Burlington County, New Jersey

Burlington County, New Jersey
Burlington County is a county in the South Jersey region of the U.S. state of New Jersey. The county is the largest by land area in New Jersey and ranks second behind neighboring Ocean County in total area. Its county seat is Mount Holly. As of the 2020 census, the county was the state's 11th-most-populous county, with a population of 461,860, its highest decennial count ever and an increase of 13,126 (+2.9%) from the 448,734 recorded at the 2010 census, which in turn had reflected an increase of 25,340 (6.0%) from the 423,394 enumerated at the 2000 census. The most populous place in the county was Evesham Township with 46,826 residents as of the 2020 census. Washington Township covered , the largest area of any municipality in the county.
Burlington County is located east of the Delaware River and borders Philadelphia, the nation's sixth-largest city. It is part of the Philadelphia-Camden-Vineland, PA-NJ-DE-MD combined statistical area, also known as the Delaware Valley. However, the county stretches across the state, and its southeast corner reaches tidal estuaries leading to New Jersey's Great Bay, which separates the county from the Atlantic Ocean.
Etymology
Anglo-European records of Burlington County date to 1681, when its court was established in the Province of West Jersey. The county was formed on May 17, 1694, "by the union of the first and second Tenths." The county was named for Bridlington, a town in England.
History
Burlington County, originally the seat of government for the Province of West Jersey, merged with East Jersey in 1702 to form the Province of New Jersey. At its inception, Burlington County was considerably larger but was subsequently partitioned to form additional counties in response to population growth. Specifically, in 1714, a partition to the north led to the creation of Hunterdon County. Hunterdon County itself was further divided over time, resulting in the formation of three additional counties: Morris, Sussex and Warren.
Initially, the county seat was in Burlington. However, as the population began to increase and spread toward the interior of the province, away from the Delaware River, a more central location became necessary. Consequently, the seat of government was relocated to Mount Holly in 1793.
The period of industrialization saw significant improvements in transportation within Burlington County, which in turn enhanced the profitability of its agricultural sector. Concurrently, a population surge in the coastal communities, fueled by flourishing international trade and ship repair industries, necessitated extensive road improvements throughout the county.
Geography and climate
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of the 2020 Census, the county had a total area of , of which was land (97.5%) and was water (2.5%).
Most of the county's land is coastal and alluvial plain, with little topographic relief. There are a few anomalous hills, such as Apple Pie Hill and Arney's Mount, the highest of the county and among the highest in South Jersey at approximately above sea level. The low point is sea level along the Delaware and Mullica rivers.
Most of the land is dotted with rivers, streams, and wetlands. Some of the largest and most important rivers in Burlington County include Rancocas Creek, Assiscunk Creek, Pennsauken Creek, Mullica River, Batsto River, and Wading River.
Average temperatures in the county seat of Mount Holly have ranged from a low of in January to a high of in July, although a record low of was recorded in February 1934 and a record high of was recorded in July 1936. Average monthly precipitation ranged from in February to in August. According to the Köppen climate classification, Burlington County has a humid subtropical climate (Cfa), with relatively cool to cold winters and hot summers.
Severe weather is common in the warm months. Hurricanes have struck Burlington County on occasion, but tornadoes are uncommon. Severe thunderstorms, however, are common during the warm season. Snowfall is typical in the winter, with the snowfall averages in the county ranging from about 18 to 22 inches. The nearby Atlantic Ocean moderates Burlington County's climate, and rain is common year-round. The county seat receives about 41 inches of rain per year.
Another weather phenomenon that occurs in Burlington County is radiative cooling in the Pine Barrens, a large pine forest and reserve that takes up a good portion of Southern and Eastern Burlington County. Due to sandy soil, on clear and dry nights these areas might be colder than the surrounding areas, and there is a shorter frost-free season in these places. The sandy soil of the Pinelands loses heat much faster than the other soils or urban surfaces (concrete, asphalt) in the region, and so achieves a much lower temperature at night than the rest of the county. This effect is far less pronounced on moist, cloudy, or windy nights, as these three factors greatly reduce the radiative cooling of the sandy soil.
Demographics
2020 census
As of the 2020 U.S. census, the county had 461,860 people, 170,074 households, and 170,074 families. The population density was . There were 184,775 housing units at an average density of . The county's racial makeup was 65.6% White, 16.8% African American, 0.25% Native American, 5.68% Asian, and 8.08% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.74% of the population.
