Jackson, NJ
Roughly equidistant between New York City and Philadelphia, along with being close to the state capital of Trenton and the Jersey Shore on Interstate 195, Jackson has rapidly grown as an outer-ring suburb of New York within the New York metropolitan area. Jackson is also the site of Six Flags Great Adventure, of Six Flags Hurricane Harbor, and of 350-acre (140 ha) Safari Off Road Adventure, which replaced Six Flags Wild Safari in 2013, and Adventure Crossing a mixed-use entertainment complex that opened in 2023.
History
Jackson Township was incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 6, 1844, from portions of Dover Township (now Toms River Township), Freehold Township and Upper Freehold Township, while the area was still part of Monmouth County. The township was named for president Andrew Jackson, a year before his death. It became part of the newly created Ocean County on February 15, 1850. Portions of the township were taken to form Plumsted Township on March 11, 1845.
On July 1, 1974, under the direction of New York based entrepreneur Warner LeRoy, Six Flags Great Adventure amusement park opened in Jackson Township. It first opened to the public as simply Great Adventure in 1974, it was later acquired by the larger Six Flags brand in 1977. To accommodate for the rise in tourism in the township, in 1997 Simon Property Group opened Jackson Premium Outlets, an open-air outlet power center.
Adventure Crossing opened in January 2023, located between Jackson Premium Outlets and Six Flags Great Adventure. The mixed-use complex features fast-food restaurants, a gas station and a family entertainment complex (with a 100,000 sq ft (9,300 m) sports bubble that has 42 Top Golf bays, axe throwing, virtual reality rides, and additional restaurants and bars). When completed, the complex will also have a surf pool, turf fields, luxury apartments, Hilton hotels, conference centers, a medical arts facility and other mixed-use amenities for business, lifestyle, healthcare, and leisure.
On April 1, 2023, two separate tornadoes rated EF-2 on the Enhanced Fujita scale struck Jackson Township, with winds of up to 120 miles per hour (190 km/h). The first tornado struck western sections of the township near County Route 537 (Monmouth Road), inflicting significant damage to the Adventure Crossing USA mixed-use complex (causing the 100,000 sq ft (9,300 m) sports bubble to actually collapse), a newly built warehouse development and several homes. The second tornado struck near the border with neighboring Howell Township near the Aldrich Road area. The National Weather Service confirmed that the path of the tornado was 50 yards (46 m) wide and 1.4 miles (2.3 km) long. Both of these tornadoes were some of the strongest recorded to have hit the state and were part of four separate powerful tornadoes that had impacted the state in the outbreak.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 100.55 square miles (260.42 km), comprised of 99.17 sq mi (256.85 km) of land (98.63%) and 1.38 sq mi (3.57 km) of water (1.37%). Jackson is the largest municipality by area in Ocean County.
Vista Center (with a 2010 population of 2,095) is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Jackson Township. Other unincorporated communities, localities and populated places located completely or partially within the township include Archers Corner, Bennetts Mills, Burksville, Butterfly Bridge, Cassville, Colliers Mills, DeBow Corner, Francis Mills, Grayville, Harmony, Holmansville, Holmeson, Hyson, Jackson Mills, Kapps Corner, Leesville, Legler, Maryland, Midwood, New Prospect, Pleasant Grove, Prospertown, Ridgeway State Forest, Success, The Alligator, Van Hiseville, Webbsville, Whitesbridge and Whitesville.
The township borders Lakewood Township, Manchester Township, Plumsted Township and Toms River in Ocean County; and Freehold Township, Howell Township, Millstone Township and Upper Freehold Township in Monmouth County.
Colliers Mills Wildlife Management Area is a 12,906.63-acre (5,223.13 ha) wildlife management area located within portions of both Jackson Township and Plumsted Township operated by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection's Division of Fish and Wildlife. Several man-made lakes are located within the township, including Success Lake in the Colliers Mills Wildlife Management Area.
The township is one of 11 municipalities in Ocean County that are part of the Toms River watershed.
Climate
The climate of central New Jersey is in the transition zone from the humid subtropical climate (Cfa) of the southeast US and humid continental (Dfa) to the north. Jackson Township, New Jersey, gets 45 inches (1,100 mm) of rain per year. Snowfall is 23 inches (580 mm) inches and the number of days with any measurable precipitation is 115. On average, there are 206 sunny days per year in Jackson. The July high is around 86 degrees and the January low is 23. The comfort index is 45 out of 100.
