 pairs of "doughnut towns" in the state, where one municipality entirely surrounds another.DeMarco, Megan. "Voters to decide whether to merge two Princetons into one", The Star-Ledger, November 3, 2011. Accessed January 8, 2017. "There are 22 sets of 'doughnut towns' in New Jersey, those where one town wraps around the other town". Note that following voter approval of the Princeton merger, 21 pairs of "doughnut towns" remain.
Demographics
The township's economic data (as is all of Warren County) is calculated by the US Census Bureau as part of the Lehigh Valley / Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ Metropolitan Statistical Area.Karp, Gregory. "Lehigh Valley, Warren County reunited as a metro area ** Economies, social patterns similar, federal office says.", The Morning Call, June 22, 2003. Accessed February 15, 2022. "This time, new rules for defining MSAs determined that because the Phillipsburg area was the biggest cluster of people in Warren County, the whole county should be lumped with the nearby Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton metro area."New Jersey: 2020 Core Based Statistical Areas and Counties, United States Census Bureau. Accessed December 1, 2022.
2010 census The 2010 United States census counted 6,651 people, 2,380 households, and 1,899 families in the township. The population density was 376.6 per square mile (145.4/km2). There were 2,493 housing units at an average density of 141.1 per square mile (54.5/km2). The racial makeup was 93.46% (6,216) White, 2.50% (166) Black or African American, 0.24% (16) Native American, 1.91% (127) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 0.65% (43) from other races, and 1.25% (83) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.39% (292) of the population.
Of the 2,380 households, 35.0% had children under the age of 18; 69.0% were married couples living together; 7.6% had a female householder with no husband present and 20.2% were non-families. Of all households, 16.5% were made up of individuals and 7.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.79 and the average family size was 3.14.
24.8% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 22.5% from 25 to 44, 32.6% from 45 to 64, and 13.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42.2 years. For every 100 females, the population had 94.4 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 93.2 males. The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $91,893 (with a margin of error of +/− $5,743) and the median family income was $99,332 (+/− $12,641). Males had a median income of $78,417 (+/− $14,664) versus $51,186 (+/− $17,904) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $39,873 (+/− $3,286). About 2.9% of families and 5.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.8% of those under age 18 and 6.9% of those age 65 or over.DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics from the 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates for Washington township, Warren County, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed June 18, 2013.
2020 census As of the 2000 United States census there were 6,248 people, 2,099 households, and 1,740 families residing in the township. The population density was . There were 2,174 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the township was 95.98% White, 1.71% African American, 0.06% Native American, 0.94% Asian, 0.50% from other races, and 0.80% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 2.16% of the population.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Washington township, New Jersey, United States Census Bureau. Accessed June 18, 2013.DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Washington township, Warren County, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed June 18, 2013.
There were 2,099 households, out of which 43.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 72.7% were married couples living together, 7.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.1% were non-families. 14.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.95 and the average family size was 3.26.
In the township the population was spread out, with 30.0% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 30.2% from 25 to 44, 24.4% from 45 to 64, and 9.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.6 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $77,458, and the median income for a family was $84,348. Males had a median income of $54,321 versus $35,056 for females. The per capita income for the township was $29,141. About 3.0% of families and 3.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.2% of those under age 18 and 3.2% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Local government Washington Township is governed under the township form of New Jersey municipal government, one of 141 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this form, the second-most commonly used form of government in the state.Inventory of Municipal Forms of Government in New Jersey , Rutgers University Center for Government Studies, July 1, 2011. Accessed June 1, 2023. The Township Committee is comprised of 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.2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 8."Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey" , p. 7. Rutgers University Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023. At an annual reorganization meeting, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor and another to serve as Deputy Mayor.
, members of the Washington Township Committee are Mayor Robert J. Klingel (R, term on committee and as mayor ends December 31, 2022), Deputy mayor Mark Rossi (R, term on committee and as deputy mayor ends 2022), Ralph P. Fiore Jr. (R, 2024), Michael A. Kovacs (R, 2023) and George J. Willan (R, 2024).Township Committee, Washington Township. Accessed March 4, 2022.2022 Municipal Data Sheet, Washington Township. Accessed June 21, 2022.Summary Results Report 2021 General Election November 2, 2021 Official Results, Warren County, New Jersey, updated November 18, 2021. Accessed January 1, 2022.Warren County 2020 General Election November 20, 2020 Official Results, Warren County, New Jersey, updated November 20, 2020. Accessed January 1, 2021.General Election November 5, 2019, Warren County Official Tally, Warren County, New Jersey, updated November 12, 2019. Accessed January 1, 2020.