Cumberland County, New Jersey
Cumberland County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2019 Census estimate, the county's population was 149,527, making it the state's 16th-largest county, representing a 2.8% decrease from the 156,898 enumerated at the 2010 United States Census, in turn increasing by 10,460 from the 146,438 counted in the 2000 Census, retaining its position as the state's 16th-most populous county. Its county seat is Bridgeton. Cumberland County is named for Prince William, Duke of Cumberland. The county was formally created from portions of Salem County as of January 19, 1748.
This county is part of the Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the Delaware Valley Combined Statistical Area.
Geography
According to the 2010 Census, the county had a total area of, including of land and of water.Cumberland is a low-lying, generally featureless coastal county, with many salt marshes near the Delaware Bay. The highest elevation is at one of 12 areas in Upper Deerfield Township that stand approximately above sea level; the lowest elevation is sea level.
Adjacent counties
- Gloucester County – north
- Atlantic County – northeast
- Cape May County – southeast
- Kent County, Delaware – southwest1
- Salem County – northwest
Demographics
2010 Census
2000 Census
As of the 2000 United States Census there were 146,438 people, 49,143 households, and 35,186 families residing in the county. The population density was 299 people per square mile. There were 52,863 housing units at an average density of 108 per square mile. The racial makeup of the county was 65.88% White, 20.20% Black or African American, 0.97% Native American, 0.95% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 9.08% from other races, and 2.85% from two or more races. 19.00% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Among those residents listing their ancestry, 15.6% of residents were of Italian, 12.1% German, 10.7% Irish and 8.4% English ancestry.There were 49,143 households out of which 34.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.70% were married couples living together, 17.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.40% were non-families. 23.60% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.73 and the average family size was 3.19.
In the county, the population was spread out with 25.40% under the age of 18, 8.50% from 18 to 24, 31.20% from 25 to 44, 21.90% from 45 to 64, and 13.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 104.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.50 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $39,150, and the median income for a family was $45,403. Males had a median income of $35,387 versus $25,393 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,376. About 11.3% of families and 15.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.1% of those under age 18 and 12.9% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
Based on data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, Cumberland County had a gross domestic product of $6.1 billion in 2018, which was ranked 17th in the state and represented an increase of 1.6% from the previous year.Government
County
Cumberland County is governed by a Board of Chosen Freeholders consisting of seven members. Each Freeholder is assigned responsibility for one of the county's departments. These individuals are elected at large by the citizens of Cumberland County in partisan elections and serve staggered three-year terms in office, with either two or three seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle. In 2016, freeholders were paid $15,000 and the freeholder director was paid an annual salary of $16,000., members of the Cumberland County Board of Chosen Freeholders are:
- Freeholder Director Joseph Derella Jr.
- Deputy Freeholder Director Darlene R. Barber
- George Castellini
- Carol Musso
- James F. Quinn
- Joseph V. Sparacio
- Jack Surrency
Freeholder Louis N. Magazzu, whose term was to expire in 2012, announced his resignation in August 2011.
Pursuant to Article VII Section II of the New Jersey State Constitution, each county in New Jersey is required to have three elected administrative officials known as "constitutional officers." These officers are the County Clerk and County Surrogate and the County Sheriff. Cape May's Constitutional offers are:
- Clerk Celeste Riley
- Sheriff Robert A. Austino
- Surrogate Douglas M. Rainear.
Cumberland County is a part of Vicinage 15 of the New Jersey Superior Court, seated in Woodbury in Gloucester County; the Assignment Judge for the vicinage is Benjamin C. Telsey. The Cumberland County Courthouse is in Bridgeton.
Federal and state representation
The 2nd Congressional District includes all of Cumberland County.The county is part of the 1st and 3rd Districts in the New Jersey Legislature.
The New Jersey Department of Corrections operates three correctional facilities in the county. They are Bayside State Prison, South Woods State Prison, and Southern State Correctional Facility. In 2007, while the state was preparing to close Riverfront State Prison in Camden, it considered establishing a fourth state prison in Cumberland County.
Politics
Cumberland County tends to lean towards the Democratic party. In the 2004 U.S. presidential election, John Kerry carried the county by a 6.6% margin over George W. Bush.Municipalities
Municipalities in Cumberland County are:Municipality | Municipal type | Population | Housing Units | Total Area | Water Area | Land Area | Pop. Density | Housing Density | Communities |
Bridgeton | city | 25,349 | 6,782 | 6.43 | 0.25 | 6.18 | 4,102.5 | 1,097.6 | |
Commercial Township | township | 5,178 | 2,115 | 34.44 | 2.31 | 32.13 | 161.2 | 65.8 | Buckshutem Haleyville Laurel Lake Mauricetown North Port Norris Port Norris |
Deerfield Township | township | 3,119 | 1,143 | 16.80 | 0.03 | 16.76 | 186.1 | 68.2 | Rosenhayn |
Downe Township | township | 1,585 | 996 | 54.27 | 5.66 | 48.61 | 32.6 | 20.5 | Dividing Creek Dragston Fortescue Newport |
Fairfield Township | township | 6,295 | 2,058 | 43.95 | 2.69 | 41.26 | 152.6 | 49.9 | Fairton Sea Breeze |
Greenwich Township | township | 804 | 369 | 18.83 | 1.00 | 17.84 | 45.1 | 20.7 | Othello Springtown |
Hopewell Township | township | 4,571 | 1,741 | 30.83 | 0.95 | 29.87 | 153.0 | 58.3 | Bowentown Cohansey |
Lawrence Township | township | 3,290 | 1,221 | 38.33 | 1.41 | 36.92 | 89.1 | 33.1 | Cedarville |
Maurice River Township | township | 7,976 | 1,506 | 95.76 | 2.65 | 93.11 | 85.7 | 16.2 | Bennetts Mill Cumberland Delmont Dorchester Heislerville Hesstown Leesburg Manumuskin Port Elizabeth |
Millville | city | 28,400 | 11,435 | 44.49 | 2.49 | 42.00 | 676.2 | 272.3 | |
Shiloh | borough | 516 | 214 | 1.21 | 0.00 | 1.21 | 427.3 | 177.2 | |
Stow Creek Township | township | 1,431 | 568 | 18.85 | 0.55 | 18.30 | 78.2 | 31.0 | Garrison Corner Jericho Kernan Corner Roadstown |
Upper Deerfield Township | township | 7,660 | 3,025 | 31.27 | 0.18 | 31.10 | 246.3 | 97.3 | Deerfield Seabrook Seabrook Farms |
Vineland | city | 60,724 | 22,661 | 69.03 | 0.61 | 68.42 | 887.5 | 331.2 | |
Cumberland County | county | 156,898 | 55,834 | 677.62 | 193.92 | 483.70 | 324.4 | 115.4 | - |
Transportation
Airports
The following public-use airports are located in Cumberland County:- Bucks Airport in Bridgeton
- Millville Municipal Airport in Millville
- Kroelinger Airport in Vineland
Roads and highways
Cumberland is served only by state and county routes. Major county routes that pass through include County Route 540, County Route 548, County Route 550, County Route 552, County Route 553 and County Route 555.
State routes include Route 47, Route 49, Route 55, Route 56, Route 77 and Route 347.
Route 55 is the only limited access road in the county which provides access to I-76, Interstate 295, and the Philadelphia area to the north.