Warren County, New Jersey

Warren County, New Jersey
Map
Location in the state of New Jersey
New Jersey's location in the U.S.
Statistics
Founded	November 20, 1824
Seat	Belvidere
Largest city	Phillipsburg
Area  - Total  - Land  - Water	363 sq mi (940 km²) 358 sq mi (927 km²) 5 sq mi (13 km²), 1.35%
Population  - (2000)  - Density	102,437 287/sq mi (111/km²)
Website: www.co.warren.nj.us

Warren County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2000 Census, the population was 102,437. Its county seat is Belvidere^{[1][page needed]}. It is part of the New York metropolitan area.

Warren County was incorporated by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on November 20, 1824, from portions of Sussex County. At its creation, the county consisted of the townships of Greenwich, Independence, Knowlton, Mansfield, Oxford, Pahaquarry (now defunct).^[2]

Warren County is generally considered the eastern border of the Lehigh Valley.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 363 square miles (940 km²), of which, 358 square miles (927 km²) of it is land and 5 square miles (13 km²) of it (1.35%) is water.

Much of Warren County is rugged and mountainous, with the Kittatinny Ridge providing a hard backbone to the county in the west and many lower ridges winding their way through the county, with narrow valleys in between. The highest elevation is on the Kittatinny Ridge, at two areas near Upper Yards Creek Reservoir near Blairstown that slightly exceed 1,600 feet (487.6 m) above sea level; the lowest point is the confluence of the Delaware and Musconetcong rivers at the county's southern tip, at 160 feet (48.7 m) of elevation.

Adjacent counties

• Sussex County, New Jersey - northeast
• Morris County, New Jersey - east
• Bucks County, Pennsylvania - south
• Hunterdon County, New Jersey - south
• Northampton County, Pennsylvania - west
• Monroe County, Pennsylvania - northwest

	Monroe County, Pennsylvania		Sussex County, New Jersey
	Northampton County, Pennsylvania		Morris County, New Jersey
		Warren County, New Jersey
		Bucks County, Pennsylvania and Hunterdon County, New Jersey

National protected areas

• Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area (part)
• Middle Delaware National Scenic River (part)

Demographics

Age distribution (2000 census)

Population (2000-2008)^[3][4]

Median income (2000 census)

As of the census^{[8][page needed]} of 2000, there were 102,437 people, 38,660 households, and 27,487 families residing in the county. The population density was 286 people per square mile (111/km²). There were 41,157 housing units at an average density of 115 per square mile (44/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 94.54% White, 1.87% Black or African American, 0.11% Native American, 1.21% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.01% from other races, and 1.24% from two or more races. 3.66% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 18.4% were of Italian, 18.2% German, 14.6% Irish, 7.2% Polish, 6.8% English and 5.2% American ancestry according to Census 2000.

There were 38,660 households out of which 34.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.20% were married couples living together, 9.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.90% were non-families. 24.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.12.

In the county the population was spread out with 26.10% under the age of 18, 6.30% from 18 to 24, 31.30% from 25 to 44, 23.50% from 45 to 64, and 12.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 94.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $56,100, and the median income for a family was $66,223. Males had a median income of $47,331 versus $31,790 for females. The per capita income for the county was $25,728. About 3.60% of families and 5.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.90% of those under age 18 and 6.70% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Warren County is governed by a three-member Board of Chosen Freeholders. The members are elected at large to serve three-year terms. One Freeholder seat comes up for election each year, and the three-year term of office starts (and ends) on January 1.

The Freeholder Board is the center of legislative and administrative responsibility and, as such, performs a dual role. As legislators they draw up and adopt a budget, and in the role of administrators they are responsible for spending the funds they have appropriated.

As of 2009^[update], Warren County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director Richard D. Gardner (term expires January 1, 2012), Freeholder Deputy Director Everett A. Chamberlain (January 1, 2010), and Freeholder Angelo Accetturo (November 3, 2009). Accetturo was selected to serve the remainder of the term of John DiMaio after DiMaio won a seat in the New Jersey General Assembly.^[9]

Other elected officials in Warren County are County Clerk Patricia J Kolb, Sheriff Sal Simonetti, Surrogate Susan A. Dickey. Prosecutor Thomas S. Ferguson is appointed by the Governor.

Elections

Warren County has been a consistently Republican county in state and national elections. In the 2004 U.S. Presidential election, George W. Bush carried the county by a 24% margin over John Kerry, the second-highest margin for Bush in the state behind Sussex County.^[10] In the 2008 U.S. Presidential election, John McCain carried Warren County by a 14% margin over Barack Obama, with Obama winning statewide by 15.5% over McCain.^[11] In the state's 2005 gubernatorial election, Warren County voted for Doug Forrester by 21 points over statewide winner Jon Corzine.^[12]

Transportation

While Warren County only has one New Jersey Transit train stop in the entire county (Hackettstown), Warren has a number of state routes, a few U.S. Routes, and two interstates. Warren houses Route 57, Route 173, Route 31, and Route 94. The US Routes are U.S. Route 22, and U.S. Route 46. The two interstates that pass through the county are the Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway (I-78), and the Bergen-Passaic Expressway (I-80).

Municipalities

Index map of Warren County municipalities (click to see index key)

• Allamuchy Township
  • Allamuchy-Panther Valley
• Alpha
• Belvidere
• Blairstown Township
• Franklin Township
• Frelinghuysen Township
• Greenwich Township
• Hackettstown
• Hardwick Township
• Harmony Township
• Hope Township
• Independence Township
  • Great Meadows-Vienna
• Knowlton Township
• Liberty Township
• Lopatcong Township
• Mansfield Township
  • Beatyestown
• Oxford Township
  • Oxford
• Phillipsburg
• Pohatcong Township
• Washington Township
  • Brass Castle
• Washington
• White Township

Education

• Warren County Community College, in Franklin Township, offers degree programs and certificate programs. The College serves approximately 1,700 full-time and part-time students, in addition to students in non-credit programs and courses.
• Centenary College is a private college affiliated with the United Methodist Church and in Hackettstown, New Jersey.
• Blair Academy is a prestigious college preparatory schools located in Blairstown

References

Link

• Official County Website
• "Living in the Greater Lehigh Valley," by The Allentown Morning Call.
• Warren County news at Lehigh Valley Live.

v • d • e Municipalities and communities of Warren County, New Jersey County seat: Belvidere Boroughs Alpha | Washington Towns Belvidere | Hackettstown | Phillipsburg Townships Allamuchy | Blairstown | Franklin | Frelinghuysen | Greenwich | Hardwick | Harmony | Hope | Independence | Knowlton | Liberty | Lopatcong | Mansfield | Oxford | Pahaquarry (defunct) | Pohatcong | Washington | White CDPs Allamuchy-Panther Valley | Beattystown | Brass Castle | Great Meadows-Vienna | Oxford Communities Asbury | Great Meadows | Johnsonburg | Port Colden | Port Murray | Stewartsville

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Coordinates: 40°52′N 74°59′W / 40.86°N 74.99°W / 40.86; -74.99