Since the6th millennium BC,Native American people have inhabitedNew Jersey. By the 17th century, the Absegami tribe of theUnalachtigo Lenape tribe – "people near the ocean" – stayed along the streams and back bays of what is now Atlantic County. The group referred to the broader area asScheyichbi – "land bordering the ocean".[16][17] European settlement by theDutch,Sweden, and England contributed to the demise of the indigenous people. In 1674,West Jersey was established, and its provincial government designated the court ofBurlington County in 1681, splitting offGloucester County five years later from the southern portion. This county was bounded by theMullica River to the north, theAtlantic Ocean to the east, and theGreat Egg Harbor River andTuckahoe River to the south.[16]Great Egg Harbour Township, also calledNew Weymouth and later justEgg Harbor, was designated in 1693 from the eastern portions of Gloucester County.[16]
The region's early European settlers, many of themQuakers, lived along the area's waterways. In 1695, John Somers purchased 300 acres (120 ha) of land on the northern shore of theGreat Egg Harbor Bay in 1695, the same year he began ferry service across the bay toCape May County. His son, Richard, builtSomers Mansion between 1720 and 1726, which is the oldest home in existence in the county.[18] Daniel Leeds first surveyed the coastal waters of Egg Harbor in 1698, eventually findingLeeds Point.[19] In 1735, according to folklore, Mother Leeds gave birth to her 13th child in the area during a strange thunderstorm; this child would become theJersey Devil.[20] In the early 18th century, George May foundedMays Landing.[19]
In 1774, the northern portion of Egg Harbor Township becameGalloway Township.[16] In 1785, residents in what is now Atlantic County requested to split from Gloucester County to the New Jersey legislature, wanting a local court. Mays Landing – the region's largest community at the time, had more saloons than churches. Criminals could escape custody before reachingGloucester City on a four-day wagon ride.[21] In 1798, the western portion split off to becomeWeymouth Township, and in 1813, the northwestern portion partitioned to becomeHamilton Township. On February 7, 1837, the New Jersey legislature designatedAtlantic County from Galloway, Hamilton, Weymouth, and Egg Harbor townships,[16] choosing Mays Landing as thecounty seat. In the same year, the Board of Freeholders was established as the county government.[19] As of the1830 census, the townships making up Atlantic County only had a population of 8,164, making it the least populatedNew Jersey county. By that time, a continuous line of houses extended fromSomers Point toAbsecon.[22]
Mullica Township was established from Galloway Township in 1837.[16] In 1852, Dr.Jonathan Pitney recommendedAbsecon Island as a health resort, and formed theCamden and Atlantic Railroad to construct the line fromCamden to the coast. The company purchased land from Atlantic and Galloway Townships in 1853, then promoted and sold the lots.Atlantic City formed on May 1, 1854, in advance of the rail line opening on July 4 of that year.[23] In 1858,Egg Harbor City was formed from portions of Galloway and Mullica townships. In 1866,Hammonton was founded from Hamilton and Mullica townships. A year later, portions of Hamilton Township split off to becomeBuena Vista Township. In 1872, Absecon was split from portions of Egg Harbor and Galloway townships.[16] By 1885, more than half of the county's population lived in Atlantic City, and by 1910 this more than two-thirds of the county lived there.[17]
With more people moving to the area in the late 1800s into the early 1900s, several municipalities were created in short succession –Margate City (then calledSouth Atlantic City) in 1885, Somers Point in 1886,Pleasantville andLinwood in 1889,Brigantine in 1890,Longport in 1898,Ventnor in 1903,Northfield andPort Republic in 1905, andFolsom in 1906. On May 17, 1906, the eastern coastal boundary of Atlantic County was established. The final municipalities in the county to be created wereCorbin City from Weymouth Township in 1922,Estell Manor from Weymouth Township in 1925, andBuena from Buena Township in 1948. In 1938, the county's western border was clarified with Camden and Burlington counties using geographic coordinates.[16] After a peak in prominence in the 1920s during theprohibition era, Atlantic City began declining in population in the 1950s as tourism declined. The county's growth shifted to the mainland.[17][24]
