Fairfield Township, Cumberland County, New Jersey
Encyclopedia
Fairfield Township is a township
in Cumberland County
, New Jersey
, United States
. It is part of the Vineland
-Millville
- Bridgeton
Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area for statistical purposes. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 6,283.
Fairfield Township was formed on May 12, 1697, from portions of the Cohansey Township
area, while still part of Salem County
, and was formed as a precinct in the newly-created Cumberland County on January 19, 1748. It was incorporated as one of New Jersey's initial 104 townships by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature
on February 21, 1798. Portions of the township were taken to form Downe Township
(September 26, 1772), Millville Township
(February 24, 1801) and Lawrence Township
(February 17, 1885).
Fairton
is a census-designated place
and unincorporated area located within Fairfield Township.
The name Fairfield refers to its original settlers, all of them émigrés from Fairfield
, Connecticut
. The oldest Presbyterian church in South Jersey is said to date from before 1697. There is a plaque and an old cemetery which indicates the original log building.
, the township has a total area of 43.8 square miles (113.4 km²), of which, 42.3 square miles (109.6 km²) of it is land and 1.5 square miles (3.9 km²) of it (3.45%) is water.
Fairfield has three primary population centers: Sea Breeze
, Fairton
(originally named Bumbridge) and Gouldtown, an old African American community from the segregation period.
Fairfield Township borders Lawrence Township
, Millville
, Deerfield Township
, Upper Deerfield Township
, Bridgeton
, Hopewell Township
, Greenwich Township
, and the Delaware Bay
.
of 2000, there were 6,283 people, 1,751 households, and 1,322 families residing in the township. The population density
was 148.6 people per square mile (57.4/km2). There were 1,915 housing units at an average density of 45.3 per square mile (17.5/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 41.41% White, 47.43% African American, 5.08% Native American, 0.56% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 2.39% from other races
, and 3.10% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.87% of the population.
There were 1,751 households out of which 28.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.7% were married couples
living together, 18.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.5% were non-families. 20.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.78 and the average family size was 3.19.
In the township the population was spread out with 19.8% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 36.4% from 25 to 44, 24.3% from 45 to 64, and 10.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 146.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 161.7 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $37,891, and the median income for a family was $41,326. Males had a median income of $31,858 versus $23,931 for females. The per capita income
for the township was $17,547. About 6.9% of families and 11.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.9% of those under age 18 and 7.8% of those age 65 or over.
form of government with a five-member Township Committee. The Township Committee is elected directly by the voters in partisan elections to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with one or seats coming up for election each year. 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 2010 Fairfield Township Committee are Mayor
Benjamin Byrd, Deputy Mayor
Ernest Zirkle, Marvin Pierce, Sr, Angeline Pierce and Patrick Conahey.
Fairfield Township is in the
serves public school students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. The district opened a new school in September 2006 consolidating all grades into one building. The new school is located at 375 Gouldtown-Woodruff Road in the Gouldtown section of the township. As of the 2005-06 school year, the district had a combined enrollment of 524 students.
For grades 9-12, public school students attend Cumberland Regional High School
, which serves students from Deerfield Township
, Fairfield Township, Greenwich Township
, Hopewell Township
, Shiloh Borough
, Stow Creek Township
and Upper Deerfield Township
. The high school is located in Upper Deerfield Township and is part of the Cumberland Regional High School District.
Township (New Jersey)
A township, in the context of New Jersey local government, refers to one of five types and one of eleven forms of municipal government. As a political entity, a township is a full-fledged municipality, on par with any town, city, borough, or village, collecting property taxes and providing...
in Cumberland County
Cumberland County, New Jersey
Cumberland County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 Census, the population is 156,898. Its county seat is Bridgeton. Cumberland County is named for Prince William, Duke of Cumberland....
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is part of the Vineland
Vineland, New Jersey
Vineland is a city in Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 60,724...
-Millville
Millville, New Jersey
Millville is a city in Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2000 United States Census, the city population was 26,847. Millville, Bridgeton and Vineland are the three principal New Jersey cities of the Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area which...
- Bridgeton
Bridgeton, New Jersey
Bridgeton is a city in Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States, in the south part of the state, on the Cohansey River, near Delaware Bay. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 25,349. It is the county seat of Cumberland County...
Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area for statistical purposes. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 6,283.
Fairfield Township was formed on May 12, 1697, from portions of the Cohansey Township
Cohansey Township, New Jersey
Cohansey Township was a township that existed in Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States, during two separate periods, from 1697-1748 and from 1848-1865. The name was derived from the Cohansey River, which flows through the area....
area, while still part of Salem County
Salem County, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 64,285 people, 24,295 households, and 17,370 families residing in the county. The population density was 190 people per square mile . There were 26,158 housing units at an average density of 77 per square mile...
, and was formed as a precinct in the newly-created Cumberland County on January 19, 1748. It was incorporated as one of New Jersey's initial 104 townships by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature
New Jersey Legislature
The New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and the Senate...
on February 21, 1798. Portions of the township were taken to form Downe Township
Downe Township, New Jersey
Downe Township is a township in Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area for statistical purposes...
(September 26, 1772), Millville Township
Millville, New Jersey
Millville is a city in Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2000 United States Census, the city population was 26,847. Millville, Bridgeton and Vineland are the three principal New Jersey cities of the Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area which...
(February 24, 1801) and Lawrence Township
Lawrence Township, Cumberland County, New Jersey
Lawrence Township is a township in Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area for statistical purposes...
(February 17, 1885).
Fairton
Fairton, New Jersey
Fairton is a census-designated place and unincorporated area located within Fairfield Township, in Cumberland County, New Jersey. It is part of the Vineland-Milleville- Bridgeton Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area for statistical purposes...
is a census-designated place
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
and unincorporated area located within Fairfield Township.
The name Fairfield refers to its original settlers, all of them émigrés from Fairfield
Fairfield, Connecticut
Fairfield is a town located in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. It is bordered by the towns of Bridgeport, Trumbull, Easton, Redding and Westport along the Gold Coast of Connecticut. As of the 2010 census, the town had a population of 59,404...
, Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
. The oldest Presbyterian church in South Jersey is said to date from before 1697. There is a plaque and an old cemetery which indicates the original log building.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the township has a total area of 43.8 square miles (113.4 km²), of which, 42.3 square miles (109.6 km²) of it is land and 1.5 square miles (3.9 km²) of it (3.45%) is water.
Fairfield has three primary population centers: Sea Breeze
Sea Breeze, New Jersey
Sea Breeze is a section of Fairfield Township, in Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States. It is located at 39°19'23.05"N Latitude and 75°19'15.60"W Longitude, on the shores of the Delaware Bay.-History:...
, Fairton
Fairton, New Jersey
Fairton is a census-designated place and unincorporated area located within Fairfield Township, in Cumberland County, New Jersey. It is part of the Vineland-Milleville- Bridgeton Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area for statistical purposes...
(originally named Bumbridge) and Gouldtown, an old African American community from the segregation period.
Fairfield Township borders Lawrence Township
Lawrence Township, Cumberland County, New Jersey
Lawrence Township is a township in Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area for statistical purposes...
, Millville
Millville, New Jersey
Millville is a city in Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2000 United States Census, the city population was 26,847. Millville, Bridgeton and Vineland are the three principal New Jersey cities of the Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area which...
, Deerfield Township
Deerfield Township, New Jersey
Deerfield Township is a township in Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the Vineland-Milleville-Bridgeton Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area for statistical purposes...
, Upper Deerfield Township
Upper Deerfield Township, New Jersey
Upper Deerfield Township is a township in Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area for statistical purposes...
, Bridgeton
Bridgeton, New Jersey
Bridgeton is a city in Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States, in the south part of the state, on the Cohansey River, near Delaware Bay. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 25,349. It is the county seat of Cumberland County...
, Hopewell Township
Hopewell Township, Cumberland County, New Jersey
Hopewell Township is a township in Cumberland County, New Jersey, in the United States. It is part of the Vineland-Millville- Bridgeton Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area for statistical purposes...
, Greenwich Township
Greenwich Township, Cumberland County, New Jersey
Greenwich Township is a township in Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the Vineland-Millville- Bridgeton Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area for statistical purposes...
, and the Delaware Bay
Delaware Bay
Delaware Bay is a major estuary outlet of the Delaware River on the Northeast seaboard of the United States whose fresh water mixes for many miles with the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. It is in area. The bay is bordered by the State of New Jersey and the State of Delaware...
