Hanover Township is a township in Morris County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 14,677, its highest decennial count ever and an increase of 965 (+7.0%) from the 13,712 recorded at the 2010 census, which in turn reflected an increase of 814 (+6.3%) from the 12,898 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 township comprises the unincorporated communities of Whippany and Cedar Knolls.
Located just north of the historic town of Morristown (separated by a thin strip of Morris Township) and adjacent to the regional Morristown Municipal Airport, Hanover Township offers many public attractions including the Whippany Railway Museum,History, Whippany Railway Museum. Accessed September 10, 2013. the Frelinghuysen ArboretumFrelinghuysen Arboretum , Morris County Parks Commission. Accessed September 10, 2013. and the Morris County Library. Patriots' Path, a wilderness walkway and bike trail that stretches for , also passes through the township along the Whippany River.Patriots' Path , Morris County Parks Commission. Accessed September 10, 2013.
History Hanover Township is the site of the first European settlement in northwest New Jersey. New Englanders established a settlement along the Whippany River in 1685 near the current location of the old Whippany Cemetery on Route 10.Staff. "Hanover named best suburb in New Jersey Magazine taps township for honor", New Jersey Hills, March 7, 2001. Accessed September 30, 2014. "The first settlement in what is now Morris, Sussex, and Warren counties occurred along the Whippanong River in Whippany in 1685."
Once the Province of West Jersey purchased the land from the local Lenape Native Americans, the original County of Morris was created and comprised all of what is now Morris, Sussex and Warren Counties. The counties were partitioned into townships. Morris' original township was 'Whippenny' which itself comprised all of what is now Morris County.
The name "Hanover" was taken from the House of Hanover in Germany.Hutchinson, Viola L. The Origin of New Jersey Place Names, New Jersey Public Library Commission, May 1945. Accessed August 31, 2015. This namesake was given to the Township of Hanover on December 7, 1720, as a sign of respect to George I of Great Britain who was of the House of Hanover and who ruled over the American colonies in the eighteenth century. Its size has been considerably decreased as the population of the area has increased since the creation of Hanover Township in 1720 and its incorporation on March 25, 1740, with the formation of Morris County.Historical Timeline of Morris County Boundaries , Morris County Library. Accessed December 24, 2016. "1740, March 25. Morris County is established. Morris County includes Morris Township, Pequannock (also referred to as Poquanick or Peqannoc), Hanover Township, and 'Morris Town.'"Profile , Township of Hanover. Accessed December 24, 2016. "Settled in 1676 and incorporated on March 25, 1740, Hanover's historic charm, showcased in the book, Along The Whippanong, is rich and colorful. " Originally encompassing all of Morris County and parts of Sussex and Warren County, Hanover Township became too unwieldy for a single local government to maintain. The Township was subdivided into smaller municipalities that could provide more responsive local control despite placing greater demands on the local tax base to support new facilities for each.
Portions of the township were taken to form Mendham Township on March 29, 1749. Hanover Township was established by the Township Act of 1798 of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798. Additional portions of the township were taken to form Chatham Township (February 12, 1806), Rockaway Township (April 8, 1844), Boonton Town (March 16, 1866), Mountain Lakes (April 29, 1924), Morris Plains (April 15, 1926), East Hanover Township and Parsippany-Troy Hills Township (which both split off on May 9, 1928).Snyder, John P. The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 193. Accessed May 28, 2024.Staff. "New Montclair Board Organizes Next Week; C.G. Phillips Only Candidate to Get First Choice Majority--Three Re-elected at Long Branch.", The New York Times, May 10, 1928. Accessed April 13, 2020. "The electorate of the present Hanover Township near here turned out in force today and by a vote of 1,938 to 987 registered its approval of the proposal to split the township into three new townships. The present township will be divided into the townships of Parsippany-Troy Hills, East Hanover and Old Township."
During the Revolutionary War, George Washington and his troops often camped in, and marched through, Hanover Township.
The name Whippany is adapted from the Native American word Whippanong which means “place of the arrow wood".Fariello, L., A Place Called Whippany (2nd ed.) L.A. Sunchild Publishing (2003).
The old settlements of Monroe and Malapardis were consumed by development and what remains are two communities—Whippany and Cedar Knolls—which are roughly separated by Interstate 287.
