Atlantic County, New Jersey

Infobox U.S. County
county = Atlantic County
state = New Jersey




map size = 125
founded = 1837
seat = Mays Landing
largest city = Atlantic City | area_total_sq_mi =671
area_land_sq_mi =561
area_water_sq_mi =110
area percentage = 16.44%
census yr = 2000
pop = 252552
density_km2 =174
web = www.aclink.org
|

Atlantic County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2000 Census, the population is 252,552. Its county seat is Mays LandingGR|6.

This county is part of the Delaware Valley area.

History

All of what is known today as Atlantic County was once called "Egg Harbor Township", the eastern half of the original County of Gloucester. Named as an official district as early as 1693, it was bounded on the north by the Little Egg Harbor River (now known as the Mullica River), and on the south by the Great Egg Harbor River and its southern branch the Tuckahoe River. Its eastern boundary was the Atlantic Ocean, but the western boundary in the South Jersey interior was not fixed until 1761.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 671 square miles (1,739 km²), of which, 561 square miles (1,453 km²) of it is land and 110 square miles (286 km²) of it (16.44%) is water.

Topographically, much of Atlantic County is low-lying and flat. The highest elevation, approximately 150 feet (50 m) above sea level, is found at two areas next to the NJ Transit passenger rail line just east of Hammonton. Sea level is the lowest point.

Adjacent counties

*Burlington County, New Jersey - north
*Ocean County, New Jersey - northeast
*Cape May County, New Jersey - south
*Cumberland County, New Jersey - southwest
*Camden County, New Jersey - northwest
*Gloucester County, New Jersey - northwest

National protected areas

* Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge (part)
* Great Egg Harbor Scenic and Recreational River (part)

Demographics

USCensusPop
1840=8726
1850=8961
1860=11786
1870=14093
1880=18704
1890=28836
1900=46402
1910=71894
1920=83914
1930=124823
1940=124066
1950=132399
1960=160880
1970=175043
1980=194119
1990=224327
2000=252552
estimate=271015
estyear=2005
estref= [cite web
url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/34/34001.html
title=QuickFacts: Atlantic County, New Jersey
publisher=U.S. Census Bureau
accessdate=2007-03-01]
footnote=historical census data source: [cite web
url=http://www.wnjpin.net/OneStopCareerCenter/LaborMarketInformation/lmi01/poptrd5.htm
title=New Jersey Resident Population by County: 1880 - 1930] [cite web
url=http://fisher.lib.virginia.edu/collections/stats/histcensus/
title=Geostat Center: Historical Census Browser
publisher=University of Virginia Library
accessdate=2007-03-02] As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 252,552 people, 95,024 households, and 63,190 families residing in the county. The population density was 450 people per square mile (174/km²). There were 114,090 housing units at an average density of 203 per square mile (79/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 68.36% White, 17.63% Black or African American, 0.26% Native American, 5.06% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 6.06% from other races, and 2.58% from two or more races. 12.17% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 18.6% were of Italian, 13.0% Irish, 9.5% German and 5.2% English ancestry according to Census 2000.

There were 95,024 households out of which 31.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.50% were married couples living together, 14.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.50% were non-families. 27.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.16.

In the county the population was spread out with 25.30% under the age of 18, 8.10% from 18 to 24, 30.60% from 25 to 44, 22.40% from 45 to 64, and 13.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 93.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $43,933, and the median income for a family was $51,710. Males had a median income of $36,397 versus $28,059 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,034. About 7.60% of families and 10.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.80% of those under age 18 and 10.50% of those age 65 or over.

Government

In 1974, Atlantic County voters changed the county governmental form under the Optional County Charter Law to the County executive form. The charter provides for a popularly-elected executive and for a nine-member Board of Chosen Freeholders, responsible for legislation. The freeholders are elected to staggered three-year terms in partisan elections. Five of the freeholders represent equally-populated districts [ [http://www.aclink.org/Freeholders/mainpages/districts.asp Atlantic County Freeholder District Map] , accessed May 25, 2006] ; four are elected from the county on an at-large basis.

