Chesilhurst

Chesilhurst is a borough in Camden County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, the borough's population was 1,536,[13] a decline from 2010 when it was 1,634.[14][15][16] New Jersey Monthly magazine ranked Chesilhurst last among the towns rated in its 2008 rankings of "Best Places to Live" in New Jersey (placing at # 566).[17]

Chesilhurst was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on November 26, 1887, from portions of Waterford Township and Winslow Township, based on the results of a referendum held on October 18, 1887.[18]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 1.72 square miles (4.45 km2), including 1.72 square miles (4.44 km2) of land and <0.01 square miles (<0.01 km2) of water (0.12%).[1][2]

The borough borders both Waterford Township and Winslow Township.[19][20][21]

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 can be of any race.

The 2010 United States census counted 1,634 people, 582 households, and 376 families in the borough. The population density was 951.2 per square mile (367.3/km2). There were 621 housing units at an average density of 361.5 per square mile (139.6/km2). The racial makeup was 42.35% (692) White, 46.39% (758) Black or African American, 0.43% (7) Native American, 0.86% (14) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 6.98% (114) from other races, and 3.00% (49) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.57% (189) of the population.[14]

Of the 582 households, 18.7% had children under the age of 18; 40.5% were married couples living together; 18.0% had a female householder with no husband present and 35.4% were non-families. Of all households, 29.2% were made up of individuals and 15.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.24.[14]

17.8% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 23.5% from 25 to 44, 31.3% from 45 to 64, and 19.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45.7 years. For every 100 females, the population had 93.8 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 89.7 males.[14]

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $57,969 (with a margin of error of +/- $14,321) and the median family income was $76,406 (+/- $14,069). Males had a median income of $42,232 (+/- $4,747) versus $36,908 (+/- $6,544) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $24,646 (+/- $2,686). About 3.2% of families and 8.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.8% of those under age 18 and 16.9% of those age 65 or over.[30]

As of the 2000 United States Census[10] there were 1,520 people, 493 households, and 345 families residing in the borough. The population density was 885.8 people per square mile (341.2/km2). There were 535 housing units at an average density of 311.8 per square mile (120.1/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 37.37% White, 55.99% African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.33% Asian, 2.89% from other races, and 3.22% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.08% of the population.[31][32]

There were 493 households, out of which 26.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.5% were married couples living together, 18.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.0% were non-families. 25.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.81 and the average family size was 3.32.[31][32]

In the borough the population was spread out, with 22.9% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 25.1% from 25 to 44, 30.0% from 45 to 64, and 15.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.6 males.[31][32]

The median income for a household in the borough was $41,786, and the median income for a family was $50,263. Males had a median income of $33,333 versus $28,500 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $15,252. About 8.0% of families and 15.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.0% of those under age 18 and 10.3% of those age 65 or over.[31][32]

Chesilhurst is governed under the Borough form of New Jersey municipal government, which is used in 218 municipalities (of the 565) statewide, making it the most common form of government in New Jersey.[33] The governing body is comprised of a Mayor and a Borough Council, with all positions elected at-large on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. A Mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The Borough Council is comprised of six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle.[5] The Borough form of government used by Chesilhurst is a "weak mayor / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can veto ordinances subject to an override by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council.[34][35]

As of 2020[update], the Mayor of Chesilhurst is Democrat Jamila A. Odom-Garnett, whose term of office ends December 31, 2023. Members of the Borough Council are Rukiah Alwan (D, 2020), Russell S. Hirn Sr. (D, 2022), Monica Holmes (D, 2022), Herbert Littles (D, 2021) and Matthew Marrone (D, 2021), with the seat expiring in December 2020 that had been held by Mayor Odom-Garnett vacant.[3][36][37][38][39]

Chesilhurst is located in the 1st Congressional District[40] and is part of New Jersey's 4th state legislative district.[15][41][42] Prior to the 2011 reapportionment following the 2010 Census, Chesilhurst had been in the 6th state legislative district.[43]

For the 117th United States Congress, New Jersey's First Congressional District is represented by Donald Norcross (D, Camden).[44][45] New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Democrats Cory Booker (Newark, term ends 2027)[46] and Bob Menendez (Harrison, term ends 2025).[47][48]

