WARREN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY

'Warren County' is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey and is part of the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2000 Census, the population was 102,437. Its county seat is Belvidere⁶.
Warren County was incorporated by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on November 20, 1824, from portions of Sussex County. At its creation, the county consisted of the townships of Greenwich, Independence, Knowlton, Mansfield, Oxford, Pahaquarry (now defunct)."The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 245.
Warren County is generally considered the eastern border of the Lehigh Valley.

Contents

Geography

Adjacent Counties

Demographics

Government

Transportation

Municipalities

Education

References

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 940 km² (363 mi²). 927 km² (358 mi²) of it is land and 13 km² (5 mi²) of it (1.35%) is water.
Much of Warren County is rugged and mountainous, with the Kittatinny Ridge providing a hard backbone to the county in the west and many lower ridges winding their way through the county, with narrow valleys in between. The highest elevation is on the Kittatinny Ridge, at two areas near Upper Yards Creek Reservoir near Blairstown that slightly exceed 1,600 feet (487.6 m) above sea level; the lowest point is the confluence of the Delaware and Musconetcong rivers at the county's southern tip, at 160 feet (48.7 m) of elevation.

Adjacent Counties

★ Sussex County, New Jersey - northeast

★ Morris County, New Jersey - east

★ Bucks County, Pennsylvania - south

★ Hunterdon County, New Jersey - south

★ Northampton County, Pennsylvania - west

★ Monroe County, Pennsylvania - northwest

Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there were 102,437 people, 38,660 households, and 27,487 families residing in the county. The population density was 111/km² (286/mi²). There were 41,157 housing units at an average density of 44/km² (115/mi²). The racial makeup of the county was 94.54% White, 1.87% Black or African American, 0.11% Native American, 1.21% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.01% from other races, and 1.24% from two or more races. 3.66% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 18.4% were of Italian, 18.2% German, 14.6% Irish, 7.2% Polish, 6.8% English and 5.2% American ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 38,660 households out of which 34.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.20% were married 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.
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.
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. The per capita income for the county was $25,728. About 3.60% of families and 5.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.90% of those under age 18 and 6.70% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Warren County is governed by a three-member Board of Chosen Freeholders. The members are elected at large to serve three-year terms. One Freeholder seat comes up for election each year, and the three-year term of office starts (and ends) on January 1.
The Freeholder Board is the center of legislative and administrative responsibility and, as such, performs a dual role. As legislators they draw up and adopt a budget, and in the role of administrators they are responsible for spending the funds they have appropriated.
As of January 2007, Warren County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director Everett A. Chamberlain (term ends 2010), Freeholder Deputy Director John DiMaio (2008) and Freeholder Richard D. Gardner (2009).^[1]
Other elected officials in Warren County are County Clerk Patricia J Kolb, Sheriff Sal Simonetti, Surrogate Susan A. Dickey. Prosecutor Thomas S. Ferguson is appointed by the Governor.

Transportation

While Warren County only has one New Jersey Transit train stop in the entire county (Hackettstown), Warren has a number of state routes, a few U.S. Routes, and two interstates. Warren houses Route 57, Route 173, Route 31, and Route 94. The US Routes are U.S. Route 22, and U.S. Route 46. The two interstates that pass through the county are the ''Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway'' (I-78), and the ''Bergen-Passaic Expressway'' (I-80).

Municipalities

★ Allamuchy Township

★
★ Allamuchy-Panther Valley

★ Alpha

★ Belvidere

★ Blairstown Township

★ Franklin Township

★ Frelinghuysen Township

★ Greenwich Township

★ Hackettstown

★ Hardwick Township

★ Harmony Township

★ Hope Township

★ Independence Township

★
★ Great Meadows-Vienna

★ Knowlton Township

★ Liberty Township

★ Lopatcong Township

★ Mansfield Township

★
★ Beattystown

★ Oxford Township

★
★ Oxford

★ Phillipsburg

★ Pohatcong Township

★ Washington Township

★
★ Brass Castle

★ Washington

★ White Township

Education

★ Warren County Community College, in Washington Borough, offers degree programs and certificate programs. The College serves approximately 1,700 full-time and part-time students, in addition to students in non-credit programs and courses.

★ Centenary College is a private college affiliated with the United Methodist Church and in Hackettstown, New Jersey.

References

1. Warren County Board of Chosen Freeholders, accessed February 27, 2007