Manalapan Township (, Melisurgo, Len. "Here's the right way to pronounce 25 N.J. town names everyone botches", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, June 23, 2017. Accessed June 22, 2023. "Manalapan (Monmouth County) To some newcomers, it might look like MAN-a-LAP-in. But the correct way to say this township’s name is ma-NAL-a-pin.") is a township in western Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The township is centrally located within the Raritan Valley region and is a part of the New York metropolitan area.Tarabour, Brooke."New Jersey-Bound: The Staten Island Migration", The New York Times, January 10, 1993. Accessed June 10, 2022.Capuzzo, Jill P. "Living in Manalapan: High Marks for Schools and Location", The New York Times, June 26, 2009. Accessed June 13, 2022. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 40,905, its highest decennial count ever and an increase of 2,033 (+5.2%) from the 2010 census count of 38,872, which in turn reflected an increase of 5,449 (+16.3%) from the 33,423 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 name "Manalapan" is derived from a word in the Lenape language that would mean either "land of good bread", "good land to settle upon",Chang, Kathy; and Kesten, Karen L. "Birth of a town", News Transcript, December 16, 2009. Accessed May 16, 2023. "Manalapan is said to derive its name from the Lenape word for 'land of good bread or good land to settle upon.' Englishtown was a part of Manalapan. The Monmouth Battlefield lands are 80 percent in Manalapan." "good bread"Gannett, Henry. The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States, p. 19. United States Government Printing Office, 1905. Accessed September 4, 2015. or "covered swamp with edible roots".Hutchinson, Viola L. The Origin of New Jersey Place Names, New Jersey Public Library Commission, May 1945. Accessed September 4, 2015.

History The Battle of Monmouth was fought in 1778 on land that is now part of Manalapan and Freehold townships. Monmouth Battlefield State Park occupies in the two townships.Wikoff, Lydia. "Manalapan Spanning Three Centuries", Manalapan Township. Accessed January 29, 2025. "In researching it could not be found how the decision to name it Manalapan came about. The name Manalapan translate from the Lenape Indian Words 'manel' for drinking and 'paune' for bread meant good land to settle upon, for the Indians.... You are well aware that Manalapan was the site of the Battle of Monmouth, a Revolutionary War engagement held on June 28, 1778 involving 30,000 British and Continental troops. On the two hundredth anniversary of the Battle, in 1978, the State opened the 1,520 acre Monmouth Battlefield State Park. Eighty percent of the Park is in Manalapan Township."

Manalapan Township was formed by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 9, 1848, from portions of Freehold Township. Englishtown was formed as a borough from portions of Manalapan on January 4, 1888, based on the results of a referendum held the previous day.Snyder, John P. The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 181. Accessed May 30, 2024.

Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 30.88 square miles (79.99 km2), including 30.65 square miles (79.39 km2) of land and 0.23 square miles (0.60 km2) of water (0.75%). The township has an elevation of .

The township completely surrounds Englishtown, making it part of 21 pairs of "doughnut towns" in the state, where one municipality entirely surrounds another.DeMarco, Megan. "Voters to decide whether to merge two Princetons into one", The Star-Ledger, November 3, 2011. Accessed January 8, 2017. "There are 22 sets of 'doughnut towns' in New Jersey, those where one town wraps around the other town". Note that following voter approval of the Princeton merger, 21 pairs of "doughnut towns" remain. The township borders the municipalities of Freehold Township, Marlboro Township and Millstone Township in Monmouth County; and Monroe Township and Old Bridge Township in Middlesex County.Areas touching Manalapan Township, MapIt. Accessed February 26, 2020.Regional Location Map, Monmouth County, New Jersey. Accessed February 26, 2020.New Jersey Municipal Boundaries, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed November 15, 2019.

Yorketown (with a 2020 Census population of 6,617) is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Manalapan Township.GCT-PH1 - Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County -- County Subdivision and Place from the 2010 Census Summary File 1 for Monmouth County, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed August 6, 2012.2006-2010 American Community Survey Geography for New Jersey, United States Census Bureau. Accessed March 3, 2013.New Jersey: 2010 - Population and Housing Unit Counts - 2010 Census of Population and Housing (CPH-2-32), United States Census Bureau, August 2012. Accessed December 5, 2012.

Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Cahills Corners, Clarks Mills, Elton, Gordons Corner, Lafayette Mills, Millhurst, Monmouth Heights, Oakland Mills, Smithburg, Taylors Mills, Tennent, Tracey, Whittier Oaks and Woodville.Locality Search, State of New Jersey. Accessed April 23, 2015.

Ecology According to the A. W. Kuchler U.S. potential natural vegetation types, Manalapan Township would have an Appalachian Oak (104) vegetation type with an Eastern Hardwood Forest (25) vegetation form.U.S. Potential Natural Vegetation, Original Kuchler Types, v2.0 (Spatially Adjusted to Correct Geometric Distortions), Data Basin. Accessed October 13, 2020.

Demographics

2010 census The 2010 United States census counted 38,872 people, 13,263 households, and 10,663 families in the township. The population density was 1,270.0 per square mile (490.3/km2). There were 13,735 housing units at an average density of 448.8 per square mile (173.3/km2). The racial makeup was 88.55% (34,423) White, 2.38% (925) Black or African American, 0.05% (18) Native American, 6.90% (2,682) Asian, 0.02% (7) Pacific Islander, 0.94% (364) from other races, and 1.17% (453) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.66% (2,202) of the population.

Of the 13,263 households, 39.6% had children under the age of 18; 70.2% were married couples living together; 7.4% had a female householder with no husband present and 19.6% were non-families. Of all households, 17.3% were made up of individuals and 9.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.92 and the average family size was 3.32.

25.8% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 21.8% from 25 to 44, 32.4% from 45 to 64, and 12.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.7 years. For every 100 females, the population had 93.2 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 89.9 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $103,970 (with a margin of error of +/− $4,322) and the median family income was $115,292 (+/− $5,344). Males had a median income of $85,086 (+/− $5,699) versus $51,695 (+/− $3,038) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $41,049 (+/− $1,717). About 2.5% of families and 2.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.7% of those under age 18 and 5.4% of those age 65 or over.DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics from the 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates for Manalapan township, Monmouth County, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed April 4, 2013.

2000 census As the 2000 United States census there were 33,423 people, 10,781 households, and 9,002 families residing in the township. The population density was . There were 11,066 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the township was 91.81% White, 1.99% African American, 0.03% Native American, 4.53% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.53% from other races, and 1.10% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.54% of the population. Manalapan has large Italian and Jewish communities.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Manalapan township, Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States Census Bureau. Accessed February 24, 2012.DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Manalapan township, Monmouth County, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed July 8, 2012.

There were 10,781 households, out of which 47.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 75.9% were married couples living together, 5.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.5% were non-families. 14.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.09 and the average family size was 3.45.

In the township the population was spread out, with 30.3% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 24.5% from 45 to 64, and 11.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.5 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $83,575, and the median income for a family was $94,112. Males had a median income of $72,198 versus $39,921 for females. The per capita income for the township was $32,142. About 3.2% of families and 3.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.1% of those under age 18 and 5.7% of those age 65 or over.

Crime Manalapan's crime rate per 1,000 residents had reached a low of 8.4 in 2003 (in data since 1996). After reaching a peak of 12.1 in 2007, the rate dropped each subsequent year, reaching 10.4 in 2010 before an uptick to 10.8 in 2011. The violent crime rate per 1,000 had reached a low of 0.3 in 2005, before climbing to 0.8 in 2007, then declining or remaining level in each succeeding year, reaching a rate of 0.4 in 2011.New Jersey Crime Reports: Manalapan Township, Asbury Park Press. Accessed September 23, 2013.

In 2008, seven residents of Manalapan were arrested on money laundering and drug trafficking charges for their involvement in an international drug ring bringing in a net of $1 million per month.Diamant, Jeff. "Seven arrested in Monmouth County drug bust", The Star-Ledger, June 2, 2008. Accessed April 12, 2011. "Based at the multi-million dollar Manalapan home of its alleged leader, it operated out of 'quiet suburbia' but had contacts worldwide, said Gerard McAleer, special agent in charge of the DEA's New Jersey division."

Parks and recreation

Manalapan's Recreation Center covers , offering two handball courts, nine softball/baseball fields, five batting cages, a fitness trail, two football fields (one turf), nine football/soccer fields (one turf), two street hockey courts, three tot lots, six basketball courts, six tennis courts, two bocce courts, two sand volleyball courts, a nine-hole disc golf course, a small water park, concession stand, two picnic areas, two maintenance buildings, two shelter buildings and a headquarters building.Parks and Recreation Active Park Properties. Manalapan Township. Accessed January 29, 2025.

Government

Local government