Jefferson Township is the northernmost township in Morris County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.Home page, Jefferson Township. Accessed September 8, 2011. "Beautiful Jefferson Township is nestled deep in the northwest corner of Morris County, New Jersey. This countryside town is just minutes off of RT. 80 and located less than an hour from New York City." As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 20,538, a decrease of 776 (−3.6%) from the 2010 census count of 21,314, which in turn reflected an increase of 1,597 (+8.1%) from the 19,717 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.

Jefferson Township was formed as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 11, 1804, from portions of Pequannock Township and Roxbury.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 29, 2024.Historical Timeline of Morris County Boundaries , Morris County Library. Accessed December 24, 2016. "1804, February 11. Jefferson is established from Pequannock." The township was named after Thomas Jefferson, the President of the United States at the time the Township was created.Staff. "Patch Call", FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, March 2011. Accessed September 8, 2011. "The patch of the Jefferson Township, New Jersey, Police Department centers on the naming of the department's jurisdiction. The township was incorporated in 1804, the same year as Thomas Jefferson's recorded inauguration as the third president of the United States. As such, the patch displays a profile bust of Thomas Jefferson, intersecting U.S. and New Jersey flags, and the year 1804."Hutchinson, Viola L. The Origin of New Jersey Place Names, New Jersey Public Library Commission, May 1945. Accessed September 2, 2015. The township is situated in the northernmost part of Morris County bordering both Passaic and Sussex counties.

Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of , including of land and of water (9.06%).

The township borders Mount Arlington, Rockaway Township, Roxbury and Wharton in Morris County; West Milford in Passaic County; and Hardyston Township, Hopatcong and Sparta in Sussex County.Areas touching Jefferson Township, MapIt. Accessed February 24, 2020.Morris County Municipalities Map, Morris County, New Jersey Department of Planning and Preservation. Accessed February 24, 2020.New Jersey Municipal Boundaries, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed November 15, 2019.

The township has two large divisions, Milton and Lake Hopatcong.Willis, R. Richard; and Lees, Lorraine C. Jefferson Township on Lake Hopatcong, p. 7. Arcadia Publishing, 2001. . Accessed November 20, 2011. "Jefferson Township is a large municipality that is separated into two major sections, Lake Hopatcong and Oak Ridge/Milton, with the Mahlon Dickerson County Park in the middle." Each half has its own first-aid squad, fire department substation and set of elementary schools. Addresses in the Milton section of the township are classified under the Oak Ridge mailing city, which is shared with a portion of West Milford, or in the Newfoundland mailing area, shared with a portion of West Milford and Rockaway Township. Addresses in Lake Hopatcong use either Lake Hopatcong (not to be confused with the Hopatcong mailing city used in the Borough of Hopatcong) or Wharton as their mailing city. In 2016, there was an effort to change the mailing address for the Lake Shawnee section of town from a Wharton, NJ 07885 ZIP code, to a Lake Hopatcong, NJ 07849 ZIP code. The effort was narrowly defeated. In 2026, a new effort will be made to change the mailing address ZIP code to Lake Hopatcong, NJ 07849. The Jefferson Township Municipal Building, Middle School, High School, Recycling Center and school bus depot are positioned at the boundary between the two halves of the township.

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Berkshire Valley, Bowling Green Mountain, Cozy Lake, Espanong, Halsey Island, Hurdtown, Lake Forest, Lake Hopatcong, Lake Swannanoa,Cella, Chris. "Jefferson Township officials need further discussion on Lake Swannanoa", Aim Jefferson, April 14, 2011. Accessed September 8, 2011. "At last week's Jefferson Town Council meeting there was a large turnout as many townspeople anxiously awaited the discussions regarding the Lake Swannanoa dam restoration. During the March 16 meeting over 40 people spoke out during the public portion of the meeting, voicing their opinions and thoughts as to whether or not the town should agree to pay for repairs on the Swannanoa dam, as proposed by the Lake Swannanoa Homeowners Association." Lake Shawnee, Lake Winona, Longwood Mountains, Lower Berkshire Valley, Lower Longwood, Minisink, Moosepac Pond, Newfoundland, Nolans Point, Oak Ridge, Petersburg, Prospect Point, Raccoon Island, Russia, Upper Longwood, Weldon, Woodport, White Rock, and Woodstock.Locality Search, State of New Jersey. Accessed April 30, 2015.

