What is now Southampton was originally incorporated as Coaxen Township by an act of the
New Jersey Legislature on March 10, 1845, from portions of Northampton Township (now known as
Mount Holly Township). The name lasted for about three weeks when it was renamed Southampton Township on April 1, 1845. As the population increased, portions of the township were taken to form
Pemberton Township (March 10, 1846),
Shamong Township (February 19, 1852),
Lumberton Township (March 14, 1860),
Woodland Township (March 7, 1866) and
Tabernacle Township (March 22, 1901).[21]
Geography
According to the
U.S. Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 44.44 square miles (115.10 km2), including 43.96 square miles (113.85 km2) of land and 0.48 square miles (1.25 km2) of water (1.08%).[1][2] The township is located within the
New Jersey Pine Barrens.[22]
The township is one of 56 South Jersey municipalities that are included within the
New Jersey Pinelands National Reserve, a protected natural area of unique ecology covering 1,100,000 acres (450,000 ha), that has been classified as a United States Biosphere Reserve and established by Congress in 1978 as the nation's first National Reserve.[29] Part of the township is included in the state-designated Pinelands Area, which includes portions of Burlington County, along with areas in
Atlantic,
Camden,
Cape May,
Cumberland,
Gloucester and
Ocean counties.[30]
Of the 4,746 households, 16.7% had children under the age of 18; 52.6% were married couples living together; 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present and 35.9% were non-families. Of all households, 32.3% were made up of individuals and 22.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.20 and the average family size was 2.77.[17]
15.6% of the population were under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 15.9% from 25 to 44, 30.8% from 45 to 64, and 32.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 53.9 years. For every 100 females, the population had 88.0 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 85.5 males.[17]
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010
American Community Survey showed that (in 2010
inflation-adjusted dollars)
median household income was $51,713 (with a margin of error of +/− $3,072) and the median family income was $73,598 (+/− $11,729). Males had a median income of $57,500 (+/− $8,015) versus $39,472 (+/− $4,560) for females. The
per capita income for the borough was $34,493 (+/− $1,869). About 3.1% of families and 5.2% of the population were below the
poverty line, including 6.1% of those under age 18 and 8.4% of those age 65 or over.[42]
2000 census
As of the
2000 United States census[14] there were 10,388 people, 4,574 households, and 3,046 families residing in the township. The population density was 235.9 inhabitants per square mile (91.1/km2). There were 4,751 housing units at an average density of 107.9 per square mile (41.7/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 97.09%
White, 1.20%
African American, 0.28%
Native American, 0.63%
Asian, 0.30% from
other races, and 0.50% from two or more races.
Hispanic or
Latino of any race were 1.29% of the population.[40][41]
There were 4,574 households, out of which 19.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.2% were
married couples living together, 6.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.4% were non-families. 29.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 21.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.79.[40]
In the township the population was spread out, with 17.8% under the age of 18, 4.8% from 18 to 24, 21.2% from 25 to 44, 24.5% from 45 to 64, and 31.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 50 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.2 males.[40]
The median income for a household in the township was $44,419, and the median income for a family was $57,419. Males had a median income of $45,785 versus $30,134 for females. The
per capita income for the township was $26,977. About 2.6% of families and 3.9% of the population were below the
poverty line, including 4.8% of those under age 18 and 2.5% of those age 65 or over.[40]
Government
Local government
Southampton 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.[43] 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.[6][44] At an annual reorganization meeting, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor for the year.[3]
As of 2023[update], members of the Southampton Township Committee are
Mayor Michael S. Mikulski II (
R, term on committee ends December 31, 2025; term as mayor ends 2023), Deputy Mayor Ronald J. Heston (R, term on committee ends 2024; term as deputy mayor ends 2022), William J. Raftery (R, 2024), Elizabeth H. Rossell (R, 2025) and James F. Young Sr. (R, 2023).[3][45][46][47][48]
Federal, state and county representation
Southampton Township is located in the 3rd Congressional District[49] and is part of New Jersey's 8th state legislative district.[50][51][52]
Burlington County's Constitutional Officers are:
Clerk Joanne Schwartz (D,
Southampton Township, 2028)[68][69]
Sheriff James H. Kostoplis (D,
Bordentown, 2025)[70][71] and
Surrogate Brian J. Carlin (D, Burlington Township, 2026).[72][73]
Politics
As of March 2011, there were a total of 7,558 registered voters in Southampton Township, of which 1,879 (24.9% vs. 33.3% countywide) were registered as
Democrats, 2,929 (38.8% vs. 23.9%) were registered as
Republicans and 2,747 (36.3% vs. 42.8%) were registered as
Unaffiliated. There were 3 voters registered as
Libertarians or
Greens.[74] Among the township's 2010 Census population, 72.2% (vs. 61.7% in Burlington County) were registered to vote, including 85.6% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 80.3% countywide).[74][75]
In the
2012 presidential election, Republican
