Hopewell Township, Cumberland County, New Jersey

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 4,571 people, 1,662 households, and 1,200 families in the township. The population density was 153.0 inhabitants per square mile (59.1/km²). There were 1,741 housing units at an average density of 58.3 per square mile (22.5/km²). The racial makeup was 84.38% (3,857) White, 6.58% (301) Black or African American, 2.17% (99) Native American, 0.57% (26) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 3.24% (148) from other races, and 3.06% (140) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.33% (335) of the population.^[18]

Of the 1,662 households, 27.4% had children under the age of 18; 56.3% were married couples living together; 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present and 27.8% were non-families. Of all households, 24.2% were made up of individuals and 14.2% 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 3.07.^[18]

20.7% of the population were under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 21.6% from 25 to 44, 28.6% from 45 to 64, and 20.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44.5 years. For every 100 females, the population had 91.9 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 88.6 males.^[18]

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $63,059 (with a margin of error of +/− $7,372) and the median family income was $72,520 (+/− $6,301). Males had a median income of $44,688 (+/− $5,244) versus $46,793 (+/− $8,187) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $27,355 (+/− $2,361). About 0.9% of families and 3.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.7% of those under age 18 and 5.1% of those age 65 or over.^[40]

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States census^[14] there were 4,434 people, 1,628 households, and 1,206 families residing in the township. The population density was 148.3 inhabitants per square mile (57.3/km²). There were 1,683 housing units at an average density of 56.3 per square mile (21.7/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 87.10% White, 6.90% African American, 2.32% Native American, 0.56% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.44% from other races, and 1.65% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.59% of the population.^[38][39]

There were 1,628 households, out of which 30.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.6% were married couples living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.9% were non-families. 22.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.03.^[38][39]

In the township the population was spread out, with 22.6% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 24.5% from 25 to 44, 25.6% from 45 to 64, and 20.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.0 males.^[38][39]

The median income for a household in the township was $49,767, and the median income for a family was $59,675. Males had a median income of $40,774 versus $30,402 for females. The per capita income for the township was $22,783. About 3.8% of families and 6.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.3% of those under age 18 and 17.7% of those age 65 or over.^[38][39]

Local government

Hopewell Township 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.^[41] 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.^[3][42][43] At an annual reorganization meeting, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor and another as Vice Mayor.^[4]

As of 2025^[update], members of the Hopewell Township Committee are Mayor Roberta S. "Robin" Freitag (R, term on committee ends December 31, 2027; term as mayor ends 2025), Vice Mayor Thomas J. Tedesco Jr. (R, term on committee ends 2027; term as deputy mayor ends 2025), Kelsey Bayzick (R, 2026), David Miller (R, 2025) and Jeff Shimp (R, 2027).^{[4][44][45][46][47][48]}

Federal, state and county representation

Hopewell Township is located in the 2nd Congressional District^[49] and is part of New Jersey's 3rd state legislative district.^[50]

For the 119th United States Congress, New Jersey's 2nd congressional district is represented by Jeff Van Drew (R, Dennis Township).^[51] New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Democrats Cory Booker (Newark, term ends 2027) and Andy Kim (Moorestown, term ends 2031).^[52]

For the 2026–2027 session, the 3rd legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by John Burzichelli (D, Paulsboro) and in the General Assembly by David Bailey (D, Woodstown) and Heather Simmons (D, Glassboro).^[53]

Cumberland County is governed by a Board of County Commissioners composed 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. Annually, the seven board members select a Director and Deputy Director for one-year terms.^[54] 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:

Douglas A. Albrecht (R, Vineland, 2025),^[55] Deputy Director Antonio Romero (R, Vineland, 2027),^[56] Sandra Taylor (R, Downe Township; 2026),^[57] Victoria Groetsch-Lods (R, Vineland, 2025),^[58] Arthur Marchand (R, Hopewell Township, 2026),^[59] James Sauro (R, Vineland, 2026)^[60] and Robert A. Austino (D, Bridgeton, 2027).^{[61][54][62][63][64][65][66]}

The county's constitutional officers are: Clerk Celeste Riley (D, Bridgeton, 2029),^[67][68] Sheriff Michael Donato (R, Bridgeton, 2026)^[69][70] and Surrogate Rudolph Luisi (R, Vineland, 2028).^[71][72][62]

Politics

As of March 2011, there were a total of 3,133 registered voters in Hopewell Township, of which 786 (25.1%) were registered as Democrats, 805 (25.7%) were registered as Republicans and 1,538 (49.1%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 4 voters registered as Libertarians or Greens.^[73]

In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 57.6% of the vote (1,188 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 41.5% (856 votes), and other candidates with 0.9% (18 votes), among the 2,086 ballots cast by the township's 3,193 registered voters (24 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 65.3%.^[75][76] In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 55.8% of the vote (1,248 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama, who received 40.9% (913 votes), with 2,235 ballots cast among the township's 3,125 registered voters, for a turnout of 71.5%.^[77] In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 59.4% of the vote (1,265 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry, who received around 38.9% (828 votes), with 2,130 ballots cast among the township's 2,886 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 73.8.^[78]

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 65.4% of the vote (873 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 33.1% (442 votes), and other candidates with 1.4% (19 votes), among the 1,350 ballots cast by the township's 3,099 registered voters (16 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 43.6%.^[85][86] In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 52.9% of the vote (779 ballots cast), ahead of both Democrat Jon Corzine with 38.2% (563 votes) and Independent Chris Daggett with 5.5% (81 votes), with 1,472 ballots cast among the township's 3,095 registered voters, yielding a 47.6% turnout.^[87]