some residents on the portion along Lake Hoptacong with "Wharton" postal addresses state that they are from "Lake Shawnee"; people in that area, as of that year, do not state they are from "Wharton". Residents in the lake areas in the township state they are from particular localities. As of that year, in the section of Oak Ridge in Jefferson Township, the people there state they are from "Milton".

Portions of the township are owned by the City of Newark, Essex County, for its Pequannock River Watershed, which provides water to the city from an area of that also includes portions of Hardyston Township, Kinnelon, Rockaway Township, Vernon Township, and West Milford.Primerano, Jane. "Newark appealing watershed taxes against Jefferson", AIM Jefferson, May 8, 2015. Accessed July 2, 2015. "Besides West Milford and Jefferson, Newark owns watershed land in Hardyston, Vernon, and Rockaway Townships and Kinnelon Borough, Leach said."City of Newark v. Vernon Tp., Leagle from Tax Court of New Jersey, April 1, 1980. Accessed July 2, 2015. "Generally, the lands are part of the 35,000-acre Pequannock Watershed (approximately two times the size of Newark), which was purchased by Newark at the turn of the century to provide a water supply. The watershed, which contains five major bodies of water, is located in Vernon and Hardyston in Sussex County, Jefferson, Rockaway and Kinnelon in Morris County, and West Milford in Passaic County."

Demographics

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 21,314 people, 7,830 households, and 5,794 families in the township. The population density was . There were 8,597 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup was 90.64% (19,318) White, 1.56% (332) Black or African American, 0.08% (18) Native American, 4.60% (981) Asian, 0.02% (4) Pacific Islander, 1.49% (317) from other races, and 1.61% (344) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.48% (1,382) of the population.

Of the 7,830 households, 35.6% had children under the age of 18; 62.0% were married couples living together; 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present and 26.0% were non-families. Of all households, 20.7% 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 2.72 and the average family size was 3.19.

24.6% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 31.7% from 45 to 64, and 10.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.9 years. For every 100 females, the population had 100.5 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 98.3 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $92,095 (with a margin of error of +/− $6,923) and the median family income was $102,324 (+/− $6,788). Males had a median income of $73,152 (+/− $3,827) versus $51,933 (+/− $2,776) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $37,912 (+/− $1,795). About 2.6% of families and 3.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.2% of those under age 18 and 4.2% of those age 65 or over.DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics from the 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates for Jefferson township, Morris County, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed June 21, 2012.

2000 census As of the 2000 United States census there were 19,717 people, 7,131 households, and 5,448 families residing in the township. The population density was . There were 7,527 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the township was 96.14% White, 0.83% African American, 0.16% Native American, 1.07% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.62% from other races, and 1.14% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.41% of the population.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Jefferson township, New Jersey, United States Census Bureau. Accessed August 7, 2012.DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Jefferson township, Morris County, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed August 7, 2012.

As of the 2000 Census, 25.7% of residents identified their ancestry as Italian, 22.9% Irish, 21.7% German, 11.6% English and 10.0% Polish.

There were 7,131 households, out of which 38.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.5% were married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.6% were non-families. 18.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.76 and the average family size was 3.17.

In the township the age distribution of the population shows 26.9% under the age of 18, 5.5% from 18 to 24, 33.8% from 25 to 44, 25.2% from 45 to 64, and 8.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.8 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $68,837, and the median income for a family was $76,974. Males had a median income of $51,359 versus $37,849 for females. The per capita income for the township was $27,950. About 1.0% of families and 2.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.2% of those under age 18 and 4.3% of those age 65 or over.

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