Buena Vista Township, New Jersey

Buena Vista Township ( ) is a township located in Atlantic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The township, and all of Atlantic County, is part of the Atlantic City- Hammonton metropolitan statistical area, which in turn is included in the Philadelphia-Reading- Camden combined statistical area and the Delaware Valley.

As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 7,033, a decrease of 537 (−7.1%) from the 2010 census count of 7,570, which in turn reflected an increase of 134 (+1.8%) from the 7,436 counted in the 2000 census.

Buena Vista was incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 5, 1867, from portions of Hamilton Township. Portions of the township were taken on May 23, 1906, to create Folsom, and on September 1, 1948, to create Buena Borough.Snyder, John P
''The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968''
Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 68. Accessed May 15, 2012. The name comes from the 1847 Battle of Buena Vista of the Mexican–American War.

The township is headquarters for Troop A of the New Jersey State Police, which covers more than and 1.7 million residents.

On April 26, 2004, the Buena Vista Township Committee voted to temporarily rename the community of Richland, a section of Buena Vista Township. For the first half of the month of May, Richland became ''Mojito, New Jersey'', named after the Cuban rum drink. Bacardi had offered to give the township $5,000 for recreation projects in exchange for a sign placed on U.S. Route 40 commemorating the new name. Richland was chosen because it is home to the family-run Dalponte Farms, a major east coast supplier of mint, an essential ingredient of the mojito.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 41.58 square miles (107.69 km²), including 41.08 square miles (106.39 km²) of land and 0.50 square miles (1.30 km²) of water (1.20%).

Collings Lakes (with a 2010 population of 1,706) is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Buena Vista Township.New Jersey: 2010 - Population and Housing Unit Counts - 2010 Census of Population and Housing (CPH-2-32)
United States Census Bureau, August 2012. Accessed August 14, 2013.

Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Buena Acres, East Vineland, Lake Ann, Milmay, New Kuban, Newtonville, Pine Lake Estates and Richland.

The township borders Buena, Folsom, Hamilton Township and Weymouth Township in Atlantic County; Maurice River Township and Vineland in Cumberland County; and both Franklin Township and Monroe Township in Gloucester County.

The township is one of 56 South Jersey municipalities that are included within the New Jersey Pinelands National Reserve, a protected natural area of unique ecology covering , that has been classified as a United States Biosphere Reserve and established by Congress in 1978 as the nation's first National Reserve. Part of the township is included in the state-designated Pinelands Area, which includes portions of Atlantic County, along with areas in Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester and Ocean counties. 90% of the township's area is within the boundaries of the Pine Barrens.

Demographics

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 7,570 people, 2,786 households, and 2,020 families in the township. The population density was . There were 3,008 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup was 78.18% (5,918) White, 13.45% (1,018) Black or African American, 0.46% (35) Native American, 1.06% (80) Asian, 0.04% (3) Pacific Islander, 4.12% (312) from other races, and 2.69% (204) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.48% (869) of the population.

Of the 2,786 households, 27.1% had children under the age of 18; 55.6% were married couples living together; 11.7% had a female householder with no husband present and 27.5% were non-families. Of all households, 22.7% were made up of individuals and 11.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.19.

22.9% of the population were under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 23.1% from 25 to 44, 29.7% from 45 to 64, and 16.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42.1 years. For every 100 females, the population had 95.0 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 91.8 males.

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States census there were 7,436 people living in the township, organized into 2,648 households and 1,972 families. The population density was . There were 2,827 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the township was 77.34% White, 15.69% African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.22% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 4.07% from other races, and 2.43% from two or more races. 9.27% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Buena Vista township, Atlantic County, New Jersey
, United States Census Bureau. Accessed July 8, 2013.DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Buena Vista township, Atlantic County, New Jersey
United States Census Bureau. Accessed July 8, 2013.

There were 2,648 households, out of which 30.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.5% were married couples living together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.5% were non-families. 21.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.20.

In the township the population was spread out, with 24.7% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 27.5% from 25 to 44, 25.0% from 45 to 64, and 15.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.6 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $43,770, and the median income for a family was $50,403. Males had a median income of $36,064 versus $26,180 for females. The per capita income for the township was $18,382. 12.1% of the population and 7.8% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 13.2% of those under the age of 18 and 13.3% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

Government

Local government

Buena Vista is governed under the Township form of New Jersey municipal government, one of 141 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this form, the second-most commonly used form of government in the state. The Township Committee is comprised of five members, who are elected directly by the voters at-large in partisan elections to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats coming up for election each year as part of the November general election in a three-year cycle.''2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book'', Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 8. At an annual reorganization meeting, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor and another to serve as Deputy Mayor.

, the members of the Buena Vista Township Committee are Mayor William Ruggieri ( R, term on committee and as mayor ends December 31, 2023), Deputy Mayor Ellen Testa (R, term on committee and as deputy mayor ends 2024), Aaron Krenzer (R, 2024), Kurt Renart (R, 2025) and John H. Williams (R, 2025).Municipal Government
Atlantic County, New Jersey