Aberdeen Township is a

township A township is a form of human settlement or administrative subdivision. Its exact definition varies among countries. Although the term is occasionally associated with an urban area, this tends to be an exception to the rule. In Australia, Canad ...

situated on the

Jersey Shore The Jersey Shore, commonly called the Shore by locals, is the coast, coastal region of the U.S. state of New Jersey. The term encompasses about of shore, oceanfront bordering the Atlantic Ocean, from Perth Amboy, New Jersey, Perth Amboy in the n ...

Monmouth County Monmouth County () is a county located in the central portion of the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is bordered to its west by Mercer and Middlesex Counties, to its south by Ocean County, to its east by the Atlantic Ocean, and to its north by ...

, in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

. The township is located within the Raritan Valley region and is a part of the

New York Metropolitan Area The New York metropolitan area, also called the Tri-State area and sometimes referred to as Greater New York, is the List of cities by GDP, largest metropolitan economy in the world, with a List of U.S. metropolitan areas by GDP, gross metropo ...

, bordering both

Old Bridge Township, New Jersey Old Bridge Township is a township in Middlesex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of th ...

, in adjacent

Middlesex County, New Jersey Middlesex County is a County (United States), county located in the North Jersey, north-Central Jersey, central part of the U.S. state of New Jersey, extending inland from the Raritan River, Raritan Valley region to the northern portion of the ...

, as well as

Staten Island Staten Island ( ) is the southernmost of the boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Richmond County and situated at the southernmost point of New York (state), New York. The borough is separated from the ad ...

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 19,329, its highest decennial count ever and an increase of 1,119 (+6.1%) from the 2010 census count of 18,210, which had in turn reflected an increase of 756 (+4.3%) from the 17,454 recorded at the 2000 census. Aberdeen Township was part of the

Bayshore Regional Strategic Plan The Raritan Bayshore is a region in central sections in the state of New Jersey. It is the area around Raritan Bay from The Amboys to Sandy Hook, in Middlesex and Monmouth counties, including the towns of Perth Amboy, South Amboy, Sayreville, ...

, an effort by nine municipalities in northern Monmouth County to reinvigorate the area's economy by emphasizing the traditional downtowns, residential neighborhoods, maritime history, and natural environment of the

Raritan Bay Raritan Bay is a bay located at the southern portion of Lower New York Bay between the U.S. states of New York and New Jersey and is part of the New York Bight. The bay is bounded on the northwest by New York's Staten Island, on the west b ...

coastline. The plan has since been integrated into the county's 2016 Master Plan. Aberdeen has worked with neighboring Matawan to build

transit-oriented development In urban planning, transit-oriented development (TOD) is a type of Real estate development, urban development that maximizes the amount of Residential area, residential, business and leisure space within Pedestrian, walking distance of public t ...

around the Aberdeen-Matawan train station.

History

Origins

Those who settled in this area developed into the

Lenni Lenape The Lenape (, , ; ), also called the Lenni Lenape and Delaware people, are an Indigenous people of the Northeastern Woodlands, who live in the United States and Canada. The Lenape's historical territory included present-day northeastern Del ...

Native Americans. About the year 1000, an agricultural society developed, and small villages dotted what was to become New Jersey. The Lenape began a westward retreat in the face of European settlement and disease beginning in the late seventeenth century, beginning in Monmouth County by the mid-eighteenth century. Although the Lenape presently live in

Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...

and

Oklahoma Oklahoma ( ; Choctaw language, Choctaw: , ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Texas to the south and west, Kansas to the north, Missouri to the northea ...

, their legacy survives in such names as Mohingson, Luppatatong and Matawan Creeks and Raritan Bay. The earliest known attempt at European settlement was in 1650 when the south side of

was purchased from the Lenni Lenape by the

New Netherland New Netherland () was a colony of the Dutch Republic located on the East Coast of what is now the United States. The claimed territories extended from the Delmarva Peninsula to Cape Cod. Settlements were established in what became the states ...

Colony.

New Jersey

The earliest English land grant in New Aberdeen was in 1677 when Sir

George Carteret Vice admiral (Royal Navy), Vice-Admiral Sir George Carteret, 1st Baronet ( – 14 January 1680 New Style, N.S.) was a royalist statesman in Jersey and England, who served in the Clarendon ministry, Clarendon Ministry as Treasurer of the Navy. ...

granted to Jonathan Holmes.Chang, Kathy; and Kesten, Karen L
"Birth of a town"
, ''The hub'', January 7, 2010. Accessed July 11, 2012. This is in present-day Oakshades on Mohingson Creek. Matawan Township changed its name in 1977 to Aberdeen Township, which harkened back to the name of the portion of Monmouth County referred to by Scottish settlers as "New Aberdeen." New Aberdeen included the Northern portions of Monmouth County in the 1680s settled by

