Hampton is a

borough A borough is an administrative division in various English language, English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely. History ...

in Hunterdon County, 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 ...

. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 1,438, an increase of 37 (+2.6%) from the 2010 census count of 1,401, which in turn reflected a decline of 145 (−9.4%) from the 1,546 counted in the 2000 census.

History

What is now Hampton was originally incorporated 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 ...

as Junction Borough on February 20, 1895, from portions of both Lebanon Township and Bethlehem Township, based on the results of a referendum held on the previous day. By a resolution of the borough council, the name was changed to Hampton as of February 11, 1909. In 1931, additional territory was annexed from both Glen Gardner and Bethlehem Township.Snyder, John P
''The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968''
Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 155. Accessed May 28, 2024. As part of the 1931 settlement reached between the two municipalities to resolve a border dispute dating back to the borough of Glen Gardner's formation in 1919, Hampton paid Glen Gardner $4,000 (equivalent to $ in ) for of land that became part of the borough. Located on the banks of the

Musconetcong River The Musconetcong River is a tributary of the Delaware River in northwestern New Jersey in the United States.U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed April 1, 2011 It flows throug ...

, Hampton was first settled in 1800. In 1880, the town consisted of a store, hotel, cabinet manufacturer, blacksmith, wheelwright shop, grist mill, school house and about 25 dwellings. Hampton was once known as "Junction" because the

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 ...

and the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad crossed through here. The cremated remains of

occultist The occult () is a category of esoteric or supernatural beliefs and practices which generally fall outside the scope of organized religion and science, encompassing phenomena involving a 'hidden' or 'secret' agency, such as magic and mystic ...

Aleister Crowley Aleister Crowley ( ; born Edward Alexander Crowley; 12 October 1875 – 1 December 1947) was an English occultist, ceremonial magician, poet, novelist, mountaineer, and painter. He founded the religion of Thelema, identifying himself as the pr ...

were buried under a tree by O.T.O. successor Karl Germer at his home in Hampton.

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 borough had a total area of 1.52 square miles (3.93 km²), including 1.51 square miles (3.90 km²) of land and 0.01 square miles (0.03 km²) of water (0.79%). Hampton Junction is an unincorporated community within Hampton. The borough borders the municipalities of Bethlehem Township, Glen Gardner Borough and Lebanon Township in Hunterdon County; and Washington Township in Warren County.

Demographics

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 1,401 people, 570 households, and 368 families in the borough. 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 915.1 per square mile (353.3/km²). There were 612 housing units at an average density of 399.7 per square mile (154.3/km²). The racial makeup was 92.29% (1,293)

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 ...

, 2.50% (35) Black or African American, 0.71% (10) Native American, 1.86% (26) Asian, 0.07% (1)

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 ...

, 1.00% (14) from other races, and 1.57% (22) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.35% (75) of the population. Of the 570 households, 29.3% had children under the age of 18; 50.4% were married couples living together; 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present and 35.4% were non-families. Of all households, 30.2% were made up of individuals and 14.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.11. 21.6% of the population were under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 31.1% from 45 to 64, and 13.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.6 years. For every 100 females, the population had 101.0 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 97.0 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 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 $63,681 (with a margin of error of +/− $9,751) and the median family income was $82,396 (+/− $19,162). Males had a median income of $54,500 (+/− $9,914) versus $33,594 (+/− $8,886) 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 $30,468 (+/− $3,353). About 10.2% of families and 10.0% 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 17.3% of those under age 18 and 10.1% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States census there were 1,546 people, 559 households, and 377 families residing in the borough. The population density was . There were 574 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the borough was 91.01%

, 4.98%

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 ...

, 0.39% Native American, 0.97% Asian, 0.78% from other races, and 1.88% 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 2.85% of the population.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Hampton borough, New Jersey
,

. Accessed November 14, 2012.DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Hampton borough, Hunterdon County, New Jersey
,

. Accessed November 14, 2012. There were 559 households, out of which 36.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.3% 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, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.4% were non-families. 27.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.20. In the borough the population was spread out, with 25.7% under the age of 18, 10.9% from 18 to 24, 30.3% from 25 to 44, 22.1% from 45 to 64, and 11.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 106.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 108.0 males. The median income for a household in the borough was $51,111, and the median income for a family was $64,583. Males had a median income of $45,096 versus $32,000 for females. The

for the borough was $22,440. About 7.1% of families and 8.3% of the population were below the

, including 11.1% of those under age 18 and 3.5% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

Hampton is governed under the

form of New Jersey municipal government, which is used in 218 municipalities (of the 564) statewide, making it the most common form of government in New Jersey. The governing body is comprised of the mayor and the borough 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 election. A mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The borough council includes six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle.''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 borough form of government used by Hampton is a " weak mayor / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can

veto A veto is a legal power to unilaterally stop an official action. In the most typical case, a president (government title), president or monarch vetoes a bill (law), bill to stop it from becoming statutory law, law. In many countries, veto powe ...

