Mendham Township, New Jersey
Encyclopedia
Mendham Township is an affluent township
in Morris County
, in the central portion of northern New Jersey
, United States, located more than 30 miles (48.3 km) due west of New York City
. As of the 2000 United States Census, the township population was 5,400. It has slowly become suburbanized.
on February 21, 1798. Portions of the township were taken to create Randolph Township
on January 1, 1806. The village of Mendham, adopted the newly created borough form of government on May 15, 1906 and withdrew from the governance of the township council.
, the township has a total area of 17.9 square miles (46.4 km²), of which, 17.8 square miles (46.1 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.67%) is water.
of 2000, there were 5,400 people, 1,788 households, and 1,539 families residing in the township. The population density
was 302.4 people per square mile (116.7/km²). There were 1,849 housing units at an average density of 103.5 per square mile (40.0/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 95.91% White, 0.93% African American, 0.09% Native American, 2.02% Asian, 0.35% from other races
, and 0.70% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.52% of the population.
There were 1,788 households out of which 47.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 80.2% were married couples
living together, 4.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 13.9% were non-families. 11.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.01 and the average family size was 3.27.
In the township the population was spread out with 32.0% under the age of 18, 3.6% from 18 to 24, 23.8% from 25 to 44, 29.9% from 45 to 64, and 10.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 96.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.1 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $136,174, and the median income for a family was $146,254. Males had a median income of $100,000 versus $57,946 for females. The per capita income
for the township was $61,460. About 1.4% of families and 1.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.3% of those under age 18 and 0.9% of those age 65 or over.
Mendham Township is ranked as the 17th wealthiest community
in the state of New Jersey, the wealthiest US State. It is located on the southern border of the 10th wealthiest US county, Morris County.
Mendham Township is also the current residence of New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, who chose to remain in his own home and not move his family to Drumthwacket
, the New Jersey Governor's Mansion, situated in Princeton, New Jersey
.
form of New Jersey municipal government. The township committee, which is the governing body, consists of five members elected at large in partisan elections for three-year terms on a staggered basis, with one or two seats coming up for election each year. At an annual reorganization meeting held on January 1, the newly reconstituted township committee selects one of its members to serve as mayor.
, members of the Mendham Township Committee are Mayor
Frank V. Cioppettini Jr. (term ends December 31, 2012), Deputy Mayor
Samuel K. Tolley (2013), Richard Krieg (2011) and Maribeth Thomas (2013), with Rick Merkt appointed to fill the seat expiring in 2012 vacated in January 2011 by Jack Schrier.
. In the 2008 Presidential Election
, Republican John McCain
received 58% of the vote, defeating Democrat Barack Obama
, who received around 41%. In the 2009 Gubernatorial Election
, Republican Chris Christie received 67% of the vote, defeating Democrat Jon Corzine
, who received around 24%.
. Schools in Mendham (with 2009-10 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics
) are
Mendham Township Elementary School with 443 students in grades K-4 and Mendham Township Middle School with 456 students in grades 5-8.
Students in grades 9-12 for public school attend West Morris Mendham High School
, which is located in Mendham and is part of the West Morris Regional High School District
. Students in the district come from the surrounding Morris County
school districts of Chester
, Chester Township
, Mendham
, Mendham Township, and from Washington Township
.
The all-boys Delbarton School
in neighboring Morris Township also draws a number of Mendham boys in grades 7-12.
suburb as nearby communities with more accessible highway and commuter rail access. For those heading to points outside the township, Interstate 287
, County Route 510
, Interstate 80
, and Interstate 78
, are all accessible. Commuters can drive to nearby Morristown to access the New Jersey Transit
Midtown Direct
express train line into Midtown Manhattan
.
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 Morris County
Morris County, New Jersey
Morris County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey, about west of New York City. According to the United States 2010 Census, the population was 492,276. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Morristown....
, in the central portion of northern 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, located more than 30 miles (48.3 km) due west of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. As of the 2000 United States Census, the township population was 5,400. It has slowly become suburbanized.
History
After the American War of Independence, the township was incorporated under the same name by an Act of the New Jersey LegislatureNew 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 create Randolph Township
Randolph, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 24,847 people, 8,679 households, and 6,804 families residing in the township. The population density was 1,185.2 people per square mile . There were 8,903 housing units at an average density of 424.7 per square mile...
on January 1, 1806. The village of Mendham, adopted the newly created borough form of government on May 15, 1906 and withdrew from the governance of the township council.
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 17.9 square miles (46.4 km²), of which, 17.8 square miles (46.1 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.67%) is water.
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 5,400 people, 1,788 households, and 1,539 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 302.4 people per square mile (116.7/km²). There were 1,849 housing units at an average density of 103.5 per square mile (40.0/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 95.91% White, 0.93% African American, 0.09% Native American, 2.02% Asian, 0.35% 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 0.70% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.52% of the population.
There were 1,788 households out of which 47.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 80.2% 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, 4.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 13.9% were non-families. 11.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.01 and the average family size was 3.27.
