Edgewater Park is a township in Burlington County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey and a northeastern Delaware Valley suburb of Philadelphia. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 8,930, an increase of 49 (+0.6%) from the 2010 census count of 8,881, which in turn reflected an increase of 1,017 (+12.9%) from the 7,864 counted in the 2000 census. The township, and all of Burlington County, is a part of the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden combined statistical area and the Delaware Valley. Edgewater Park was incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 26, 1924, from portions of Beverly Township (now known as Delanco Township). The township was named for its location along the Delaware River.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 3.08 square miles (7.97 km2), including 2.92 square miles (7.56 km2) of land and 0.16 square miles (0.41 km2) of water (5.06%). The township borders the municipalities of Beverly, Burlington Township, Delanco Township and Willingboro Township in Burlington County; and both Bensalem Township and Bristol Township in Pennsylvania, across the Delaware River. Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Capitol Hill, Perkins and Wallrope Works.

Demographics

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 8,881 people, 3,683 households, and 2,324 families in the township. The population density was 3068.8 /sqmi. There were 3,926 housing units at an average density of 1356.6 /sqmi. The racial makeup was 57.71% (5,125) White, 27.32% (2,426) Black or African American, 0.34% (30) Native American, 3.19% (283) Asian, 0.02% (2) Pacific Islander, 6.50% (577) from other races, and 4.93% (438) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.92% (970) of the population. Of the 3,683 households, 24.5% had children under the age of 18; 42.8% were married couples living together; 14.7% had a female householder with no husband present and 36.9% were non-families. Of all households, 30.7% were made up of individuals and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 3.00. 20.3% of the population were under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 27.8% from 45 to 64, and 15.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.5 years. For every 100 females, the population had 91.6 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 87.6 males. The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $53,502 (with a margin of error of +/− $3,682) and the median family income was $68,572 (+/− $15,261). Males had a median income of $45,865 (+/− $6,080) versus $40,400 (+/− $9,192) for females. The per capita income for the township was $26,916 (+/− $2,025). About 9.7% of families and 11.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.2% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States census there were 7,864 people, 3,152 households, and 2,099 families residing in the township. The population density was 2,701.8 PD/sqmi. There were 3,301 housing units at an average density of 1,134.1 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the township was 68.07% White, 21.40% African American, 0.17% Native American, 3.26% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 3.20% from other races, and 3.89% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.60% of the population. As of the 2000 Census, 1.9% of residents identified themselves as being of Turkish American ancestry, the second-highest of any municipality in the United States and highest in the state. There were 3,152 households, out of which 29.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.9% were married couples living together, 13.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.4% were non-families. 27.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.03. In the township the population was spread out, with 23.0% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 30.7% from 25 to 44, 25.2% from 45 to 64, and 13.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.8 males. The median income for a household in the township was $48,936, and the median income for a family was $52,016. Males had a median income of $38,156 versus $27,304 for females. The per capita income for the township was $22,920. About 7.3% of families and 8.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.9% of those under age 18 and 3.5% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

Edgewater Park is governed under the Township form of New Jersey municipal government, one of 141 municipalities (of the 564) statewide 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 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. At an annual reorganization meeting, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor and another as Deputy Mayor. , members of the Edgewater Park Township Committee are Mayor Michael J. Trainor (D, term on committee and ends December 31, 2024; term as mayor ends 2023), Deputy Mayor Lauren Kremper DiFilippo (D, term on committee and as deputy mayor ends 2023), William A. Belgard III (D, 2025), Kevin P. Johnson (D, 2024), Juanita A. Scott (D, 2023). In September 2017, Kevin Johnson was selected from three candidates nominated by the Democratic municipal committee and appointed to fill the seat expiring in December 2018 that became vacant following the death of John G. McElwee the previous month. Johnson served on an interim basis until the November 2017 general election, when he was elected to serve the balance of the term of office. In January 2017, the Township Committee selected Azunnah C. Amutah from three candidates nominated by the Democratic municipal committee to assume the term expiring in December 2017 that had been held by Barbara Perkins, who resigned from office in December 2016. Brett V. Evans is the Police Chief of the Edgewater Park Township Police Department.

