Upper Township is a large 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 South Jersey region of the state and of the Ocean City metropolitan statistical area, which is part of the Philadelphia-Wilmington-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD combined statistical area, also known as 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 12,539, an increase of 166 (+1.3%) from the 2010 census count of 12,373, which in turn reflected an increase of 258 (+2.1%) from the 12,115 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 Upper Township as its 2nd 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.

Upper Township is home to the only yellow fire trucks in Cape May County, a tradition started in 1985 when the Seaville Fire Rescue Company was purchasing a new vehicle and thought that federal regulations would require the color.Leach, Ben. "Seaville firefighters stand out in yellow", The Press of Atlantic City, June 30, 2010. Accessed September 28, 2012. "For the past 35 years, residents living in Upper Township have been able to lay claim to the only yellow fire trucks in Cape May County." Since being formed in 1964 and purchasing its first fire truck a year later, the Seaville company has served the area, responding to over 200 calls a year from its fire station is located on Route 50 across from Dino's Seaville Diner.History , Seaville Volunteer Fire & Rescue Company. Accessed September 28, 2012.

History Upper Township was formed as a precinct on April 2, 1723, and was incorporated as one of New Jersey's initial 104 townships by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798. Portions of the township have been taken to form Dennis Township (March 1, 1827) and Ocean City borough (March 3, 1884),Snyder, John P. The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 116. Accessed May 30, 2024. and territorial changes were made involving Sea Isle City in March and April 1905.Honeyman, Abraham Van Doren. Index-analysis of the Statutes of New Jersey, 1896-1909: Together with References to All Acts, and Parts of Acts, in the 'General Statutes' and Pamphlet Laws Expressly Repealed: and the Statutory Crimes of New Jersey During the Same Period, p. 306. New Jersey Law Journal Publishing Company, 1910. Accessed October 18, 2015. The township's name came from its location when Cape May was split into three townships in 1723 at the same time that Lower Township and Middle Township were created.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:"

During 2008, Upper Township was considering consolidation with neighboring Corbin City. Corbin City already shares extensively with Upper Township for municipal service, but the question of consolidating municipalities across county borders presented an obstacle to a full merger.Staff. "12 Months Later / Corbin City, Upper Township await word on merger study", The Press of Atlantic City, July 20, 2009. Accessed October 17, 2012. "In July 2008, Mayor Carol Foster went to Trenton to apply for a grant to study the possibility of eliminating her municipality.Corbin City and Upper Township officials had proposed a merger plan four months earlier, as state legislators slashed municipal aid and offered incentives for towns to conduct shared-services studies.... Corbin City, which is part of Atlantic County, already shares its library, schools, fire company, emergency medical services and municipal court with Upper Township, which is in Cape May County."

Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 68.68 square miles (177.89 km2), including 62.03 square miles (160.65 km2) of land and 6.66 square miles (17.24 km2) of water (9.69%).

Beesley's Point (2020 population of 816), Marmora (2,413), Marshallville (376), Palermo (3,183), Seaville (695), Strathmere (137), and Tuckahoe (357) are unincorporated communities and census-designated places (CDP) located within Upper Township.

Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Blackmans Island, Cedar Springs, Corsons Inlet, Formosa, Greenfield, Middletown, Miramar, Petersburg, Steelmantown, West Ocean City and Whale Beach.Locality Search, State of New Jersey. Accessed December 18, 2014. The township contains many different communities and enclaves that create a diverse area reaching from Great Egg Harbor to the Atlantic Ocean. Seaville is the largest community and Strathmere is the township's island containing a beach community.

The township borders the municipalities of Dennis Township, Ocean City, Sea Isle City and Woodbine in Cape May County; Corbin City, Egg Harbor Township, Estell Manor and Somers Point in Atlantic County; and Maurice River Township in Cumberland County.Areas touching Upper Township, MapIt. Accessed March 13, 2020.Cape May County , Coalition for a Healthy NJ. Accessed March 13, 2020.New Jersey Municipal Boundaries, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed November 15, 2019.

Demographics

2010 census The 2010 United States census counted 12,373 people, 4,566 households, and 3,461 families in the township. The population density was . There were 6,341 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup was 96.61% (11,954) White, 0.58% (72) Black or African American, 0.13% (16) Native American, 0.74% (92) Asian, 0.01% (1) Pacific Islander, 0.72% (89) from other races, and 1.20% (149) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.36% (292) of the population.

Of the 4,566 households, 32.6% had children under the age of 18; 62.2% were married couples living together; 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present and 24.2% were non-families. Of all households, 20.1% were made up of individuals and 9.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.14.

23.8% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 20.2% from 25 to 44, 34.0% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.6 years. For every 100 females, the population had 94.4 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 92.1 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $81,250 (with a margin of error of +/− $8,629) and the median family income was $97,372 (+/− $6,832). Males had a median income of $63,597 (+/− $2,442) versus $46,250 (+/− $4,552) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $38,702 (+/− $2,243). About 2.5% of families and 4.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.9% of those under age 18 and 6.6% of those age 65 or over.DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics from the 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates for Upper township, Cape May County, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed March 30, 2013.

2000 census As of the 2000 United States census there were 12,115 people, 4,266 households, and 3,365 families residing in the township. The population density was . There were 5,472 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the township was 97.59% White, 0.69% African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.61% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.19% from other races, and 0.74% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.28% of the population.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Upper township, Cape May County, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed May 14, 2012.DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Upper township, Cape May County, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed September 28, 2012.

There were 4,266 households, out of which 39.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.7% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.1% were non-families. 17.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.84 and the average family size was 3.23.

In the township the population was spread out, with 28.6% under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 25.5% from 45 to 64, and 12.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.4 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $60,942, and the median income for a family was $68,824. Males had a median income of $46,528 versus $31,325 for females. The per capita income for the township was $27,498. About 2.4% of families and 3.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.1% of those under age 18 and 3.8% of those age 65 or over.

Parks and recreation With its beaches in the Strathmere section, Upper Township is one of five municipalities in the state that offer free public access to oceanfront beaches monitored by lifeguards, joining Atlantic City, North Wildwood, Wildwood and Wildwood Crest.Spoto, MaryAnn. "Surfers fighting to save dwindling free beaches", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, May 20, 2015. Accessed October 30, 2015. "New Jersey has five free guarded ocean beaches – Atlantic City, Wildwood, North Wildwood, Wildwood Crest and the Strathmere section of Upper Township."

Government

Local government Upper 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.Inventory of Municipal Forms of Government in New Jersey , Rutgers University Center for Government Studies, July 1, 2011. Accessed June 1, 2023. 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.2013 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2012, p. 8."Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey" , p. 7. Rutgers University Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023. At an annual reorganization meeting, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor.