MENDHAM TOWNSHIP, NEW JERSEY

'Mendham Township' is a Township in Morris County, in central-northern New Jersey, United States. Located in the northwestern part of the state, the Township is some 30 miles due west of New York City. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 5,400. Although slowly suburbanizing, it maintains a rural charm.
Mendham Township was formed as a township on March 29, 1749, from portions of Hanover Township, Morris Township and Rockaway Township. The township was incorporated by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798. Portions of the township were taken to create Randolph Township (January 1, 1806) and Mendham Borough (May 15, 1906)."The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 194.

Contents

Geography

Demographics

Government

Local government

Federal, state and county representation

Education

Transportation

Notable Residents

References

External links

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 46.6 km² (18.0 mi²). 46.3 km² (17.9 mi²) of it is land and 0.3 km² (0.1 mi²) of it (0.67%) is water.

Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there were 5,400 people, 1,788 households, and 1,539 families residing in the township. The population density was 116.7/km² (302.4/mi²). There were 1,849 housing units at an average density of 40.0/km² (103.5/mi²). The racial makeup of the township was 95.91% White, 0.93% African American, 0.09% Native American, 2.02% Asian, 0.35% from other races, and 0.70% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.52% of the population.
There were 1,788 households out of which 47.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 80.2% were married couples living together, 4.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 13.9% were non-families. 11.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.01 and the average family size was 3.27.
In the township the population was spread out with 32.0% under the age of 18, 3.6% from 18 to 24, 23.8% from 25 to 44, 29.9% from 45 to 64, and 10.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 96.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.1 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $136,174, and the median income for a family was $146,254. Males had a median income of $100,000 versus $57,946 for females. The per capita income for the township was $61,460. About 1.4% of families and 1.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.3% of those under age 18 and 0.9% of those age 65 or over.
Mendham Township is ranked as the 17th wealthiest community in the state of New Jersey. It is located on the southern border of the 10th wealthiest US county, Morris County.

Government

Local government

Mendham Township operates under the Township form of New Jersey municipal government. The Township committee, which is the Governing Body, consists of five members elected at large for three year overlapping terms. Each year, at a reorganization meeting held on January 1, the newly reconstituted Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor.^[1]
Members of the Mendham Township Committee are Mayor Phyllis Florek December 31, 2007), Richard Krieg (2008), Brian Phelan (2007), Jack J. Schrier (2009), and Frank Cioppettini (2009).^[2]

Federal, state and county representation

Mendham Township is in the Eleventh Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 25th Legislative District.^[3]

Education

Students in grades K-8 attend the Mendham Township Public Schools. Schools in the district (with 2004-05 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Mendham Township Elementary School with 502 students in grades K-4 and Mendham Township Middle School with 403 students in grades 5-8.
Students in grades 9-12 attend West Morris Mendham High School, which is located in Mendham Borough and is part of the West Morris Regional High School District. Students in the district come from the surrounding Morris County school districts of Chester Borough, Chester Township, Mendham Borough, Mendham Township and from Washington Township.
The all-boys Delbarton School in neighboring Morris Township also draws a number of Mendham boys in grades 7-12.

Transportation

Given that no Interstate, US or New Jersey State Highways run very near to Mendham Township, the Township has not become as much of a New York City suburb as nearby communities with much easier highway and commuter rail access. For those heading to points outside the township, Interstate 287, Route 24, Interstate 80, and Interstate 78, are all accessible. Commuters can drive to access the New Jersey Transit Midtown Direct express train line into Midtown Manhattan.

Notable Residents

Notable current and former residents of Mendham Township include:

★ Whitney Houston (1963-), singer.^[4]

★ Richard A. Merkt (1949-) represents the 25th legislative district in the New Jersey General Assembly.^[5]

References

1. How the Municipal Government Works, Mendham Township. Accessed July 12, 2006.
2. Mendham Township Committee, Mendham Township. Accessed April 18, 2007.
3. 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, New Jersey League of Women Voters, p. 60. Accessed August 30, 2006.
4. Friedman, Roger. "Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown: 'Addicted to Each Other'", ''Fox News'', September 14, 2006. Accessed August 14, 2007. "Houston owns an estate in Mendham, N.J., but it’s likely that it’s in her name only. Houston’s family uses the Mendham home as their headquarters, and Brown is rarely seen there. Whitney bought the Mendham estate in 1987 for about .2 million, according to public records, with a .4 million mortgage."
5. Assembly Member Richard A. 'Rick' Merkt, Project Vote Smart. Accessed August 17, 2007.

External links

★ Mendham Township website

★ Mendham Township Public Schools

★

★ National Center for Education Statistics data for the Mendham Township Public Schools

★ West Morris Mendham High School

★ West Morris Regional High School District