There were 170,074 households, of which 31.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.02% were married couples living together, 26.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 14.6% had a male householder with no wife present and 29.4% were non-families. 30.67% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.08.
About 21.1% of the county's population was under age 18, 8.3% was from age 18 to 24, 37.1% was from age 15 to 44, and 17.4% was age 65 or older. The median age was 41.4 years. The gender makeup of the county was 49.23% male and 50.76% female. For every 100 females, there were 97.0 males.
The county's median household income was $88,797, and the median family income was $105,488. About 5.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.5% of those under age 18 and 4.5% of those age 65 or over.
2010 census
The 2010 U.S. census counted 448,734 people, 166,318 households, and 117,254 families in the county. The population density was . There were 175,615 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup was 73.84% (331,342) White, 16.60% (74,505) Black or African American, 0.22% (985) Native American, 4.32% (19,395) Asian, 0.05% (219) Pacific Islander, 2.05% (9,193) from other races, and 2.92% (13,095) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.42% (28,831) of the population.
Of the 166,318 households, 31.3% had children under the age of 18; 54.3% were married couples living together; 12% had a female householder with no husband present and 29.5% were non-families. Of all households, 24.4% were made up of individuals and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.14.
23.2% of the population were under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 25.4% from 25 to 44, 29.2% from 45 to 64, and 13.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.4 years. For every 100 females, the population had 96.6 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 94.6 males.
Economy
The Bureau of Economic Analysis calculated that the county's gross domestic product was $27.4 billion in 2021, which was ranked 10th in the state and was a 5.9% increase from the prior year.
In 2015, the county had a per capita personal income of $55,227, the tenth-highest in New Jersey and ranked 228th of 3,113 counties in the United States. The Bureau of Economic Analysis ranked the county as having the 158th-highest per capita income of all 3,113 counties in the United States (and the 11th-highest in New Jersey) as of 2009.
Government
County government
Burlington County is governed by a board of county commissioners comprised of five members elected at-large by the voters in partisan elections that serve staggered three-year terms, with one or two seats up for election each year in a three-year cycle. Burlington County Board of County Commissioners have both administrative and policy-making powers. Each Burlington County Commissioner oversees a particular area of service: Administration & Natural Resources; Education & Justice; Public Works & Veteran Services; Public Safety & Health and Human Services; and Hospital and Medical Services & Elections. In 2016, commissioners were paid $10,553 and the commissioner director was paid an annual salary of $11,553; the commissioner salaries are the lowest of the state's 21 counties.
, Burlington County's Commissioners are
Director Felicia Hopson (D, Willingboro Township, term as commissioner ends December 31, 2024; term as director ends 2023),
Deputy Director Tom Pullion (D, Edgewater Park, term as commissioner and as deputy director ends 2023),
Allison Eckel (D, Medford, 2025), Daniel J. O'Connell (D, Delran Township, 2024), and Balvir Singh (D, Burlington Township, 2023).
Pursuant to Article VII Section II of the New Jersey State Constitution, each county in New Jersey is required to have three elected administrative officials known as "constitutional officers." These officers are the County Clerk and County Surrogate (both elected for five-year terms of office) and the County Sheriff (elected for a three-year term). Burlington County's Constitutional Officers are
County Clerk Joanne Schwartz (D, Southampton Township, 2023),
Sheriff James H. Kostoplis (D, Bordentown, 2025) and Surrogate Brian J. Carlin (D, Burlington Township, 2026).
The Burlington County Prosecutor is LaChia L. Bradshaw of the Columbus section of Mansfield Township who was nominated by Governor of New Jersey Phil Murphy and sworn into office in July 2022 after confirmation by the New Jersey Senate. Burlington County constitutes Vicinage 3 of the New Jersey Superior Court and is seated at the Burlington County Courts Facility and County Office Building in Mount Holly, with additional space in the Olde Courthouse and Rancocas Building, also in Mount Holly; the Assignment Judge for Vicinage 3 is Ronald E. Bookbinder.
