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 ...
in
Hunterdon County
Hunterdon County is a County (United States), county located in the western section of the U.S. state of New Jersey. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the county was the state's List of counties in New Jersey, 4th-least populous ...
, 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 ...
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 the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...
. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 13,505, an increase of 27 (+0.2%) from the 2010 census count of 13,478, which in turn reflected an increase of 521 (+4.0%) from the 12,957 counted in the 2000 census.
History
Clinton Township was incorporated as a township by an act of the
New Jersey Legislature
The New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and ...
on April 12, 1841, from portions of Lebanon Township, based on the results of a referendum held that same day. Portions of the township have been taken to form Clinton town (April 5, 1865, within the township; became independent in 1895), High Bridge township (March 29, 1871) and Lebanon borough (March 26, 1926).Snyder, John P ''The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968'' Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 154. Accessed October 25, 2012. The township was named for
Governor of New York
The governor of New York is the head of government of the U.S. state of New York. The governor is the head of the executive branch of New York's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor ...
DeWitt Clinton
DeWitt Clinton (March 2, 1769February 11, 1828) was an American politician and Naturalism (philosophy), naturalist. He served as a United States Senate, United States senator, as the mayor of New York City, and as the sixth governor of New York. ...
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004) was an American politician and actor who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He was a member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party a ...
by changing the township's name to Reagan Township and renaming Clinton to Reagan, New Jersey.
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 33.87 square miles (87.72 km2), including 29.87 square miles (77.36 km2) of land and 4.00 square miles (10.36 km2) of water (11.81%).Annandale (with a 2010 Census population of 1,695) is a
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 ...
and
unincorporated community
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 ...
Lebanon
Lebanon, officially the Republic of Lebanon, is a country in the Levant region of West Asia. Situated at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian Peninsula, it is bordered by Syria to the north and east, Israel to the south ...
is an independent municipality surrounded entirely by the township, making it part one of 21 pairs of "doughnut towns" in the state, where one municipality entirely surrounds another.
Cushetunk Mountain is a ring-shaped mountain located in Readington Township and Clinton Township. Once an active volcano, the
diabase
Diabase (), also called dolerite () or microgabbro,
is a mafic, holocrystalline, subvolcanic rock equivalent to volcanic basalt or plutonic gabbro. Diabase dikes and sills are typically shallow intrusive bodies and often exhibit fine-gra ...
mountain was formed 160 million years ago. The
Lenape
The Lenape (, , ; ), also called the Lenni Lenape and Delaware people, are an Indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands, Indigenous people of the Northeastern Woodlands, who live in the United States and Canada.
The Lenape's historica ...
called the mountain "Cushetunk" meaning "place of hogs". In the 1960s, the valley was filled with water to create Round Valley Reservoir, at in depth the second-deepest in the state.
Demographics
2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 13,478 people, 4,568 households, and 3,444 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 4,737 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup was 86.43% (11,649)
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 ...
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 ...
, 1.79% (241) from other races, and 1.63% (220) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.60% (755) of the population.
Of the 4,568 households, 36.6% had children under the age of 18; 67.3% were married couples living together; 5.6% had a female householder with no husband present and 24.6% were non-families. Of all households, 20.6% were made up of individuals and 6.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.14.
24.1% of the population were under the age of 18, 12.0% from 18 to 24, 20.3% from 25 to 44, 33.0% from 45 to 64, and 10.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.9 years. For every 100 females, the population had 116.2 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 121.3 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 ...
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 $120,565 (with a margin of error of +/− $6,904) and the median family income was $147,689 (+/− $10,532). Males had a median income of $106,898 (+/− $7,766) versus $73,264 (+/− $11,810) 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 $52,700 (+/− $6,064). About 1.7% of families and 2.3% 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 3.7% of those under age 18 and 2.0% of those age 65 or over.
2000 census
As of the 2000 United States census there were 12,957 people, 4,129 households, and 3,253 families residing in the township. The population density was . There were 4,234 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the township was 87.71%
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 ...
, 6.96%
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 ...
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 ...
, 1.59% from other races, and 1.12% 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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
. Accessed November 14, 2012.
There were 4,129 households, out of which 42.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 73.1% 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, 4.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.2% were non-families. 17.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.82 and the average family size was 3.23.
In the township the population was spread out, with 26.2% under the age of 18, 11.1% from 18 to 24, 28.8% from 25 to 44, 26.5% from 45 to 64, and 7.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 118.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 124.8 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $96,570, and the median income for a family was $106,448. Males had a median income of $77,229 versus $46,762 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 township was $37,264. About 0.3% of families and 0.9% 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 none of those under age 18 and 3.6% of those age 65 or over.
