Location of Tewksbury Township inHunterdon County highlighted in yellow (right). Inset map: Location of Hunterdon County inNew Jersey highlighted in black (left).
Census Bureau map of Tewksbury Township, New Jersey
The township has been one of the state's highest-income communities. Based on data from the 2012–2016American Community Survey (ACS),NJ.com ranked the township as having the fifth-highest income in the state, with amedian household income of $173,473.[22] Based on data from the 2014–2018 ACS, the township residents had amedian household income of $162,037, more than double the statewide median of $79,363.[23]
The area was originally settled by theLenapeNative Americans. European settlement began in 1708, when George Willocks acquired land from the Lenape in the area, followed by an acquisition by the proprietors ofWest Jersey of a tract covering 100,000 acres (160 sq mi; 400 km2).[24]
The township was first mentioned as holding a township meeting on March 11, 1755, as having been formed partly fromLebanon Township, though the exact circumstances of its formation by charter are unknown. Tewksbury was incorporated as one of New Jersey's initial 104 townships by an act of theNew Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798. Portions of the township were taken to formCalifon borough (April 2, 1898). Portions of the township were acquired fromReadington Township in 1832 and 1861, and portions were transferred toClinton Township in 1871 and 1891.[26]
The earliest European settlers were ofEnglish extraction and were followed by a largeGerman contingent who began to settle in the area around 1749 and became the strongest influence around the time Tewksbury became a township. Their community was known as New Germantown, a name that survived untilWorld War I when prejudice against Germans led residents to change the community's name toOldwick.[24] The more than 100 structures and its mixture ofVictorian, Federal, New England andGeorgian style homes in Oldwick is protected by its listing on theNational Register of Historic Places.[27] Established in 1714 and granted a Royal Charter in 1767, Zion Lutheran Church in Oldwick is the oldest German Lutheran parish in New Jersey.[28]
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 31.78 square miles (82.3 km2), including 31.65 square miles (82.0 km2) of land and 0.13 square miles (0.34 km2) of water (0.41%).[1][2]
Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Apgar's Corner, Bissell,Cokesbury (located on the order of Tewksbury Township and Clinton Tonwship), Fairmount, Farmersville, Fox Hill, Laurel Farms, Lower Fairmount, Mountainville, New Germantown,Oldwick,Pottersville (split between Tewksbury Township andBedminster), Sutton and Vernoy.[35]
Of the 2,189 households, 34.9% had children under the age of 18; 73.0% were married couples living together; 5.5% had a female householder with no husband present and 19.2% were non-families. Of all households, 15.3% were made up of individuals and 6.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.05.[19]
25.3% of the population were under the age of 18, 4.7% from 18 to 24, 15.2% from 25 to 44, 38.5% from 45 to 64, and 16.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47.3 years. For every 100 females, the population had 97.5 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 96.7 males.[19]
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010American Community Survey showed that (in 2010inflation-adjusted dollars)median household income was $160,224 (with a margin of error of +/− $13,609) and the median family income was $189,833 (+/− $21,901). Males had a median income of $128,177 (+/− $22,406) versus $90,833 (+/− $32,868) for females. Theper capita income for the borough was $91,644 (+/− $13,544). About 0.9% of families and 1.2% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 1.3% of those under age 18 and 1.9% of those age 65 or over.[47]
As of the2000 United States census[15] there were 5,541 people, 1,986 households, and 1,662 families residing in the township. The population density was 175.2 inhabitants per square mile (67.6/km2). There were 2,052 housing units at an average density of 64.9 per square mile (25.1/km2). Theracial makeup of the township was 96.82% White, 0.52% African American, 1.88% Asian, 0.27% from other races, and 0.51% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.53% of the population.[45][46]
There were 1,996 households, out of which 36.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 77.2% weremarried couples living together, 5.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.3% were non-families. 12.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.79 and the average family size was 3.05.[45][46]
In the township the population was spread out, with 26.2% under the age of 18, 3.6% from 18 to 24, 25.2% from 25 to 44, 33.7% from 45 to 64, and 11.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.7 males.[45][46]
The median income for a household in the township was $135,649, and the median income for a family was $150,189. Males had a median income of $100,000 versus $57,500 for females. Theper capita income for the township was $65,470. About 1.6% of families and 2.7% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 3.9% of those under age 18 and 1.5% of those age 65 or over.[45][46]
Tewksbury Township is governed under theTownship form of government, one of 141 municipalities (of the 564) statewide governed under this form.[50] The Township Committee is comprised of five members, who are elected directly by the votersat-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.[6][51] 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, each serving a one-year term.[3]
As of 2023[update], members of the Tewksbury Township Committee areMayor Jean Frankel (I, term on township committee and as mayor ends December 31, 2023),Deputy Mayor William J. Voyce (R, term on committee ends 2025; term as deputy mayor ends 2023), Dana D. Desiderio (R, 2024), Andrea B. Maranca (R, 2025) and Peter L. Melick (R, 2024).[3][52][53][54][55][56][57]
In 2018, the township had an average property tax bill of $14,367, the highest in the county, compared to an average bill of $8,767 statewide.[58][59]
Hunterdon County is governed by aBoard of County Commissioners comprised of five members who are electedat-large on a partisan basis to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats up for election each year as part of the November general election. At an annual reorganization meeting held each January, the commissioners select one member to serve as the board's Director and another to serve as Deputy Director, each for a one-year term.[67] As of 2025[update], Hunterdon County's Commissioners are Director John E. Lanza (R; Raritan Township, 2025),[68]Deputy Director Shaun C. Van Doren (R;Tewksbury Township, 2026),[69]Jeff Kuhl (R;Raritan Township, 2027),[70] Zachary T. Rich (R;West Amwell Township, 2025)[71] and Susan Soloway (R;Franklin Township, 2027).[72][73]
As of March 2011, there were a total of 4,425 registered voters in Tewksbury Township, of which 699 (15.8%) were registered asDemocrats, 2,310 (52.2%) were registered asRepublicans and 1,412 (31.9%) were registered asUnaffiliated. There were 4 voters registered asLibertarians orGreens.[80]
United States Gubernatorial election results for Tewksbury Township[81]
In the2024 presidential election, RepublicanDonald Trump received 53.3% (2,169 votes) of the vote, compared to 44.4% (1,807 votes) for DemocratKamala Harris and 2.3% (93 votes) for all other candidates.[82] In the2020 presidential election, RepublicanDonald Trump received 52.9% (2,245 votes) of the vote, compared to 45.6% (1,931 votes) forJoe Biden and 1.4% (61 votes) for all other candidates.[83] In the2016 presidential election, RepublicanDonald Trump received 57.6% (2,109 votes) of the vote, compared to 38.3% (1,402 votes) forHillary Rodham Clinton and 4.1% (151 votes) for all other candidates.[84] In the2012 presidential election, RepublicanMitt Romney received 66.6% of the vote (2,291 cast), ahead of DemocratBarack Obama with 32.0% (1,100 votes), and other candidates with 1.5% (51 votes), among the 3,478 ballots cast by the township's 4,628 registered voters (36 ballots werespoiled), for a turnout of 75.2%.[85][86] In the2008 presidential election, RepublicanJohn McCain received 60.7% of the vote (2,280 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 37.4% (1,403 votes) and other candidates with 1.0% (39 votes), among the 3,754 ballots cast by the township's 4,502 registered voters, for a turnout of 83.4%.[87] In the2004 presidential election, RepublicanGeorge W. Bush received 66.7% of the vote (2,321 ballots cast), outpolling DemocratJohn Kerry with 33.2% (1,156 votes) and other candidates with 0.6% (25 votes), among the 3,480 ballots cast by the township's 4,171 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 83.4.[88]
United States presidential election results for Tewksbury Township[89]
In the2013 gubernatorial election, RepublicanChris Christie received 77.8% of the vote (1,706 cast), ahead of DemocratBarbara Buono with 20.3% (445 votes), and other candidates with 1.9% (41 votes), among the 2,238 ballots cast by the township's 4,551 registered voters (46 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 49.2%.[90][91] In the2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 66.7% of the vote (1,982 ballots cast), ahead of DemocratJon Corzine with 21.5% (638 votes), IndependentChris Daggett with 10.4% (310 votes) and other candidates with 0.2% (5 votes), among the 2,971 ballots cast by the township's 4,434 registered voters, yielding a 67.0% turnout.[92]
United States Senate election results for Tewksbury Township1[93]
The original elementary school, Sawmill, opened in 1951 and was sold in 2003 for $1 million to the Hunterdon County Educational Services Commission.[108]
Eighth grade students from all of Hunterdon County are eligible to apply to attend the high school programs offered by theHunterdon County Vocational School District, a county-wide vocational school district that offers career and technical education at its campuses inRaritan Township and at programs sited at local high schools, with no tuition charged to students for attendance.[114]
The community has been settled since the 1740s, when Ralph Smith bought land in the northern part of Oldwick. The construction of the Zion Lutheran Church in 1749 (remodeled in 1831) is a fixture of the community, as it utilizes the architectural style of vernacular Gothic/Greek revival. Other notable properties include the Tewksbury Inn (built in 1800 in theColonial Revival architectural style) and the Oldwick Methodist Church (built in 1865 in theRomanesque architectural style).[115]
As of May 2010[update], the township had a total of 99.22 miles (159.68 km) of roadways, of which 82.81 miles (133.27 km) were maintained by the municipality, 15.39 miles (24.77 km) by Hunterdon County and 1.02 miles (1.64 km) by theNew Jersey Department of Transportation.[116]
^abcTownship Committee, Tewksbury Township. Accessed March 27, 2023. "The Township of Tewksbury is governed by a five member Township Committee, with one member selected annually to serve as Mayor for a one-year term. Township Committee members are elected at large and serve staggered three-year terms."