In the 2012 general election, Democrats Aimee Belgard and Joanne Schwartz won the election as Freeholders (now Commissioners) over Republican incumbents Bruce Garganio and Mary Ann O'Brien, despite being outspent by a six-to-one margin. However, in 2014, both Garganio and O'Brien were successful in winning back seats on the Freeholder board, while Aimee Belgard lost her bid for U.S. Congress, losing the popular vote in both Ocean and Burlington counties. In 2015, Republican newcomers Kate Gibbs and Ryan Peters ousted Belgard and Schwartz, again giving the Republican Party full control on the Freeholder Board. In 2017, Democratic newcomers Tom Pullion and Balvir Singh defeated Republican incumbents Bruce Garganio and Linda Hughes, winning the county election for Democrats for the first time in a non-presidential election year in decades.
In 2018, Democrat Joanne Schwartz defeated Republican incumbent Tim Tyler in the County Clerk election. In the freeholder elections, Democrats Felicia Hopson and George Youngkin defeated Republican incumbents Kate Gibbs and Linda Hughes. This gave Democrats a 4-1 majority, gaining control of the Freeholder Board for the first time since 1975. George Youngkin won despite having suspended his campaign due to a past domestic violence charge that was later dropped. He resigned on January 2, the day after being sworn in. Democrats appointed Daniel J. O’Connell to replace him, until a special election could be held on November 5, 2019. In 2019, Democrat Anthony Basantis defeated Republican Michael Ditzel in the Sheriff election, replacing retired Republican Sheriff Jean Stanfield, who was elected to the State Assembly. In the regular election for one freeholder position, Democrat Linda A. Hynes defeated Republican Incumbent Latham Tiver. In the special election for the remaining 2 years of George Youngkin's term, incumbent Democrat Daniel J. O’Connell, who had originally been appointed to the seat, defeated Republican Lee Schneider. The election gave Democrats control over every county-wide office, except the Surrogate. However, the majority of Burlington County's state legislators are still Republicans.
In April 2022, Allison Eckel was appointed to fill the seat expiring in December 2022 that became vacant after Linda Hynes resigned to take office as a New Jersey Superior Court judge. The following month, Burlington County Republicans filed suit, claiming that Eckel should be removed from office and the seat left vacant until November 2022, because the statutory timeline for the appointment was not followed.
Federal representatives
Two federal Congressional Districts cover the county. Most of the county is in the 3rd District, with a sliver in the west being in the 1st District.
State representatives
Burlington County covers four separate legislative districts.
Law enforcement
The Burlington County Sheriff's Department is headed by a sheriff elected to a three-year term. The sheriff is James H. Kostoplis, elected in 2023. It is a member of the New York-New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force. The department has an Administrative Buerau, Operations Bureau and a Courts Bureau. The Administrative Bureau is headed by an Undersheriff and includes a Chief Warrant Officer, Sheriff's Lieutenant, two Sheriff's Sergeants, Sheriff's Officers and a cadre of civilian staff. The Administrative Bureau includes Community Outreach, Recruiting, Civil Process, and Internal Affairs. The Operations Bureau is headed by an undersheriff and includes a Sheriff's Sergeant. The Operations Bureau includes the Warrant/Fugitive Section, K9 Operations, Patrol, Emergency Services Unit (ESU), and Special Operations. The Courts Division is headed by an undersheriff and includes a sheriff's officer, a lieutenant, two sergeants and Sheriff's officers. This section provides security to the courts and the State Judiciary. Notable former sheriffs include William Norton Shinn (1825-1828), Samuel A. Dobbins (1854-1857), and Jean Stanfield (2001-2019).
The county is also home to the majority of megabase, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, the entire Air Force Activity / Headquarters of JB MDL McGuire Air Force Base, and all of the main portions of the Army Support Activity, Fort Dix and most training grounds / shooting ranges lie within the county borders in New Hanover, North Hanover, Pemberton, and Springfield townships.
Politics
While historically a swing county in New Jersey politics, Burlington County has become reliably Democratic in recent decades, including in more affluent communities that have developed new residential areas, such as Medford, Mount Laurel, Moorestown, and Evesham Township (as opposed to areas along the Delaware River occupied by minority and working-class households). Burlington County has closely matched statewide totals in recent presidential, senatorial, and gubernatorial elections, making it an important bellwether. As of October 1, 2021, there were a total of 353,613 registered voters in Burlington County, of whom 139,745 (39.5%) were registered as Democrats, 90,754 (25.7%) were registered as Republicans and 118,992 (33.7%) were registered as unaffiliated. There were 4,122 voters (1.2%) registered to other parties. Among the county's 2010 Census population, 65.2% were registered to vote, included 76.8% of those ages 18 and over.