Dennis Levinson is Atlantic County's Executive. The Current Board of Chosen Freeholders Members are: [ [http://www.aclink.org/Freeholders/homepage.asp Atlantic County Board of Chosen Freeholders] , accessed March 1, 2007]
* [http://aclink.org/Freeholders/mainpages/member_profile.asp?ID=6 Alisa Cooper] , Freeholder At-Large (2008)
* [http://aclink.org/Freeholders/mainpages/member_profile.asp?ID=4 James Curcio] , Freeholder District 5, including Buena Borough, Buena Vista Township, Corbin City, Egg Harbor City, Estell Manor, Folsom, Hamilton Township (part), Hammonton, Mullica Township and Weymouth. (2009)
* [http://aclink.org/Freeholders/mainpages/member_profile.asp?ID=1 Richard Dase] , Freeholder District 4, including Absecon, Brigantine, Galloway Township and Port Republic. (2010)
* [http://www.aclink.org/Freeholders/mainpages/member_profile.asp?ID=5 Frank Giordano] , Freeholder At-Large (2009)
* [http://aclink.org/Freeholders/mainpages/member_profile.asp?ID=8 Joseph McDevitt] , Freeholder At-Large (2010)
*Chairman [http://www.aclink.org/Freeholders/mainpages/member_profile.asp?ID=2 Joseph F. Silipena] , Freeholder At-Large (2008)
* [http://aclink.org/Freeholders/mainpages/member_profile.asp?ID=7 Charles Garrett] , Freeholder District 1, including Atlantic City (part), Egg Harbor Township (part) and Pleasantville. (2010)
*Vice Chairman [http://www.aclink.org/Freeholders/mainpages/member_profile.asp?ID=9 Thomas Russo] , Freeholder District 2, including Atlantic City (part), Egg Harbor Township (part), Longport, Margate, Somers Point and Ventnor. (2009)
* [http://www.aclink.org/Freeholders/mainpages/member_profile.asp?ID=3 Frank Sutton] , Freeholder District 3, including Egg Harbor Township (part), Hamilton Township (part), Linwood and Northfield. (2008)

Politics

Atlantic County is a Democratic-leaning county, in contrast to the other, strongly Republican Jersey Shore counties, Monmouth County, Ocean County, and Cape May County. In the 2004 U.S. Presidential election, Atlantic County chose John Kerry over George W. Bush by a 5.9% margin, with Kerry winning by 6.7% statewide. [ [http://www.njvoterinfo.org/2004presNJ.htm New Jersey Presidential Election Returns by County - 2004] , NJVoterInfo.org. Accessed August 22, 2008.] It has gone Democratic in every Presidential election since 1992.

Municipalities

*Absecon (city)
*Atlantic City (city)
*Brigantine (city)
*Buena Vista Township (township)
**Collings Lakes
*Buena (borough)
*Corbin City (city)
*Egg Harbor City (city)
*Egg Harbor Township (township)
*Estell Manor (city)
*Folsom (borough)
*Galloway Township (township)
**Pomona
*Hamilton Township (township)
**Mays Landing
*Hammonton (town)
*Linwood (city)
*Longport (borough)
*Margate City (city)
*Mullica Township (township)
**Elwood-Magnolia
*Northfield (city)
*Pleasantville (city)
*Port Republic (city)
*Somers Point (city)
*Ventnor City (city)
*Weymouth Township (township)

Education

Institutions of higher education in Atlantic County include:
*Atlantic Cape Community College in Mays Landing serves students from both Atlantic County and Cape May County.
*Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, in Pomona

References

External links

* [http://www.aclink.org/ Atlantic County website]
* [http://history.rays-place.com/nj/atlantic-cty.htm History of Atlantic County, New Jersey]