Warren County, New Jersey | |
|---|---|
 Delaware Water Gap (center) between Warren County (right) and neighboringMonroe County, Pennsylvania (left) in May 2008 | |
 Flag  Seal | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofNew Jersey | |
 New Jersey's location within theU.S. | |
| Coordinates:40°54′N75°00′W / 40.9°N 75.0°W /40.9; -75.0 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  New Jersey |
| Founded | November 20, 1824[1] |
| Named after | Joseph Warren[3] |
| Seat | Belvidere[2] |
| Largest municipality | Phillipsburg (population) Hardwick Township (area) |
| Government | |
| • Commissioner director | Lori Ciesla (R, term ends December 31, 2024) |
| Area | |
• Total | 362.65 sq mi (939.3 km2) |
| • Land | 356.54 sq mi (923.4 km2) |
| • Water | 6.11 sq mi (15.8 km2) 1.7% |
| Population | |
• Total | 109,632 |
112,031 | |
| • Density | 307.49/sq mi (118.72/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional district | 7th |
| Website | warrencountynj |
Warren County is acounty located in theU.S. state ofNew Jersey. According to the2020 census, the county was the state's19th-most populous county,[8] with a population of 109,632,[5][6] its highestdecennial count ever and an increase of 940 (+0.9%) from the2010 census count of 108,692,[9] which in turn reflected an increase of 6,255 (+6.1%) from 102,437 counted at the2000 census.[10] The county is part of theNorth Jersey region of the state.[11][12]
The county borders theDelaware River andEaston, Pennsylvania in theLehigh Valley to its west, theNew York City metropolitan area to its east,[13]the Poconos to its northwest, andHunterdon County to its south.
Warren County constitutes part of theAllentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJmetropolitan statistical area in theLehigh Valley and is the only New Jersey county not a part of thecombined statistical areas of eitherNew York City orPhiladelphia. The county's most populous municipality isPhillipsburg, with 15,249 residents at the time of the 2020 census[6] whileHardwick Township had both the largest area, 37.92 square miles (98.2 km2), and the fewest people with 1,696 residents.[14] Itscounty seat isBelvidere.[2]
Warren County was incorporated by an act of theNew Jersey Legislature on November 20, 1824, from portions ofSussex County. At its establishment, the county consisted of the townships ofGreenwich,Independence,Knowlton,Mansfield,Oxford, and the now defunctPahaquarry.[1]
Warren County is named forJoseph Warren, apatriot during theAmerican Revolution andFounding Father of the United States who was killed in action byBritish troops at theBattle of Bunker Hill, inCharlestown, Massachusetts on June 17, 1775.
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The county was named forJoseph Warren, a physician,Founding Father of the United States, andmajor general in theAmerican Revolutionary War who died after volunteering to fight as aprivate at theBattle of Bunker Hill.[3][15][16]
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About 1000 B.C., clay pottery was beginning to be used in the region, representing the beginning of theWoodland period. With this advancement in technology,Native Americans could store food and cook it better.
Various cultures of indigenous peoples occupied the area at that time. Ancestors of theAlgonquian-speakingLenape moved into the area, perhaps as early as 1000 A.D. from theMississippi River area.
Technological innovations occurred around the year 500 A.D. with the invention of the bow and arrow as projectile points became smaller to fit onto an arrow shaft. This permitted Native Americans to procure more food since they could be further away from game to kill it. Food such as nuts could be stored in clay pots or the pots were used for cooking
Agriculture started around that time with the cultivation of corn, beans, and squash. Seeds were probably procured from traveling groups or tribes. Settlements of family groups became more stable, as they could store food in pottery, as well as procure more game with the bow and arrow. Agriculture contributed to the rise of population density in areas where crops could be grown. The Lenape would tend their oval gardens during the spring and summer months. They fished with nets or by hand in the shallow rivers. The Lenape trapped game with deadfalls and snares.
Problems developed in the early 17th century when the Little Ice Age began inNorth America. The late frost in May and June and early frosts in August or September, made the growing of crops difficult. Cold weather also made big and small game more difficult to hurt, as some game animals would hibernate. Also nut crops from oak, hickory, beech, walnut, butternut, and chestnut, failed at times; making the supply of these nuts scarce. Rivers froze early, and water became cold fast; so fishing became impossible. The Native populations had declined after epidemics of infectious diseases, for which they had no acquiredimmunity.
