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Howell Township, New Jersey
Township
Township of Howell
Pavilion at Manasquan Reservoir
Map of Howell Township in Monmouth County. Inset: Location of Monmouth County highlighted in the State of New Jersey.
Map of Howell Township in Monmouth County. Inset: Location of Monmouth County highlighted in the State of New Jersey.
Census Bureau map of Howell Township, New Jersey
Census Bureau map of Howell Township, New Jersey
Country  United States
State  New Jersey
County Monmouth
Incorporated February 23, 1801
Named for Richard Howell
Government
 • Type Faulkner Act (council–manager)
 • Body Township Council
Area
 • Total 61.21 sq mi (158.54 km2)
 • Land 60.27 sq mi (156.10 km2)
 • Water 0.94 sq mi (2.44 km2)  1.54%
Area rank 21st of 565 in state
1st of 53 in county
Elevation
98 ft (30 m)
Population
 • Total 53,537
 • Rank 32nd of 566 in state
2nd of 53 in county
 • Density 843.4/sq mi (325.6/km2)
 • Density rank 402nd of 566 in state
48th of 53 in county
Time zone UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT))
ZIP Code
07731 - Howell
07727 - Farmingdale
07728 - Freehold
Area code(s) 732 and 848
FIPS code 3402533300
GNIS feature ID 0882113

Howell Township is a township in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. The township is the largest municipality in the county by total area, comprised of about 61.21 square miles (158.5 km2). It is located in the New York metropolitan area and is a steadily growing bedroom community of New York City. As of the 2020 United States Census, the township's population was 53,537, reflecting an increase of 2,462 (+4.8%) from the 51,075 counted in the 2010 Census.

History

Howell Township was incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 23, 1801, from portions of Shrewsbury Township. Portions of the township were taken to form Brick Township in the newly created Ocean County (February 15, 1850), Wall Township (March 7, 1851) and Farmingdale (April 8, 1903). The township was named for Richard Howell, who served from 1794 to 1801 as the third Governor of New Jersey.

Some scenes for the War of the Worlds 2005 remake were filmed here, and a neighborhood called Ardena Acres was recreated as a set and left standing in Universal Studios Hollywood.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 61.209 square miles (158.530 km2), including 60.558 square miles (156.844 km2) of land and 0.651 square miles (1.686 km2) of water (1.06%).

Howell was formed from territory taken from Shrewsbury Township under an act of the New Jersey General Assembly passed February 23, 1801. The township, as formed, included in addition to its present area all of what is now Wall Township, Lakewood Township, Brick Township, and all the boroughs along the Atlantic Ocean from Barnegat Inlet of the Shark River Inlet at Belmar.

Ramtown (with a 2010 Census population of 6,242) is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Howell Township.

Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Adelphia, Ardena, Ardmore Estates, Shacks Corner, Southard, Squankum, West Farms, Winston Park, Wyckoff Mills and Yellow Brook.

The township completely surrounds Farmingdale, making it part of 21 pairs of "doughnut towns" in the state, where one municipality entirely surrounds another. The township borders Colts Neck Township, Freehold Township and Wall Township in Monmouth County; and Brick Township, Jackson Township and Lakewood Township in Ocean County.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1810 2,780
1820 3,354 20.6%
1830 4,141 23.5%
1840 4,699 13.5%
1850 4,058 −13.6%
1860 2,574 −36.6%
1870 3,371 31.0%
1880 3,374 0.1%
1890 3,018 −10.6%
1900 3,103 2.8%
1910 2,703 −12.9%
1920 2,549 −5.7%
1930 3,146 23.4%
1940 4,039 28.4%
1950 6,696 65.8%
1960 11,153 66.6%
1970 21,756 95.1%
1980 25,065 15.2%
1990 38,987 55.5%
2000 48,903 25.4%
2010 51,075 4.4%
2020 53,537 4.8%
Population sources:
1810-1920 1840 1850-1870
1850 1870 1880-1890
1890-1910 1910-1930
1930-1990 2000 2010
* = Lost territory in previous decade.

Most common ancestries in Howell Township are Italian: 23.8%, Irish: 18.7%, German: 12.7%, Other groups: 11.3%, Polish: 7.7%, English: 4.9% and Russian: 3.0%.

2010 Census

St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral - Howell, New Jersey 02
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in the Southard neighborhood of Howell
Ardena Acres
Suburban street after significant snowfall in the Ardena neighborhood of Howell
Ardena Baptist Church in Howell
Ardena Baptist Church

As of the census of 2010, there were 51,075 people, 17,260 households, and 13,618 families residing in the township. The population density was 843.4 per square mile (325.6/km2). There were 17,979 housing units at an average density of 296.9 per square mile (114.6/km2)*. The racial makeup of the township was 88.30% (45,100) White, 3.65% (1,865) Black or African American, 0.15% (79) Native American, 4.52% (2,309) Asian, 0.05% (23) Pacific Islander, 1.61% (822) from other races, and 1.72% (877) from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.13% (4,153) of the population.

There were 17,260 households out of which 39.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.4% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.1% were non-families. 17.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.95 and the average family size was 3.37.