Parks and recreation
Clinton Township hosts part of a rail trail that was created out of the 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 ...
Clinton Township is governed within the Faulkner Act, formally known as the Optional Municipal Charter Law, under the Small Municipality form of government. The township is one of 18 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this form of government, which is available as an option only for municipalities with a population of under 12,000 at the time of adoption. The government is comprised of the mayor and the four-member township council, with all positions elected
at-large
At large (''before a noun'': at-large) is a description for members of a governing body who are elected or appointed to represent a whole membership or population (notably a city, county, state, province, nation, club or association), rather tha ...
on a partisan basis as part of the November general elections. A mayor is elected directly by the voters to a three-year term of office. Council members serve a term of three years, which are staggered so that two council seats come up for election each year that the mayor's seat does not come up for vote.''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, March 2013, p. 103.
The mayor is the township's executive official and is responsible for selecting the Municipal Clerk and Assessor, which are subject to confirmation by the township council. The council is the township's legislative body and is responsible for ordinances, resolutions and the annual budget, as well as most hiring other than those positions delegated to the mayor. The mayor presides over and is eligible to vote at council meetings, but has no veto power.
, the Clinton Township Council consists of
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 ...
Brian Mullay ( R, term ends December 31, 2023), Council President Marc H. Strauss (R, 2024), William A. Glaser Jr. (R, 2025), Thomas Kochanowski (R, 2024) and Amy Switlyk (R, 2025).Mayor and Council Clinton Township. Accessed May 3, 2023. "Clinton Township has a Faulkner Act Small Municipality form of government, with the Mayor and Council comprising the legislative body. The Mayor and each member of Council are elected at large to 3 year terms."Township of Clinton
Hunterdon County, New Jersey
Hunterdon County is a county located in the western section of the U.S. state of New Jersey. At the 2020 census, the county was the state's 4th-least populous county,Plan 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 16th state legislative district.
Politics
As of March 2011, there were a total of 8,817 registered voters in Clinton Township, of which 1,433 (16.3%) were registered as Democrats, 3,861 (43.8%) were registered as Republicans and 3,517 (39.9%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 6 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 ...
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 ...
received 61.1% of the vote (4,265 cast), ahead of 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 ...
with 37.6% (2,628 votes), and other candidates with 1.3% (90 votes), among the 7,023 ballots cast by the township's 9,298 registered voters (40 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 75.5%. In the 2008 presidential election, 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 ...
received 58.7% of the vote (4,279 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 39.2% (2,859 votes) and other candidates with 1.3% (98 votes), among the 7,289 ballots cast by the township's 8,975 registered voters, for a turnout of 81.2%. In the 2004 presidential election, 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 ...
received 64.0% of the vote (4,389 ballots cast), outpolling 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 ...
with 34.1% (2,340 votes) and other candidates with 0.7% (60 votes), among the 6,863 ballots cast by the township's 8,143 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 84.3.
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 76.4% of the vote (3,195 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 21.5% (899 votes), and other candidates with 2.1% (89 votes), among the 4,261 ballots cast by the township's 9,144 registered voters (78 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 46.6%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 70.5% of the vote (3,662 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 20.4% (1,058 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 7.5% (391 votes) and other candidates with 0.6% (30 votes), among the 5,196 ballots cast by the township's 8,869 registered voters, yielding a 58.6% turnout.
pre-kindergarten
Pre-kindergarten (also called pre-K or PK) is a voluntary classroom-based preschool program for children below the age of five in the United States, Canada, Turkey and Greece (when kindergarten starts). It may be delivered through a preschool ...
through eighth grade. As of the 2021–22 school year, the district, comprised of three schools, had an enrollment of 1,199 students and 134.6 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 ...
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 December 1, 2022. Schools in the district (with 2021–22 school enrollment data from the
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 ...
) are
Patrick McGaheran School with 394 students in grades K-2,
Round Valley School with 375 students in grades 3-5 and
Clinton Township Middle School with 426 students in grades 6-8. Students in grades 7 and 8 from Lebanon Borough attend the district's middle school as part of a
sending/receiving relationship
A sending/receiving relationship is one in which a public school district sends some or all of its students to attend the schools of another district. This is often done to achieve costs savings in smaller districts or continues after districts hav ...
ninth
In music, a ninth is a compound interval consisting of an octave plus a second.