.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 6,283 people, 1,751 households, and 1,322 families residing in the township. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 148.6 people per square mile (57.4/km2). There were 1,915 housing units at an average density of 45.3 per square mile (17.5/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 41.41% White, 47.43% African American, 5.08% Native American, 0.56% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 2.39% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 3.10% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.87% of the population.
There were 1,751 households out of which 28.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.7% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 18.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.5% were non-families. 20.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.78 and the average family size was 3.19.
In the township the population was spread out with 19.8% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 36.4% from 25 to 44, 24.3% from 45 to 64, and 10.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 146.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 161.7 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $37,891, and the median income for a family was $41,326. Males had a median income of $31,858 versus $23,931 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the township was $17,547. About 6.9% of families and 11.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.9% of those under age 18 and 7.8% of those age 65 or over.
Local government
Fairfield Township is governed under the TownshipTownship (New Jersey)
A township, in the context of New Jersey local government, refers to one of five types and one of eleven forms of municipal government. As a political entity, a township is a full-fledged municipality, on par with any town, city, borough, or village, collecting property taxes and providing...
form of government with a five-member Township Committee. The Township Committee is elected directly by the voters in partisan elections to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with one or seats coming up for election each year. 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 2010 Fairfield Township Committee are Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
Benjamin Byrd, Deputy Mayor
Deputy Mayor
Deputy mayor is an elective or appointive office of the second-ranking official in many local governments. Many elected deputy mayors are members of the city council who are given the title and serve as acting mayor in the mayor's absence...
Ernest Zirkle, Marvin Pierce, Sr, Angeline Pierce and Patrick Conahey.
Federal, state and county representation
Fairfield Township is in the 2nd Congressional district.Fairfield Township is in the
Education
The Fairfield Township School DistrictFairfield Township School District
The Fairfield Township School District serves students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade from Fairfield Township, in Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States...
serves public school students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. The district opened a new school in September 2006 consolidating all grades into one building. The new school is located at 375 Gouldtown-Woodruff Road in the Gouldtown section of the township. As of the 2005-06 school year, the district had a combined enrollment of 524 students.
For grades 9-12, public school students attend Cumberland Regional High School
Cumberland Regional High School
Cumberland Regional High School is a comprehensive regional public high school and school district, serving students in grades 9 through 12 from seven communities in Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States...
, which serves students from Deerfield Township
Deerfield Township, New Jersey
Deerfield Township is a township in Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the Vineland-Milleville-Bridgeton Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area for statistical purposes...
, Fairfield Township, Greenwich Township
Greenwich Township, Cumberland County, New Jersey
Greenwich Township is a township in Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the Vineland-Millville- Bridgeton Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area for statistical purposes...
, Hopewell Township
Hopewell Township, Cumberland County, New Jersey
Hopewell Township is a township in Cumberland County, New Jersey, in the United States. It is part of the Vineland-Millville- Bridgeton Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area for statistical purposes...
, Shiloh Borough
Shiloh, Cumberland County, New Jersey
Shiloh is a borough in Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the Vineland-Millville- Bridgeton Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area for statistical purposes...
, Stow Creek Township
Stow Creek Township, New Jersey
Stow Creek Township is a township in Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area for statistical purposes...
and Upper Deerfield Township
Upper Deerfield Township, New Jersey
Upper Deerfield Township is a township in Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area for statistical purposes...
. The high school is located in Upper Deerfield Township and is part of the Cumberland Regional High School District.
Notable residents
Notable current and former residents of Fairfield Township include:- John T. NixonJohn T. NixonJohn Thompson Nixon was an American Republican Party politician who represented New Jersey's 1st congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1859 to 1863....
(1820–1889), represented New Jersey's 1st congressional districtNew Jersey's 1st congressional districtNew Jersey's 1st congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of New Jersey.The current U.S. Representative from the 1st district is Democrat Rob Andrews...
in the United States House of RepresentativesUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from 1859 to 1863.
External links
- Fairfield Township web site
- Cumberland County web page for Fairfield Township
- Fairfield Township School District
- Cumberland County web page for the Fairfield Township School District
- Data for the Fairfield Township School District, National Center for Education StatisticsNational Center for Education StatisticsThe National Center for Education Statistics is the part of the United States Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on education and public school district finance information in the United States...
- Cumberland Regional High School