In 1973, the New Jersey Coastal Area Facilities Review Act required additional state permitting for construction in the eastern half of the county.[17] In the same ballot as the1976 presidential election, 56.8% of New Jersey voters approved an initiative to allowlegalized gambling in Atlantic City. Two years later,Resorts Atlantic City opened as the first casino in the city, and there were 15 by 1990. Since then, five have closed, including four in 2014, while two casinos – theBorgata andOcean Resort Casino – have opened.Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City opened in 2018, refurbishing the former Trump Taj Mahal.[25][17] In 1978, Congress created thePinelands National Reserve, which created the Pinelands Commission and a management policy for the seven counties in thePine Barrens, including Atlantic County.[17][26] Concurrent with the1980 Presidential election, Atlantic County residents voted in favor to create a new state ofSouth Jersey, along with five other counties in a nonbinding referendum.[27]
Atlantic County is located about 100 miles (160 km) south ofNew York City and about 60 miles (97 km) southeast ofPhiladelphia.[17] It is roughly 30 mi (48 km) in width by 20 mi (32 km) in height.[22] According to theU.S. Census Bureau, as of the 2020 Census, the county had a total area of 671.84 square miles (1,740.1 km2), of which 555.51 square miles (1,438.8 km2) was land (82.7%) and 116.32 square miles (301.3 km2) was water (17.3%).[4]
The county lies along theAtlantic Coastal Plain, with sea level and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Adjacent to the coast are threebarrier islands –Absecon Island (Which contains Atlantic City, Ventnor, Margate, and Longport),Brigantine Island, andLittle Beach.[17] To the west of the barrier islands, 4 mi (6.4 km) stretch of marshlands, inlets, and waterways connect and form theIntracoastal Waterway.[28][22] Beneath the county is a mile of clay and sand that contains theKirkwood–Cohansey aquifer, which supplies fresh groundwater for all of the streams and rivers in the region. The interior of the county is part of the Pine Barrens, which covers the southern third of New Jersey, and is prone to forest fires. Lowland areas are swampy and containpitch pine orwhite cedar trees. Upland areas in the west of the county are hilly, containing oak and pine trees.[17] The highest elevation in the county – about 150 ft (46 m) above sea level – is found near the border with Camden County, on the west side of Hammonton.[29] The county's western boundary with Burlington and Camden counties, clarified in 1761, is a manmade line about halfway between the Atlantic Ocean and the Delaware Bay.[16]
In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Mays Landing have ranged from a low of 24 °F (−4 °C) in January to a high of 86 °F (30 °C) in July, although a record low of −11 °F (−24 °C) was recorded in February 1979 and a record high of 106 °F (41 °C) was recorded in June 1969. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 2.99 inches (76 mm) in February to 4.21 inches (107 mm) in March.[30][dead link]
The county has ahumid subtropical climate (Cfa). Average monthly temperatures in central Atlantic City range from 33.9 °F (1.1 °C) in January to 75.2 °F (24.0 °C) in July, while in Folsom they range from 32.7 °F (0.4 °C) in January to 76.3 °F (24.6 °C) in July.[31]
In December 1992, anor'easter produced the highest tide on record in Atlantic City, 9.0 ft (2.7 m) abovemean lower low water.[32] FormerHurricane Sandy struck near Brigantine as anextratropical cyclone, which produced an all-time minimumbarometric pressure of 948.5 mbar (28.01 inHg) and wind gusts to 91 mph (146 km/h) in Atlantic City, as well as astorm surge that inundated low-lying areas. Three people died in the county during the storm, and damage was estimated at $300 million (2012 USD).[33][32]
This sectionneeds expansion with: examples with reliable citations. You can help byadding to it.(September 2021)
Atlantic County, New Jersey – Racial and ethnic composition Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
The2010 United States census counted 274,549 people, 102,847 households, and 68,702 families in the county. The population density was 494.1 inhabitants per square mile (190.8/km2). There were 126,647 housing units at an average density of 227.9 per square mile (88.0/km2). The racial makeup was 65.40% (179,566)White, 16.08% (44,138)Black or African American, 0.38% (1,050)Native American, 7.50% (20,595)Asian, 0.03% (92)Pacific Islander, 7.36% (20,218) fromother races, and 3.24% (8,890) from two or more races.Hispanic or Latino of any race were 16.84% (46,241) of the population.[10]
Of the 102,847 households, 29.8% had children under the age of 18; 45.6% were married couples living together; 15.5% had a female householder with no husband present and 33.2% were non-families. Of all households, 26.9% were made up of individuals and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.17.[10]