In the township the population was spread out with 32.0% under the age of 18, 3.6% from 18 to 24, 23.8% from 25 to 44, 29.9% from 45 to 64, and 10.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 96.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.1 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $136,174, and the median income for a family was $146,254. Males had a median income of $100,000 versus $57,946 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 $61,460. About 1.4% of families and 1.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.3% of those under age 18 and 0.9% of those age 65 or over.
Mendham Township is ranked as the 17th wealthiest community
New Jersey locations by per capita income
New Jersey is one of the wealthiest states in the United States of America, with a per capita income of $27,006 and a personal per capita income of $40,427 . Its median household income is $55,146 , ranked first in the country, and its median family income is $65,370 , the second highest in the...
in the state of New Jersey, the wealthiest US State. It is located on the southern border of the 10th wealthiest US county, Morris County.
Mendham Township is also the current residence of New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, who chose to remain in his own home and not move his family to Drumthwacket
Drumthwacket
Drumthwacket is the official residence of the governor of New Jersey. The mansion is located at 354 Stockton Street in Princeton, New Jersey, close to the state capital of Trenton...
, the New Jersey Governor's Mansion, situated in Princeton, New Jersey
Princeton, New Jersey
Princeton is a community located in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. It is best known as the location of Princeton University, which has been sited in the community since 1756...
.
Local government
Mendham Township operates 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 New Jersey municipal government. The township committee, which is the governing body, consists of five members elected at large in partisan elections for three-year terms on a staggered basis, with one or two seats coming up for election each year. At an annual reorganization meeting held on January 1, the newly reconstituted township committee selects one of its members to serve as mayor.
, members of the Mendham 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....
Frank V. Cioppettini Jr. (term ends December 31, 2012), 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...
Samuel K. Tolley (2013), Richard Krieg (2011) and Maribeth Thomas (2013), with Rick Merkt appointed to fill the seat expiring in 2012 vacated in January 2011 by Jack Schrier.
Federal, state and county representation
Mendham Township is in the Eleventh Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 25th Legislative District.Politics
On the national and state levels, Mendham Township leans strongly toward the Republican PartyRepublican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
. In the 2008 Presidential Election
United States presidential election, 2008
The United States presidential election of 2008 was the 56th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on November 4, 2008. Democrat Barack Obama, then the junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain, the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. Obama received 365...
, Republican John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
received 58% of the vote, defeating Democrat Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
, who received around 41%. In the 2009 Gubernatorial Election
New Jersey gubernatorial election, 2009
The New Jersey gubernatorial election of 2009 took place on November 3, 2009. Democratic Governor Jon Corzine was running for a second term and was being challenged by Republican Chris Christie, Independent Christopher Daggett and nine others, in addition to several write-in candidates...
, Republican Chris Christie received 67% of the vote, defeating Democrat Jon Corzine
Jon Corzine
Jon Stevens Corzine is the former CEO of Goldman Sachs and of MF Global, and a one time American politician, who served as the 54th Governor of New Jersey from 2006 to 2010. A Democrat, Corzine served five years of a six-year U.S. Senate term representing New Jersey before being elected Governor...
, who received around 24%.
Education
Public school students in grades K-8 attend the Mendham Township Public SchoolsMendham Township Public Schools
The Mendham Township Public Schools is a community public school district serving students in Kindergarten through eighth grade in Mendham Township, in Morris County, New Jersey, United States....
. Schools in Mendham (with 2009-10 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics
National Center for Education Statistics
The 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...
) are
Mendham Township Elementary School with 443 students in grades K-4 and Mendham Township Middle School with 456 students in grades 5-8.
Students in grades 9-12 for public school attend West Morris Mendham High School
West Morris Mendham High School
West Morris Mendham High School is a four-year comprehensive regional public high school that serves students in ninth though twelfth grade as part of the West Morris Regional High School District. The school is located in Mendham Borough, New Jersey, United States...
, which is located in Mendham and is part of the West Morris Regional High School District
West Morris Regional High School District
The West Morris Regional High School District is a regional public high school district in New Jersey that serves students from the surrounding Morris County communities of Chester Borough , Chester Township , Mendham Borough , Mendham Township and from Washington Township...
. Students in the district come from the surrounding Morris County
Morris County, New Jersey
Morris County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey, about west of New York City. According to the United States 2010 Census, the population was 492,276. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Morristown....
school districts of Chester
Chester, New Jersey
Chester is a borough in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 1,649.Chester Township was established as a separate political entity on April 1, 1799, including the area of both the Township and the downtown Village area which came...
, Chester Township
Chester Township, New Jersey
Chester Township is a township in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 7,838....
, Mendham
Mendham, New Jersey
Mendham is a borough in Morris County, New Jersey, in the United States. As of the 2000 Census, the borough population was 5,097.While New Jersey was an English colony, Mendham Township was formed on March 29, 1749 as a new governmental entity, from portions of Hanover Township, Morris Township,...