^abCohen, Joyce."Havens; Weekender | Tewksbury, N.J.",The New York Times, November 22, 2002. Accessed January 30, 2023. "The most famous resident is New Jersey's former governor Christine Todd Whitman, now administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, whose family owns a farm there."
^Petenko, Erin."The 19 wealthiest towns in New Jersey, ranked", NJ Advance Media forNJ.com, January 12, 2018, updated May 15, 2019. Accessed February 27, 2020. "A note about the data: The source of this data is median household income in the 2012-2016 American Community Survey snapshot, compared with the 2007-2011 ACS snapshot.... 3. Mendham township, Morris County Median income: $176,875"
^abcHistory, Tewksbury Township. Accessed March 5, 2023. "The Township traces its origins to George Willocks' purchase of land from Lenape Indians in 1708 and to the West Jersey Society purchase of one hundred thousand acres two years later.... The name, Tewksbury, is believed to have originated from a connection with Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire, England. The two townships established a sister city relationship in 2003."
^Capuzzo, Jill P., et. al."16 Small Towns We Love",New Jersey Monthly, August 27, 2019. Accessed March 5, 2023. "The township is thought to be named after Tewkesbury, England; the two established a sister-city relationship in 2003."
^National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form for Oldwick Historic District,National Park Service, received September 30, 1988. Accessed November 21, 2019. "The Oldwick Historic District is composed of 127 contributing buildings and outbuildings, 12 contributing structures and 1 contributing site (church cemetery).... them, the Georgian/Federal, Greek Revival, and Italianate styles appear to have been most widely adapted by district builders."
^Staff."1767 charter is restored for Zion Lutheran in Tewksbury", September 18, 2011, updated March 31, 2019. Accessed November 21, 2019. "The Royal Charter, which was granted to Zion in 1767 by King George III, is on parchment and measures about 20" x 28".... Zion Lutheran Church is the oldest Lutheran congregation in New Jersey. Most of the charter members of the church had fled from the Palatinate area of Germany and its long series of wars and severe tax burdens. The first service was led by Justus Falckner on Aug. 1, 1714, at the home of Aree van Guinee, a freed slave."
^Raum, John O.The History of New Jersey: From Its Earliest Settlement to the Present Time, Volume 1, p. 268, J. E. Potter and company, 1877. Accessed July 21, 2013. "Tewksbury township was formed in 1798. Its population in 1850 was 2,301; in 1860, 2,333; and in 1870, 2,327. New Germantown, Fairmount, Farmersville and Mountainville are in this township."
^Marcus, Samantha."These are the towns with the highest property taxes in each of N.J.’s 21 counties", NJ Advance Media forNJ.com, April 22, 2019. Accessed November 5, 2019. "The average property tax bill in New Jersey was $8,767 last year. But there can be big swings from town to town and county to county.... The average property tax bill in Tewksbury Township was $14,367 in 2018, the highest in Hunterdon County."
^Elected and Appointed Officials, Hunterdon County, New Jersey. Accessed January 9, 2025. "As top governing officials of Hunterdon County, the five Commissioners are chosen by popular vote in the November general elections. The term of office is for three years and the current compensation is $16,000 a year, with an extra $1,000 for the Director. One or two of the five members is elected each year."
^John E. Lanza, Hunterdon County, New Jersey. Accessed January 9, 2025.
^Shaun C. Van Doren, Hunterdon County, New Jersey. Accessed January 9, 2025.
^Jeff Kuhl, Hunterdon County, New Jersey. Accessed January 9, 2025.
^Zachary T. Rich, Hunterdon County, New Jersey. Accessed January 9, 2025.
^Susan Soloway, Hunterdon County, New Jersey. Accessed January 9, 2025.
^Tewksbury Township Board of Education District Policy 0110 - Identification, Tewksbury Public Schools. Accessed November 16, 2023. "Purpose The Board of Education exists for the purpose of providing a thorough and efficient system of free public education in grades Pre-Kindergarten through eight in the Tewksbury Township School District. Composition The Tewksbury Township School District is comprised of all the area within the municipal boundaries of Tewksbury Township."
^Old Turnpike School, Tewksbury Township Board of Education. Accessed November 16, 2023.
^Schools, Tewksbury Township Board of Education. Accessed November 16, 2023.
