Knowlton Township is a township in Warren County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 2,894, a decrease of 161 (−5.3%) from the 2010 census count of 3,055, which in turn reflected an increase of 78 (+2.6%) from the 2,977 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.

History

Knowlton Township was created as a precinct by Royal charter from portions of Oxford Township on February 23, 1763,Home Page, Knowlton Township Historic Commission. Accessed May 24, 2017. "'Knoll town' so called for the prevalent hills and limestone knobs, was sectioned off from Oxford Township in 1768." Note that this 1768 date conflicts with the state source. while the area was still part of Sussex County, and was incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798, and then became part of the newly created Warren County on November 20, 1824. Portions of the township were taken to form Hope Township (April 8, 1839) and Blairstown Township (April 14, 1845).Snyder, John P. The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 246. Accessed May 29, 2024.

Knowlton's name is variously attributed to Thomas Knowlton, a Colonel in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War who was killed in action at the Battle of Harlem Heights,Snell, James P. (1881) History of Sussex and Warren Counties, New Jersey, With Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of its Prominent Men and Pioneers. (Centennial ed., Harmony, NJ: Harmony Press, 1981) pp. 623, 625 or to the knolls that characterize the area.Home Page, Knowlton Township Historic Commission. Accessed September 2, 2015. "'Knoll town' so called for the prevalent hills and limestone knobs, was sectioned off from Oxford Township in 1768." In some older sources, the name is spelled "Knawltown".Harbaugh, H. The Fathers of the German Reformed Church in Europe and America, Volume 2. Sprenger & Westhaeffer, 1872

The township is served by postal ZIP Codes in Columbia (07832) and Delaware (07833), although a small number of Knowlton residents receive postal deliveries via the Blairstown (07825) post office. Within the township are several small hamlets, including Browning, Deckers Ferry, Mount Pleasant, Polkville, Ramseyburg, Warrington and Knowlton itself.New Jersey Local Names, State of New Jersey. Accessed January 27, 2014.

Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 25.33 square miles (65.60 km2), including 24.72 square miles (64.03 km2) of land and 0.60 square miles (1.56 km2) of water (2.38%). The township is located in the Kittatinny Valley which is a section of the Great Appalachian Valley that stretches from Canada to Alabama.

Columbia (with a 2020 Census population of 215), Delaware (173) and Hainesburg (422) are unincorporated communities and census-designated places (CDPs) located within the township.GCT-PH1 - Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County -- County Subdivision and Place from the 2010 Census Summary File 1 for Warren County, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed June 6, 2013.2006-2010 American Community Survey Geography for New Jersey, United States Census Bureau. Accessed June 6, 2013.New Jersey: 2010 - Population and Housing Unit Counts - 2010 Census of Population and Housing (CPH-2-32), United States Census Bureau, p. III-5, August 2012. Accessed June 6, 2013.

Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Browning, Deckers Ferry, Mount Pleasant, Polkville, Ramseyburg and Warrington.Locality Search, State of New Jersey. Accessed April 2, 2015.

The township borders the Warren County municipalities of Blairstown Township, Hardwick Township, Hope Township and White Township.Municipal Directory, Warren County, New Jersey. Accessed July 30, 2023.New Jersey Municipal Boundaries, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed November 15, 2019.

Demographics

The Township's economic data (as is all of Warren County) is calculated by the US Census Bureau as part of the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ Metropolitan Statistical Area.Karp, Gregory. "Lehigh Valley, Warren County reunited as a metro area ** Economies, social patterns similar, federal office says.", The Morning Call, June 22, 2003. Accessed February 15, 2022. "This time, new rules for defining MSAs determined that because the Phillipsburg area was the biggest cluster of people in Warren County, the whole county should be lumped with the nearby Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton metro area."State of New Jersey Census Designated Places - BVP20 - Data as of January 1, 2020, United States Census Bureau. Accessed December 1, 2022.

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 3,055 people, 1,097 households, and 864 families in the township. The population density was . There were 1,212 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup was 96.07% (2,935) White, 0.92% (28) Black or African American, 0.29% (9) Native American, 0.92% (28) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 0.75% (23) from other races, and 1.05% (32) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.63% (111) of the population.

Of the 1,097 households, 33.5% had children under the age of 18; 66.5% were married couples living together; 8.3% had a female householder with no husband present and 21.2% were non-families. Of all households, 16.3% were made up of individuals and 6.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.75 and the average family size was 3.10.

23.3% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 20.2% from 25 to 44, 36.8% from 45 to 64, and 12.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44.8 years. For every 100 females, the population had 101.7 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 98.1 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $81,346 (with a margin of error of +/− $11,792) and the median family income was $86,708 (+/− $13,339). Males had a median income of $76,733 (+/− $8,158) versus $51,757 (+/− $3,961) for females. The per capita income for the Township was $35,440 (+/− $4,605). About 1.4% of families and 3.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.1% of those under age 18 and 7.7% of those age 65 or over.DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics from the 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates for Knowlton township, Warren County, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed June 6, 2013.

2000 census As of the 2000 U.S. census, there were 2,977 people, 1,028 households, and 816 families residing in the township. The population density was . There were 1,135 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the township was 97.45% White, 0.40% African American, 0.07% Native American, 0.64% Asian, 0.47% from other races, and 0.97% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.85% of the population.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Knowlton 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 Knowlton township, Warren County, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed June 6, 2013.

There were 1,028 households, out of which 40.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.1% were married couples living together, 6.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.6% were non-families. 15.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.87 and the average family size was 3.21.

In the township the population was spread out, with 27.6% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 31.3% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 11.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.0 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $63,409, and the median income for a family was $72,130. Males had a median income of $46,250 versus $35,326 for females. The per capita income for the township was $24,631. About 1.5% of families and 3.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.2% of those under age 18 and 1.3% of those age 65 or over.

Government Local government

Knowlton 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. 103."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 and another as Deputy Mayor.

, the Knowlton Township Committee is comprised of Mayor M. Adele Starrs (R, term on committee and as mayor ends December 31, 2022), Deputy Mayor Debra L. Shipps (R, term on committee ends 2023; term as deputy mayor ends 2022), Kathy Cuntala (R, 2024), James Mazza (R, 2023), and Frank Van Horn (R, 2022).Township Committee , Township of Knowlton. Accessed March 2, 2022. "Knowlton is organized under the township form of government with a five-member Township Committee.... Voters directly choose Committee members in partisan elections to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with one or two seats coming up for election each year as part of the November general election. At an annual reorganization meeting held in January, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as mayor and another as deputy mayor for that year."2022 Municipal Data Sheet , Township of Knowlton. Accessed June 21, 2022.Summary Results Report 2021 General Election November 2, 2021 Official Results, Warren County, New Jersey, updated November 18, 2021. Accessed January 1, 2022.Warren County 2020 General Election November 20, 2020 Official Results, Warren County, New Jersey, updated November 20, 2020. Accessed January 1, 2021.General Election November 5, 2019, Warren County Official Tally, Warren County, New Jersey, updated November 12, 2019. Accessed January 1, 2020.

Federal, state, and county representation Knowlton Township is located in the 7th Congressional District2022 Redistricting Plan, New Jersey Redistricting Commission, December 8, 2022. and is part of New Jersey's 23rd state legislative district.Municipalities Sorted by 2023-2031 Legislative District, New Jersey Department of State. Accessed September 1, 2023.

Politics