In the 2020 presidential election, however, the county voted a few points more Democratic than the state as a whole. In the 2016 election, the county mostly voted in the line with the state. In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 126,377 votes countywide, ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 87,401 votes (40.2%) and other candidates with 2,158 votes (1.0%), among the 217,428 ballots cast by the county's 291,760 registered voters, for a turnout of 74.5%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 131,219 votes in the county, ahead of Republican John McCain with 89,626 votes (39.9%) and other candidates with 2,329 votes (1.0%), among the 224,740 ballots cast by the county's 280,836 registered voters, for a turnout of 80.0%.
|}
In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 66,723 votes in Burlington County (48.0%), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 63,114 votes (45.4%), Independent Chris Daggett with 6,333 votes (4.6%) and other candidates with 1,661 votes (1.2%), among the 139,030 ballots cast by the county's 282,209 registered voters, yielding a 49.3% turnout rate. In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 79,220 votes countywide, ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 46,161 votes (35.8%) and other candidates with 1,512 votes (1.2%), among the 129,060 ballots cast by the county's 289,900 registered voters, yielding a 44.5% turnout. In the 2017 gubernatorial election, Republican Kim Guadagno received 52,191 (41.8%) of the vote, and Democrat Phil Murphy received 70,453 (56.5%) of the vote. In the 2021 gubernatorial election, Republican Jack Ciattarelli received 46.1% of the vote (71,772 ballots cast) to Democrat Phil Murphy's 53.3% (82,877 votes).
Municipalities
Municipalities have their own municipal courts, which handle traffic and minor criminal and civil matters, and the New Jersey Superior Court handles more serious cases. The 40 municipalities in Burlington County (with 2010 Census data for population, housing units, and area) are:
Education
Tertiary education
Rowan College at Burlington County is a two-year public community college serving students from Burlington County. The school, located at campuses in Pemberton and Mount Laurel and was founded in 1966 and opened to students in 1969.
K-12 schools
School districts in Burlington County include:
K-12:
Bordentown Regional School District
Burlington County Special Services School District
Burlington Township School District
Cinnaminson Township Public Schools
City of Burlington Public School District
Delran Township School District
Florence Township School District
Maple Shade School District
Moorestown Township Public Schools
Palmyra Public Schools
Pemberton Township School District
Riverside School District
Willingboro Public Schools
Secondary
Burlington County Institute of Technology
Lenape Regional School District
Northern Burlington Regional School District
Pinelands Regional School District
Rancocas Valley Regional School District
Elementary
Beverly City Schools
Chesterfield School District
Delanco Township School District
Eastampton Township School District
Edgewater Park School District
Evesham Township School District
Hainesport Township School District
Lumberton Township School District
Mansfield Public Schools
Medford Lakes School District
Medford Township Public Schools
Mount Holly Township Public Schools
Mount Laurel Schools
New Hanover Township School District
North Hanover Township School District
Riverton School District
Shamong Township School District
Southampton Township Schools
Springfield Township School District
Tabernacle School District
Washington Township School District
Westampton Township Schools
Woodland Township School District
Non-operating
Bass River Township School District
The U.S. Census Bureau lists Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in Burlington County as having its own school district. Students attend area school district public schools, as the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) does not operate any schools on that base. Students on-post in the McGuire and Dix areas (McGuire Air Force Base and Fort Dix) may attend one of the following in their grade levels, with all siblings in a family taking the same choice: North Hanover Township (for elementary), Northern Burlington County Regional (for secondary), and Pemberton Township (for K-12).
Libraries
The Burlington County Library became the first county library in New Jersey when it was established in 1921 in Mount Holly. Library service grew in popularity and several moves ensued as more space became a necessity. By 1971, a new headquarters facility had been constructed, Cinnaminson Township and Bordentown had joined the system as branches, and a bookmobile visited areas without local facilities. Medford and Evesham Township had joined the system by 1975. The Pemberton Township Branch joined the system in 1987. Maple Shade Township became a branch in April 2001 while Riverton, the newest branch, joined in December 2003. With a larger network of nine additional member libraries, the system provides a range of services to its residents.
Transportation
Roads and highways
, the county had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the local municipality, by Burlington County, by the New Jersey Department of Transportation, by the Burlington County Bridge Commission and by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.