Native American populations were separated from Europe for thousands of years and had no immunity to these diseases that the Europeans brought with them.[relevant?] Many Native American populations were weakened from starvation due to the Little Ice Age, which was coldest during the 17th century. Their important corn,bean andsquash crops failed due to spring frosts and early frosts in autumn. As the Native American population declined, more land was available for European settlement. All these factors made the Native American populations decline dramatically.
Europeans purchased[clarification needed] land known as land patents so Native Americans moved west toOhio orCanada. TheDutch settled theHudson River Valley and claimed all lands west of theHudson River in the early 17th century. In theQuintipartite Deed of 1674 to 1702, theProvince of New Jersey was divided by two lines, theKeith Line and theCoxe-Barclay line, which created the border of easternSussex county from the headwaters of thePequannock River. The western border was theDelaware River.
Later, after the lands were taken over by theBritish, colonial-era New Jersey was divided into two parts,East Jersey andWest Jersey. In the 17th century, the area of present-day Warren County was part ofBurlington County, which emerged as one of theThirteen Colonies inBritish America prior to the mid-18th centuryAmerican Revolution.
The area becameHunterdon County in 1714. In 1739, the area of Warren County was included inMorris County. In 1753,Sussex County, including present-day Warren County, separated from Morris County.[1]
During theFrench and Indian War of 1754, fortified homes or small forts were built along theDelaware River fromPhillipsburg toPort Jervis, New York. The mountains of Warren County were the frontier of the war.[citation needed] Hostilities between the British and the French began to spill over from the European continent into the colonies in theNew World. After theBattle of Jumonville Glen inFayette County, Pennsylvania on May 28, 1754, French colonists in North America armed several Native American tribes, who sided with the French.
During theFrench and Indian War, a part of theSeven Years' War inNorth America,Sussex County often was raided by bands of Native Americans, includingLenape,Shawnee, andIroquois. In 1756, a small band of Lenape raided the homes of local militia commanders, killing several members of the Swartout family and kidnapping other settlers during theHunt-Swartout raid. In response to these aggressions,Jonathan Belcher, the colonial-era governor of theProvince of New Jersey authorized that eight forts to be constructed along theDelaware River to defend theNew Jersey frontier from such incursions, and authorized the New Jersey Frontier Guard to man them. Several of these forts were little more than blockhouses, and others were personal homes that were fortified. The forts sprawled from present-dayPhillipsburg throughBelvidere.Blairstown, and along the eastern banks of the Delaware River toPort Jervis, New York.
By the early 1800s, settlements inPhillipsburg,Hackettstown,Belvidere, andWashington in Warren County emerged as cornerstone communities ofSussex County. In 1824, Warren County was established and Belvidere was named as its county seat.[17]
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, as of the 2020 census, the county had a total area of 362.65 square miles (939.3 km2), of which 356.54 square miles (923.4 km2) was land (98.3%) and 6.11 square miles (15.8 km2) was water (1.7%).[4] Warren County has rolling hills with theKittatinny Ridge in the west.Allamuchy Mountain andJenny Jump Mountain are part of theNew York – New Jersey Highlands, also known as the Reading Prong. Around 450 million years ago, a chain of volcanic islands collided with protoNorth America. The chain of islands went over theNorth American Plate, creating the Highlands from the island rock and establishing theGreat Appalachian Valley. The final collision was when theAfrican Plate collided with the North American plate. That was the final episode of the building of theAppalachian Mountains. Then the African plate tore away from North America.
TheWisconsin Glacier covered the northern part of the county from 21,000 to 13,000 BC. The glacier covered the top of Kittatinny Mountain and carved the terrain in the northern part of the county. The terminal moraine runs from north ofBelvidere to the south ofGreat Meadows to north of Hackettstown, to the north of Budd Lake. Blairstown Township, Hope Township, half of Independence Township, part of White Township, and all of Allamuchy Township was covered by the Glacier. When the glacier melted, a lake was formed at Great Meadows. Slowly the lake drained leaving a large flat area filled with organic material.