Quakers Quakers are people who belong to the Religious Society of Friends, a historically Protestantism, Protestant Christian set of Christian denomination, denominations. Members refer to each other as Friends after in the Bible, and originally ...

and

Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a historically Reformed Protestant tradition named for its form of church government by representative assemblies of elders, known as "presbyters". Though other Reformed churches are structurally similar, the word ''Pr ...

s who fled

Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...

to avoid religious persecution. In 1684, Surveyor General

Thomas Rudyard Thomas Rudyard (1640 – buried 2 November 1692) was a Quaker lawyer in London before moving to America and being appointed deputy governor of East Jersey and the first Attorney General of the English Province of New York, the predecessor positi ...

received a grant of on

and

Matawan Creek Matawan Creek is a creek and partially a tidal inlet of Raritan Bay. It lies in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States, across from Staten Island, New York City. Course Matawan Creek's main flow begins as Bakers Brook in Marlboro Township, ...

, the present location of Cliffwood and

Cliffwood Beach Cliffwood is an unincorporated community located within Aberdeen Township in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. The area is served as United States Postal Service ZIP code 07721. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population ...

. Owing to Rudyard's high office, this was quite controversial, and in 1685, the Board of Proprietors issued an order regarding the laying out of land. Section 7 addressed questionable activity such as Rudyard's, and he sold his land to his son-in-law, Samuel Winder. The 1680s saw an influx of Scottish immigrants fleeing religious persecution in response to a 1683 book by George Scott extolling the virtues of Scottish settlement in

East Jersey The Province of East Jersey, along with the Province of West Jersey, between 1674 and 1702 in accordance with the Quintipartite Deed, were two distinct political divisions of the Province of New Jersey, which became the U.S. state of New Jersey. ...

. In 1701, a village site of was granted by the Proprietors to 24 Scottish settlers of the area. These men and six others also purchased a landing site on Matawan Creek. The village site eventually came to be called Mount Pleasant, and the landing, as it became an important shipping point for the produce of Middletown Township, became Middletown Point. A third, very scattered settlement developed in the eighteenth century west of Matawan Creek, and was called Matawan or Matavan.

Middletown Township

In 1693, what was to become Aberdeen Township became part of Middletown Township which, at the time, consisted of what is now Aberdeen, Holmdel Township, Hazlet Township, Middletown (including

Sandy Hook Sandy Hook is a barrier spit in Middletown Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. The barrier spit, approximately in length and varying from wide, is located at the north end of the Jersey Shore. It encloses the southern en ...

), Matawan Borough, Keyport, Union Beach,

Keansburg Keansburg ( )Felzenberg, Alvin''Governor Tom Kean: From the New Jersey Statehouse to the 9-11 Commission'' p. 5. Rutgers University Press, 2006. . Accessed July 25, 2012. "In 1884, after congressman and future U.S. senator John Kean, Tom Kean's ...

, Atlantic Highlands,

Highlands Highland is a broad term for areas of higher elevation, such as a mountain range or mountainous plateau. Highland, Highlands, or The Highlands, may also refer to: Places Africa * Highlands, Johannesburg, South Africa * Highlands, Harare, Zimbab ...

and a sliver of Colts Neck Township. A portion of the township that extended as far northwest as

Cheesequake Creek Cheesequake State Park is a state park located in Old Bridge, Middlesex County, New Jersey, in the United States. The New Jersey Legislature allocated $100,000 in 1937 to purchase property for the park. The state first acquired a tract o ...

, was ceded to Middlesex County in 1710.

Raritan Township

Middletown was considered too large and unwieldy, and legislation was passed in February 1848 that took the western half of Middletown Township to create a new municipality, Raritan Township (now Hazlet Township).

Matawan Township

Legislation sponsored by Assemblyman Beers passed the State

General Assembly A general assembly or general meeting is a meeting of all the members of an organization or shareholders of a company. Specific examples of general assembly include: Churches * General Assembly (presbyterian church), the highest court of presby ...

and

Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

, was signed by

Governor of New Jersey The governor of New Jersey is the head of government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. The office of governor is an elected position with a four-year term. There is a two consecutive term limit, with no limitation on non-consecutive terms. The ...

William A. Newell, and on February 23, 1857, Matavan Township was incorporated from portions of what was then Raritan Township.Snyder, John P
''The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968''
Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 182. Accessed May 30, 2024. This included the village of Middletown Point, Mt. Pleasant, and Matavan. The Township was named for the creek as well as the village of Matavan. The spelling of "Matawan" or "Matavan" had been interchangeable, however, when the act was published "Matavan" had been used, which may derive from a Lenape word meaning "where two rivers come together". It may also originate from the Southern Unami ''Matawonge'', "bad riverbank" or "bad hill", a possible reference to bluffs along Raritan Bay which were subject to erosion and collapse prior to the construction of a

seawall A seawall (or sea wall) is a form of coastal defense constructed where the sea, and associated coastal processes, impact directly upon the landforms of the coast. The purpose of a seawall is to protect areas of human habitation, conservation, ...