23.3% of the population were under the age of 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 24.6% from 25 to 44, 28.7% from 45 to 64, and 14.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.9 years. For every 100 females, the population had 94.2 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 91 males.[10]
In 1974, Atlantic County voters changed the county governmental form under the Optional County Charter Law to theCounty executive form. Atlantic County joinsBergen,Essex,Hudson andMercer counties as one of the five of 21 New Jersey counties with an elected executive.[44] The charter provides for a directly elected executive and a nine-memberAtlantic County Board of County Commissioners, responsible for legislation. The executive is elected to a four-year term and the freeholders are elected to staggered three-year terms, of which four are elected from the county on anat-large basis and five of the freeholders represent equally populateddistricts.[45][46] In 2016, freeholders were paid $20,000 a year, while the freeholder chairman was paid an annual salary of $21,500.[47]
As of 2025[update],Atlantic County Executive is Dennis Levinson (R,Northfield), whose four-year term of office ends December 31, 2027.[48] Members of the Board of County Commissioners are (with terms for chair and vice-chair ending December 31):[45][49][46]
Democrats have not won a county-wide office since 2020. Pursuant to Article VII Section II of theNew Jersey State Constitution, each county in New Jersey is required to have three elected administrative officials known as "constitutional officers." These officers are theCounty Clerk andCounty Surrogate (both elected for five-year terms of office) and theCounty Sheriff (elected for a three-year term).[59] Atlantic County's constitutional officers are:[60]
In national elections, Atlantic County is competitive, in contrast to the other three counties on theJersey Shore–Monmouth,Ocean, andCape May counties– which tend to lean Republican. The county has gotten less Democratic since DemocratBarack Obama won it by over 15% in 2008 and 2012. In 2020, DemocratJoe Biden won it by just 7%, even as he won New Jersey by 16%.
It is considered a swing county in down-ballot races, and Republicans hold most of its seats in the state legislature and in county-level offices. As of October 1, 2021, there were a total of 209,135 registered voters in Atlantic County, of whom 74,565 (35.7%) were registered asDemocrats, 57,223 (27.4%) were registered asRepublicans and 74,404 (35.6%) were registered asunaffiliated. There were 2,943 (1.4%) voters registered to other parties.[75] Among the county's 2010 Census population, 62.5% were registered to vote, including 76.7% of those ages 18 and over.[76][77]
United States Senate election results for Atlantic County, New Jersey1[78]
When Atlantic County was first established in 1837, its sparse population subsided on clams, oysters, and fishing. An early industry was shipbuilding, using the sturdy oak trees of the Pine Barrens.[22]Bog iron furnaces opened in the early 1800s, but declined by the 1850s due to the growth of the Philadelphia iron industry. Around this time, several people and cotton mills opened. The first railroad across the county opened in 1854, intended to assist the bog iron industry; instead, it spurred development in Atlantic City, as well as the growth of farming towns.[17] Farmers began growing grapes, cranberries, and blueberries.[24] The competition dropped the price of travel to 50¢, affordable for Philadelphia's working class.[80] Travelers often brought their lunch in shoe boxes, leading to their nickname "shoobies".[81]
Legalized gambling and the growth of the casino industry employed more than 34,145 people as of 2012.[25]
In 1864, Louis Nicholas Renault brought property in Egg Harbor City and openedRenault Winery, the oldest active winery in New Jersey, and third-oldest in the United States. During theprohibition era, the winery obtained a government permit to sell wine tonic for medicinal purposes.[82][83][84]Tomasello Winery grew its firstvineyard in 1888, and opened to the public in 1933. Gross Highland Winery operated in Absecon from 1934 to 1987, when it was sold to developers.Balic Winery opened in 1966 in Mays Landing,[85] although its vineyards date back to the early 19th century.[86]Sylvin Farms Winery opened in 1985 in Egg Harbor City.[87] In 2001,Bellview Winery opened in theLandisville section of Buena.[88] A year later,DiMatteo Vineyards opened in Hammonton,[89] and in 2007,Plagido's Winery opened in the same town.[90]