For the 2022–2023 session, the 4th Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Fred H. Madden (D, Washington Township, Gloucester County) and in the General Assembly by Paul D. Moriarty (D, Washington Township, Gloucester County) and Gabriela Mosquera (D, Gloucester Township).[49]

Camden County is governed by a Board of County Commissioners comprised of seven members chosen at-large in partisan elections for three-year terms on a staggered basis by the residents of the county, with either two or three seats up for election each year as part of the November general election. At a reorganization meeting held in January after each election, the newly constituted Board of Commissioners selects one of its members to serve as Director and another as Deputy Director.[50] As of 2022[update], Camden County's Commissioners are Commissioner Director Louis Cappelli Jr. (D, Collingswood, term as Commissioner ends December 31, 2023; term as Director ends 2022),[51] Commissioner Deputy Director Edward T. McDonnell (D, Pennsauken Township, term as Commissioner and as Deputy Director ends 2022),[52] Almar Dyer (D, Pennsauken Township, 2024),[53] Melinda Kane (D, Cherry Hill, 2024),[54] Jeffrey L. Nash (D, Winslow Township, 2024),[55] Carmen G. Rodriguez (D, Merchantville, 2022)[56] and Jonathan L. Young Sr. (D, Berlin Township, 2023)[57][50][58][59][60]

Camden County's constitutional officers, all elected directly by voters, are County Clerk Joseph Ripa (D, Voorhees Township, 2024),[61][62] Sheriff Gilbert "Whip" Wilson (D, Camden, 2024)[63][64] and Surrogate Michelle Gentek-Mayer (D, Gloucester Township, 2025).[65][66][67] The County Prosecutor is Grace C. MacAulay, who was sworn in on January 6, 2022.[68]

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 1,156 registered voters in Chesilhurst, of which 673 (58.2%) were registered as Democrats, 79 (6.8%) were registered as Republicans and 404 (34.9%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were no voters registered to other parties.[69]

In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 82.8% of the vote (629 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 16.2% (123 votes), and other candidates with 1.1% (8 votes), among the 767 ballots cast by the borough's 1,250 registered voters (7 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 61.4%.[70][71] In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 82.8% of the vote (657 cast), ahead of Republican John McCain, who received around 14.2% (113 votes), with 793 ballots cast among the borough's 1,241 registered voters, for a turnout of 63.9%.[72] In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 77.4% of the vote (518 ballots cast), outpolling Republican George W. Bush, who received around 19.4% (130 votes), with 669 ballots cast among the borough's 1,038 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 64.5.[73]

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Democrat Barbara Buono received 64.2% of the vote (249 cast), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 34.8% (135 votes), and other candidates with 1.0% (4 votes), among the 400 ballots cast by the borough's 1,240 registered voters (12 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 32.3%.[74][75] In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 71.4% of the vote (314 ballots cast), ahead of both Republican Chris Christie with 23.2% (102 votes) and Independent Chris Daggett with 2.7% (12 votes), with 440 ballots cast among the borough's 1,161 registered voters, yielding a 37.9% turnout.[76]

The Chesilhurst Borough School District had served public school students in kindergarten through sixth grade at Shirley B. Foster Elementary School. After the completion of the 2008–09 school year, the district was no longer operating any schools and began sending all of its students to the Winslow Township School District as part of a sending/receiving relationship that commenced in the 2009–10 school year.[77][78]

Despite the fact that the district does not operate any school facilities, The district's board of education, with five members, sets policy and oversees the operation of the sending relationship. As a Type II school district, the board's trustees are elected directly by voters to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats up for election each year held (since 2012) as part of the November general election.[79][80][81]

As of May 2010[update], the borough had a total of 19.89 miles (32.01 km) of roadways, of which 15.47 miles (24.90 km) were maintained by the municipality, 3.27 miles (5.26 km) by Camden County and 1.15 miles (1.85 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.[82]

US 30 is the main road serving Chesilhurst. CR 536 runs along the southern border briefly. The Atlantic City Expressway is accessible in neighboring Winslow Township.

NJ Transit local bus service is provided on the 554 route between the Lindenwold station and Atlantic City.[83][84]