in the 1970s. Another possible source is ''Matawan'', Northern Unami for "bad fog", which may have referred to

fog Fog is a visible aerosol consisting of tiny water droplets or ice crystals suspended in the air at or near the Earth's surface. Reprint from Fog can be considered a type of low-lying cloud usually resembling stratus and is heavily influenc ...

generated on Raritan Bay. In 1865, due to postal confusion with Middletown, the Middletown Point

post office A post office is a public facility and a retailer that provides mail services, such as accepting letter (message), letters and parcel (package), parcels, providing post office boxes, and selling postage stamps, packaging, and stationery. Post o ...

was renamed "Matawan", to reflect the name of the Township. This section is the present downtown area of Matawan Borough. In 1882, the spelling of the Township was officially changed to "Matawan". A small railroad station was erected along the

New York and Long Branch Railroad The New York and Long Branch Railroad was a railroad in central New Jersey, running from Bay Head Junction in Bay Head to Perth Amboy, where it connected to the Central Railroad of New Jersey's Perth Amboy and Elizabethport Railroad. The rail ...

tracks at a point called Hutchler's Crossing in 1875. Soon known as the Cliffwood Station, it operated on Cliffwood Avenue until the station closed in 1932. In 1885, the Cliffwood post office was established and the name of the old Matavan settlement passed into obsolescence. Matawan was formed as a borough on June 28, 1895, from portions of Matawan Township, based on the results of a referendum held that day. Matawan expanded with portions of Matawan Township in 1931 and 1933. In response to demand, a post office was established at Mount Pleasant in 1889. As that name was in use elsewhere, a new name was needed. "Freneau" was chosen, in honor of

Philip Morin Freneau Philip Morin Freneau (January 2, 1752 – December 18, 1832) was an American poet, nationalist, polemicist, sea captain and early American newspaper editor sometimes called the "Poet of the American Revolution". Through his Philadelphia-b ...

, the "Poet of Revolution," and a former Mount Pleasant resident who is buried in the area. This post office has since been closed. Cliffwood Beach, formed in the 1920s, was originally a resort community until after

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

when year-round homes were the norm. River Gardens developed in the late 1940s. Strathmore was built starting in the early 1960s by

Levitt & Sons Levitt & Sons was a real estate development company founded by Abraham Levitt and later managed by his son William Levitt. The company built the town of Levittown, New York. The company's designs and building practices transformed the home building ...

, marketed as a higher-end version of the

Levittown Levittown is the name of several large suburban housing developments created in the United States (including one in Puerto Rico) by William J. Levitt and his company Levitt & Sons. Built after World War II for returning white veterans and thei ...

communities that the firm was known for. The 2,000 new homes in the development led to a jump in the township's population of 10,000 over the decade, a jump of more than 140%.

Aberdeen Township

On November 8, 1977, the residents of Matawan Township voted to change the name of the Township to create a community identity separate from that of Matawan Borough. The residents voted to call their community Aberdeen Township. Officials believed the new name would draw attention to the Township, as it is listed first alphabetically among New Jersey's municipalities. Today, Aberdeen is a suburban township of containing a mix of residential, light industry and shopping centers. Sections of the township include Cliffwood, Cliffwood Beach, Freneau, Oakshades, River Gardens, Strathmore, Santa Fe Junction and Woodfield. Three postal ZIP Codes serve the township: 07721, 07735, and 07747. The Township is served by two volunteer fire companies, the Aberdeen Township Hose and Chemical Co. No. 1, organized in 1918, and the Cliffwood Volunteer Fire Co., organized in 1927. The Aberdeen Township Hose and Chemical Co. No. 1 marked its 100th anniversary on June 10, 2018, with a celebration at Lloyd Road Park and a parade along Lloyd Road. Two volunteer First Aid Squads response to the community's emergency medical needs; the Aberdeen Township First Aid and Rescue Squad, organized in 1954, and the South Aberdeen Emergency Medical Service, organized in 1970. A full-time Police Department was established in 1935. The

Henry Hudson Trail The Henry Hudson Trail is a rail trail in western and northern Monmouth County, New Jersey. The trail is named for Henry Hudson, who explored the harbor at Atlantic Highlands and the Raritan Bayshore coastline in the early 1600s. The , paved m ...

is a paved trail built on a former

Central Railroad of New Jersey Central is an adjective usually referring to being in the center of some place or (mathematical) object. Central may also refer to: Directions and generalised locations * Central Africa, a region in the centre of Africa continent, also known as ...

right-of-way and extending from Aberdeen Township east to Atlantic Highlands.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the township had a total area of 7.77 square miles (20.13 km²), including 5.45 square miles (14.10 km²) of land and 2.33 square miles (6.03 km²) of water (29.95%). The township is broken into two non-contiguous sections, with a small wedge-shaped

exclave An enclave is a territory that is entirely surrounded by the territory of only one other state or entity. An enclave can be an independent territory or part of a larger one. Enclaves may also exist within territorial waters. ''Enclave'' is s ...

on the township's southwest corner separated from the rest of the township by a portion of Matawan on the opposite side of Route 79.

