Pennsville, New Jersey
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Pennsville 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 ...
in Salem 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 ...
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 ...
. The township is named for
William Penn William Penn ( – ) was an English writer, religious thinker, and influential Quakers, Quaker who founded the Province of Pennsylvania during the British colonization of the Americas, British colonial era. An advocate of democracy and religi ...
. It is the westernmost town in New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 12,684, a decrease of 725 (−5.4%) from the 2010 census count of 13,409, which in turn reflected an increase of 215 (+1.6%) from the 13,194 counted in the 2000 census. The township had the 24th-highest property tax rate in New Jersey, with an equalized rate of 4.285% in 2020, compared to 3.476% in the county as a whole and a statewide average of 2.279%. The township, and all of Salem County, is part of
South Jersey South Jersey, also known as Southern New Jersey, comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is located between Pennsylvania and the lower Delaware River to its west, the Atlantic Ocean to its east, Delaware to its south, ...
and of the
Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
- Wilmington- Camden, PA-NJ- DE- MD combined statistical area, also known as the Delaware Valley or Philadelphia metropolitan area.


History


Early History

At the time of the European settlements in America in the 1600s, 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 ...
Tribe called Unilachtigo occupied the area, calling it "Hoppemense." In 1638
Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...
established a trading fort in Wilmington, and called it
Fort Christina Fort Christina, also called Fort Altena, was the first Sweden, Swedish settlement in North America and the principal settlement of the New Sweden colony. Built in 1638 and named after Christina, Queen of Sweden, it was located approximately 1&nb ...
. Only 24 Swedish Soldiers came on the first expedition. Their orders were to buy land, build a fort and establish trade on the West side of the
Delaware River The Delaware River is a major river in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States and is the longest free-flowing (undammed) river in the Eastern United States. From the meeting of its branches in Hancock, New York, the river flows for a ...
. There were no colonists at Fort Christina in 1638. It wasn't until 1641 that the Swedes purchased land on the east side of the Delaware River. A ''May 1671 Census of the Delaware'' by Walter Wharton documents Swedes and Finns living on the East side of the Delaware River in what is known as Pennsville today.


Fenwick's Colony

When English Quaker John Fenwick arrived in 1675 to colonize his territory in West Jersey, called Fenwick’s Colony, he had already sold large tracts of land to fellow Englishmen, and he named the area West Fenwick. He was not yet aware that there were already European settlements here along the Delaware River. The plantations owned by the Swedes and Finns in West Fenwick Township which pre-dated Fenwick’s arrival at Obisquahassit, Finns Town and in the Church Town area, reluctantly acknowledged John Fenwick as the new Lord Proprietor. To insure possession of their tracts of land, they signed quit claims to Fenwick in consideration of a yearly rental payment. A series of financial, legal, and political difficulties followed John Fenwick from England, as well as a couple of imprisonments in America; so by age 65 John Fenwick was in declining health. Those four factors caused Fenwick to convey all his right, title and interest in West Jersey, except for 150,000 acres, to William Penn on March 23, 1682. Fenwick died in 1683.


After Fenwick's Colony

In 1701 West Fenwick was renamed Penns Neck Township in honor of the new Proprietor, William Penn. On July 10, 1721, Penns Neck was divided into Upper and Lower Penns Neck. The Township was incorporated in 1798 as one of New Jersey’s original group of 104 townships. The township was renamed Pennsville Township based on the results of a referendum held on November 2, 1965.Snyder, John P
''The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606–1968''
Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 216. Accessed May 30, 2024.
Pennsville became a resort destination because of two riverfront resort hotels: The Silver Grove Hotel in 1851 and the River View Hotel in 1883. Both waterfront properties were located right next to each other in Pennsville. In 1908 a new resort community of Fenton’s Beach was developed at Deep Water Point. In 1914, the Silver Grove Hotel owner purchased the River View Hotel to create Riverview Beach Park. In 1922, an adjoining farm was purchased, and the Park expanded again. Thousands would come by the Wilson Line ferry to the park each day from May to September. In 1916, the
DuPont Company Dupont, DuPont, Du Pont, duPont, or du Pont may refer to: People * Dupont (surname), a surname of French origin * Du Pont family, one of the wealthiest families in the United States Companies * DuPont, one of the world's largest chemical compan ...
bought the Fenton's Beach resort community and established the DuPont Dye Works. In 1929 the Deepwater Generating Station was built. In 1951 the
Delaware Memorial Bridge The Delaware Memorial Bridge is a dual-span suspension bridge crossing the Delaware River. The toll bridges carry Interstate 295 and U.S. Route 40 and is also the link between Delaware and New Jersey. The bridge was designed by the firm o ...
nearby Pennsville linking New Jersey and Delaware was opened. In 1971, a sanitary landfill in Pennsville was registered with the
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) is a government agency in the U.S. state of New Jersey that is responsible for managing the state's natural resources and addressing issues related to pollution. NJDEP now has a staf ...
. It operated until April 1988. It was formally closed and emptied in 2005 and 2006.


Geography

According to the
U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The U.S. Census Bureau is part of the U ...
, the township has a total area of 24.58 square miles (63.66 km2), including 21.27 square miles (55.08 km2) of land and 3.31 square miles (8.58 km2) of water (13.48%). Pennsville (with a 2010 census population of 11,888,) is an
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 ...
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 ...
(CDP) area located within Pennsville Township.New Jersey: 2010 - Population and Housing Unit Counts - 2010 Census of Population and Housing (CPH-2-32)
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 ...
, August 2012. Accessed January 17, 2013.
Other unincorporated communities, localities and places located partially or completely within the township include Cedar Crest, Churchtown, Central Park, Deepwater, Fort Mott, Glenside, Harrisonville, Penn Beach, and Valley Park. The
Salem River The Salem River is a tributary of the Delaware River in southwestern New Jersey in the United States. The course and watershed of the Salem River are entirely within Salem County. Tributaries of the Salem include Game Creek, Mannington Cr ...
flows along the township's eastern and southern boundaries. The township borders the Salem County municipalities of Carneys Point Township, Elsinboro Township, Mannington Township, and Salem. Pennsville Township also borders a section of New Castle County,
Delaware Delaware ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic and South Atlantic states, South Atlantic regions of the United States. It borders Maryland to its south and west, Pennsylvania to its north, New Jersey ...
, which is one of only two points of land east of the
Delaware River The Delaware River is a major river in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States and is the longest free-flowing (undammed) river in the Eastern United States. From the meeting of its branches in Hancock, New York, the river flows for a ...
that are within the state of Delaware, the other being on
Artificial Island An artificial island or man-made island is an island that has been Construction, constructed by humans rather than formed through natural processes. Other definitions may suggest that artificial islands are lands with the characteristics of hum ...
in Lower Alloways Creek Township.


Demographics


2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 13,409 people, 5,491 households, and 3,706 families in the township. The population density was . There were 5,914 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup was 94.68% (12,696)
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 ...
, 1.54% (206) Black or African American, 0.23% (31) Native American, 1.42% (190) Asian, 0.01% (2)
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 ...
, 0.92% (124) from other races, and 1.19% (160) 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 3.07% (411) of the population. Of the 5,491 households, 27.4% had children under the age of 18; 50.6% were married couples living together; 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present and 32.5% were non-families. Of all households, 27.3% were made up of individuals and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.97. 21.9% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 25.0% from 25 to 44, 29.6% from 45 to 64, and 15.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.8 years. For every 100 females, the population had 95.1 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 92.1 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 $58,153 (with a margin of error of +/− $4,425) and the median family income was $71,327 (+/− $6,934). Males had a median income of $53,166 (+/− $4,370) versus $42,054 (+/− $3,006) 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 $29,275 (+/− $1,740). About 7.0% of families and 9.8% 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 13.4% of those under age 18 and 5.9% of those age 65 or over.


2000 census

As of the 2000 U.S. census, there were 13,194 people, 5,317 households, and 3,711 families residing in the township. The population density was . There were 5,623 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the township was 96.68%
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 ...
, 0.96%
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 ...
, 0.16% Native American, 0.96% Asian, 0.02%
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 ...
, 0.39% from other races, and 0.83% 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 1.60% of the population.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Pennsville township, New Jersey
,
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 October 31, 2016.
DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Pennsville township, Salem County, New Jersey
,
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 January 17, 2013.
There were 5,317 households, out of which 29.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.3% 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, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.2% were non-families. 26.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 2.98. In the township, the population was spread out, with 23.2% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 25.4% from 45 to 64, and 15.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over there were 90.1 males. The median income for a household in the township was $47,250, and the median income for a family was $57,340. Males had a median income of $45,523 versus $29,629 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 $22,717. About 3.1% of families and 4.9% 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 5.2% of those under age 18 and 5.1% of those age 65 or over.


Government


Local government

Pennsville Township is governed under the
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 ...
form of New Jersey municipal government, one of 141 (of the 564) municipalities in New Jersey 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 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 ...
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 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 ...
, April 2006, p. 19.
At an annual reorganization meeting, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor and another as Deputy Mayor. , the members of the Pennsville Township committee are
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 ...
Daniel J. Neu ( R, term on committee ends December 31, 2025; term as mayor ends 2024),
Deputy Mayor The deputy mayor (also known as vice mayor and assistant mayor) is an elective or appointive office of the second-ranking official that is present in many local governments. Duties and functions Many elected deputy mayors are members of the loca ...
Scott Hourigan (R, term on committee ends 2025; term as deputy mayor ends 2024), John Dyer (R, 2026), Melissa Fitchett (R, 2026) and Peter E. Halter Sr. (R, 2024).Township Committee
Township of Pennsville. Accessed July 23, 2024. "The Township Committee is comprised of five members – the Mayor and four individuals, each of who serves a term of three years. At the reorganization meeting in January, the Committee selects one of its own to serve as Mayor."
Election Summary Report General Election November 7, 2023 Official Results
Salem County, New Jersey Salem County is the westernmost county in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Its western boundary is formed by the Delaware River, and it has the eastern terminus of the Delaware Memorial Bridge, which connects the county with New Castle, Delaw ...
, updated November 21, 2023. Accessed January 1, 2024.
November 8, 2022 Summary Report Salem County, NJ Official Results
Salem County, New Jersey Salem County is the westernmost county in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Its western boundary is formed by the Delaware River, and it has the eastern terminus of the Delaware Memorial Bridge, which connects the county with New Castle, Delaw ...
Clerk. Accessed January 1, 2023.
Election Summary Report General Election Salem County November 2, 2021 Official Results Report
Salem County, New Jersey Salem County is the westernmost county in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Its western boundary is formed by the Delaware River, and it has the eastern terminus of the Delaware Memorial Bridge, which connects the county with New Castle, Delaw ...
, updated November 15, 2021. Accessed January 1, 2022.


Federal, state, and county representation

Pennsville Township is located in the 2nd 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 3rd 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 9,062 registered voters in Pennsville Township, of which 2,572 (28.4% vs. 30.6% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 1,797 (19.8% vs. 21.0%) 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 4,686 (51.7% vs. 48.4%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 7 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.Voter Registration Summary - Salem
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 ...
Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed January 17, 2013.
Among the township's 2010 Census population, 67.6% (vs. 64.6% in Salem County) were registered to vote, including 86.5% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 84.4% countywide). 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: ...
, 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 53.4% of the vote (3,175 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 44.6% (2,651 votes), and other candidates with 2.0% (116 votes), among the 5,999 ballots cast by the township's 9,285 registered voters (57 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 64.6%. 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 3,204 votes (48.7% vs. 46.6% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 3,129 votes (47.6% vs. 50.4%) and other candidates with 153 votes (2.3% vs. 1.6%), among the 6,576 ballots cast by the township's 9,291 registered voters, for a turnout of 70.8% (vs. 71.8% in Salem County). 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 3,547 votes (54.3% vs. 52.5% countywide), ahead of 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 2,859 votes (43.8% vs. 45.9%) and other candidates with 81 votes (1.2% vs. 1.0%), among the 6,528 ballots cast by the township's 9,041 registered voters, for a turnout of 72.2% (vs. 71.0% in the whole county). 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 72.2% of the vote (2,848 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 25.5% (1,007 votes), and other candidates with 2.3% (89 votes), among the 3,979 ballots cast by the township's 9,134 registered voters (35 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 43.6%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 1,959 votes (46.9% vs. 46.1% countywide), 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 1,688 votes (40.4% vs. 39.9%), 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 424 votes (10.1% vs. 9.7%) and other candidates with 75 votes (1.8% vs. 2.0%), among the 4,181 ballots cast by the township's 9,259 registered voters, yielding a 45.2% turnout (vs. 47.3% in the county).