Climate data for Jackson Township, New Jersey | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 41 (5) |
44 (7) |
51 (11) |
61 (16) |
71 (22) |
80 (27) |
85 (29) |
83 (28) |
77 (25) |
67 (19) |
57 (14) |
46 (8) |
64 (18) |
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 22 (−6) |
24 (−4) |
30 (−1) |
39 (4) |
49 (9) |
59 (15) |
64 (18) |
62 (17) |
55 (13) |
43 (6) |
35 (2) |
27 (−3) |
42 (6) |
Average precipitation inches (mm) | 3.92 (100) |
3.30 (84) |
4.79 (122) |
4.07 (103) |
3.73 (95) |
3.80 (97) |
4.60 (117) |
4.69 (119) |
3.79 (96) |
3.90 (99) |
4.11 (104) |
4.51 (115) |
49.21 (1,251) |
Source: |
Demographics
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1850 | 1,333 | * | — |
1860 | 1,606 | 20.5% | |
1870 | 1,755 | 9.3% | |
1880 | 1,803 | 2.7% | |
1890 | 1,717 | −4.8% | |
1900 | 1,595 | −7.1% | |
1910 | 1,325 | −16.9% | |
1920 | 1,268 | −4.3% | |
1930 | 1,719 | 35.6% | |
1940 | 2,153 | 25.2% | |
1950 | 3,513 | 63.2% | |
1960 | 5,939 | 69.1% | |
1970 | 18,276 | 207.7% | |
1980 | 25,644 | 40.3% | |
1990 | 33,233 | 29.6% | |
2000 | 42,816 | 28.8% | |
2010 | 54,856 | 28.1% | |
2020 | 58,544 | 6.7% | |
2023 (est.) | 60,275 | 3.0% | |
Population sources: 1850–2000 1850–1920 1850–1870 1850 1870 1880–1890 1890–1910 1910–1930 1940–2000 2000 2010 2020 * = Lost territory in previous decade. |
Jackson Township is a suburban community that is sparsely populated, with most residents owning their homes.
2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 54,856 people, 19,417 households, and 15,048 families in the township. The population density was 552.7 per square mile (213.4/km). There were 20,342 housing units at an average density of 205.0 per square mile (79.2/km). The racial makeup was 88.90% (48,765) White, 4.86% (2,664) Black or African American, 0.10% (57) Native American, 2.95% (1,616) Asian, 0.03% (18) Pacific Islander, 1.27% (696) from other races, and 1.90% (1,040) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.83% (4,295) of the population.
Of the 19,417 households, 35.2% had children under the age of 18; 63.8% were married couples living together; 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present and 22.5% were non-families. Of all households, 18.2% were made up of individuals and 8.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.80 and the average family size was 3.21.
24.7% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 23.7% from 25 to 44, 29.4% from 45 to 64, and 14.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.6 years. For every 100 females, the population had 94.5 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 91.4 males.
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $86,327 (with a margin of error of +/− $2,941) and the median family income was $96,171 (+/− $2,734). Males had a median income of $68,985 (+/− $4,126) versus $45,714 (+/− $2,238) for females. The per capita income for the township was $34,521 (+/− $912). About 2.8% of families and 3.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.4% of those under age 18 and 3.5% of those age 65 or over.
2000 census
As of the 2000 United States census there were 42,816 people, 14,176 households, and 11,269 families residing in the township. The population density was 427.9 inhabitants per square mile (165.2/km). There were 14,640 housing units at an average density of 146.3 per square mile (56.5/km). The racial makeup of the township was 91.26% White, 3.90% African American, 0.13% Native American, 2.06% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.97% from other races, and 1.67% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.78% of the population.
There were 14,176 households, out of which 44.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.7% were married couples living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.5% were non-families. 16.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.99 and the average family size was 3.38.
In the township the population was spread out, with 29.7% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 34.2% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 9.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.1 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $65,218, and the median income for a family was $71,045. Males had a median income of $51,276 versus $33,882 for females. The per capita income for the township was $23,981. About 2.5% of families and 3.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.2% of those under age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over.
Orthodox Jewish community
Since 2016, the Orthodox Jewish population has been growing in central and eastern Jackson Township, along the border with Lakewood Township, due to the more affordable housing and quieter lifestyle that Jackson Township offers over Lakewood. By 2020, the Orthodox Jewish community had grown to approximately 500 families, out of 19,400 total households, from a limited presence just a few years prior.
A series of pending lawsuits allege that Jackson Township has passed multiple ordinances trying to stymie movement from Lakewood to Jackson. A "no knock" ordinance had been passed by Jackson prohibiting door-to-door solicitation after residents complained of an increase in real estate solicitations. Ordinances were passed that were restrictive to the Orthodox Jewish lifestyle; efforts to open yeshivas in the township, often accompanied by dormitories, were blocked by newly adopted ordinances that restricted new schools and prohibited dormitories. Eruvs (symbolic religious enclosures) were determined not to meet building and construction codes after a new ordinance was passed that tightened restrictions on items placed in the public "right-of-way". To address this last concern, the township entered into a preliminary settlement allowing eruvs in some parts of township and proposed a township-wide solution that was ultimately deemed impractical.
In addition, the United States Department of Justice and the New Jersey Attorney General have opened investigations into whether the township practiced anti-Semitic discrimination, filing multiple subpoenas against township officials. These investigations culminated in May 2020 with a federal lawsuit brought by the Department of Justice against the township, alleging violations of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act and the Fair Housing Act related to the township's new land use laws.