(2010 Census population of 3,194) and Strathmore (2010 population of 7,258) are

unincorporated communities An unincorporated area is a parcel of land that is not governed by a local general-purpose municipal corporation. (At p. 178.) They may be governed or serviced by an encompassing unit (such as a county) or another branch of the state (such as th ...

and

census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a Place (United States Census Bureau), concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counte ...

s (CDPs) located within Aberdeen Township. Other unincorporated communities within Aberdeen Township include Cliffwood and Henningers Mills. The township borders Hazlet Township, Holmdel Township,

, Keyport, Marlboro Township and Matawan in Monmouth County; and Old Bridge Township in Middlesex County. The township has a maritime border with the borough of

Demographics

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 18,210 people, 6,876 households, and 4,923 families in the township. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

was . There were 7,102 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup was 76.63% (13,954)

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 11.87% (2,161) Black or African American, 0.23% (41) Native American, 6.43% (1,171) Asian, 0.04% (8)

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 2.77% (504) from other races, and 2.04% (371) from two or more races.

Hispanic or Latino ''Hispanic'' and '' Latino'' are ethnonyms used to refer collectively to the inhabitants of the United States who are of Spanish or Latin American ancestry (). While many use the terms interchangeably, for example, the United States Census Bureau ...

of any race were 10.43% (1,900) of the population. Of the 6,876 households, 32.5% had children under the age of 18; 56.0% were married couples living together; 11.7% had a female householder with no husband present and 28.4% were non-families. Of all households, 22.5% were made up of individuals and 6.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.13. 23.1% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 29.6% from 45 to 64, and 10.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.0 years. For every 100 females, the population had 94.9 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 92.0 males. The Census Bureau's 2006–2010

American Community Survey The American Community Survey (ACS) is an annual demographics survey program conducted by the United States Census Bureau. It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the United States census, decennial census ...

showed that (in 2010

inflation-adjusted In economics, nominal value refers to value measured in terms of absolute money amounts, whereas real value is considered and measured against the actual goods or services for which it can be exchanged at a given time. Real value takes into acco ...

dollars)

median household income The median income is the income amount that divides a population into two groups, half having an income above that amount, and half having an income below that amount. It may differ from the mean (or average) income. Both of these are ways of und ...

was $89,365 (with a margin of error of +/− $4,048) and the median family income was $101,174 (+/− $5,850). Males had a median income of $65,488 (+/− $5,575) versus $52,615 (+/− $3,635) for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the borough was $39,830 (+/− $3,017). About 2.6% of families and 5.0% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 4.6% of those under age 18 and 9.0% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States census there were 17,454 people, 6,421 households, and 4,770 families residing in the township. The population density was . There were 6,558 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the township was 78.82%

, 12.02%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.14% Native American, 5.51% Asian, 0.01%

, 1.75% from other races, and 1.75% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 7.02% of the population.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Aberdeen township, Monmouth County, New Jersey
,

. Accessed July 10, 2012.DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Aberdeen township, Monmouth County, New Jersey

. Accessed July 10, 2012. There were 6,421 households, out of which 34.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.2% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.7% were non-families. 20.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.70 and the average family size was 3.14. In the township the population was spread out, with 24.5% under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 35.0% from 25 to 44, 24.0% from 45 to 64, and 10.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.4 males. The median income for a household in the township was $68,125, and the median income for a family was $76,648. Males had a median income of $51,649 versus $35,707 for females. The

for the township was $28,984. About 3.8% of families and 4.7% of the population were below the

, including 7.1% of those under age 18 and 4.6% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

The township operates within the

Faulkner Act The Optional Municipal Charter Law or Faulkner Act (, et seq.) provides New Jersey municipalities with a variety of models of local government. This legislation is called the Faulkner Act in honor of the late Bayard H. Faulkner, former mayor ...

under the Council-Manager form of government (Plan 3), implemented in its current form based on a direct petition as of January 1, 1990; the citizens of Aberdeen Township voted in November 1964 to change from the traditional Township Committee form of government, which had been in force since 1857. The township is one of 42 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this form of government. The governing body is comprised of the Mayor and the Township Council. In this Council-Manager form, all policy making power is concentrated in the council. The Mayor is a member of the council and presides over its meetings. The Manager, appointed by and reporting to the council, is the chief executive and oversees the day-to-day operation of the borough. A seven-member Township Council is elected at large for staggered, four-year terms of office in partisan elections held every in odd-numbered years as part of the November general election; four seats are up together, followed two years later by the mayoral seat and the two other council seats. The mayor is directly elected, while the council selects a deputy mayor from among its members.''2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book'',

Rutgers University Rutgers University ( ), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a Public university, public land-grant research university consisting of three campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's C ...

Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy The Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy of Rutgers University (The Bloustein School) serves as a center for the theory and practice of urban planning, public policy and public health/health administration scholarship. The sc ...

, March 2013, p. 67. , the

Mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...

of Aberdeen Township is

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (Cyprus) (DCY) **Democratic Part ...

Fred Tagliarini, whose term of office ends December 31, 2025. Members of the Aberdeen Township Council are Deputy Mayor Margaret Montone (D, 2025), Greg J. Cannon (D, 2027), Arthur S. Hirsch (D, 2027), Concetta B. Kelley (D, 2027), Joseph J. Martucci Sr. (D, 2025) and Robert L. Swindle (D, 2027).Mayor and Town Council
Township of Aberdeen. Accessed January 23, 2025. "Aberdeen Township has a Mayor and six other Council Members. The Mayor and all Council Members are elected at large in 4-year staggered terms."November 8, 2023 General Election Official Results

Monmouth County, New Jersey Monmouth County () is a county located in the central portion of the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is bordered to its west by Mercer and Middlesex Counties, to its south by Ocean County, to its east by the Atlantic Ocean, and to its north ...

, updated January 18, 2024. Accessed January 22, 2024.November 2, 2021 General Election Official Results

, December 13, 2021. Accessed January 1, 2022.

Federal, state and county representation

Aberdeen Township is located in the 6th Congressional districtPlan Components Report

New Jersey Redistricting Commission The New Jersey Redistricting Commission is a constitutional body of the government of New Jersey tasked with redrawing the state's Congressional election districts after each decade's census. Like Arizona, Idaho, Hawaii, Montana, and Washington ...

, December 23, 2011. Accessed February 1, 2020. and is part of New Jersey's 13th state legislative district.Municipalities Sorted by 2011-2020 Legislative District

New Jersey Department of State The secretary of state of New Jersey oversees the Department of State, which is one of the original state offices. The Secretary is responsible for overseeing New Jersey State Council on the Arts, artistic, cultural, and New Jersey Historical Com ...

. Accessed February 1, 2020.''2019 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government''
New Jersey

League of Women Voters The League of Women Voters (LWV) is a nonpartisan American nonprofit political organization. Founded in 1920, its ongoing major activities include Voter registration, registering voters, providing voter information, boosting voter turnout and adv ...

. Accessed October 30, 2019.

Politics

As of March 2011, there were a total of 11,162 registered voters in Aberdeen Township, of which 3,145 (28.2%) were registered as Democrats, 1,988 (17.8%) were registered as

Republicans Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

and 6,021 (53.9%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 8 voters registered as

Libertarians Libertarianism (from ; or from ) is a political philosophy that holds freedom, personal sovereignty, and liberty as primary values. Many libertarians believe that the concept of freedom is in accord with the Non-Aggression Principle, according ...

or Greens. The township had been reliably Democratic in federal elections until Republican Donald Trump won it by 51.5% (5,600 votes) in the

2024 United States presidential election United States presidential election, Presidential elections were held in the United States on November 5, 2024. The Republican Party (United States), Republican Party's Ticket (election), ticket—Donald Trump, who was the 45th president of ...

. This was the first time a Republican candidate had won Aberdeen Township and achieved over 50% of votes cast since at least

1992 1992 was designated as International Space Year by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 – Boutros Boutros-Ghali of Egypt replaces Javier Pérez de Cuéllar of Peru as United Nations Secretary-General. * January 6 ** The Republ ...

. Republican United States Senate candidate Curtis Bashaw simultaneously won the township with 49.4% of the vote (5, 124). In the 2020 presidential election, Democrat

Joe Biden Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. (born November 20, 1942) is an American politician who was the 46th president of the United States from 2021 to 2025. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he served as the 47th vice p ...

received 53.7% of the vote (5,989 votes), ahead of Republican

Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...

with 45% (5,021 votes), and other candidates receiving 1.3% (150 votes), among 11,160 votes cast by the township's 14,130 voters for a turnout 80%. In the

2016 presidential election This national electoral calendar for 2016 lists the national/ federal elections held in 2016 in all sovereign states and their dependent territories. By-elections are excluded, though national referendums are included. January *7 January: Kiri ...

, Democrat

Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, lawyer and diplomat. She was the 67th United States secretary of state in the administration of Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, a U.S. senator represent ...

received 49.5% of the vote (4,328 votes), ahead of Republican Donald Trump with 47.2% (4,126 votes), and other candidates receiving 3.3% (284 votes), among 8,738 votes cast. In the

2012 presidential election This national electoral calendar for 2012 lists the national/ federal elections held in 2012 in all sovereign states and their dependent territories. By-elections are excluded, though national referendums are included. January *3–4 January: ...

