Hopewell Township is a township in Cumberland County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is part of the Vineland-Bridgeton metropolitan statistical area, which encompasses those cities and all of Cumberland County for statistical purposes and which constitutes a 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 4,391, a decrease of 180 (−3.9%) from the 2010 census count of 4,571, which in turn reflected an increase of 137 (+3.1%) from the 4,434 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.
Hopewell Township was first formed as a precinct on January 19, 1748, 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. Portions of the township have been taken to form Columbia Township (March 12, 1844, returned to Hopewell Township on March 11, 1845), Cohansey Township (March 6, 1848) and Shiloh borough (April 9, 1929).Snyder, John P. The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 120. Accessed May 29, 2024.
Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 30.87 square miles (79.96 km2), including 29.89 square miles (77.42 km2) of land and 0.98 square miles (2.54 km2) of water (3.18%).
Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Bowentown, Cohansey, Dutch Neck, Harmony, Irlands Mills, Lakeside-Beebe Run, Mary Elmer Lake, Roadstown, Sheppards Mill, and West Park.Locality Search, State of New Jersey. Accessed May 21, 2015.
The township borders the municipalities of Bridgeton, Fairfield Township, Greenwich Township, Shiloh, Stow Creek Township and Upper Deerfield Township in Cumberland County; and Alloway Township in Salem County.Historic Sites by Municipality, Cumberland County, New Jersey Cultural and Heritage Commission. Accessed February 24, 2020.Map of Cumberland County, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed October 28, 2019.New Jersey Municipal Boundaries, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed November 15, 2019.
Mary Elmer Lake is a reservoir on the Cohansey River in Hopewell Township and Bridgeton that covers and is used for water-supply and recreation purposes. Sunset Lake is a reservoir in Hopewell Township and Upper Deerfield Township covering that was created by damming a stream that feeds to the area from above Seeley Lake and a stream that feeds into the lake from nearby Mary Elmer Lake.Amendment to the Atlantic County Water Quality Management Plan..., New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, approved September 30, 2003. Accessed July 7, 2015.
Demographics
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 . There were 1,741 housing units at an average density of . 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.
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.
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.
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.DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics from the 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates for Hopewell township, Cumberland County, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed October 23, 2012.
2000 census As of the 2000 United States census there were 4,434 people, 1,628 households, and 1,206 families residing in the township. The population density was . There were 1,683 housing units at an average density of . 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.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Hopewell township, Cumberland County, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed October 23, 2012.DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Hopewell township, Cumberland County, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed October 23, 2012.
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.
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.
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.
Government
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.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.2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 19."Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey", p. 7. Rutgers University Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.Cerra, Michael F. "Forms of Government: Everything You've Always Wanted to Know, But Were Afraid to Ask", New Jersey State League of Municipalities, March 2007. Accessed January 1, 2025. At an annual reorganization meeting, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor and another as Vice Mayor.
, 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).Mayor & Township Committee, Hopewell Township. Accessed July 29, 2025. "The Township Committee is the governing body of the Township. The committee consists of five (5) members, all of which are elected by the voters of the Township. At the annual reorganization meeting, the Township Committee votes to select one of its members to serve as Mayor of the Township Committee and another to serve as Vice Mayor."2025 Municipal Data Sheet, Hopewell Township. Accessed July 29, 2025.2024 Directory of Cumberland County, New Jersey, Cumberland County, New Jersey. Accessed July 1, 2025.General Election Results November 5, 2024, Official Results, Cumberland County, New Jersey, updated November 22, 2024. Accessed January 1, 2025.November 7, 2023 General Election Results, Cumberland County, New Jersey, updated November 20, 2023. Accessed January 1, 2024.Election Summary Report General Election Cumberland County November 8, 2022, Cumberland County, New Jersey, updated November 28, 2022. Accessed January 1, 2023.
Federal, state and county representation Hopewell Township is located in the 2nd Congressional DistrictPlan Components Report, New Jersey Redistricting Commission, December 23, 2011. Accessed February 1, 2020. and is part of New Jersey's 3rd state legislative district.Districts by Number for 2023-2031, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed September 18, 2023.
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.Voter Registration Summary - Cumberland, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed October 23, 2012.
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%. 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%.2008 Presidential General Election Results: Cumberland County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 23, 2008. Accessed October 23, 2012. 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 73.8.2004 Presidential Election: Cumberland County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 13, 2004. Accessed October 23, 2012.