The Malapardis area of Cedar Knolls is primarily located around Malapardis Road. A section of Malapardis, even though it is in Hanover Township's borders, has a Morris Plains mailing zip code. Another section of Cedar Knolls is called Trailwood which has a section of its land in a Morris Plains ZIP code, the area closest to American Way.
The Monroe area of Whippany is located around Whippany Road and Cedar Knolls Road, marked by a building in the intersection named Monroe Hall.
Until the post-World War II suburbanization of New Jersey, Hanover Township was a sparsely populated industrial town known for its iron works and paper mills. This industry was driven by the ever-present power of the Whippany River. Over the second half of the twentieth century, the Township became thoroughly suburban.
Lucent Technologies had a large facility in Whippany. The first demonstration of long distance television transmission in the United States took place in 1927, with a transmission that went via wire from Washington, D.C., to New York, and from Whippany to New York using radio.AT&T milestones in TV History , AT&T Corporation. Accessed May 27, 2007.
The Seeing Eye, the first guide dog school for the blind in the United States, was located in Whippany between 1931 and 1966, before moving to its current campus in nearby Morris Township.History , The Seeing Eye. Accessed November 16, 2021. "The Seeing Eye was incorporated in Nashville, Tenn., on Jan. 29, 1929. In 1931, the organization relocated to Whippany, N.J., because the climate in the northeast was more suitable for training dogs."
In 2026, Hanover Township commemorated the 350th anniversary of Whippany, tracing the community's recorded history to a 1676 deed that referred to the area as "a Place Called Whippano."
Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 10.75 square miles (27.83 km2), including 10.52 square miles (27.23 km2) of land and 0.23 square miles (0.59 km2) of water (2.14%).
Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Balls Mills, Black Meadows, Cedar Knolls, Eden Mill, Horse Hill, Jefferson, Lee Meadows, Malapardis, Monroe and Whippany.Locality Search, State of New Jersey. Accessed May 21, 2015.
Hanover Township borders the Morris County municipalities of East Hanover Township, Florham Park, Morris Plains, Morris Township and Parsippany-Troy Hills Township.Areas touching Hanover Township, MapIt. Accessed February 23, 2020.Morris County Municipalities Map, Morris County, New Jersey Department of Planning and Preservation. Accessed February 23, 2020.New Jersey Municipal Boundaries, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed November 15, 2019.
As of 2026, the township is a member of Local Leaders for Responsible Planning in order to address the township's Mount Laurel doctrine-based housing obligations.
Demographics
2010 census The 2010 United States census counted 13,712 people, 5,308 households, and 3,790 families in the township. The population density was 1,302.8 per square mile (503.0/km2). There were 5,526 housing units at an average density of 525.0 per square mile (202.7/km2). The racial makeup was 85.53% (11,728) White, 1.01% (138) Black or African American, 0.04% (6) Native American, 10.80% (1,481) Asian, 0.01% (1) Pacific Islander, 1.26% (173) from other races, and 1.35% (185) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.59% (630) of the population.
Of the 5,308 households, 30.9% had children under the age of 18; 61.1% were married couples living together; 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present and 28.6% were non-families. Of all households, 25.1% 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 3.12.
22.2% of the population were under the age of 18, 5.5% from 18 to 24, 24.2% from 25 to 44, 30.0% from 45 to 64, and 18.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.9 years. For every 100 females, the population had 91.8 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 88.1 males.
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $100,962 (with a margin of error of +/− $6,654) and the median family income was $115,341 (+/− $10,572). Males had a median income of $76,766 (+/− $2,263) versus $61,441 (+/− $5,321) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $44,123 (+/− $2,675). About 1.5% of families and 2.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.5% of those under age 18 and 1.9% of those age 65 or over.DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics from the 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates for Hanover township, Morris County, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed December 18, 2012.
2000 census At the 2000 United States census there were 12,898 people, 4,745 households and 3,620 families residing in the township. The population density was . There were 4,818 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the township was 88.79% White, 1.09% African American, 0.05% Native American, 8.71% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.59% from other races, and 0.77% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.50% of the population.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Hanover township, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed October 31, 2016.DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Hanover township, Morris County, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed December 18, 2012.
There were 4,745 households, of which 32.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.8% were married couples living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.7% were non-families. 19.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.7% 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 3.13.
Age distribution was 22.8% under the age of 18, 5.6% from 18 to 24, 30.1% from 25 to 44, 26.6% from 45 to 64, and 14.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.1 males.