Mitt Romney received 3,166 votes here (54.5% vs. 40.2% countywide), ahead of Democrat
Barack Obama with 2,547 votes (43.8% vs. 58.1%) and other candidates with 54 votes (0.9% vs. 1.0%), among the 5,814 ballots cast by the township's 7,758 registered voters, for a turnout of 74.9% (vs. 74.5% in Burlington County).[76][77] In the
2008 presidential election, Republican
John McCain received 3,317 votes here (53.2% vs. 39.9% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 2,791 votes (44.8% vs. 58.4%) and other candidates with 75 votes (1.2% vs. 1.0%), among the 6,233 ballots cast by the township's 7,815 registered voters, for a turnout of 79.8% (vs. 80.0% in Burlington County).[78] In the
2004 presidential election, Republican
George W. Bush received 3,359 votes here (55.3% vs. 46.0% countywide), ahead of Democrat
John Kerry with 2,613 votes (43.0% vs. 52.9%) and other candidates with 56 votes (0.9% vs. 0.8%), among the 6,077 ballots cast by the township's 7,712 registered voters, for a turnout of 78.8% (vs. 78.8% in the whole county).[79]
In the
2013 gubernatorial election, Republican
Chris Christie received 2,998 votes here (77.2% vs. 61.4% countywide), ahead of Democrat
Barbara Buono with 762 votes (19.6% vs. 35.8%) and other candidates with 54 votes (1.4% vs. 1.2%), among the 3,883 ballots cast by the township's 7,765 registered voters, yielding a 50.0% turnout (vs. 44.5% in the county).[80][81] In the
2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 2,500 votes here (58.0% vs. 47.7% countywide), ahead of Democrat
Jon Corzine with 1,556 votes (36.1% vs. 44.5%), Independent
Chris Daggett with 180 votes (4.2% vs. 4.8%) and other candidates with 34 votes (0.8% vs. 1.2%), among the 4,307 ballots cast by the township's 7,733 registered voters, yielding a 55.7% turnout (vs. 44.9% in the county).[82]
Students from Southampton Township, and from all of Burlington County, are eligible to attend the
Burlington County Institute of Technology, a countywide public school district that serves the vocational and technical education needs of students at the high school and post-secondary level at its campuses in
Medford and
Westampton Township.[97]
Transportation
Roads and highways
As of May 2010[update], the township had a total of 112.19 miles (180.55 km) of roadways, of which 74.37 miles (119.69 km) were maintained by the municipality, 19.38 miles (31.19 km) by Burlington County and 18.44 miles (29.68 km) by the
New Jersey Department of Transportation.[98]
^
abcMayor & Committee, Southampton Township. Accessed April 25, 2023. "Southampton Township is a Township form of government as designated by the New Jersey State Constitution. Term of Office: Committee members are elected at large to a 3 year term. The Township Committee members select the Mayor from among themselves who serves a one year term."
^Biography of Bob Menendez,
United States Senate, January 26, 2015. "Menendez, who started his political career in Union City, moved in September from Paramus to one of Harrison's new apartment buildings near the town's PATH station.."
^Southampton Township Board of Education District Policy 0110 - Identification, Southampton Township Schools. Accessed June 16, 2020. "Purpose: The Board of Education exists for the purpose of providing a thorough and efficient system of free public education in grades Pre-Kindergarten through eight in the Southampton Township School District. Composition: The Southampton Township School District is comprised of all the area within the municipal boundaries of Southampton Township."
^Schools, Southampton Township Schools. Accessed June 16, 2020.
^About Us, Southampton Public Schools. Accessed June 16, 2020. "The Southampton Township School District consisting of School #1 (K-2), School #2 (3-5), and School #3 (6-8) is located in the center of quaint and historic Vincentown Village."
^Lenape Regional High School District 2016 Report Card Narrative,
New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed June 16, 2020. "The Lenape Regional High School District (LRHSD) serves the eight municipalities of Evesham, Medford, Mount Laurel, Shamong, Southampton, Tabernacle and Woodland Townships and Medford Lakes Borough. Encompassing an area of 350 square miles the Lenape District is the largest school district in Burlington County."
^Staff.
"Regional School Districts", Burlington County Times, April 26, 2015. Accessed June 16, 2020. "Lenape Regional Serves: Evesham, Medford, Medford Lakes, Mount Laurel, Shamong, Southampton, Tabernacle, Woodland"
^Albert Cooper, SR/Olympic Sports. Accessed October 8, 2015.
^Callahan, Kevin.
"Criscuolo coming up big at Harvard", Courier-Post, February 15, 2015. Accessed December 11, 2018. "Kyle Criscuolo grew up in Southampton and is just 5-foot-8, which isn’t the tangible recipe for success in college ice hockey."
^Vargas, Claudia.
"Brad Ecklund, former NFL player, coach", The Philadelphia Inquirer, February 10, 2010. Accessed February 28, 2011. "Brad Ecklund, 87, of Vincentown, a former NCAA and NFL football player who coached the Eagles' offensive line in the 1970s, died Saturday of congestive heart failure at Samaritan Hospice in Mount Holly."
^Fitzgerald, Thomas F.
Manual of the Legislature of New Jersey 1900, p. 291. T. F. Fitzgerald, 1900. Accessed July 18, 2016. "Job H. Lippincott, Jersey City. Justice Lippincott was born near Mount Holly, N.J., November 12th, 1842. He was reared on his father's farm at Vincentown, N.J., and received a common-school education."
^Stout, David.
"New Jersey Daily Briefing; A Deal for Lockheed Martin", The New York Times, May 8, 1995. Accessed June 2, 2017. "Lockheed Martin's government electronic systems plant has been awarded a $35 million contract for engineering and technical work on Japanese naval destroyers, Representative Jim Saxton, Republican of Vincentown, announced last week."