Like the second, the interval of a ninth is classified as a dissonance in common practice tonality. Since a ninth is an octave larger than a second, its ...
through
twelfth grade
Twelfth Grade (also known as Grade 12, Senior Year, Standard 12, 12th Standard, 12th Class, or Class 12th or Class 12) is the twelfth and final Educational stage, year of Formal education, formal or compulsory education. It is typically the final ...
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 ...
kindergarten
Kindergarten is a preschool educational approach based on playing, singing, practical activities such as drawing, and social interaction as part of the transition from home to school. Such institutions were originally made in the late 18th cen ...
United States Department of Education
The United States Department of Education is a cabinet-level department of the United States government, originating in 1980. The department began operating on May 4, 1980, having been created after the Department of Health, Education, and ...
as part of the
National Blue Ribbon Schools Program
The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program is a United States Department of Education award program that recognizes exemplary public and non-public schools on a yearly basis. Using standards of excellence evidenced by student achievement measures, ...
, an award called the "most prestigious honor in the United States' education system" and which Education Secretary
Arne Duncan
Arne Starkey Duncan (born November 6, 1964) is an American educator and former professional basketball player who served as the 9th United States secretary of education from 2009 to 2015 and as Chief Executive Officer of Chicago Public Schools ...
described as schools that "represent examples of educational excellence".
Transportation
Roads and highways
, the township had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality, by Hunterdon County and 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 ...
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 ...
railroad station on the
Raritan Valley Line
The Raritan Valley Line is a commuter rail service operated by New Jersey Transit (NJT) which serves passengers in municipalities in Union, Somerset, Middlesex, Essex, and Hunterdon counties in the Raritan Valley region, primarily in centra ...
, in the Annandale section of Clinton Township. There is a station building that is no longer used and there are two small shelters. This station has limited weekday service and no weekend service. NJ Transit offers bus service on the
884
__NOTOC__
Year 884 ( DCCCLXXXIV) was a leap year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar.
Events
By place Europe
* March 1 – Diego Rodríguez Porcelos, count of Castile, founds and repopulates (''repoblación'') Burgos a ...
route.
The
Norfolk Southern Railway
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I freight railroad operating in the Eastern United States. Headquartered in Atlanta, the company was formed in 1982 with the merger of the Norfolk and Western Railway and Southern Railway. The comp ...
Lehigh Valley Railroad
The Lehigh Valley Railroad was a railroad in the Northeastern United States built predominantly to haul anthracite, anthracite coal from the Coal Region in Northeastern Pennsylvania to major consumer markets in Philadelphia, New York City, and ...
), runs through the southwest part of Clinton Township.
Notable people
People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Clinton Township include:
* Walter Chandoha (1920–2019), animal photographer, known for his 90,000 photographs of cats
* Stephen DiLauro, playwright and ukulele player
* John B. Evans (1942–2004), publisher of ''
The Village Voice
''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture publication based in Greenwich Village, New York City, known for being the country's first Alternative newspaper, alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf (publisher), Dan Wolf, ...
professional baseball
Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in baseball league, leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world.
Moder ...
pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("Pitch (baseball), pitches") the Baseball (ball), baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of out (baseball), retiring a batter (baseball), batter, ...
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Artic ...
* John Manners (1786–1853), physician, lawyer, and politician who served as President of the
New Jersey Senate
The New Jersey Senate is the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. There are 40 legislative districts, representing districts with an average population of 232,225 (2020 figure ...
* Matt McDonald (born 1993), distance runner who specializes in the
marathon
The marathon is a long-distance foot race with a distance of kilometres ( 26 mi 385 yd), usually run as a road race, but the distance can be covered on trail routes. The marathon can be completed by running or with a run/walk strategy. There ...
and has placed in the top 25 in seven
World Marathon Majors
The World Marathon Majors (WMM) sponsored by Abbott Laboratories is a championship-style competition for marathon runners that started in 2006. A points-based competition founded on seven major marathon races recognised as the most high-profile o ...
"North Hunterdon's McDonald chooses Princeton" ''Hunterdon Review'', February 3, 2011. Accessed March 23, 2025. "Clinton Twp. -- North Hunterdon High School’s Matt McDonald will continuing his running career in New Jersey as the cross county and track standout has named Princeton University as his college destination."
Surrounding communities
The township completely surrounds the borough of
Lebanon
Lebanon, officially the Republic of Lebanon, is a country in the Levant region of West Asia. Situated at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian Peninsula, it is bordered by Syria to the north and east, Israel to the south ...
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 ...