Jackson Township, New Jersey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jackson Township, New Jersey
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Township
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Motto(s):
A Place for All Seasons
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![]() Location of Jackson Township in Ocean County highlighted in yellow (right). Inset map: Location of Ocean County in New Jersey highlighted in black (left).
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![]() Census Bureau map of Jackson Township, New Jersey
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Country | ![]() |
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State | ![]() |
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County | ![]() |
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Incorporated | March 6, 1844 | |
Named for | Andrew Jackson | |
Government | ||
• Type | Faulkner Act (mayor–council) | |
• Body | Township Council | |
Area | ||
• Total | 100.55 sq mi (260.43 km2) | |
• Land | 99.17 sq mi (256.86 km2) | |
• Water | 1.38 sq mi (3.57 km2) 1.37% | |
Area rank | 4th of 565 in state 1st of 33 in county |
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Elevation | 118 ft (36 m) | |
Population
(2020)
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• Total | 58,544 | |
• Estimate
(2023)
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60,275 | |
• Rank | 29th of 565 in state 4th of 33 in county |
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• Density | 590.3/sq mi (227.9/km2) | |
• Density rank | 433rd of 565 in state 26th of 33 in county |
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Time zone | UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST)) | |
• Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT)) | |
ZIP Code |
08527
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Area code(s) | 732 | |
FIPS code | 3402934680 | |
GNIS feature ID | 0882079 |
Jackson Township is a township in Ocean County, New Jersey. It's a part of the Pinelands National Reserve. In 2020, about 58,544 people lived here. This was a 6.7% increase from 2010.
Jackson is located between New York City and Philadelphia. It is also close to Trenton, the state capital, and the Jersey Shore. Because of its location near Interstate 195, Jackson has grown quickly. It is now a busy suburb of New York.
Jackson is famous for Six Flags Great Adventure. This includes Six Flags Hurricane Harbor and the Safari Off Road Adventure. In 2023, a new entertainment complex called Adventure Crossing also opened.
Contents
History of Jackson Township
Jackson Township became an official township on March 6, 1844. It was formed from parts of other townships. At that time, it was still part of Monmouth County. The township was named after President Andrew Jackson. On February 15, 1850, Jackson became part of the new Ocean County.
On July 1, 1974, Six Flags Great Adventure amusement park opened in Jackson Township. It was first called Great Adventure. Later, in 1977, the larger Six Flags company bought it. To help with the many visitors, Jackson Premium Outlets opened in 1997. This is an outdoor shopping center.
Adventure Crossing opened in January 2023. It is located near Jackson Premium Outlets and Six Flags Great Adventure. This complex has restaurants, a gas station, and a large family entertainment area. This area includes a sports bubble with golf bays, axe throwing, and virtual reality rides. When finished, it will also have a surf pool, sports fields, apartments, hotels, and more.
On April 1, 2023, two strong tornadoes hit Jackson Township. They had winds up to 120 miles per hour. The first tornado damaged the Adventure Crossing USA complex. It also damaged a new warehouse and several homes. The sports bubble at Adventure Crossing even collapsed. The second tornado hit near Howell Township. These tornadoes were some of the strongest to hit New Jersey.
Geography and Nature
Jackson Township covers about 100.55 square miles. Most of this is land (99.17 square miles). It is the largest town in Ocean County by area.
Many small communities are located within Jackson Township. These include Vista Center, Archers Corner, Cassville, and Prospertown.
Jackson Township shares borders with several other towns. These are Lakewood, Manchester, Plumsted, and Toms River in Ocean County. It also borders Freehold, Howell, Millstone, and Upper Freehold in Monmouth County.
The Colliers Mills Wildlife Management Area is partly in Jackson Township. It is a large area of over 12,900 acres. It is managed by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. Several man-made lakes are in the township, like Success Lake.
Jackson Township is part of the Toms River watershed. This means that water from the township flows into the Toms River.
Climate and Weather
Jackson Township has a climate that is a mix of humid subtropical and humid continental. It gets about 45 inches of rain each year. It usually snows about 23 inches per year. On average, there are 206 sunny days in Jackson. In July, the high temperature is around 86 degrees Fahrenheit. In January, the low temperature is about 23 degrees Fahrenheit.
Climate data for Jackson Township, New Jersey | |||||||||||||
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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) |
People and Community
Historical population | |||
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Census | Pop. | %± | |
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 | 9.9% | |
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 area. Most people own their homes here. The population is not very dense.
Community Growth
Since 2016, the Orthodox Jewish community has been growing in Jackson. Many families have moved here from Lakewood Township. They often look for more affordable homes and a quieter lifestyle. By 2020, about 500 Orthodox Jewish families lived in Jackson.