In 1998,Tun Tavern Brewery opened in Atlantic City across from theAtlantic City Convention Center, named after the originalTun Tavern in Philadelphia, which was the oldest brew house in the country, opening in 1685.[91] In 2015, Tuckahoe Brewing moved fromOcean View to a facility in Egg Harbor Township capable of producing four times the amount of beer.[92] Garden State Beer Company opened in 2016 in Galloway.[93] In 2018, Hidden Sands Brewery opened in Egg Harbor Township.[94]
In 2014, Lazy Eye Distillery opened inRichland in Buena Vista Township.[95] Little Water Distillery opened in Atlantic City in 2016.[96]
Institutions of higher education in Atlantic County include:
Atlantic Cape Community College inMays Landing serves students from both Atlantic andCape May counties, having been created in 1964 as the state's second county college.[99]Rutgers University offers an off-site program at Atlantic Cape Community College that allows students with an associate degree from an accredited college to earn a bachelor's degree from Rutgers.[100]
AtlantiCare is the largest non-casino employer, with a staff of over 5,500 people over five counties, established in 1993 by the Atlantic City Medical Center Board of Governors. Atlantic City Hospital opened in 1898, becoming Atlantic City Medical Center in 1973. Two years later, the hospital built its Mainland Division inPomona.[103] AtlantiCare has also opened foururgent care centers.[104] In 1928, Dr. Charles Ernst and Dr. Frank Inksetter built Atlantic Shores Hospital and Sanitarium in Somers Point as a private institute for the treatment of alcohol and drug dependency. In 1940, citizens turned the facility into thenot-for-profitShore Medical Center, which has expanded over time to add more beds and units.[105][106]
The indigenous people of New Jersey developed a series oftrails across the state, including one from current-day Absecon to Camden.[16] Early transportation relied on the region's waterways. An early coastal road was constructed in 1716 from Somers Point to Nacote Creek in Port Republic. Roads into the county's interior were slow, unreliable, and muddy, with one main roadway along the Mullica River that eventually connected toBurlington. Roads later connected the region's industries in the 19th century,[24] until the county's first railroad opened in 1854, which brought more people to the region.[22] By 1870, the Camden and Atlantic Railroad Company carried 417,000 people each year. Also in that year, the Pleasantville and Atlantic Turnpike opened, crossing Beach Thorofare into Atlantic City.[24] A railroad competitor, thePhiladelphia and Atlantic City Railway, opened in 1877 after only 90 days of construction.[23] Other rail lines connected farms and cities throughout the county by the end of the 19th century.[24] A notable railroad tragedy occurred on October 28, 1906, whenthree train cars derailed on a draw bridge into 30 ft (9.1 m) deep water in Beach Thorofare, killing 53 people, with only two survivors.[110] Improved roads reduced the reliance on railroads by the 1950s.[24]
In the late 1800s, a bridge opened in Mays Landing, providing road access to the county's interior.[111] The first car in Atlantic City was seen in 1899. By the 1890s, visitors began riding bicycles in the coastal resort towns, and thousands of people would ride from Camden to the coast on weekends.[24] Amid pressure from motorists and cyclists, the county improved the conditions of the roads in the early 20th century. The first road bridge to Atlantic City opened in 1905, using Albany Avenue on what is nowUS 40/US 322. In 1916, the causeway that is nowNew Jersey Route 152 opened between Somers Point and Longport. In 1919, the White Horse Pike (US 30) was completed from Atlantic City to Camden, and repaved through the county in 1925. Also in 1922, the Harding Highway (US 40) opened fromPennsville Township to Atlantic City, named after then-PresidentWarren G. Harding.[80] In 1928, theBeesley's Point Bridge opened, replacing the ferry between Somers Point and Cape May County.[111] TheBlack Horse Pike (US 322) opened in 1935, connecting Atlantic City to Camden. Most of the county's older bridges were replaced over time; formerly the oldest still in existence was aswing bridge from 1904 that crosses Nacote Creek in Port Republic,[112][24][80][failed verification] but work on that bridge's replacement began in summer of 2021.[113] TheGreat Egg Harbor Bridge opened in 1956, marking the completion of theGarden State Parkway, which connected Cape May and Atlantic counties, continuing toNorth Jersey.[111] In 1964, theAtlantic City Expressway opened between the Parkway and Camden County, and a year later was extended into Atlantic City. In 2001, theAtlantic City–Brigantine Connector was built, connecting the Expressway with Atlantic City's marina district.[114]