^School Choice, Tewksbury Township Schools. Accessed November 16, 2023. "The Tewksbury Township School District is a Pre-K through 8 district comprising??? two schools with a current enrollment of approximately 485 students. The Tewksbury Elementary School and Old Turnpike School have both been recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence."
^Clark, Adam."9 N.J. schools just won a huge national honor", NJ Advance Media forNJ.com, September 24, 2020. Accessed September 27, 2020. "Nine New Jersey public schools have been awarded the national Blue Ribbon designation, one of the highest honors in education. The schools were recognized Thursday by the U.S. Department of Education for high student achievement."
^Staff."Tewksbury school board to sell Sawmill School",New Jersey Hills, July 30, 2003. Accessed September 22, 2014. "Under the terms of the negotiated agreement, which school officials are hoping to finalize by the end of August, the Hunterdon County Educational Services Commission would pay $1 million for the circa-1950s school that is located on seven acres."
^Voorhees High School 2015 Report Card Narrative,New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed June 3, 2016. "Voorhees High School has consistently ranked among the top high schools in New Jersey and was named a National Blue Ribbon School in 2015. With an enrollment of 1,095 students in grades 9-12, the school serves the communities of Califon, Glen Gardner, Hampton, High Bridge, Lebanon Township, and Tewksbury Township."
^Information Regarding Choice of District School,North Hunterdon-Voorhees Regional High School District. Accessed January 4, 2015. "In the past, parents and students of the North Hunterdon High School sending districts were able to select either North Hunterdon High School or Voorhees High School as their school of choice.... As our student population continued to grow and our two high schools reached, and exceeded, 90% capacity, the option of choosing Voorhees was eliminated in the 2005-2006 school year for the North Hunterdon sending districts (Bethlehem Township, Clinton Township, Franklin Township, Lebanon Borough and Union Township – Clinton Town students still have choice as they are classmates at Clinton Public School with Glen Gardner students, who attend Voorhees)."
^About the District, North Hunterdon-Voorhees Regional High School District. Accessed January 4, 2015. "North Hunterdon High School educates students from: Bethlehem Township, Clinton Town, Clinton Township, Franklin Township, Lebanon Borough, Union Township; Voorhees High School educates students from: Califon, Glen Gardner, Hampton, High Bridge, Lebanon Township, Tewksbury Township"
^Heyboer, Kelly."How to get your kid a seat in one of N.J.'s hardest-to-get-into high schools", NJ Advance Media forNJ.com, May 2017. Accessed November 18, 2019. "Hunterdon County's vo-tech district has three academies for high-achieving students, all operating in partnerships with local high schools.... The academies are open to all students in the county. Students in the 8th grade are required to submit an application, schedule an interview and take a placement exam."
^Morella, Nicole."Jersey's John Amos stars as sitcom dad",Courier News (New Jersey), September 13, 2003. Accessed January 21, 2011. "Amos, who owns a home in Tewksbury but lives on his boat off the coast of Mexico, also has been seen recently on NBC's hit 'The West Wing'."
^Speers, W."Model-Agency Fords Lose N. Jersey Home To Fire",The Philadelphia Inquirer, March 4, 1993. Accessed March 29, 2008. "The fab North Jersey home of Gerard and Eileen Ford, owners of the fashion industry's most prestigious modeling agency, was pretty much totaled by fire Tuesday night. Nobody was hurt but a fire official said the Tewksbury Township home was 90 percent destroyed."
^Wilson, Eric."Jerry Ford, 83, Man Behind the Models, Dies",The New York Times, August 26, 2008. Accessed March 14, 2011. "Jerry Ford, who with his wife, Eileen, established one of the most recognizable modeling agencies in the world, turning a profession regarded as practically a hobby in the 1940s into one dominated by well-paid supermodels in the 1980s, died on Sunday in Morristown, N.J.. He was 83 and lived in Oldwick, N.J."
^Slaght, Veronica."'Sopranos' star James Gandolfini buys home in Tewksbury",The Star-Ledger, September 24, 2009. Accessed January 21, 2011. "James Gandolfini, who portrayed the conflicted mobster on the popular HBO dramaThe Sopranos, has taken up residence in the posh seclusion of Tewksbury's wooded hills."
^Tally Hall,MTV. Accessed January 21, 2011. "The group was formed in late 2002 while attending the University of Michigan, and each member hails from suburban Detroit except Horowitz, who calls Tewksbury, NJ, home."
^Abrams, Bernie."Native daughter comes home",New Jersey Hills, June 11, 2007. Accessed May 1, 2022. "Her roots, she admits, run very deep in the area though she now lives in California. She grew up in the Oldwick section of Tewksbury Township where, at the Country Day School, her teacher Miss Noling encouraged von Stade's vocal development in performing Gilbert and Sullivan operettas."
United States
New Jersey
Hunterdon
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