There have been some legal discussions about new rules in Jackson Township. These rules have affected how new schools can be built. They also affect the placement of Eruvs, which are symbolic religious enclosures. The township has worked to find solutions for these issues.
Economy and Shopping
The Jackson Premium Outlets is a large outdoor shopping center. It is owned by the Simon Property Group. The outlets are located near Interstate 195. They are also about 2.5 miles from Six Flags Great Adventure. The center opened in 1997 and has over 70 stores.
Local News and Media
The Asbury Park Press newspaper covers daily news for Jackson Township. WOBM-FM radio also provides local news. The Jackson Times is a weekly newspaper that shares news and comments from the township. There is also JTOWN Magazine, which covers local news, sports, and other information.
Sports and Recreation
In 2015, the Jackson Little League 12-year-old All-Stars won the state championship. They went on to the Mid-Atlantic Regional final. In 2017, the Holbrook Little League All-Stars also made it to the 2017 Little League World Series.
Education in Jackson Township
The Jackson School District serves students from kindergarten to 12th grade. The district has 10 schools in total. These include six elementary schools, two middle schools, and two high schools. In 2015, the district started offering full-day kindergarten.
The schools in the district are:
- Crawford-Rodriguez Elementary School
- Elms Elementary School
- Lucy N. Holman Elementary School
- Howard C. Johnson Elementary School
- Sylvia Rosenauer Elementary School
- Switlik Elementary School
- Carl W. Goetz Middle School
- Christa McAuliffe Middle School
- Jackson Liberty High School
- Jackson Memorial High School
Mother Seton Academy is a Catholic school for grades Pre-K to 8. It is located in nearby Howell Township.
Historic Places
The Cassville Crossroads Historic District is a historic area in Jackson. It is located in the community of Cassville. This district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. It is important for its history in farming, buildings, art, business, and religion. It includes nine important buildings.
Transportation and Roads
Jackson Township has over 312 miles of roads. The local government maintains most of these roads. Ocean County and the New Jersey Department of Transportation maintain the rest.
Interstate 195 is a major highway that runs through northern Jackson. Jackson is the only town in Ocean County with an interstate highway. This highway is important for visitors to Six Flags Great Adventure. It connects to the Garden State Parkway and the New Jersey Turnpike.
Several county roads also pass through Jackson Township. These include County Route 526, 527, 528, 537, 547, and 571.
Public Transportation
The proposed Monmouth Ocean Middlesex Line (MOM Line) is an NJ Transit project. It would connect Monmouth, Ocean, and Middlesex counties to the state's train network. Jackson Township could be a future stop on this line.
NJ Transit offers bus service in Jackson. The 317 line goes between Philadelphia and the Jersey Shore. There is also seasonal express service on the 308 line. This bus goes between Six Flags Great Adventure and Midtown Manhattan's Port Authority Bus Terminal.
Academy Bus also provides service from Jackson to Port Authority in New York and to Wall Street in Lower Manhattan.
For local shopping, residents can reserve trips on the "Jackson Flex Route" of the Ocean Ride Shoppers Loop.
Healthcare Services
Jackson Township is served by CentraState Healthcare System. This hospital is located in nearby Freehold Township. It has 287 beds and is connected with Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. CentraState also has a family practice office right in Jackson Township.
Other nearby hospitals include Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in Hamilton Township. There is also Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus in Lakewood Township. Another option is Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune Township.
Notable People from Jackson Township
Many interesting people have lived in or are from Jackson Township:
- Cassidy Benintente (born 1994), a professional soccer player.
- Parker Bohn III (born 1963), a professional bowler.
- Elijah Boothe, an actor known for his role in Luke Cage.
- Deena Nicole Cortese (born 1987), a reality TV star from Jersey Shore.
- Scotty Cranmer (born 1987), a famous BMX rider.
- Joey DeZart (born 1998), a professional soccer player for Orlando City.
- Rich Gaspari (born 1963), a former professional bodybuilder.
- Erin Gleason (born 1977), a short track speed skater who competed in the 1998 Winter Olympics.
- Vini Lopez (born 1949), a drummer who played with the E Street Band.
- E. J. Nduka (born 1988), a professional wrestler.
- Steve Niles (born 1965), a writer known for 30 Days of Night.
- Johnny Petraglia (born 1947), a professional bowler.
- Anthony Ranaudo (born 1989), a pitcher who played for the Boston Red Sox.
- Anthony Stolarz (born 1994), a goaltender for the Toronto Maple Leafs and a 2024 Stanley Cup Champion.
- Stanley Switlik (1890–1981), a parachuting pioneer.
- Matt Thaiss (born 1995), a baseball player drafted by the Los Angeles Angels.
- Zakk Wylde (born 1967), a guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne and Black Label Society.
See also
In Spanish: Municipio de Jackson (Nueva Jersey) para niños