, Democrat

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...

received 56.7% of the vote (4,109 cast), ahead of Republican

Mitt Romney Willard Mitt Romney (born March 12, 1947) is an American businessman and retired politician. He served as a United States Senate, United States senator from Utah from 2019 to 2025 and as the 70th governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007 ...

with 42.1% (3,054 votes), and other candidates with 1.2% (85 votes), among the 7,298 ballots cast by the township's 11,602 registered voters (50 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 62.9%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 53.5% of the vote (4,635 cast), ahead of Republican

John McCain John Sidney McCain III (August 29, 1936 – August 25, 2018) was an American statesman and United States Navy, naval officer who represented the Arizona, state of Arizona in United States Congress, Congress for over 35 years, first as ...

with 44.0% (3,817 votes) and other candidates with 1.0% (88 votes), among the 8,667 ballots cast by the township's 11,751 registered voters, for a turnout of 73.8%. In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat

John Kerry John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is an American attorney, politician, and diplomat who served as the 68th United States secretary of state from 2013 to 2017 in the Presidency of Barack Obama#Administration, administration of Barac ...

received 51.7% of the vote (4,105 ballots cast), outpolling Republican

George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician and businessman who was the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Bush family and the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he i ...

with 45.9% (3,644 votes) and other candidates with 0.6% (67 votes), among the 7,944 ballots cast by the township's 11,084 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 71.7. In the 2020 Senate election, Democrat

Cory Booker Cory Anthony Booker (born April 27, 1969) is an American politician serving as the Seniority in the United States Senate, senior United States Senate, United States senator from New Jersey, a seat he has held since 2013. A member of the Democ ...

received 53.3% (5,880 votes), ahead of Republican Rik Mehta with 44.8% (4,938 votes), and other candidates received 2% (217 votes), among 11,035 votes cast. In the 2020 House of Representatives election, Democrat

Frank Pallone Frank Joseph Pallone Jr. ( ; born October 30, 1951) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the U.S. representative for since 1988. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district, numbered as the 3rd district from 1988 to 1993, ...

received 56% (6,437 votes), ahead of Republican Christian Onuoha with 44% of the vote, among 11,018 votes cast. In the 2017 gubernatorial election, Democrat

Phil Murphy Philip Dunton Murphy (born August 16, 1957) is an American politician, diplomat, and financier serving as the 56th governor of New Jersey since 2018. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he was elected governor i ...

received 50.5% (2,583 votes), ahead of Republican

Kim Guadagno Kimberly Ann Guadagno (; ''née'' McFadden; born April 13, 1959) is an American lawyer and politician who served as the first lieutenant governor and 33rd secretary of state of New Jersey from 2010 to 2018. Guadagno was the Republican nominee ...

with 47.2% (2,418 votes), and other candidates receiving 2.3% (119 votes). In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican

Chris Christie Christopher James Christie (born September 6, 1962) is an American politician and former United States Attorney, federal prosecutor who served as the 55th governor of New Jersey from 2010 to 2018. A member of the Republican Party (United States) ...

received 64.8% of the vote (3,085 cast), ahead of Democrat

Barbara Buono Barbara A. Buono (born July 28, 1953) is an American politician who served in the New Jersey Senate from 2002 to 2014, where she represented the 18th Legislative District. She served from 2010 to 2012 as the Majority Leader in the Senate, succ ...

with 33.7% (1,603 votes), and other candidates with 1.6% (74 votes), among the 4,814 ballots cast by the township's 11,686 registered voters (52 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 41.2%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 55.7% of the vote (3,140 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat

Jon Corzine Jon Stevens Corzine ( ; born January 1, 1947) is an American financial executive and retired politician who served as a United States Senator from New Jersey from 2001 to 2006, and the 54th governor of New Jersey from 2006 to 2010. Corzine ran f ...

with 36.3% (2,048 votes), Independent

Chris Daggett Christopher Jarvis Daggett (born March 7, 1950) is an American businessman who is the president and CEO of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, one of the largest foundations in New Jersey. A former regional administrator of the United States En ...

with 5.7% (322 votes) and other candidates with 1.1% (63 votes), among the 5,642 ballots cast by the township's 11,371 registered voters, yielding a 49.6% turnout.

Education

Aberdeen Township is part of the Matawan-Aberdeen Regional School District, together with the neighboring community of Matawan. The district is a comprehensive system with seven schools, which includes one preschool for pre-kindergarten and kindergarten, three elementary schools for grades PreK–3, one school for grades 4–5, one middle school for grades 6–8 and a high school for grades 9–12. As of the 2022–23 school year, the district, comprised of seven schools, had an enrollment of 3,950 students and 352.3 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a

student–teacher ratio The student–teacher ratio or student–faculty ratio refers to the number of students who attend a school or university divided by the number of teachers or staff in the institution. For example, a student–teacher ratio of 10:1 indicates that ...

of 11.2:1.District information for Matawan-Aberdeen Regional School District

National Center for Education Statistics The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is the principal federal agency responsible for collecting, analyzing, and reporting data on education in the United States. Established under , it operates within the Institute of Education S ...

