Lacey Township is a township in Ocean County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey and is considered part of the Jersey Shore and South Jersey regions, as well as the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 28,655, an increase of 1,011 (+3.7%) from the 2010 census count of 27,644, which in turn reflected an increase of 2,298 (+9.1%) from the 25,346 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 2010 population was the highest recorded in any decennial census. It was named for Continental Army General John Lacey.
Lacey Township was incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 23, 1871, from portions of Dover Township (now known as Toms River Township) and Union Township (now Barnegat Township). Portions of the township were taken on June 23, 1933, to form the borough of Island Beach (which is now Island Beach State Park, part of Berkeley Township). The township was named for Revolutionary War brigadier general John Lacey, who developed Ferrago Forge in 1809.
The Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station is located in the southern part of the township. The single-unit 636 MWe boiling water reactor power plant adjoins the Oyster Creek and is owned and operated by Exelon Corporation. It produced 9% of the state's electricity and is the nation's oldest operating nuclear power plant, having first been brought online on December 1, 1969, and is licensed to operate until April 9, 2029. In 2010, Exelon announced that it would close the facility in 2019 as part of an agreement with the State of New Jersey under which the plant would be allowed to operate without cooling towers. The plant, which had contributed a third of the township's budget through taxes, was closed in September 2018, after which a decommissioning process estimated to take eight years and cost $1.4 billion was to be undertaken.
Murray Grove is a Unitarian-Universalist retreat and conference center in Lanoka Harbor, traditionally considered the site where Universalism in America began."Towns of Lanoka Harbor and Murray Grove: Written Historical and Descriptive Data", Historic American Buildings Survey, National Park Service. Accessed December 26, 2012. "Murray Grove is further renowned as the 'birthplace of Universalism America,' where the first Universalist sermon in the United States was preached."
Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 99.81 square miles (258.49 km2), including 83.25 square miles (215.62 km2) of land and 16.55 square miles (42.87 km2) of water (16.58%).
Forked River (with a 2020 Census population of 5,274) is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Lacey Township.GCT-PH1 - Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County -- County Subdivision and Place from the 2010 Census Summary File 1 for Ocean County, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed December 26, 2012.2006-2010 American Community Survey Geography for New Jersey, United States Census Bureau. Accessed December 26, 2012.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 26, 2012. Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Aserdaten, Bamber Lake, Barnegat Pines, Batuber, Cedar Creek, Cedar Crest, Deer Head Lake, Good Luck, Lake Barnegat, Lanoka Harbor, Osteam, Red Oak Grove, Union Clay Works and Webbs Mill.Locality Search, State of New Jersey. Accessed November 28, 2014. The township's fire stations are named after the various areas of Lacey Township.
The township borders the Ocean County municipalities of Barnegat Township, Berkeley Township, Manchester Township and Ocean Township, as well as Woodland Township in Burlington County.Areas touching Lacey Township, MapIt. Accessed February 25, 2020.New Jersey Municipal Boundaries, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed November 15, 2019.
The north–south track of the Garden State Parkway serves as an informal use divider under the 1979 Pinelands Act and the subsequent Comprehensive Management Plan. To the east of the Parkway are more than 95% of Lacey's residential dwellings, located in the unincorporated areas of Lanoka Harbor and Forked River. To the Parkway's west is a mostly undisturbed pine and cedar forest, part of New Jersey's vast Pine Barrens. The forest is interspersed with a scattered few farms, houses and ranches, the tiny community of Bamber Lakes and open pit gravel quarries—all of which predate passage of the Pinelands Act or were developed under its tight zoning rules. The conditions of grandfathering vary—the mines' exceptions are to expire upon the deaths of their owners whereas the farms' exceptions are indefinite. Development west of the parkway, covering two-thirds of the township's area, is strictly controlled by the New Jersey Pinelands Commission.Ocean County Wastewater Management Plan: Lacey Township , Ocean County, New Jersey Department of Planning, January 2015. Accessed July 28, 2016. "All land west of the Garden State Parkway (about 66.93% of the municipality's total area) is located within the Pinelands Comprehensive Management Plan Area. The Balance of Lacey's land area is within the CAFRA region to the east."
