Stafford Township, New Jersey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Stafford Township, New Jersey
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Township
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The Stafford Performing Arts Center in Manahawkin
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Map of Stafford Township in Ocean County. Inset; Location of Ocean County highlighted in the State of New Jersey.
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Census Bureau map of Stafford Township, New Jersey
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 Stafford Township, New Jersey
Location in Ocean County, New Jersey
Stafford Township, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Stafford Township, New Jersey
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  New Jersey |
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| County |  Ocean |
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| Royal charter | March 3, 1750 | |
| Incorporated | February 21, 1798 | |
| Named for | Staffordshire, England | |
| Government | ||
| • Type | Faulkner Act (small municipality) | |
| • Body | Township Council | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 54.71 sq mi (141.69 km2) | |
| • Land | 46.11 sq mi (119.44 km2) | |
| • Water | 8.59 sq mi (22.26 km2) 15.71% | |
| Area rank | 29th of 565 in state 5th of 33 in county |
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| Elevation | 43 ft (13 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 28,617 | |
| • Estimate
(2023)
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30,261 | |
| • Rank | 86th of 565 in state 8th of 33 in county |
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| • Density | 620.6/sq mi (239.6/km2) | |
| • Density rank | 427th of 565 in state 25th of 33 in county |
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| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST)) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT)) | |
| ZIP Code |
08050 – Manahawkin
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| Area code(s) | 609 | |
| FIPS code | 3402970320 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 0882069 | |
Stafford Township is a community located on the Jersey Shore in southern Ocean County, New Jersey. It is known as a township. In 2020, the population of Stafford Township was 28,617 people. This was the highest number of people ever counted in the township.
Stafford Township is like a gateway to the popular beach towns on Long Beach Island. The main road, Route 72, is the only way to drive to the island. It crosses Barnegat Bay over the Manahawkin Bay Bridge. Other important roads like the Garden State Parkway and U.S. Route 9 also pass through the township.
Contents
History of Stafford Township
Stafford Township was officially created a long time ago, on March 3, 1750. This happened through a special document called a royal charter. At that time, the area was part of Monmouth County. Later, on February 21, 1798, it became one of New Jersey's first townships.
In 1850, Stafford Township became part of the new Ocean County. Over the years, some parts of Stafford Township were separated to form new towns. The township was named after Staffordshire, a place in England.
For a long time, Stafford Township was mostly a rural area. This means it had a lot of open land and farms. The main town was Manahawkin. In the 1950s, the area started to grow a lot. New communities like Beach Haven West and Ocean Acres were built. This growth happened as the Garden State Parkway was finished and Route 72 was made bigger.
Development continued to speed up in the 1980s. More homes were built, and vacation houses became year-round homes. The first big shopping center, Stafford Square, also opened. In the early 1990s, the Manahawkin Airport closed. This land was used to build new stores, including a Walmart. Later, a Catholic church and school were built on part of the old runway.
Stafford Township celebrates its history with an event called Founders Day every June. It started in 1964. Today, it includes a parade, fun contests, rides, and pageants. The day ends with a fireworks show.
In 2021, the township buried a special time capsule. It will be opened in 2070. Inside are items from 2020, showing what life was like during the COVID-19 pandemic. This will give future residents a peek into the past.
Geography of Stafford Township
Stafford Township covers about 54.71 square miles (141.69 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, but about 8.59 square miles (22.26 square kilometers) is water. The township stretches across southern Ocean County. It goes from the Jersey Shore in the east to the border with Burlington County, New Jersey in the west.
Several communities are located within Stafford Township. These include Beach Haven West and Manahawkin. Ocean Acres is another community that is partly in Stafford Township and partly in Barnegat Township.
Other smaller places in the township are Bayside, Cedar Run, and Mayetta. Warren Grove is a rural area in the western part of the township. It is located in the Pine Barrens.
Stafford Township shares borders with several other towns in Ocean County. These include Barnegat Township, Eagleswood Township, and the beach towns of Long Beach Township, Ship Bottom, and Surf City.
Population and People
In 2020, the population of Stafford Township was 28,617 people. This number has grown quite a bit over the years. For example, in 2010, there were 26,535 people living here. In 2000, the population was 22,532. This shows that more and more people are choosing to live in Stafford Township.
Education in Stafford Township
Students in Stafford Township attend schools based on their grade level.
The Stafford Township School District serves younger students. This district has five schools for children from pre-kindergarten through sixth grade. In the 2018–19 school year, about 2,198 students were enrolled.
- Oxycocus School is for pre-kindergarten students.
- Ronald L. Meinders Primary Learning Center is for kindergarten.
- Ocean Acres Elementary School teaches grades 1–2.
- McKinley Avenue Elementary School is for grades 3–4.
- Stafford Intermediate School serves students in grades 5–6.
For students in seventh through twelfth grades, they attend the Southern Regional School District. This district serves students from Stafford Township and several other nearby towns on Long Beach Island.
- Southern Regional Middle School is for grades 7–8.
- Southern Regional High School is for grades 9–12.
Both of these schools are located in the Manahawkin area of Stafford Township.
There is also a special high school called Marine Academy of Technology and Environmental Science (MATES). It is part of the Ocean County Vocational Technical School system. MATES offers a challenging program for students interested in technology and the environment. Students from all over Ocean County can attend MATES.
For Catholic school students, St. Mary Academy is a school for grades K-8. It is located in Stafford Township near Manahawkin. This school is managed by St. Mary Church.
Local News and Media
If you want to know what's happening in Stafford Township, you can read the Asbury Park Press or The Press of Atlantic City. These newspapers provide daily news. You can also listen to WOBM-FM radio.
There's also a local weekly paper called The Southern Ocean Times. It covers news for Stafford Township and other nearby communities.
Transportation in Stafford Township
_at_Exit_63A_(New_Jersey_State_Route_72_EAST,_Long_Beach_Island)_in_Stafford_Township,_Ocean_County,_New_Jersey.jpg)
Stafford Township has several important roads. The main highway is the Garden State Parkway. It runs north and south through the township. The Parkway connects with Route 72 at Exit 63. Route 72 is a key road that goes from the western part of the township towards Long Beach Island.
U.S. Route 9 also passes through the center of Stafford Township. Another important county road is CR 539, which is in the western part of the township.
For public transportation, NJ Transit offers bus service. You can take the 559 bus route to Atlantic City. There are also local bus routes called Ocean Ride, which serve different areas within the township and nearby towns.
Notable People from Stafford Township
Many interesting people have lived in or are connected to Stafford Township:
- Glenn Carson (born 1990), a football player who played for the Arizona Cardinals.
- Doc Cramer (1905–1990), a famous baseball player who played in the American League.
- Mike Gesicki (born 1995), a tight end who plays for the Cincinnati Bengals.
- Teresa Giudice (born 1972), a reality TV star from The Real Housewives of New Jersey, who had a summer home here.
- Clark Harris (born 1984), a football player for the Cincinnati Bengals.
- William A. Newell (1817–1901), who was the 18th Governor of New Jersey.
- Martin Truex Jr. (born 1980), a well-known NASCAR Cup Series race car driver and champion.
- Martin Truex Sr. (born 1948), a former race car driver.
- Ryan Truex (born 1992), also a NASCAR race car driver.
- Ethan Vanacore-Decker (born 1994), a professional soccer player.
See also
In Spanish: Municipio de Stafford (Nueva Jersey) para niños