The county is drained by three rivers. All three rivers are shallow and narrow. They are fresh water rivers that are excellent for fishing. The Paulins Kill drains the western portion of the county. The river flows from Newton to Blairstown Township, and then through Knowlton Township where it drains into theDelaware River. The Pequest River drains the middle of the county flowing from Andover Township through Allamuchy, then to Independence Township where it turns west and flows through White Township and then empties into the Delaware River at Belvidere. The third river is the Musconetcong. Starting at Lake Musconetcong, the river divides the county from Morris and Hunterdon. This river drains the southern portion of the county and empties into the Delaware River near Warren Glen.
Warren County is located in two valleys of theGreat Appalachian Valley. The first is theKittatinny Valley, which is in the northern part of the county, and theLehigh Valley, which borders the southern part of the county.
TheLehigh Valley starts at the terminal moraine of the Wisconsin Glacier slightly north ofBelvidere. It extends from the Delaware River south to where theMusconetcong River enters the Delaware River, northeast to the Jenny Jump Mountains and then along Route 80 to the Allamuchy Mountains to the terminal moraine nearHackettstown. The Kittatinny Valley is situated north of the terminal moraine; it runs north of Belvidere, to south of Great Meadows, then east to the north of Hackettstown. Towns such as Blairstown, Johnsonburg, Hope and Allamuchy are in the Kittatinny Valley
The highest elevation is 1,600 feet (490 m) above sea level on the Kittatinny Ridge, at two areas just south of Upper Yards Creek Reservoir, west of Blairstown.[18] The lowest point is theconfluence of the Delaware and Musconetcong rivers at the county's southern tip, at 160 feet (49 m) of elevation. The highest elevation on Allamuchy Mountain is 1,240 feet (380 m) on the ridge northeast of Allamuchy. On Jenny Jump Mountain the highest point is 1,134 feet (346 m) east of the Shiloh area or south of Interstate 80. Sunfish Pond has an elevation of 1,379 feet (420 m) and upper Yards Creek Reservoir is at 1,555 feet (474 m).[citation needed]
Warren County has ahumid continental climate (Dfa/Dfb). Average monthly temperatures in downtownPhillipsburg range from 29.0 °F (−1.7 °C) in January to 74.2 °F (23.4 °C) in July, while inHackettstown they range from 27.0 °F (−2.8 °C) in January to 71.5 °F (21.9 °C) in July.[21] Thehardiness zones are 6a and 6b.
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Average temperatures in the county seat of Belvidere have ranged from a low of 19 °F (−7 °C) in January to a high of 85 °F (29 °C) in July, although a record low of −17 °F (−27 °C) was recorded in January 1994 and a record high of 101 °F (38 °C) was recorded in July 1999. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 2.77 inches (70 mm) in February to 4.65 inches (118 mm) in July.[22]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1830 | 18,627 | — | |
| 1840 | 20,366 | 9.3% | |
| 1850 | 22,358 | 9.8% | |
| 1860 | 28,433 | 27.2% | |
| 1870 | 34,336 | 20.8% | |
| 1880 | 36,589 | 6.6% | |
| 1890 | 36,553 | −0.1% | |
| 1900 | 37,781 | 3.4% | |
| 1910 | 43,187 | 14.3% | |
| 1920 | 45,057 | 4.3% | |
| 1930 | 49,319 | 9.5% | |
| 1940 | 50,181 | 1.7% | |
| 1950 | 54,374 | 8.4% | |
| 1960 | 63,220 | 16.3% | |
| 1970 | 73,960 | 17.0% | |
| 1980 | 84,429 | 14.2% | |
| 1990 | 91,607 | 8.5% | |
| 2000 | 102,437 | 11.8% | |
| 2010 | 108,692 | 6.1% | |
| 2020 | 109,632 | 0.9% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 112,031 | [5][7] | 2.2% |
| Historical sources: 1790–1990[23] 1970–2010[14] 2000[10] 2010[9] 2000–2010[24]2010-2020[5][6] | |||
