Mount Ephraim (pronounced "EEF-rum")Franco, Judi. "20 town names in NJ with crazy pronunciations that make no sense Read More: 20 NJ town names with crazy pronunciations that make no sense", WKXW, June 29, 2023. Accessed February 5, 2025. "Mount Ephraim - Incorrect: Mount EF-rum; Correct: Mount EEF-rum" is a borough in Camden County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 4,651, a decrease of 25 (−0.5%) from the 2010 census count of 4,676, which in turn reflected an increase of 181 (+4.0%) from the 4,495 counted in the 2000 census.Table 7. Population for the Counties and Municipalities in New Jersey: 1990, 2000 and 2010, New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, February 2011. Accessed May 1, 2023.

The borough had the 20th-highest property tax rate in New Jersey with an equalized rate of 4.442% in 2020, compared to 3.470% in the county as a whole and a statewide average of 2.279%."Here are the 30 N.J. towns with the highest property tax rates", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, March 15, 2021. Accessed January 19, 2022. "The average equalized tax rate in New Jersey was 2.279 in 2020, according to data from the Department of Community Affairs. Here is the list of 30 New Jersey towns with the highest property tax rates.... 20. Mount Ephraim Equalized tax rate in Mount Ephraim Borough, Camden County, was 4.442 in 2020 Average equalized tax rate in Camden County: 3.470

History Mount Ephraim was authorized to incorporate as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 23, 1926, from portions of the now-defunct Centre Township, and then incorporated following a referendum on April 28, 1926, being the last borough to dissolve the former township. Acts authorizing the creation of the boroughs of Bellmawr, Runnemede and Lawnside were also passed during the same two-day period.Snyder, John P. The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 107. Accessed May 30, 2024. The borough was named for Ephraim Albertson, who owned a tavern in the area in the early 1800s.A Brief History, Borough of Mount Ephraim. Accessed September 8, 2015. "Originally a colonial settlement, the town Mount Ephraim came into popularity by a man named Ephraim Albertson, who owned the Public House, also called the Old Tavern, a popular meeting place, at Black Horse Pike & Kings Highway, from 1800 to 1825."Prowell, George Reeser. The History of Camden County, New Jersey, p. 711. Richards, 1886. Accessed September 8, 2015. "A public house has been kept in this locality from a period so remote that the memory of the oldest citizen does not reach it. The first keeper is not remembered, but it is believed to have been Albertson from whom the village obtained its name and who owned the land."

In a 1981 decision in Schad v. Mount Ephraim, the U.S. Supreme Court, in a decision authored for the majority by Associate Justice Byron White, the court decided by a 7–2 margin to overturn the convictions of the two owners of a bookstore where there was nude dancing, despite a prohibition against all forms of live entertainment in the borough's zoning ordinance. The decision cited the First Amendment rights of the storeowners.Greenhouse, Linda. "High Court Rejects Ban On Live Entertainment", The New York Times, June 2, 1981. Accessed January 20, 2022. "The Court, voting 7 to 2, reversed the convictions of two owners of a so-called adult bookstore in Mount Ephraim, N.J., who were fined $300 for exhibiting a live nude dancer in a glass booth in their shop. While the bookstore was licensed to show films of nude dancers on coin-operated machines, Mount Ephraim's zoning ordinance banned all live entertainment.... While today's opinion, by Associate Justice Byron R. White, stopped short of defining the permissible limits of zoning regulation, it rejected the New Jersey courts' premise that zoning laws exist apart from First Amendment considerations."Hudson Jr., David L. "Schad v. Mount Ephraim (1981)", The First Amendment Encyclopedia. Accessed January 20, 2022. "The Supreme Court ruled 7-2 in Schad v. Mount Ephraim, 452 U.S. 61 (1981), that a municipality cannot impose a complete ban on live entertainment, including nonobscene nude dancing."

In January 2014, New Jersey State Senate President Stephen M. Sweeney put forward a proposal which was intended to lower real estate taxes in the state and cut state expenses by merging many of the states 566 municipalities. Mount Ephraim was then the 29th largest town in Camden County, so it is very likely that the town would have been merged with neighboring municipalities to cut costs, share expenses, reduce bureaucracy, share resources, and reduce the burden in the taxpayers and the state itself. Mount Ephraim was formerly part of Centre Township, which included all of the neighboring communities, and it is possible that the name may be used again in the future if the merger proposal goes forward."NJ Sen. President Stephen Sweeney to press plan to get towns to merge, share services", The Times, January 30, 2014. Accessed September 18, 2019.

Geography According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 0.91 square miles (2.34 km2), including 0.88 square miles (2.29 km2) of land and 0.02 square miles (0.05 km2) of water (2.31%).

Mount Ephraim borders Audubon, Bellmawr, Brooklawn, Gloucester City and Haddon Heights.Areas touching Mount Ephraim, MapIt. Accessed February 29, 2020.Municipalities within Camden County, NJ, Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission. Accessed February 29, 2020.New Jersey Municipal Boundaries, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed November 15, 2019.

Weather On September 4, 2012, at 6:31 p.m., a tornado touched down in Mount Ephraim, causing damage to trees and homes in the immediate vicinity. It was categorized as F-0 by the National Weather Service, with winds topping out at 70 mph, making it the first tornado recorded in the state in more than a year.via Associated Press. "Tornado confirmed in Mount Ephraim, New Jersey", WABC-TV, September 5, 2012. Accessed June 5, 2013. "The National Weather Service says a tornado touched down in southern New Jersey, the first confirmed one in the state in more than a year. Meteorologist Mitchell Gaines says it was an F-0 twister - the lowest classification."

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Mount Ephraim had a population of 4,651. The median age was 41.1 years. 18.6% of residents were under the age of 18 and 17.4% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 96.4 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 94.0 males age 18 and over.

100.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.0% lived in rural areas.

There were 1,941 households in Mount Ephraim, of which 25.0% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 43.3% were married-couple households, 19.8% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 28.9% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 30.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 2,015 housing units, of which 3.7% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.5% and the rental vacancy rate was 6.4%.

+ Racial composition as of the 2020 census Race Number Percent White 4,036 86.8% Black or African American 143 3.1% American Indian and Alaska Native 6 0.1% Asian 50 1.1% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0 0.0% Some other race 130 2.8% Two or more races 286 6.1% Hispanic or Latino (of any race) 319 6.9%

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 4,676 people, 1,909 households, and 1,193 families in the borough. The population density was . There were 2,010 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup was 93.56% (4,375) White, 2.14% (100) Black or African American, 0.09% (4) Native American, 0.68% (32) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 2.27% (106) from other races, and 1.26% (59) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.33% (249) of the population.

Of the 1,909 households, 26.6% had children under the age of 18; 45.6% were married couples living together; 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present and 37.5% were non-families. Of all households, 31.2% were made up of individuals and 13.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 3.11.

20.6% of the population were under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 29.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.1 years. For every 100 females, the population had 93.4 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 92.4 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $61,331 (with a margin of error of +/− $6,103) and the median family income was $73,955 (+/− $4,630). Males had a median income of $51,049 (+/− $3,914) versus $41,087 (+/− $3,242) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $29,885 (+/− $5,190). About 5.6% of families and 6.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.9% of those under age 18 and 10.4% of those age 65 or over.DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics from the 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates for Mount Ephraim borough, Camden County, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed October 11, 2012.

2000 census As of the 2000 United States census, there were 4,495 people and 1,174 families residing in the borough. The population density was . There were 1,881 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the borough was 97.51% White, 0.40% African American, 0.07% Native American, 0.62% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.65% from other races, and 0.73% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.98% of the population.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Mount Ephraim borough, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed October 11, 2012.DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Mount Ephraim borough, Camden County, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed October 11, 2012.

There were 1,818 households, out of which 27.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.1% were married couples living together, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.4% were non-families. 30.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.13.

In the borough, the population was spread out, with 22.3% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 30.1% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 17.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.3 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $44,824, and the median income for a family was $59,468. Males had a median income of $41,455 versus $30,359 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $21,150. About 2.0% of families and 4.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.7% of those under age 18 and 7.2% of those age 65 or over. Government Local government