ordinances subject to an override by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council. , 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 Hampton Borough is Republican Todd Shaner, whose term of office ends December 31, 2023. Members of the Hampton Borough Council are Council President Robert T. Wotanowski (R, 2023), Robert M. Celentano (R, 2023), John R. Drummond (R, 2025), Douglas E. Rega (R, 2024), Carroll L. Swenson (R, 2025) and Jeffrey A. Tampier (R, 2024).Borough Council
Hampton Borough. Accessed May 3, 2023.Borough of Hampton
Hunterdon County, New Jersey. Accessed May 3, 2023.''2022 County and Municipal Directory''
Hunterdon County, New Jersey. Accessed May 1, 2023.Hunterdon County District Canvass November 8, 2022, General Election
Hunterdon County, New Jersey, updated November 21, 2022. Accessed January 1, 2023.November 2, 2021 District Report Hunterdon County Official Results
Hunterdon County, New Jersey, updated November 12, 2021. Accessed January 1, 2022.November 3, 2020 District Report Hunterdon County Official Results
Hunterdon County, New Jersey, updated November 20, 2020. Accessed January 1, 2021.Hunterdon County District Canvass November 5, 2019, General Election
Hunterdon County, New Jersey, updated November 14, 2019. Accessed January 1, 2020. In May 2013, the borough council selected James Cregar from a list of three candidates recommended by the Republican municipal committee to fill the vacant seat of Mayor Peter Winter following his resignation in May, at which time Cregar had become acting mayor.

Federal, state and county representation

Hampton is located in the 7th 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 23rd 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 884 registered voters in Hampton, of which 182 (20.6%) were registered as Democrats, 270 (30.5%) were registered as Republicans and 432 (48.9%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were no voters registered to other parties. In the 2012 presidential election, 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 ...

received 54.1% of the vote (326 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 43.4% (262 votes), and other candidates with 2.5% (15 votes), among the 612 ballots cast by the borough's 915 registered voters (9 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 66.9%. 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 53.4% of the vote (355 cast), ahead of Democrat

with 43.9% (292 votes) and other candidates with 2.1% (14 votes), among the 665 ballots cast by the borough's 894 registered voters, for a turnout of 74.4%. 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 58.6% of the vote (379 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 39.6% (256 votes) and other candidates with 0.8% (7 votes), among the 647 ballots cast by the borough's 861 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 75.1. 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 72.0% of the vote (272 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 25.1% (95 votes), and other candidates with 2.9% (11 votes), among the 388 ballots cast by the borough's 918 registered voters (10 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 42.3%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 66.8% of the vote (310 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 23.9% (111 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 8.4% (39 votes) and other candidates with 0.4% (2 votes), among the 464 ballots cast by the borough's 879 registered voters, yielding a 52.8% turnout.

Public services

Emergency services

;Fire Department The Hampton Fire Company is an all-

volunteer fire department A volunteer fire department (VFD) is a fire department of volunteers who perform fire suppression and other related emergency services for a local jurisdiction. Volunteer and retained (on-call) firefighters are expected to be on call to respo ...

that was originally established in 1899 as the Junction Fire Company after the borough completed a water system with fire hydrants. In 1909, the name changed to the Musconetcong Fire Company and then later to the Hampton Fire Company. The fire company built the current Borough Hall/Fire House for the borough in 1951. The borough occupied the east side of the building and the fire company used the west side. In 1981, the fire company expanded the building by adding a second floor for borough use and the Fire Company took over the entire lower floor. The fire company currently has as active apparatuses a 1959 International Harvester fire engine, a 2000 Pierce Fire Engine, 2009 Pierce Fire Engine, Engine 13-1 is a 2000 Pierce Dash pumper with an eight-man cab, pump and a tank, a 2013 Ford Expedition Command Vehicle, and a 1978 GMC Rescue Truck. There are more than 40 active members on the rolls which includes an active Junior Firefighter program for young people age 14 and over. ;Emergency squad In 1955, the Hampton Fire Company selected one of its members, Gilbert Riddle, to organize an emergency squad. With the backing of the Fire Company, the present squad became operational in 1956. The Fire Company purchased the first ambulance, which was housed in the firehouse until the squad's permanent facilities were completed. On August 6, 1966 the dedication of the permanent home of the Emergency Squad took place. The Hampton Emergency Squad incorporated itself in 1976, becoming independent of the Fire Company, however its name did not change. In January 1978, the squad established an auxiliary membership. A new GMC rescue truck was purchased in 1978, equipped with four-wheel drive and quartz spotlights for better lighting during accidents and fires. The rescue truck is still in service with the fire company today. The old 1968 Cadillac ambulance was replaced in 1982 by a Braun ambulance, and was later used as a service vehicle. A Ford Horton ambulance was purchased in 1987, and in 1992 another Ford Horton ambulance was added. An additional bay was added to the building in 1979 to provide storage of emergency vehicles and equipment. The Hampton Emergency Squad dedicated their building to the memory of Charles Tampier and William Deemer in 1982. Construction of the second story addition began in September 1985. And then January 1, 2022 the Hampton Emergency Squad merged with South Branch Emergency Services.

Education

The Hampton School District serves students in

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

fifth grade Fifth grade (also 5th Grade or Grade 5) is the fifth or sixth year of formal or compulsory education. In the United States, this is mostly the last grade of primary school, but for some states, it could be the first year of middle school. Primary ...

at Hampton Public School.''2023-2024 Public School Directory''
Hunterdon County Department of Education. Accessed March 1, 2024. As of the 2022–23 school year, the district, comprised of one school, had an enrollment of 112 students and 14.8 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 7.6:1.District information for Hampton Borough 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. In the 2016–17 school year, Hampton was the 15th-smallest enrollment of any school district in the state, with 128 students. Starting in the 2018–19 school year, middle school students in grades 6 through 8 are sent to the Lebanon Township Schools on a tuition basis 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 ...

. As of the 2022–23 school year, Woodglen School had an enrollment of 292 students and 32.4 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a

of 9.0:1. Students in public school for

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 ...

s attend Voorhees High School, which also serves the communities of Califon, Glen Gardner (the home of the school), High Bridge, Lebanon Township and Tewksbury Township. As of the 2022–23 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 672 students and 72.3 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a

of 9.3:1. The school is part of the North Hunterdon-Voorhees Regional High School District, which also serves students from Bethlehem Township, Clinton Town, Clinton Township, Franklin Township, Lebanon Borough and Union Township at North Hunterdon High School in Clinton Township.About the District
North Hunterdon-Voorhees Regional High School District. Accessed December 7, 2014. "Our district consists of 12 municipalities: North Hunterdon High School educates students from: Bethlehem Township, Clinton Town, Clinton Township, Franklin Township, Lebanon Borough, Union Township; Voorhees High School educates students from: Califon, Glen Gardner, Hampton, High Bridge, Lebanon Township, Tewksbury Township" Eighth grade students from all of Hunterdon County are eligible to apply to attend the high school programs offered by the Hunterdon County Vocational School District, a county-wide vocational school district that offers career and technical education at its campuses in Raritan Township and at programs sited at local high schools, with no tuition charged to students for attendance.

Transportation

, the borough 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 ...

. New Jersey Route 31 is the main highway through Hampton.

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Hampton include: * Daryl Cobb (born 1961), children's book author * Stephen Dilts, former commissioner of the

who served as mayor of Hampton * Frank L. Howley (1903–1993), United States Army Brigadier General * Stephen Kovacs (1972–2022),

saber A sabre or saber ( ) is a type of backsword with a curved blade associated with the light cavalry of the Early Modern warfare, early modern and Napoleonic period, Napoleonic periods. Originally associated with Central European cavalry such a ...

fencer and fencing coach, charged with

sexual assault Sexual assault is an act of sexual abuse in which one intentionally Physical intimacy, sexually touches another person without that person's consent, or Coercion, coerces or physically forces a person to engage in a sexual act against their w ...

, died in prison * Sidney Rivera (born 1993), professional soccer player * Matt Walton (born 1973), stage, screen and television actor who appeared on '' Onion SportsDome'' * Glenway Wescott (1901–1987), novelist *

Bernie Worrell George Bernard Worrell, Jr. (April 19, 1944 – June 24, 2016) was an American Keyboard instrument, keyboardist and record producer best known as a founding member of the Parliament-Funkadelic collective. In later years, he also worked with ...

(1944–2016), keyboardist for

Parliament-Funkadelic Parliament-Funkadelic (abbreviated as P-Funk) is an American musical collective, music collective of rotating musicians headed by George Clinton (funk musician), George Clinton, primarily consisting of the funk bands Parliament (band), Parliame ...

Jordan, Chris
"In New Jersey, legendary keyboardist Bernie Worrell is never far from home; In New Jersey, legendary keyboardist Bernie Worrell is never far from home"
''

Asbury Park Press The ''Asbury Park Press'', formerly known as the ''Shore Press'', ''Daily Press'', ''Asbury Park Daily Press'', and ''Asbury Park Evening Press'', is the third largest daily newspaper in the state of New Jersey. Established in 1879, it has been o ...

'', June 21, 2012. Accessed November 14, 2012. "Worrell has brought that sense of fun to millions across the globe, most notably as a member of Parliament-Funkadelic. In the upcoming weeks, his focus will be on his home state of Jersey. His annual Local and Legend festival take place Saturday, June 23, at the Unionville Vineyards in Ringoes, near his home in Hampton."

References

External links

Hampton Borough website

Hunterdon County webpage for Hampton Borough

Hampton Public School
*
School Data for the Hampton Public School

{{Authority control 1895 establishments in New Jersey Boroughs in New Jersey Boroughs in Hunterdon County, New Jersey Populated places established in 1895 Borough form of New Jersey government