A variety of major routes were constructed through Burlington County. Major county roads include County Route 528, County Route 530, County Route 532, County Route 534 (only in Shamong Township), County Route 537, County Route 541, County Route 542, County Route 543, County Route 544, County Route 545 and County Route 563. State Routes that pass through are Route 38, Route 68, Route 70, Route 72, Route 73, Route 90 (only in Cinnaminson Township), and Route 413 (only in Burlington). U.S. Routes that traverse are U.S. Route 9 (only in Bass River Township), U.S. Route 130 and U.S. Route 206. Limited access roads include the Garden State Parkway (a stretch in Bass River Township), Interstate 295 and the New Jersey Turnpike (a portion of Interstate 95).
The turnpike extends through the county for approximately from Cherry Hill in Camden County to Hamilton Township in Mercer County (including the Turnpike Extension from the turnpike bridge over the Delaware River to the mainline at Exit 6).
The county has five Turnpike interchanges: Exit 4 in Mount Laurel, Exit 5 in Westampton, Exit 6A in Florence Township, Exit 6 in Mansfield Township, and Exit 7 in Bordentown Township.
The New Jersey Turnpike Authority has widened the Parkway to three lanes in each direction from exit 80 in South Toms River, Ocean County to exit 30 in Somers Point, Atlantic County, which included widening of bridges at several river crossings. The Authority extended the 'dual-dual' configuration (inner car lanes and outer car / truck / bus lanes) on the turnpike south to Exit 6 from its former end at Exit 8A in Monroe Township, Middlesex County. This was finished in early November 2014.
Bridges
The Burlington County Bridge Commission maintains the Tacony–Palmyra Bridge and the Burlington–Bristol Bridge, both of which cross the Delaware River. The agency also maintains several bridges along CR 543, including the Riverside–Delanco Bridge over the Rancocas Creek.
The Tacony–Palmyra Bridge is a combination steel tied arch and double-leaf bascule bridge across the Delaware River that connects New Jersey Route 73 in Palmyra with Pennsylvania Route 73 in the Tacony section of Philadelphia. Designed by architect Ralph Modjeski, the bridge is long and spans . After 18 months of construction, the bridge opened in 1929, replacing ferry service that had operated between the two places since 1922.
The Burlington–Bristol Bridge is a truss bridge with a lift span crossing the Delaware River from Burlington to Bristol Township, Pennsylvania. Construction of the bridge started on April 1, 1930, and the bridge opened to traffic on May 2, 1931. The two-lane bridge is long; The lift span is long.
The 13.5 million toll-paying trips on the Burlington–Bristol and Tacony–Palmyra bridges and the per-car toll of $4 (reduced to $3 with E-ZPass) for cars heading into Pennsylvania generated $51 million in revenue in 2016.
The Riverside–Delanco Bridge is a truss bridge with a central swing span that carries County Route 543 across the Rancocas Creek, between Riverside Township and Delanco Township. The current bridge was built in 1934–1935 to replace the 1901 bridge, which itself replaced an 1870 structure.
Public transportation
The River Line is a diesel light-rail system operated for NJ Transit by the Southern New Jersey Rail Group on a former Pennsylvania Railroad line between the Trenton Transit Center in Trenton and the Walter Rand Transportation Center and other stations in Camden, with 11 stations in the county.
NJ Transit operates bus service into Philadelphia on the following routes; 317, 406, 409 414, and 417 routes, and into Camden only on the following routes; 407, 413, 418, 419 and 457; and to Atlantic City on the 559 route.
Academy Bus Lines operates buses from Mount Holly, Mount Laurel, Westampton and Willingboro Township to New York City's Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan as well as the Wall Street area of Lower Manhattan.
The BurLink bus service provides three routes, under service funded by the county and operated by Stout's Transportation, providing connections to NJ Transit's bus and rail service.
Wineries
DeMastro Vineyards (Southampton Township)
Iron Plow Vineyards (in the Columbus section of Mansfield Township)
Valenzano Winery (Shamong Township)
See also
National Register of Historic Places listings in Burlington County, New Jersey
Seal of Burlington County, New Jersey
References
External links
Burlington County Chamber of Commerce
Sheriffs of Burlington County, New Jersey
1694 establishments in New Jersey
Geography of the Pine Barrens (New Jersey)
Populated places established in 1694
South Jersey