Cumberland County, New Jersey

Etymology

The county is named for Prince William, Duke of Cumberland who is best remembered for his role in putting down the Jacobite Rising at the Battle of Culloden in 1746, which made him immensely popular throughout parts of Britain.

Pre-settlement

The first people to populate Cumberland County were early descendants of the Lenape, also known as the Delaware, who include all Native American people who have lived in New Jersey^[15] Water sources such as the Cohansey River and Maurice River made Cumberland County a resourceful environment for early native groups to utilize.^[15] Archaeological materials such as stone tools and pottery have been excavated in sites in Bridgeton and in Fairfield, Greenwich and Stow Creek townships.^[16] Some of the earliest cultures that inhabited Cumberland County utilized clovis spear points which date to the Paleoindian period (10,000 BC to 8000 BC). As the climate switched from a tundra to woodlands during the archaic period (8000 BC to 1000 BC), ancestors of the Lenape developed axe technology, and later pottery during the woodland period (1000 BC to 1600 AD).^[17] The prehistoric period ended when European exploration and settlement arrived in the area bringing with it greater technology which ultimately supplanted much of the Native populations.

History

Early European settlement began with the Swedish who called what is now New Jersey New Sweden during the first half of the 17th century.^[18] Prior to the United States gaining its independence from Great Britain, Cumberland County was deemed separate from Salem County in 1748 and was named after the Duke of Cumberland.^[19] Cumberland County's economic exploits were agricultural and manufacturing, more specifically the county focused on fruits and vegetables, as well as glassware and preserved foods.^[20]

America's early successes in glassmaking began in Southern New Jersey during the 18th century and eventually led to John Landis Mason of Vineland New Jersey to invent the mason jar for storing and preserving food at home during the 1850s.^[21] Cumberland County's population has historically been "majority-minority".^[22] Cumberland County went from holding one hundred and twenty enslaved people in 1790, to two by 1830.^[22] Cumberland County included several towns settled by Black Americans many of whom escaped slavery.^[23] Parts of the county were used for the Underground Railroad, and housed Harriet Tubman and William Still.^[24]

Maritime history

In addition to agriculture and glassware, Cumberland County is known for its maritime industries. Its main maritime export was oysters until the 1950s when disease destroyed the oyster population.^[25] With the oyster industry came shipbuilding in 1780.^[26] Later, the industrial revolution and railroad development increased the number of ships and the types of ships being made. By the late 19th century, ships switched from the sloop model to the schooner to be more useful for oystering.^[27]

Whaling was also an industry in Cumberland County until 1775 when settlers turned to livestock, farming, and trapping.^[28] Caviar was a short-lived industry in the area from the 1860s to 1925, when sturgeon had been overfished.^[28] There are 19th and 20th century maritime related artifacts such as ship models, building plans, tools, and rigging equipment at the John Dubois Maritime Museum in Bridgeton.^[29]

Climate and weather

In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Bridgeton have ranged from a low of 25 °F (−4 °C) in January to a high of 87 °F (31 °C) in July, although a record low of −13 °F (−25 °C) was recorded in January 1985 and a record high of 101 °F (38 °C) was recorded in July 1966. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 2.94 inches (75 mm) in February to 4.30 inches (109 mm) in March.^[31] Cumberland has a humid subtropical climate (Cfa).

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 154,152. The median age was 38.2 years. 23.2% of residents were under the age of 18 and 15.9% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 104.6 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 105.3 males age 18 and over.^[33][34]

The racial makeup of the county was 48.4% White, 18.5% Black or African American, 1.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.4% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 18.2% from some other race, and 11.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 34.4% of the population.^[34]

75.5% of residents lived in urban areas, while 24.5% lived in rural areas.^[35]

There were 52,649 households in the county, of which 33.9% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 41.0% were married-couple households, 17.7% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 32.2% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 25.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.^[33]

There were 57,119 housing units, of which 7.8% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 62.7% were owner-occupied and 37.3% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.3% and the rental vacancy rate was 5.9%.^[33]

According to the 2019 American Community Survey 1-year estimates, the median household income was $54,587, and the median family income was $65,022. About 13.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.1% of those under age 18 and 10.4% of those age 65 or over.^[36][37]