The county is part of the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ metropolitan statistical area in theLehigh Valley.[25][26]
![[icon]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aWiki_letter_w_cropped.svg) | This sectionneeds expansion with: examples with reliable citations. You can help byadding to it.(September 2024) |
| Race / Ethnicity(NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 1980[27] | Pop 1990[28] | Pop 2000[29] | Pop 2010[30] | Pop 2020[31] | % 1980 | % 1990 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 82,024 | 87,697 | 94,405 | 93,165 | 84,255 | 97.15% | 95.73% | 92.16% | 85.71% | 76.85% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 909 | 1,240 | 1,838 | 3,592 | 5,573 | 1.08% | 1.35% | 1.79% | 3.30% | 5.08% |
| Native American orAlaska Native alone (NH) | 59 | 112 | 98 | 107 | 96 | 0.07% | 0.12% | 0.10% | 0.10% | 0.09% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 369 | 738 | 1,235 | 2,642 | 2,886 | 0.44% | 0.81% | 1.21% | 2.43% | 2.63% |
| Native Hawaiian orPacific Islander alone (NH) | x[32] | x[33] | 15 | 19 | 28 | x | x | 0.01% | 0.02% | 0.03% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 107 | 36 | 110 | 140 | 500 | 0.13% | 0.04% | 0.11% | 0.13% | 0.46% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | x[34] | x[35] | 985 | 1,368 | 4,069 | x | x | 0.96% | 1.26% | 3.71% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 961 | 1,784 | 3,751 | 7,659 | 12,225 | 1.14% | 1.95% | 3.66% | 7.05% | 11.15% |
| Total | 84,429 | 91,607 | 102,437 | 108,692 | 109,632 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
The2010 United States census counted 108,692 people, 41,480 households, and 28,870 families in the county. The population density was 304.5 inhabitants per square mile (117.6/km2). There were 44,925 housing units at an average density of 125.9 per square mile (48.6/km2). The racial makeup was 90.29% (98,137)White, 3.51% (3,818)Black or African American, 0.14% (155)Native American, 2.46% (2,673)Asian, 0.03% (30)Pacific Islander, 1.81% (1,964) fromother races, and 1.76% (1,915) from two or more races.Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 7.05% (7,659) of the population.[9]
Of the 41,480 households, 31.2% had children under the age of 18; 55.1% were married couples living together; 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present and 30.4% were non-families. Of all households, 25% were made up of individuals and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.1.[9]
23.6% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 24.1% from 25 to 44, 30.4% from 45 to 64, and 14.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.5 years. For every 100 females, the population had 94.6 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 91.5 males.[9]
As of the2000 United States census[36] there were 102,437 people, 38,660 households, and 27,487 families residing in the county. The population density was 286 inhabitants per square mile (110/km2). There were 41,157 housing units at an average density of 115 per square mile (44/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 94.54%White, 1.87%Black orAfrican American, 0.11%Native American, 1.21%Asian, 0.02%Pacific Islander, 1.01% fromother races, and 1.24% from two or more races. 3.66% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race.[10][37] Among those residents listing their ancestry, 24.1% were ofGerman, 19.7%Irish, 18.7%Italian, 9.8%English, 8.9%Polish and 4.4% American ancestry according to Census 2000.[37][38]
There were 38,660 households out of which 34.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.20% weremarried couples living together, 9.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.90% were non-families. 24.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.00% 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 3.12.[10]
