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Dennis Township, New Jersey
Township
Township of Dennis
Dennisville Historic District
Dennisville Historic District
Dennis Township highlighted in Cape May County. Inset map: Cape May County highlighted in the State of New Jersey.
Dennis Township highlighted in Cape May County. Inset map: Cape May County highlighted in the State of New Jersey.
Census Bureau map of Dennis Township, New Jersey
Census Bureau map of Dennis Township, New Jersey
Dennis Township, New Jersey is located in Cape May County, New Jersey
Dennis Township, New Jersey
Dennis Township, New Jersey
Location in Cape May County, New Jersey
Dennis Township, New Jersey is located in New Jersey
Dennis Township, New Jersey
Dennis Township, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Dennis Township, New Jersey is located in the United States
Dennis Township, New Jersey
Dennis Township, New Jersey
Location in the United States
Country  United States
State  New Jersey
County Cape May
Incorporated March 1, 1827
Government
 • Type Township
 • Body Township Committee
Area
 • Total 63.94 sq mi (165.61 km2)
 • Land 60.42 sq mi (156.49 km2)
 • Water 3.52 sq mi (9.12 km2)  5.51%
Area rank 19th of 565 in state
3rd of 16 in county
Elevation
16 ft (5 m)
Population
 • Total 6,467
 • Estimate 
(2019)
6,144
 • Rank 330th of 566 in state
5th of 16 in county
 • Density 106.4/sq mi (41.1/km2)
 • Density rank 540th of 566 in state
16th of 16 in county
Time zone UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT))
ZIP Code
08214 - Dennisville
Area code(s) 609 exchanges: 624, 861
FIPS code 3400917560
GNIS feature ID 0882046

Dennis Township is a township in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area. The township's population as of the 2010 United States Census was 6,467, reflecting a decline of 25 (-0.4%) from the 6,492 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 918 (+16.5%) from the 5,574 counted in the 1990 Census.

Dennis Township was incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 1, 1827, from portions of Upper Township. Portions of the township were taken to form Sea Isle City borough (May 22, 1882) and Woodbine borough (March 3, 1903).

New Jersey Monthly magazine ranked Dennis Township as its 20th best place to live in its 2008 rankings of the "Best Places To Live" in New Jersey.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 64.328 square miles (166.611 km2), including 60.799 square miles (157.470 km2) of land and 3.529 square miles (9.141 km2) of water (5.49%).

Belleplain (2010 Census population of 597) is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within the township.

Dennisville is the most important unincorporated community in Dennis Township. Ocean View is served as ZIP code 08230. Other communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Clermont, East Creek, Eldora, Mount Pleasant, North Dennis, North-West Dennis, Ocean View, Savage Pond, South Dennis, South Seaville, Stipsons Island and West Creek Landing.

The township borders Cumberland County, Upper Township, Woodbine Borough, Sea Isle City, Middle Township, and the Delaware Bay.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1830 1,513
1840 1,350 −10.8%
1850 1,604 18.8%
1860 1,558 −2.9%
1870 1,640 5.3%
1880 1,812 10.5%
1890 1,707 −5.8%
1900 2,778 62.7%
1910 1,751 −37.0%
1920 1,639 −6.4%
1930 1,615 −1.5%
1940 1,877 16.2%
1950 1,981 5.5%
1960 2,327 17.5%
1970 2,635 13.2%
1980 3,989 51.4%
1990 5,574 39.7%
2000 6,492 16.5%
2010 6,467 −0.4%
2019 (est.) 6,144 −5.0%
Population sources:1830-2000
1830-1920 1840 1850-1870
1850 1870 1880-1890
1890-1910 1910-1930
1930-1990 2000 2010
* = Lost territory in previous decade.

Census 2010

As of the census of 2010, there were 6,467 people, 2,370 households, and 1,792 families residing in the township. The population density was 106.4 per square mile (41.1/km2). There were 2,672 housing units at an average density of 43.9 per square mile (16.9/km2)*. The racial makeup of the township was 96.75% (6,257) White, 0.79% (51) Black or African American, 0.19% (12) Native American, 0.56% (36) Asian, 0.03% (2) Pacific Islander, 0.32% (21) from other races, and 1.36% (88) from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.81% (117) of the population.