. Accessed February 1, 2024. Schools in the district (with 2022–23 enrollment data from the

) are Cambridge Park Elementary School with 266 students in grades PreK–K, Cliffwood Elementary School with 369 students in grades PreK–3, Ravine Drive Elementary School with 399 students in grades PreK–3, Strathmore Elementary School with 461 students in grades PreK–3, Lloyd Road Elementary School with 528 students in grades 4–5, Matawan Aberdeen Middle School with 795 students in grades 6–8 and

Matawan Regional High School Matawan Regional High School is a four-year regional public high school located in Aberdeen Township, United States, serving students in ninth through twelfth grades as the lone secondary school of the Matawan-Aberdeen Regional School District ...

with 1,154 students in grades 9–12. The MARSD Central Offices are located at 1 Crest Way, in Aberdeen. Seats on the district's nine-member

board of education A board of education, school committee or school board is the board of directors or board of trustees of a school, local school district or an equivalent institution. The elected council determines the educational policy in a small regional area, ...

are allocated based on the population of the constituent municipalities, with six assigned to Aberdeen Township. The township is home to the Yeshiva Gedolah of Cliffwood, which is listed as a higher education institution by the New Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education.

Transportation

Roads and highways

, the township had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality, by Monmouth County, by the

New Jersey Department of Transportation The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) is the agency responsible for transportation issues and policy in New Jersey, including maintaining and operating the state's highway and public road system, planning and developing transport ...

and by the

New Jersey Turnpike Authority The New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA) is a state agency responsible for maintaining the New Jersey Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway, which are two toll roads in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The agency is headquartered in Woodbridge Town ...

. The

Garden State Parkway The Garden State Parkway (GSP) is a Controlled-access highway, controlled-access toll road that stretches the north–south length of eastern New Jersey from the state's southernmost tip near Cape May, New Jersey, Cape May north to the New York ...

is the largest highway in Aberdeen, with exit 118 in the township. Route 34 passes through in the southern area of the township, while

Route 35 The following highways are numbered 35: The Karakoram Highway (Urdu: شاہراہ قراقرم, ''Śāhirāh-i Qarāquram''), also known as the KKH, National Highway 35 (Urdu: قومی شاہراہ ۳۵), N-35, and the China–Pakistan Friendsh ...

runs through the northern area.

Public transportation

NJ Transit New Jersey Transit Corporation, branded as NJ Transit or NJTransit and often shortened to NJT, is a state-owned public transportation system that serves the U.S. state of New Jersey and portions of the states of New York and Pennsylvania. I ...

provides bus transportation between the township and the

Port Authority Bus Terminal The Port Authority Bus Terminal (colloquially known as the Port Authority and by its acronym PABT) is a bus station, bus terminal located in Manhattan in New York City. It is the busiest bus terminal in the world by volume of traffic, serving ab ...

Midtown Manhattan Midtown Manhattan is the central portion of the New York City borough of Manhattan, serving as the city's primary central business district. Midtown is home to some of the city's most prominent buildings, including the Empire State Building, the ...

via the

133 133 may refer to: *133 (number) *AD 133 *133 BC *133 (song) *133 (New Jersey bus) *133 Cyrene, a main-belt asteroid *SEAT 133 The SEAT 133 is a small rear-engined car designed and sold by SEAT in Spain from 1974 until 1979, and until 1982 to expor ...

, which also stops in Old Bridge and Matawan, and the

135 135 may refer to: *135 (number) *AD 135 *135 BC *135 film, better known as 35 mm film, is a format of photographic film used for still photography *135 (New Jersey bus), a New Jersey Transit bus route *135 Hertha 135 Hertha is an asteroid from ...

, which also stops in

Freehold Freehold may refer to: In real estate *Freehold (law), the tenure of property in fee simple * Customary freehold, a form of feudal tenure of land in England *Parson's freehold, where a Church of England rector or vicar of holds title to benefice ...

, Marlboro, and Matawan. Additionally, the

817 __NOTOC__ Year 817 ( DCCCXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * Summer – Emperor Louis I issues an ''Ordinatio Imperii'', an imperial decree that lays out plans for an orderl ...

route, which operates between Middletown and

Perth Amboy Perth Amboy is a city in northeastern Middlesex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, within the New York Metro Area. As of the 2020 United States census, the city's population was 55,436. Perth Amboy is known as the "City by the Bay", re ...

, also stops in

, Hazlet, Union Beach, Keyport, Old Bridge, and

South Amboy South Amboy is a city in Middlesex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, located on Raritan Bay. As of the 2020 United States census, the city's population was 9,411, an increase of 780 (+9.0%) from the 2010 census count of 8,631, which in ...