In the county, the population was spread out with 26.10% under the age of 18, 6.30% from 18 to 24, 31.30% from 25 to 44, 23.50% from 45 to 64, and 12.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 94.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.10 males.[10]
The median income for a household in the county was $56,100, and the median income for a family was $66,223. Males had a median income of $47,331 versus $31,790 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $25,728. About 3.6% of families and 5.4% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 5.9% of those under age 18 and 6.7% of those age 65 or over.[37][39]
TheBureau of Economic Analysis calculated that the county'sgross domestic product was $3.7 billion in 2021, which was ranked smallest of the state's 21 counties and was a 3.6% increase from the prior year.[40]
Most of Warren County is designated in theWarren HillsAmerican Viticultural Area (AVA) including five active county wineries:
The 22 municipalities in Warren County, withCensus-designated places (CDPs) and other communities listed, are:[41]
| Municipality (with map key) | Map key | Mun. type | Pop. | Housing units | Total area | Water area | Land Area | Pop. density | Housing density | School district | Communities[42] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allamuchy Township | 17 | township | 5,335 | 2,096 | 20.76 | 0.31 | 20.45 | 211.3 | 102.5 | Hackettstown (9–12)(S/R) Allamuchy (PK-8) | Allamuchy CDP (156) Panther Valley CDP (4,391) |
| Alpha | 5 | borough | 2,328 | 1,032 | 1.70 | 0.03 | 1.67 | 1,417.2 | 617.4 | Phillipsburg (9–12)(S/R) Alpha (PK-8) | |
| Belvidere | 3 | town | 2,520 | 1,140 | 1.49 | 0.04 | 1.45 | 1,847.0 | 785.4 | Belvidere | |
| Blairstown Township | 21 | township | 5,704 | 2,272 | 31.70 | 0.89 | 30.82 | 193.6 | 73.7 | North Warren (7–12) Blairstown (K-6) | Blairstown CDP (493) Hainesburg CDP (part; 422) Paulina |
| Franklin Township | 10 | township | 2,968 | 1,219 | 24.13 | 0.09 | 24.04 | 132.1 | 50.7 | Warren Hills (7–12) Franklin Township (PK-6) | Asbury CDP (270) Broadway CDP (213) New Village CDP (399) |
| Frelinghuysen Township | 18 | township | 2,199 | 826 | 23.57 | 0.24 | 23.32 | 95.6 | 35.4 | North Warren (7–12) Frelinghuysen (PK-6) | Johnsonburg CDP (381) Marksboro CDP (186) |
| Greenwich Township | 7 | township | 5,473 | 1,870 | 10.54 | 0.01 | 10.53 | 542.5 | 177.6 | Phillipsburg (9–12)(S/R) Greenwich (PK-8) | Greenwich CDP (2,558) Stewartsville CDP (636) Upper Stewartsville CDP (329) |
| Hackettstown | 1 | town | 10,248 | 3,755 | 3.71 | 0.10 | 3.61 | 2,696.1 | 1,041.1 | Hackettstown | |
| Hardwick Township | 22 | township | 1,598 | 619 | 37.92 | 1.32 | 36.60 | 46.3 | 16.9 | North Warren (7–12) Blairstown (K-6) | |
| Harmony Township | 9 | township | 2,503 | 1,109 | 24.08 | 0.38 | 23.70 | 112.5 | 46.8 | Belvidere (9–12)(S/R) Harmony (PK-8) | Brainards CDP (194) Harmony CDP (374) Hutchinson CDP (103) |
| Hope Township | 19 | township | 1,835 | 809 | 18.84 | 0.22 | 18.62 | 104.8 | 43.4 | Belvidere (9–12)(S/R) Hope Township (PK-8) | Hope CDP (256) Mount Hermon CDP (172) Silver Lake CDP (368) |
| Independence Township | 16 | township | 5,469 | 2,325 | 19.89 | 0.15 | 19.74 | 286.8 | 117.8 | Hackettstown (9–12)(S/R) Great Meadows (K-8) | Great Meadows CDP (305) Vienna CDP (881) |
| Knowlton Township | 20 | township | 2,894 | 1,212 | 25.33 | 0.58 | 24.75 | 123.4 | 49.0 | North Warren (7–12) Knowlton (PK-6) | Columbia CDP (215) Delaware CDP (173) Hainesburg CDP (part; 422) Warrington |
| Liberty | 14 | township | 2,670 | 1,151 | 11.87 | 0.26 | 11.60 | 253.6 | 99.2 | Hackettstown (9–12)(S/R) Great Meadows (K-8) | Mountain Lake CDP (494) Townsbury |