Racial and ethnic composition

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 156,898 people, 51,931 households, and 36,559 families in the county. The population density was 324.4 inhabitants per square mile (125.3/km²). There were 55,834 housing units at an average density of 115.4 per square mile (44.6/km²). The racial makeup was 62.74% (98,430) White, 20.23% (31,741) Black or African American, 1.11% (1,746) Native American, 1.22% (1,907) Asian, 0.04% (59) Pacific Islander, 11.15% (17,492) from other races, and 3.52% (5,523) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 27.06% (42,457) of the population.^[7]

Of the 51,931 households, 31.4% had children under the age of 18; 45.2% were married couples living together; 18.6% had a female householder with no husband present and 29.6% were non-families. Of all households, 24% were made up of individuals and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.79 and the average family size was 3.26.^[7]

Of the population, 24% were under the age of 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 25.3% from 45 to 64, and 12.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36.5 years. For every 100 females, the population had 106.2 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 106.9 males.^[7]

County government

Cumberland County is governed by a Board of County Commissioners which is comprised of seven members who are elected at large by the citizens of Cumberland County in partisan elections and serve staggered three-year terms in office, with either two or three seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle. Each Commissioner is assigned responsibility for one of the county's departments.^[48] In 2016, freeholders were paid $15,000 and the freeholder director was paid an annual salary of $16,000.^[49]

As of 2025^[update], members of the Cumberland County Board of County Commissioners (with party affiliation, residence, and term-end year listed in parentheses) are (with terms for director and deputy director ending every December 31):^{[48][50][51][52][53][54]}

Pursuant to Article VII Section II of the New Jersey State Constitution, each county in New Jersey has 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).^[62] The county's constitutional officers are:

The Cumberland County Prosecutor is Jennifer Webb-McRae of Vineland. First nominated by Governor of New Jersey Jon Corzine in January 2010, Webb-McRae was nominated for a second five-year term by Chris Christie in November 2016 and sworn into office after confirmation in January 2017.^[69][70] Cumberland County is a part of Vicinage 15 of the New Jersey Superior Court (along with Gloucester County and Salem County), seated in Woodbury in Gloucester County; the Assignment Judge for the vicinage is Benjamin C. Telsey. The Cumberland County Courthouse is in Bridgeton.^[71]

In January 2023, John P. Capizola Jr. was appointed to fill the commissioner seat expiring in December 2023 that had been held by George Castellini until he resigned from office earlier that month.^[72]

Federal representatives

New Jersey's 2nd congressional district includes all of Cumberland County.^[73][74] For the 119th United States Congress, New Jersey's 2nd congressional district is represented by Jeff Van Drew (R, Dennis Township).^[75]

State representatives

The 14 municipalities of Cumberland County are part of two legislative districts.

Law enforcement

The New Jersey Department of Corrections operates three correctional facilities in the county: Bayside State Prison, South Woods State Prison, and Southern State Correctional Facility. The three facilities employ 1,500 people and house one of every three state prisoners.^[77] In 2007, while the state was preparing to close Riverfront State Prison in Camden, it considered establishing a fourth state prison in Cumberland County.^[78]

State elections

Airports

The following public-use airports are located in Cumberland County:

• Bucks Airport (00N) in Bridgeton
• Millville Municipal Airport (MIV) in Millville
• Kroelinger Airport (29N) in Vineland

Roads and highways

As of 2010^[update], the county had a total of 1,271.74 miles (2,046.67 km) of roadways, of which 643.65 miles (1,035.85 km) were maintained by the local municipality, 539.14 miles (867.66 km) by Cumberland County and 88.95 miles (143.15 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.^[87]

Cumberland is served only by state and county routes. Major county routes that pass through include County Route 540, County Route 548 (only in Maurice River Township), County Route 550, County Route 552, County Route 553, and County Route 555.

State routes include Route 47, Route 49, Route 55, Route 56, Route 77, and Route 347. Route 55 is the only limited-access road in the county which provides access to Interstate 76, Interstate 295, and the Philadelphia area to the north.

Winery

• Cedar Rose Vineyards