Education

Students in public school for
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
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 ...
attend the Pennsville School District. As of the 2021–22 school year, the district, comprised of five schools, had an enrollment of 1,809 students and 166.9 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 10.8:1.District information for Pennsville 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 December 1, 2022.
Schools in the district (with 2020–21 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 Valley Park Elementary School with 340 students in grades preK-1, Central Park Elementary School with 237 students in grades 2-3, Penn Beach Elementary School with 302 students in grades 4-5, Pennsville Middle School with 450 students in grades 6-8 and
Pennsville Memorial High School Pennsville Memorial High School is comprehensive community public high school in Pennsville Township, Salem County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, that serves students in ninth through twelfth grades as the lone secondary school of the Penn ...
with 450 students in grades 9-12. A private school also operates in Pennsville. Guardian Angels Regional School is a
K-8 school K8 or K-8 may refer to: * K-8 (Kansas highway), two highways in Kansas, one in northern Kansas, one in southern Kansas * K-8 school, a type of school that includes kindergarten and grades one through eight * K8 telephone box, designed by Bruce M ...
that operates under the auspices of the
Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden The Diocese of Camden () is a Latin Church diocese of the Catholic Church in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It consists of 62 parishes and about 475,000 Catholics in the South Jersey counties of Atlantic, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, ...
. Its PreK-3 campus is in Gibbstown while its 4-8 campus is in
Paulsboro Paulsboro is a borough situated on the banks of the Delaware River in Gloucester County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, within the Philadelphia metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 6,196, an in ...
.


Transportation


Roads and highways

, the township had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality, by Salem 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 ...
, by the
Delaware River and Bay Authority The Delaware River and Bay Authority (DRBA) is a bi-state government agency of the United States, U.S. states of Delaware and New Jersey established by an interstate compact in 1962. The authority operates the Delaware Memorial Bridge, Delaw ...
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 ...
. Pennsville houses county, state, U.S., Interstates and toll expressways, which all converge at the northern part of the township near Deepwater. The southern terminus of
U.S. Route 130 U.S. Route 130 (US 130) is a United States Numbered Highway System, U.S. Highway that is a spur route of U.S. Route 30 in New Jersey, U.S. Route 30, located completely within the state of New Jersey. It is signed with north and south cardinal di ...
is in the township. Route 49 begins at the converging point and travels south for about through the center of town. Interstate 295 and
U.S. Route 40 U.S. Route 40 or U.S. Highway 40 (US 40), also known as the Main Street of America (a nickname shared with U.S. Route 66), is a major east–west United States Highway traveling across the United States from the Mountain States to the Mid- ...
(multiplexed together) also pass through the north which houses Exit 1 along I-295 and which is also the
Delaware Memorial Bridge The Delaware Memorial Bridge is a dual-span suspension bridge crossing the Delaware River. The toll bridges carry Interstate 295 and U.S. Route 40 and is also the link between Delaware and New Jersey. The bridge was designed by the firm o ...
that connects to the state of
Delaware Delaware ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic and South Atlantic states, South Atlantic regions of the United States. It borders Maryland to its south and west, Pennsylvania to its north, New Jersey ...
. In addition, the
New Jersey Turnpike The New Jersey Turnpike (NJTP) is a system of controlled-access highway, controlled-access toll roads in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The turnpike is maintained by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA).The Garden State Parkway, although ma ...
begins where Routes 49, 40, 130 and 295 all intersect with one another, with the creation of a roadway from Pennsville to Woodbridge Township being the initial goal when 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 ...
was created in 1948. Despite the Turnpike's southern end being in the township, Exit 1 is officially located in neighboring Carneys Point Township. The only major county road that travels through is County Road 551.


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 ...
offers bus service to and from
Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
on the
402 __NOTOC__ Year 402 ( CDII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Arcadius and Honorius (or, less frequently, year 1155 ''Ab urbe condita''). The denomination 4 ...
route, and local service on the
468 __NOTOC__ Year 468 ( CDLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Anthemius without colleague (or, less frequently, year 1221 ''Ab urbe condita''). The denomin ...
routes.


Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Pennsville Township include: * Kenneth A. Black Jr. (1932–2019), politician who served in the
New Jersey General Assembly The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature. Since the election of 1967 (1968 session), the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts f ...
from District 3A from 1968 to 1974 * Paul Anthony Ciancia (born 1990), convicted for the
2013 Los Angeles International Airport shooting On November 1, 2013, a terrorist attack occurred at around 9:20 a.m. PDT in Terminal 3 of the Los Angeles International Airport. 23-year-old Paul Anthony Ciancia opened fire with a rifle, killing a Transportation Security Administration o ...
*
Gene Foster Irving Eugene Foster (March 20, 1942) is an American former professional football running back in the American Football League (AFL) for the San Diego Chargers. He also was a member of the Edmonton Eskimos and Ottawa Rough Riders in the Canadian ...
(born 1942), professional football
linebacker Linebacker (LB) is a playing position in gridiron football. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and typically line up three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage and so back up the defensive linemen. They play closer to the line ...
who played for the
San Diego Chargers The San Diego Chargers were a professional American football team in the National Football League (NFL). The Chargers played in San Diego, California from 1961 until 2016, before relocating back to the Greater Los Angeles area, where the franch ...
from 1965 to 1970 * Daniel Garrison (1782–1851), member of the
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 ...
from New Jersey from 1823 to 1827 *
Thomas A. Pankok Thomas A. Pankok (July 9, 1931 – January 31, 2022) was an American Democratic Party politician who served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1982 to 1986, where he represented the 3rd Legislative District. Born on July 9, 1931, in Sal ...
(1931–2022), politician who represented the 3rd Legislative District in the
New Jersey General Assembly The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature. Since the election of 1967 (1968 session), the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts f ...
from 1982 to 1986 * Dave Romansky (1938–2024),
Olympic Olympic or Olympics may refer to Sports Competitions * Olympic Games, international multi-sport event held since 1896 ** Summer Olympic Games ** Winter Olympic Games * Ancient Olympic Games, ancient multi-sport event held in Olympia, Greece bet ...
race walker Race walking, or racewalking, is a long-distance discipline within the sport of athletics. Although a foot race, it is different from running in that one foot must appear to be in contact with the ground at all times. Race judges carefully asses ...
*
Ritch Shydner Ritchie A. "Ritch" Shydner (born December 3, 1952) is an American stand-up comedian, comedy writer and actor. Early life Shydner was born in the small town of Pennsville Township, New Jersey, and attended Pennsville Memorial High School. He stu ...
(born 1951), writer, producer and actor * Chris Widger (born 1971),
Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...
catcher and World Series Champion * Mike Widger (1948–2016), linebacker who played in the
Canadian Football League The Canadian Football League (CFL; , LCF) is a Professional gridiron football, professional Canadian football league in Canada. It comprises nine teams divided into two divisions, with four teams in the East Division (CFL), East Division and f ...
for the
Montreal Alouettes The Montreal Alouettes (Canadian French, French: ''Les Alouettes de Montréal'') are a professional Canadian football team based in Montreal, Quebec. Founded in 1946, the team has disbanded twice and been re-established thrice. The Alouettes compe ...
and
Ottawa Rough Riders The Ottawa Rough Riders were a Canadian Football League team based in Ottawa, Ontario, founded on September 19, 1876. Formerly one of the oldest and longest-lived professional sports teams in North America, the Rough Riders won the Grey Cup cham ...
* Norm Willey (1927–2011), defensive lineman who played in the
National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...
for the
Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The team plays its ...
and then taught and coached football at
Pennsville Memorial High School Pennsville Memorial High School is comprehensive community public high school in Pennsville Township, Salem County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, that serves students in ninth through twelfth grades as the lone secondary school of the Penn ...
after retiringPawling, Chris
"Norm Willey passes with great reputation left behind"
''
South Jersey Times The ''South Jersey Times'' is a newspaper serving the South Jersey area of New Jersey. History The newspaper began publication on November 4, 2012, following a merger of three affiliated papers, '' Gloucester County Times'', '' The News of Cu ...
'', August 20, 2011. Accessed November 4, 2013. "Pennsville legend and former Philadelphia Eagles Pro-Bowler Norm Willey passed away earlier this week — just a few days before his 84th birthday — but leaves behind a reputation that will live on for many more years. Willey had the annual Thanksgiving Day trophy — the Norm Willey Boot, which is given to the winner of the Pennsville-Penns Grove football game — named after him."


References


External links


Pennsville Township website



Pennsville School District
*
School Data for the Pennsville 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 ...
{{Authority control 1721 establishments in New Jersey Populated places established in 1721 Township form of New Jersey government Townships in New Jersey Townships in Salem County, New Jersey New Jersey populated places on the Delaware River