| Lopatcong | 8 | township | 8,776 | 3,420 | 7.16 | 0.06 | 7.10 | 1,129.0 | 481.8 | Phillipsburg (9–12)(S/R) Lopatcong (PK-8) | Delaware Park CDP (739) Lopatcong Overlook CDP (692) |
| Mansfield Township | 15 | township | 7,781 | 3,316 | 29.93 | 0.11 | 29.82 | 259.1 | 111.2 | Warren Hills (7–12) Mansfield (PK-6) | Anderson CDP (306) Beattystown CDP (4,701) Port Murray CDP (227) |
| Oxford Township | 12 | township | 2,444 | 1,033 | 5.89 | 0.10 | 5.79 | 434.5 | 178.5 | Warren Hills (9–12)(S/R) Oxford (K-8) | Oxford CDP (1,033) |
| Phillipsburg | 4 | town | 15,249 | 6,607 | 3.31 | 0.12 | 3.19 | 4,682.1 | 2,069.2 | Phillipsburg | |
| Pohatcong | 6 | township | 3,241 | 1,420 | 13.71 | 0.36 | 13.36 | 250.0 | 106.3 | Phillipsburg (9–12)(S/R) Pohatcong (PK-8) | Carpentersville Finesville CDP (364) Hughesville Upper Pohatcong CDP (1,714) |
| Washington Borough | 2 | borough | 7,299 | 2,897 | 1.95 | 0.00 | 1.94 | 3,326.8 | 1,491.7 | Warren Hills (7–12) Washington Borough (PK-6) | |
| Washington Township | 11 | township | 6,492 | 2,493 | 17.75 | 0.09 | 17.66 | 376.6 | 141.1 | Warren Hills (7–12) Washington Township (PK-6) | Brass Castle CDP (1,536) Changewater Port Colden CDP (260) |
| White | 13 | township | 4,606 | 2,304 | 27.63 | 0.48 | 27.15 | 179.8 | 84.9 | Belvidere (9–12)(S/R) White Township (PK-8) | Bridgeville CDP (229) Brookfield CDP (727) Buttzville CDP (205) Foul Rift (ghost town) |
| Warren County | county | 109,632 | 44,925 | 362.86 | 5.94 | 356.92 | 304.5 | 125.9 |
Warren County is governed by the three-memberWarren County Board of County Commissioners who are chosenat-large on a staggered basis in partisan elections with one seat coming up for election each year as part of the November general election. At an annual reorganization meeting held at the beginning of January, the board selects one of its members to serve as director and another as deputy director.[43] In 2016, commissioners were paid $24,000 and the head Commissioner had an annual salary of $25,000.[44] As of 2025[update], Warren County's Commissioners are (with terms for director and deputy director ending every December 31):[45]
| Commissioner | Party, residence, term |
|---|---|
| Deputy Director James R. Kern III | R,Pohatcong Township, 2027[46] |
| Commissioner Director Jason J. Sarnoski | R,Lopatcong Township, 2025[47] |
| Lori Ciesla | R, Lopatcong Township, 2026[48] |
No Democrat has been elected to countywide office since 1997.
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).[49] Constitutional officers of Warren County are:[50]
| Title | Representative |
|---|---|
| County Clerk | Holly Mackey (R,Alpha, 2027)[51][52] |
| Sheriff | Sheriff James McDonald Sr. (R,Phillipsburg, 2025)[53][54] |
| Surrogate | Surrogate Michael J. Doherty (R,Washington Township, 2025)[55][56] |
The county's prosecutor is James L. Pfeiffer of Pohatcong, who was nominated byGovernor of New JerseyPhil Murphy and sworn into office in November 2019 after being confirmed by theNew Jersey Senate.[57][58] Warren County is a part of Vicinage 13 of theNew Jersey Superior Court (along withSomerset County andHunterdon County), which is seated at the Somerset County Courthouse inSomerville; the Assignment Judge for Vicinage 15 is the Honorable Yolanda Ciccone. TheWarren County Courthouse is inBelvidere.[59] Law enforcement at the county level is provided by the Warren County Sheriff's Office and the Warren County Prosecutor's Office. Emergency services are provided by the Warren County Public Safety Department[60] and the county's municipal fire and police departments.
Warren County falls entirely within the 7th congressional district.[61] For the119th United States Congress,New Jersey's 7th congressional district is represented byThomas Kean Jr. (R,Westfield).[62]
The 22 municipalities of Warren County are represented by two separate legislative districts.