Some Ocean County residents refer to all of Lacey Township as Forked River with the first word pronounced with two syllables (FOR-kid or FORK-id). Pronouncing the first word with one syllable is a sign of a non-native.Say What? : From 'Morris' River to 'R-Kansas' Avenue, Area Residents have own way of speaking., The Press of Atlantic City, April 24, 2003Suhay, Lisa. "Jerseyana; Where They Don't Speak With Forked Tongue", The New York Times, December 8, 2002. Accessed September 13, 2013. "'It's FORK-ed River,' Jennifer Sawicki, 25, who was born in the town, said with a laugh.... Donald M. Launer, a resident and author of A Cruising Guide to New Jersey Waters (Rutgers Press, 1997), had a long laugh at the idea of asking people how to pronounce the name and at the mere thought that anyone in Forked River would say Forkt. 'The name originated in the 1700s, and it is the typical archaic pronunciation that has just stuck,' he said."
In a 2015 NJ.com poll with 91,000 respondents, Lacey Township was voted as part of South Jersey. According to the poll results, Lacey Township is South Jersey's northernmost Jersey Shore community.Stirling, Stephen. "Here are the North, Central and South Jersey borders as determined by you (Interactive)", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, April 24, 2015. Accessed September 19, 2016.
Demographics
2010 census The 2010 United States census counted 27,644 people, 10,183 households, and 7,607 families in the township. The population density was . There were 11,573 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup was 96.15% (26,581) White, 0.60% (167) Black or African American, 0.14% (38) Native American, 0.80% (222) Asian, 0.02% (6) Pacific Islander, 1.14% (316) from other races, and 1.14% (314) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.74% (1,310) of the population.
Of the 10,183 households, 31.2% had children under the age of 18; 60.0% were married couples living together; 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present and 25.3% were non-families. Of all households, 20.1% were made up of individuals and 9.6% 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.
23.1% of the population were under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 24.2% from 25 to 44, 29.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.3 years. For every 100 females, the population had 96.6 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 93.5 males.
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $72,835 (with a margin of error of ± $3,271) and the median family income was $84,031 (± $6,930). Males had a median income of $56,748 (± $3,051) versus $40,360 (± $3,340) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $31,552 (± $1,524). About 2.2% of families and 3.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.4% of those under age 18 and 4.6% of those age 65 or over.DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics from the 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates for Lacey township, Ocean County, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed December 26, 2012.
2000 census As of the 2000 United States census there were 25,346 people, 9,336 households, and 7,244 families residing in the township. The population density was . There were 10,580 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the township was 97.85% White, 0.36% African American, 0.15% Native American, 0.55% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.41% from other races, and 0.68% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.15% of the population.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Lacey township, Ocean County, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed December 26, 2012.DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Lacey township, Ocean County, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed December 26, 2012.
There were 9,336 households, out of which 35.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.5% were married couples living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.4% were non-families. 18.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.3% 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 3.08.
In the township the population was spread out, with 25.6% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 24.5% from 45 to 64, and 15.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.4 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $55,938, and the median income for a family was $61,298. Males had a median income of $47,406 versus $30,088 for females. The per capita income for the township was $23,136. About 3.7% of families and 4.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.1% of those under age 18 and 4.5% of those age 65 or over.
Economy Lacey Township is home to many businesses, the largest employer has been the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station. The facility, which closed in 2018, generated $70 million in wages in 2010 for its 700 employees, making it one of the largest employers in the county.
In the early to late 2000s, Lacey experienced rapid growth in recent years with the addition of many new developments and new "big-box" stores being built around the township. Previously, township residents had to travel to Stafford Township (Manahawkin) or Toms River to shop at these stores.
Recent local controversies have surrounded development and land use. In particular, a proposal to build a road on an old railroad right of way behind the ShopRite has been a major issue in the community. Other issues involve the lack of water resources to sustain the Home Depot (which opened in October 2007) and the Walmart that opened in October 2009.Procida, Lee. "Walmart Supercenter opening draws fans, critics in Lacey Township", The Press of Atlantic City, October 8, 2009. Accessed September 21, 2016.
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