As early as 1990, theSouth Jersey Transportation Authority had plans to construct an Atlantic County Beltway as alimited-access road, beginning along Ocean Heights Avenue in southern Egg Harbor Township at a proposed Exit 32 with the Garden State Parkway. The proposed road would pass west of the Atlantic City Airport and reconnect with the Parkway at Exit 44 viaCounty Route 575 in Galloway Township. The routing was later truncated from U.S. 40 (theBlack Horse Pike) to Exit 44 on the Parkway. The project was considered "desirable" but was not funded.[115][116]
As of 2017[update], the county had a total of 1,984 miles (3,193 km) of public roadways, of which 1,395 mi (2,245 km) were maintained by the local municipality, 373 mi (600 km) by the county, 144 mi (232 km) by theNJ Department of Transportation, and 58 mi (93 km) by either theNew Jersey Turnpike Authority orSouth Jersey Transportation Authority. State and local park services are responsible for 7 miles (11 km) of roadway, while 8 mi (13 km) fall under federal jurisdiction (either military,National Park Service, or other federal agency).[117]
^Willis, David P."'This is how wars start': Does Central Jersey include both Ocean and Union counties?",Asbury Park Press, February 20, 2023. Accessed March 31, 2024. "North Jersey is defined as Sussex, Warren, Morris, Passaic, Bergen, Essex and Hudson counties; South Jersey would be Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, Atlantic, Salem, Cumberland and Cape May counties. But for Central, things get a little tricky. It would include Hunterdon, Somerset, Union, Middlesex, Mercer, Monmouth, and Ocean counties."
^"Regions: North, Central, South, Shore - Best of NJ",Best of NJ, Accessed May 30, 2024. "We know that the Shore is a completely different universe than South Jersey and deserves its own region. South Jersey is a farming and commuting region, while the shore is a vacation, retirement, and fishing region; Atlantic, Cape May, Monmouth, and Ocean County make up the Jersey Shore region."
^abcdefghNew Jersey Historic Bridge Survey(PDF).A. G. Lichtenstein & Associates (Report). New Jersey Department of Transportation. September 1994. pp. 85–92.Archived(PDF) from the original on June 23, 2012. RetrievedJuly 16, 2018.
^Peter L. Griffes (2004)."Intracoastal Waterway".Atlantic Boating Almanacs: Sandy Hook, NJ To St. Johns River, Fl & Bermuda. Vol. 3. ProStar Publications. pp. 161,174–175.ISBN9781577855033.
^ab"High Wind Event". National Climatic Data Center. RetrievedJuly 18, 2018.
^Blake, Eric S; Kimberlain, Todd B; Berg, Robert J; Cangialosi, John P; Beven II, John L (February 12, 2013).Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Sandy: October 22 – 29, 2012(PDF) (Report). United States National Hurricane Center.Archived(PDF) from the original on February 17, 2013. RetrievedJuly 19, 2015.
^Rinde, Meir."Explainer: What's a Freeholder? NJ's Unusual County Government System", NJ Spotlight, October 27, 2015. Accessed February 25, 2018. "Five counties – Atlantic, Bergen, Essex, Hudson, and Mercer – opted for popularly elected county executives in addition to freeholder boards."
^[2], Contact Us, Atlantic County Clerk's Office. Accessed May 29, 2023.
^Members List: Clerks, Constitutional Officers Association of New Jersey. Accessed January 3, 2023.
^[3], Atlantic County Sheriff's Office. Accessed October 9, 2022.
^Members List: Sheriffs, Constitutional Officers Association of New Jersey. Accessed October 9, 2022.
^Surrogate's Office, Atlantic County, New Jersey. Accessed October 21, 2017.
^Members List: Surrogates, Constitutional Officers Association of New Jersey. Accessed October 9, 2022.
^"Confirmation Of Atlantic County Prosecutor & Media Inquiries", Office of the Atlantic County Prosecutor, August 12, 2022. Accessed October 9, 2022. "The Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office is proud to announce that the New Jersey State Senate unanimously approved William E. Reynolds, of Absecon, as the next Atlantic County Prosecutor at a special session on August 8, 2022."
^Great Egg Harbor River,United States National Park Service. Accessed October 24, 2017. "Starting as a trickle near Berlin, NJ, the River gradually widens as it picks up the waters of 17 tributaries on its way to Great Egg Harbor and the Atlantic Ocean. Established by Congress in 1992, nearly all of this 129-mile river system rests within the Pinelands National Reserve."
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