| District | Senator[63] | Assembly[63] | Municipalities |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23rd | Michael J. Doherty(R) | John DiMaio (R) Erik Peterson (R) | Alpha,Belvidere,Blairstown,Frelinghuysen,Franklin Township,Greenwich Township,Hackettstown,Hardwick,Hope,Harmony,Knowlton,Liberty,Oxford Township,Lopatcong,Mansfield Township,Phillipsburg,Pohatcong,Washington Borough,Washington Township,White Township. The remainder of this district covers portions ofHunterdon andSomerset counties. |
| 24th | Parker Space (R) | Dawn Fantasia (R) Mike Inganamort (R) | Allamuchy andIndependence. The remainder of this district covers portions ofMorris County and the entirety ofSussex County. |
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1896 | 4,063 | 42.78% | 5,013 | 52.79% | 421 | 4.43% |
| 1900 | 3,587 | 38.62% | 5,219 | 56.20% | 481 | 5.18% |
| 1904 | 3,935 | 43.82% | 4,368 | 48.64% | 677 | 7.54% |
| 1908 | 3,904 | 39.38% | 5,662 | 57.12% | 347 | 3.50% |
| 1912 | 1,411 | 16.68% | 4,663 | 55.14% | 2,383 | 28.18% |
| 1916 | 3,302 | 36.56% | 5,374 | 59.50% | 356 | 3.94% |
| 1920 | 8,035 | 51.23% | 7,218 | 46.02% | 430 | 2.74% |
| 1924 | 9,606 | 60.63% | 5,186 | 32.73% | 1,052 | 6.64% |
| 1928 | 14,992 | 73.15% | 5,444 | 26.56% | 59 | 0.29% |
| 1932 | 9,277 | 45.58% | 10,636 | 52.25% | 442 | 2.17% |
| 1936 | 9,437 | 42.98% | 12,476 | 56.82% | 44 | 0.20% |
| 1940 | 10,595 | 49.15% | 10,929 | 50.70% | 31 | 0.14% |
| 1944 | 10,714 | 51.62% | 10,024 | 48.30% | 16 | 0.08% |
| 1948 | 10,558 | 50.97% | 9,972 | 48.14% | 186 | 0.90% |
| 1952 | 15,737 | 58.63% | 11,074 | 41.26% | 28 | 0.10% |
| 1956 | 18,517 | 66.95% | 9,128 | 33.00% | 13 | 0.05% |
| 1960 | 16,893 | 57.36% | 12,540 | 42.58% | 20 | 0.07% |
| 1964 | 8,822 | 30.85% | 19,755 | 69.09% | 15 | 0.05% |
| 1968 | 13,950 | 48.13% | 12,822 | 44.24% | 2,214 | 7.64% |
| 1972 | 19,301 | 65.33% | 10,008 | 33.88% | 234 | 0.79% |
| 1976 | 15,254 | 50.67% | 14,238 | 47.29% | 613 | 2.04% |
| 1980 | 16,935 | 54.99% | 10,510 | 34.13% | 3,352 | 10.88% |
| 1984 | 21,938 | 67.07% | 10,647 | 32.55% | 122 | 0.37% |
| 1988 | 21,715 | 64.50% | 11,640 | 34.57% | 311 | 0.92% |
| 1992 | 18,468 | 44.50% | 13,002 | 31.33% | 10,032 | 24.17% |
| 1996 | 17,160 | 45.52% | 14,805 | 39.27% | 5,736 | 15.21% |
| 2000 | 22,172 | 54.34% | 16,543 | 40.55% | 2,086 | 5.11% |
| 2004 | 29,542 | 61.28% | 18,044 | 37.43% | 622 | 1.29% |
| 2008 | 27,500 | 56.00% | 20,628 | 42.01% | 980 | 2.00% |
| 2012 | 25,744 | 56.69% | 18,745 | 41.27% | 926 | 2.04% |
| 2016 | 29,858 | 60.10% | 17,281 | 34.78% | 2,544 | 5.12% |
| 2020 | 34,769 | 56.95% | 24,901 | 40.78% | 1,387 | 2.27% |
| 2024 | 35,772 | 59.27% | 23,318 | 38.63% | 1,266 | 2.10% |
Warren County has long been a consistently conservative county in local, state, and national elections, much like neighboring Sussex County. All of its state legislators and countywide elected officials are Republicans, as are the vast majority of municipal officials. The county has not backed a Democrat for president since 1964, and has only done so four times since 1920. No Democrat has carried the county in a gubernatorial election since 1977. As of June 1, 2024, there were a total of 87,537 registered voters in Warren County, of whom 35,756 (40.8%) were registered asRepublicans, 23,346 (26.7%) were registered asDemocrats and 26,938 (30.8%) were registered asunaffiliated. There were 1,497 voters (1.7%) registered to other parties.[65]
| Year | Republican | Democratic |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 57.1%25,980 | 42.2%19,199 |
| 2021 | 64.2%23,739 | 34.6%12,774 |
| 2017 | 61.2%17,409 | 35.4%10,065 |
| 2013 | 72.6%19,858 | 25.0%6,855 |
| 2009 | 62.4%20,174 | 26.1%8,446 |