, Mendham Township, and from Washington Township
Washington Township, Morris County, New Jersey
Washington Township is a Township in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 18,533. It's one of six municipalities in the state of New Jersey with the name Washington. Washington, New Jersey, in fact is only away...
.
The all-boys Delbarton School
Delbarton School
Delbarton School is a private all-male Roman Catholic college preparatory school in Morristown, New Jersey, educating young men from 7th to 12th grade. Delbarton is a Catholic independent school directed by the Benedictine monks of St. Mary's Abbey....
in neighboring Morris Township also draws a number of Mendham boys in grades 7-12.
Transportation
Given that no Interstate, US or New Jersey State Highway runs very near to Mendham Township, the township has not become so much of a New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
suburb as nearby communities with more accessible highway and commuter rail access. For those heading to points outside the township, Interstate 287
Interstate 287
Interstate 287 is an auxiliary Interstate Highway in the U.S. states of New Jersey and New York. It is a partial beltway around New York City, serving the northern half of New Jersey and the counties of Rockland and Westchester in New York...
, County Route 510
County Route 510 (New Jersey)
County Route 510 is a county highway in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The highway extends from North Road in Chester to McCarter Highway in Newark.A separate, westbound portion of CR 510 stretches through Morristown.-Morris County:...
, Interstate 80
Interstate 80 in New Jersey
Interstate 80 is a major Interstate Highway in the United States, running from the New York City Metropolitan Area westward to San Francisco, California...
, and Interstate 78
Interstate 78 in New Jersey
Interstate 78 is an east–west route stretching from Union Township, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania to New York City. In New Jersey, I-78 is called the Phillipsburg–Newark Expressway and the Newark Bay Extension of the New Jersey Turnpike...
, are all accessible. Commuters can drive to nearby Morristown to access the New Jersey Transit
New Jersey Transit
The New Jersey Transit Corporation is a statewide public transportation system serving the United States state of New Jersey, and New York, Orange, and Rockland counties in New York State...
Midtown Direct
Kearny Connection
The Kearny Connection in Kearny, New Jersey, allows suburban passenger trains from New Jersey Transit's Morris and Essex Lines to run to New York Penn Station,instead of their traditional ferry terminal on the river in Hoboken. New Jersey Transit dubbed the new service Midtown Direct; the...
express train line into Midtown Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
.
Notable residents
Notable current and former residents of Mendham Township include:- Frank Cioppettini (born 1950), professional race car driver.
- Chris Christie (born 1962), New Jersey Governor and former United States Attorney.
- Abner DoubledayAbner DoubledayAbner Doubleday was a career United States Army officer and Union general in the American Civil War. He fired the first shot in defense of Fort Sumter, the opening battle of the war, and had a pivotal role in the early fighting at the Battle of Gettysburg. Gettysburg was his finest hour, but his...
(1819–93), Civil War general and purported inventor of baseball. - Peter DinklagePeter DinklagePeter Dinklage is an American film, television and theater actor. Since his breakout role in the 2003 film The Station Agent, he has acted in Elf, Underdog, Find Me Guilty, the 2007 film Death at a Funeral and its 2010 remake, and The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian...
(born 1969), actor who has appeared in The Station AgentThe Station AgentThe Station Agent is a 2003 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Thomas McCarthy. McCarthy's script about a man who seeks solitude in an abandoned train station in Newfoundland, New Jersey won him the Independent Spirit Award for Best First Screenplay.-Plot:Finbar McBride, a quiet,...
, ElfElf (film)Elf is a 2003 comedy film directed by Jon Favreau, written by David Berenbaum and starring Will Ferrell, James Caan, and Zooey Deschanel. It was released in the United States on November 7, 2003 and grossed over $220,400,000 worldwide.-Plot:A baby crawls into Santa Claus' sack while he is...
and 30 Rock30 Rock30 Rock is an American television comedy series created by Tina Fey that airs on NBC. The series is loosely based on Fey's experiences as head writer for Saturday Night Live...
. - Morris Frank, co-founder of The Seeing EyeThe Seeing EyeThe Seeing Eye, Inc. is a guide dog school that is located in Morristown, New Jersey in the United States. It was founded in 1929 as the first guide dog school in the country...
. - Whitney HoustonWhitney HoustonWhitney Elizabeth Houston is an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Houston is the most awarded female act of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 1 Emmy Award, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among...
(born 1963), singer. - Richard A. MerktRichard A. MerktRichard A. "Rick" Merkt is an American Republican Party politician who served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1998 to 2010, where he represented the 25th legislative district...
(born 1949) represents the 25th legislative district in the New Jersey General AssemblyNew Jersey General AssemblyThe New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature.Since the election of 1967 , the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts for a term of two years, each representing districts with average...
. - Brian Phelan (born 1942), NJ State Elected Officials Hall of Fame.
External links
- Mendham Township website
- Mendham Township Public Schools
- Mendham Township Public Schools, 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...
- West Morris Mendham High School
- West Morris Regional High School District