. The Aberdeen-Matawan station, located in Aberdeen, is a rail station on the

North Jersey Coast Line The North Jersey Coast Line is a Commuter rail in North America, commuter rail line running from Rahway, New Jersey, Rahway to Bay Head, New Jersey, traversing through the Jersey Shore region. Operated by New Jersey Transit, the line is electr ...

, with service north to

New York Penn Station Pennsylvania Station (also known as New York Penn Station or simply Penn Station) is the main intercity railroad station in New York City and the busiest transportation facility in the Western Hemisphere, serving more than 600,000 passengers ...

and south to Bay Head station.

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Aberdeen Township include: *

Jay Bellamy Jay Bellamy (born July 8, 1972) is a former American football safety who played for the Seattle Seahawks and the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). After playing college football at Rutgers University, he went undrafted in ...

(born 1972),

safety Safety is the state of being protected from harm or other danger. Safety can also refer to the control of recognized hazards in order to achieve an acceptable level of risk. Meanings The word 'safety' entered the English language in the 1 ...

who played in the NFL for the

Seattle Seahawks The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC West, West division. The club entered the NFL a ...

and

New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. Since 1975, the team ...

Andrew Bowne Captain Andrew Bowne (c. 1638 - c. 1708) was an American colonial politician and jurist, who served in various capacities in both New York and New Jersey. Biography A son of William and Ann Bowne, Andrew Bowne was born circa 1638 in Salem, Massac ...

( – ), colonial politician and jurist * Anthony Brown (born 1998),

American football American football, referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada and also known as gridiron football, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular American football field, field with goalposts at e ...

quarterback The quarterback (QB) is a position in gridiron football who are members of the offensive side of the ball and mostly line up directly behind the Lineman (football), offensive line. In modern American football, the quarterback is usually consider ...

for the

Las Vegas Raiders The Las Vegas Raiders are a professional American football team based in the Las Vegas Valley, Las Vegas metropolitan area. The Raiders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC West ...

of the NFL * Philip N. Gumbs (1923–2005), who served on the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders * Erison Hurtault (born 1984), sprinter who has represented

Dominica Dominica, officially the Commonwealth of Dominica, is an island country in the Caribbean. It is part of the Windward Islands chain in the Lesser Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean Sea. The capital, Roseau, is located on the western side of t ...

in international events *

Jodi Lyn O'Keefe Jodi Lyn O'Keefe (born October 10, 1978) is an American actress, model, and fashion designer. She came to prominence as Cassidy Bridges on the television series ''Nash Bridges'' (1996–2001) and played Gretchen Morgan on ''Prison Break'' (2007� ...

(born 1978), actress and model, who at age 17 portrayed Cassidy Bridges on ''

Nash Bridges ''Nash Bridges'' is an American police procedural television series created by Carlton Cuse. The show stars Don Johnson and Cheech Marin as two Inspectors with the San Francisco Police Department's Special Investigations Unit (SIU). The seri ...

'' * Thomas J. Powers, politician who served on the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders and as Mayor of Aberdeen Township *

Retta Marietta Sangai SirleafJung, E. Alex Vulture.com, May 23, 2018. rchived https://web.archive.org/web/20180523214634/https://www.vulture.com/2018/05/retta-has-a-story-to-tell.htmlon 05-23-2018

(born 1970), comedian and actress, best known for her roles of

Donna Meagle Donna Marie Meagle is a fictional character in the NBC comedy '' Parks and Recreation''. She is portrayed by Retta and has appeared in the show since the pilot. For the first two seasons of the show she appeared as a recurring character; she beca ...

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...

's '' Parks and Recreation'' and Ruby Hill on NBC's '' Good Girls'' * Charlie Rogers (born 1976), former NFL running back and wide receiver who played for the

Buffalo Bills The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo–Niagara Falls metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East div ...

and

Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. The Dolphins compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The team ...

* David L. Smith, creator of the Melissa computer virus first identified in March 1999. Smith was sentenced in 2002 to serve 20 months in a federal prison *

Eileen Tell Eileen Tell (born December 1, 1966) is an American tennis player. She won a gold medal in doubles at the 1985 Maccabiah Games in Israel. Biography Born December 1, 1966, to a physicist, Tell grew up in Aberdeen Township, New Jersey and attended ...

(born 1966), former professional tennis playerYoung, Josh
"Backtalk; With a Match Point in Her Pocket"
''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'', August 28, 1994. Accessed August 24, 2022. "Tell grew up in Aberdeen, N.J., one of many nationally ranked teen-agers whose parents poured every available dollar into her tennis."

References

External links

Aberdeen Township website
{{Authority control 1857 establishments in New Jersey Faulkner Act (council–manager) Populated places established in 1857 Raritan Bayshore Townships in New Jersey Townships in Monmouth County, New Jersey Discontiguous municipalities in New Jersey