| 2005 | 57.9%18,003 | 36.8%11,460 |
| 2001 | 52.8%15,668 | 42.3%12,554 |
| 1997 | 50.8%15,413 | 36.7%11,125 |
| 1993 | 57.0%17,667 | 39.4%12,215 |
| 1989 | 52.1%13,224 | '45.8%11,615 |
| 1985 | 70.4%14,499 | 28.5%5,869 |
| 1981 | 58.2%13,649 | 39.7%9,296 |
| 1977 | 39.2%8,819 | 58.1%13,078 |
| 1973 | 25.4%5,414 | 74.2%15,838 |
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2024 | 34,074 | 58.37% | 22,758 | 38.98% | 1,546 | 2.65% |
| 2018 | 24,357 | 59.99% | 14,452 | 35.59% | 1,794 | 4.42% |
| 2012 | 24,046 | 56.17% | 17,904 | 41.83% | 856 | 2.00% |
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2020 | 33,893 | 56.75% | 24,124 | 40.39% | 1,709 | 2.86% |
| 2014 | 14,150 | 59.85% | 8,609 | 36.41% | 884 | 3.74% |
| 2013 | 11,069 | 64.76% | 5,812 | 34.00% | 211 | 1.23% |
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As of 2010[update], the county had a total of 1,055.07 miles (1,697.97 km) of roadways, of which 690.53 miles (1,111.30 km) were maintained by the local municipality, 256.15 miles (412.23 km) by Warren County and 103.20 miles (166.08 km) by theNew Jersey Department of Transportation and 5.19 miles (8.35 km) by theDelaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission.[69]
The county has a few notable state and federal roads. The chief state routes areRoute 31, a north–south road that runs fromButtzville in White Township toTrenton, andRoute 57 that runs betweenLopatcong Township toHackettstown.Route 94 in the northern part runs throughBlairstown intoNew York state viaNewton and the rest ofSussex County.Route 173 runs nearBloomsbury intoHunterdon County, terminating atClinton andAnnandale.Route 182 serves as one of the commercial areas of Hackettstown, &Route 122 serves as one of the commercial areas ofPhillipsburg. The US Routes areU.S. Route 22 in the Phillipsburg area andU.S. Route 46 runs fromColumbia to Hackettstown in the northern section. The two interstates that pass through are thePhillipsburg-Newark Expressway (Interstate 78), and theBergen-Passaic Expressway (Interstate 80).
By air, the county is served byLehigh Valley International Airport inAllentown.Newark Liberty International Airport inNewark is located east of the county.
Warren County contracts with Easton Coach to provide demand-responsive service and limited fixed-route service along the Route 31 and Route 57 corridors.[70][71]NJ Transit operates the No. 890 and No. 891 buses in thePhillipsburg area.
Warren County has a singleNJ Transit train stop, located at theHackettstown station on theMontclair-Boonton Line and theMorristown Line.[72]
Norfolk Southern Railway'sLehigh Line, formerly the mainline of theLehigh Valley Railroad, runs through southern Warren County on its way toPhillipsburg.
School districts in Warren County include:[76][77][78][79]
Warren County borders theDelaware Water Gap National Recreation Area and theMiddle Delaware National Scenic River. Warren County has many areas for hunting and fishing. TheNew Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife houses its Pequest Fish Hatchery, which produces trout and other fish, in Warren County about five miles northeast of Oxford, along U.S. Route 46. Thousands of trout are raised in this hatchery and also serves as an educational center for other outdoor activity.[85] Wildlife Management Areas in the county include White Lake, Oxford Lake, and the Pequest River W.M.A. The five major rivers or creeks for fishing in Warren County are thePaulinskill, thePequest, theMusconetcong,Pohatcong Creek, as well as the Delaware River.Merrill Creek Reservoir, located in Harmony Township, is also stocked with fish and has game in the surrounding woods.
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