Federal, state and county representation

Edgewater Park is located in the 3rd Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 7th state legislative district.

Politics

As of March 2011, there were a total of 4,798 registered voters in Edgewater Park Township, of which 2,119 (44.2% vs. 33.3% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 819 (17.1% vs. 23.9%) were registered as Republicans and 1,857 (38.7% vs. 42.8%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 3 voters registered as Libertarians or Greens. Among the township's 2010 Census population, 54.0% (vs. 61.7% in Burlington County) were registered to vote, including 67.8% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 80.3% countywide). In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 2,596 votes (69.3% vs. 58.1% countywide), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 1,083 votes (28.9% vs. 40.2%) and other candidates with 41 votes (1.1% vs. 1.0%), among the 3,744 ballots cast by the township's 5,007 registered voters, for a turnout of 74.8% (vs. 74.5% in Burlington County). In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 2,719 votes (67.8% vs. 58.4% countywide), ahead of Republican John McCain with 1,223 votes (30.5% vs. 39.9%) and other candidates with 36 votes (0.9% vs. 1.0%), among the 4,012 ballots cast by the township's 4,942 registered voters, for a turnout of 81.2% (vs. 80.0% in Burlington County). In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 2,218 votes (60.9% vs. 52.9% countywide), ahead of Republican George W. Bush with 1,385 votes (38.0% vs. 46.0%) and other candidates with 20 votes (0.5% vs. 0.8%), among the 3,643 ballots cast by the township's 4,680 registered voters, for a turnout of 77.8% (vs. 78.8% in the whole county). In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 1,189 votes (53.0% vs. 61.4% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 996 votes (44.4% vs. 35.8%) and other candidates with 17 votes (0.8% vs. 1.2%), among the 2,244 ballots cast by the township's 5,087 registered voters, yielding a 44.1% turnout (vs. 44.5% in the county). In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 1,363 ballots cast (56.7% vs. 44.5% countywide), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 871 votes (36.2% vs. 47.7%), Independent Chris Daggett with 115 votes (4.8% vs. 4.8%) and other candidates with 22 votes (0.9% vs. 1.2%), among the 2,403 ballots cast by the township's 4,940 registered voters, yielding a 48.6% turnout (vs. 44.9% in the county).

Education

The Edgewater Park School District serves public school students in grades from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. As of the 2021–22 school year, the district, comprised of two schools, had an enrollment of 904 students and 75.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.1:1. Schools in the district (with 2021–22 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics ) are Mildred Magowan Elementary School with 479 students in grades PreK-4 and For ninth through twelfth grades, public school students attend Burlington City High School in Burlington, as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the City of Burlington Public School District, in which Edgewater Park students account for almost 40% of the high school's enrollment. As of the 2021–22 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 760 students and 71.3 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 10.7:1. Students from Edgewater Park, and from all of Burlington County, are eligible to attend the Burlington County Institute of Technology, a countywide public school district that serves the vocational and technical education needs of students at the high school and post-secondary level at its campuses in Medford and Westampton.

Transportation

Roads and highways

, the township had a total of 28.76 mi of roadways, of which 22.69 mi were maintained by the municipality, 4.80 mi by Burlington County and 1.27 mi by the New Jersey Department of Transportation. U.S. Route 130 is the main highway serving Edgewater Park, running along the southeastern edge of the township, forming its border with neighboring Willingboro Township. County Route 543 also passes through the township close to the Delaware River. Both roads are oriented southwest to northeast parallel to the river, but are signed north–south.

Public transportation

NJ Transit provides bus service on the 409 route between Trenton and Philadelphia, and on the 419 route between Camden and Burlington. BurLink bus service is offered on the B2 route between Beverly and Westampton Township.

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Edgewater Park include: