Lower Township is a township in Cape May County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The township, and all of Cape May County, is part of the Ocean City metropolitan statistical area, and is part of the Philadelphia metropolitan area.New Jersey: 2020 Core Based Statistical Areas and Counties, United States Census Bureau. Accessed December 22, 2022. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 22,057, a decrease of 809 (−3.5%) from the 2010 census count of 22,866, which in turn reflected a decrease of 79 (−0.3%) from the 22,945 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.

New Jersey Monthly magazine ranked Lower Township as its 34th best place to live in its 2008 rankings of the "Best Places To Live" in New Jersey."Best Places To Live - The Complete Top Towns List 1-100" , New Jersey Monthly, February 21, 2008. Accessed February 24, 2008. The township is part of the state's South Jersey region and the larger Philadelphia metropolitan area.

History Before European settlement, the Kechemeche, a tribe of the Lenape Native Americans, inhabited South Jersey and traveled to the barrier islands during the summer to hunt and fish.Snyder, John P. The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 118. Accessed May 29, 2024.Holden, Robert F. "History of the Ten Villages of Upper Township: The Island Village of Strathmere, Part 1", The Press of Atlantic City, August 9, 2017. Accessed October 27, 2019.A Brief History of Ocean City New Jersey, Ocean City, New Jersey. Accessed December 23, 2017. On August 28, 1609, English explorer Henry Hudson entered the Delaware Bay and spent one day ashore, north of what is now Cape May Point."Cape May County", from Historic Roadsides of New Jersey by The Society of Colonial Wars in the State of New Jersey, 1928. Accessed October 27, 2019. In 1630, representatives of the Dutch West India Company purchased a tract of land along the Delaware from indigenous people, with additional land in the county acquired 11 years later. Due to the large population of whales off of the Cape May coast, Dutch explorers founded Town Bank around 1640 as a whaling village in what is now Lower Township. It was the first European settlement in Cape May County. The village later served as the county court house, along with Coxehall, built by Dr. Daniel Coxe as the center of a manorial style of government.Cape May County Comprehensive Plan, Cape May County, New Jersey Planning Board. Accessed October 27, 2019."Bizarre History of Cape May --Town Bank was once touted as a whaling town", The Press of Atlantic City, August 1, 2012. Accessed October 27, 2019.Lower Township, Cape May County, New Jersey. Accessed October 27, 2019. The only surviving section of the original structure, which was moved several times during its history, is now preserved as Coxe Hall Cottage at Historic Cold Spring Village, a 19th-century living history museum in Lower Township.

Lower Township was formed as a precinct on April 2, 1723, and was incorporated by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798, as one of New Jersey's initial group of 104 townships established by the Township Act of 1798. The township derives its name from its geographic position when Cape May was split into three townships in 1723 at the same time that Middle Township and Upper Township were established.Stevens, Lewis Townsend. The History of Cape May County, New Jersey: From the Aboriginal Times to the Present Day, p. 92. L.T. Stevens, 1897. Accessed September 3, 2015. "The county of Cape May was divided into three townships, Upper, Middle and Lower, April 2, 1723, of which the official record says:"Schaad Jr., Jacob "Bizarre History of Cape May: Lower Township's borders have been constantly changing", ShoreNewsToday, May 15, 2014. Accessed September 3, 2015. "Lower Township has long had an image problem, its name not helping. Middle Township and Upper Township have no problem because it's okay to be at the top or even in the middle, but how much lower can you get than lower?"

Portions of Lower Township were later separated to form Cape Island Borough (March 8, 1848; now known as Cape May city), Cape May Point borough (created April 19, 1878; restored to Lower Township on April 8, 1896; re-created April 6, 1908), Holly Beach (April 14, 1885, now part of Wildwood city), South Cape May (August 27, 1894; restored to Lower Township after the borough was dissolved on April 30, 1945), Wildwood Crest (April 6, 1910), and North Cape May (March 19, 1928; restored to Lower Township after it was dissolved on April 30, 1945).

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 31.06 square miles (80.45 km2), including 27.38 square miles (70.91 km2) of land and 3.69 square miles (9.54 km2) of water (11.86%).

Census-designated places (CDPs) located within Lower Township include Diamond Beach (with a 2020 population of 203), Erma (2,031), North Cape May (4,007), Rio Grande (3,610), and Villas (9,134). Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Bennett, Cold Spring, Cold Spring Inlet, Ephraims Island, Fishing Creek, Higbees Landing, Miami Beach, Schellengers Landing, Sewells Point, Shawcrest, South Cape May, Sunset Beach, Town Bank, Weers Landing, and Wildwood Gables.Township of Lower - A Place To Remember, Township of Lower. Accessed July 12, 2008.Locality Search, State of New Jersey. Accessed December 18, 2014.

Schellengers Landing is where boats dock and where a bridge between Cape Island and the mainland is located. Schellengers Landing was named after people who moved from New England to New Jersey in the 1600s. - Tischler was formerly the editor of the magazine. There were multiple families with the Schellenger name who had settled the area. Schellengers Landing is connected to Cape May city via a bridge, and is on Route 109. The name of the community is spelled differently in different works.

Lower Township borders the Cape May County municipalities of Cape May City, Cape May Point Borough, Middle Township, West Cape May Borough, Wildwood City, Wildwood Crest Borough, and Delaware Bay and the Atlantic Ocean.Areas touching Lower Township, MapIt. Accessed February 26, 2020.Cape May County, Coalition for a Healthy NJ. Accessed February 26, 2020.New Jersey Municipal Boundaries, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed November 15, 2019.

Demographics 2020 Census

The 2020 United States census counted a population of 22,057 residents and 10,862 households in the township.

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 22,866 people, 9,579 households, and 6,351 families in the township. The population density was . There were 14,507 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup was 94.24% (21,549) White, 1.99% (456) Black or African American, 0.16% (37) Native American, 0.62% (142) Asian, 0.04% (10) Pacific Islander, 1.20% (275) from other races, and 1.74% (397) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.24% (969) of the population.

Of the 9,579 households, 22.6% had children under the age of 18; 49.3% were married couples living together; 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present and 33.7% were non-families. Of all households, 28.7% were made up of individuals and 15.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.89.

19.8% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 20.4% from 25 to 44, 31.0% from 45 to 64, and 21.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46.5 years. For every 100 females, the population had 90.1 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 86.9 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $51,101 (with a margin of error of +/− $2,460) and the median family income was $62,587 (+/− $7,438). Males had a median income of $50,572 (+/− $3,361) versus $35,978 (+/− $2,297) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $28,175 (+/− $1,295). About 6.6% of families and 10.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.4% of those under age 18 and 6.5% of those age 65 or over.DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics from the 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates for Lower township, Cape May County, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed July 16, 2012.

2000 census As of the 2000 U.S. census, there were 22,945 people, 9,328 households, and 6,380 families residing in the township. The population density was . There were 13,924 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the township was 96.26% White, 1.39% African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.53% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.65% from other races, and 0.92% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.88% of the population.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Lower township, Cape May County, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed July 16, 2012.DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Lower township, Cape May County, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed July 16, 2012.

There were 9,328 households, out of which 28.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.9% were married couples living together, 11.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.6% were non-families. 27.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the township, the population was spread out, with 23.7% under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 25.1% from 25 to 44, 24.4% from 45 to 64, and 20.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.2 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $38,977, and the median income for a family was $45,058. Males had a median income of $35,201 versus $24,715 for females. The per capita income for the township was $19,786. About 5.3% of families and 7.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.3% of those under age 18 and 5.3% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government