There were 2,370 households out of which 29.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.8% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.4% were non-families. 19.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.6% 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 3.07.

In the township, the population was spread out with 21.4% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 20.9% from 25 to 44, 34.1% from 45 to 64, and 15.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44.5 years. For every 100 females there were 96.9 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and old there were 94.1 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $84,205 (with a margin of error of +/- $5,160) and the median family income was $84,400 (+/- $4,219). Males had a median income of $52,571 (+/- $3,535) versus $40,023 (+/- $5,496) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $30,545 (+/- $2,875). About 5.4% of families and 7.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.0% of those under age 18 and 5.4% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 6,492 people, 2,159 households, and 1,737 families residing in the township. The population density was 105.8 people per square mile (40.9/km2). There were 2,327 housing units at an average density of 37.9 per square mile (14.6/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 97.43% White, 0.96% African American, 0.09% Native American, 0.43% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.62% from other races, and 0.46% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.51% of the population.

There were 2,159 households, out of which 41.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.9% were married couples living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.5% were non-families. 15.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.91 and the average family size was 3.24.

In the township the population was spread out, with 28.3% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 30.6% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 12.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.4 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $56,595, and the median income for a family was $61,445. Males had a median income of $41,404 versus $31,329 for females. The per capita income for the township was $21,455. About 4.0% of families and 5.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.6% of those under age 18 and 4.2% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation

2020-07-16 14 37 25 View south along New Jersey State Route 444 (Garden State Parkway) at Exit 17 (Sea Isle City, Dennis Township) in Dennis Township, Cape May County, New Jersey
Garden State Parkway southbound at exit 17 in Dennis Township

As of May 2010, the township had a total of 112.5 miles (181.1 km) of roadways, of which 58.7 miles (94.5 km) were maintained by the municipality, 32.9 miles (52.9 km) by Cape May County, 16.7 miles (26.9 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and 4.2 miles (6.8 km) by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.

The Garden State Parkway is the most prominent highway serving Dennis Township, running for more than 4.1 miles (6.6 km) through the township. Other significant roads serving the township include U.S. Route 9, New Jersey Route 47, New Jersey Route 83 and New Jersey Route 347.

Education

The Dennis Township Public Schools serve students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. As of the 2020–21 school year, the district, comprised of two schools, had an enrollment of 615 students and 62.4 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 9.9:1. Schools in the district (with 2020–21 enrollment from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Dennis Township Primary School with 268 students in grades PreK-2 and Dennis Township Elementary / Middle School with 336 students in grades 3-8.

Students in public school for ninth through twelfth grades attend Middle Township High School in Cape May Court House, together with students from Avalon, Stone Harbor and Woodbine, as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Middle Township Public Schools. As of the 2020–21 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 741 students and 64.6 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.5:1.

Students are also eligible to attend the Cape May County Technical High School in Cape May Court House, which serves students from the entire county in its comprehensive and vocational programs, which are offered without charge to students who are county residents.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden operates Bishop McHugh Regional School in Dennis Township, which has a Cape May Courthouse postal address. The Press of Atlantic City describes the school as being in Ocean View, though it lies outside of the Ocean View CDP.

Notable people

See also (related category): People from Dennis Township, New Jersey

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

  • Richard S. Leaming (1828-1895), ship builder and politician who served in both the New Jersey General Assembly and the New Jersey Senate and on the Cape May County Board of Chosen Freeholders.
  • Jonathan Maslow (1948-2008), author who wrote extensively about nature, with a focus on obscure and little-understood animals.
  • Willie Royster (1954-2015), catcher who played in four games for the Baltimore Orioles in 1981.
  • Jeff Van Drew (born 1953), U.S. Representative for New Jersey's 2nd congressional district and former member of the New Jersey Senate, representing the 1st legislative district.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Municipio de Dennis (Nueva Jersey) para niños

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