In the township, the population was spread out with 26.3% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 24.0% from 25 to 44, 31.2% from 45 to 64, and 10.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.6 years. For every 100 females there were 96.3 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and old there were 93.5 males.

The Census Bureau showed that in 2010 median household income was $89,287 and the median family income was $102,015. Males had a median income of $71,499 versus $54,308 for females. The per capita income for the township was $35,489. About 4.5% of families and 5.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.5% of those under age 18 and 8.8% of those age 65 or over.

HowellCommunityChurch
Howell Community Church

Parks and recreation

Manasquan Reservoir offers nature and exercise related activities such as fishing, bird watching, jogging, biking, dog walking. The reservoir also has a nature exhibit where people can go see the local wildlife.

Alfred C. Sauer Park at Echo Lake offers a dock for fishing and kayaking, a nature trail and a pavilion overlooking the lake which can be rented. There is no swimming but there are grills and picnic tables as well as a playground. In 2014, the township renamed the park in memory of Alfred C. Sauer, an environmentalist who worked to preserve the park and other natural environments in the township.

Points of interest

Infrastructure

Transportation

Roads and highways

2021-06-29 16 18 46 View east along Interstate 195 (Central Jersey Expressway) from the overpass for Oak Glen Road in Howell Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey
I-195 eastbound in Howell Township

As of May 2010, the township had a total of 292.75 miles (471.14 km) of roadways, of which 242.91 miles (390.93 km) were maintained by the municipality, 26.25 miles (42.25 km) by Monmouth County and 23.59 miles (37.96 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

Major highways that traverse through Howell Township include Interstate 195, U.S. Route 9, Route 33, and Route 34. Major county routes that traverse through Howell Township include County Route 524 (Elton-Adelphia Road), County Route 547 (Lakewood-Farmingdale Road/Asbury Road), and County Route 549 (Herbertsville Road).

The Garden State Parkway passes through neighboring Wall Township and is accessible with Interstate 195 and Route 33 at interchanges 98 and 100. Further out west, the New Jersey Turnpike is accessible with Interstate 195 and Route 33 at interchanges 7A and 8.

Public transportation

NJ Transit provides bus transportation to communities along U.S. Route 9 from Lakewood to Old Bridge, and to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York City via the 131, 135 and 139 bus routes, to Newark Liberty International Airport and the rest of Newark, New Jersey on the 67 route, to Jersey City on the 64 and 67 routes, and with local service on the 836 route. Bus service is available from Route 9 to the Financial District in Lower Manhattan via the Academy Bus Line. There are two commuter parking lots available exclusively for residents of Howell Township, at the Aldrich Park & Ride in the Land of Pines neighborhood, and the Howell Park & Ride in the Adelphia neighborhood.

The Monmouth Ocean Middlesex Line a proposed NJ Transit project which would connect Monmouth, Ocean and Middlesex counties to the rest of the system's rail network. The township would be a potential stop for the 'MOM' Line. As of now, Howell offers taxi services to and from the Belmar train station, the closest train station to the township. Other nearby train stations include Aberdeen-Matawan, Asbury Park, Hamilton, and Long Branch.

Cycleways, including the Edgar Felix Bikeway, connect to Manasquan and the beach, as well as other points of interest.

Healthcare

Most of Howell Township is served by the CentraState Healthcare System, which is affiliated with Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. The main hospital campus is located in neighboring Freehold Township. The facility has 287 beds and is the county's fourth-largest employer. The next closest major hospitals to the township are Monmouth Medical Center's Southern Campus in nearby Lakewood, Jersey Shore University Medical Center in nearby Neptune, and the Hamilton division of Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital.

Economy

Agriculture

One of many horse farms in Howell
One of many thoroughbred farms in Howell

Despite suburbanization in recent years, the township's agricultural roots have been preserved. There are numerous crop farms, thoroughbred farms, and nurseries in the township. Some notable farms in the township include Calgo Gardens, Twin Pond Farm, Kauffman Farms, Landex Nursery, and JMJ Farm.

Commerce

Howell Commons
Howell Commons, located on US 9 in Howell

The township is home to numerous shopping centers, particularly on U.S. 9, including Aldrich Plaza, Adelphia Plaza, Greenleaf at Howell, Howell Commons, Lanes Mill Marketplace, and Regal Plaza.

Other shopping destinations near Howell, including the Freehold Raceway Mall in Freehold Township, Jackson Premium Outlets in Jackson Township and Jersey Shore Premium Outlets in Tinton Falls. Neighboring Farmingdale acts as a 'downtown' for the surrounding Howell Township. Nearby Asbury Park (on the shore) and Freehold Borough (the county seat) are also regional 'downtowns' for the township.

Education

Howell High School, NJ
Howell High School located on the corner of Southard Avenue and Squankum-Yellowbrook Road

The Howell Township Public Schools serve students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. As of the 2017–18 school year, the district, comprised of 12 schools, had an enrollment of 5,761 students and 494.4 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.7:1. Schools in the district (with 2017-18 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Adelphia Elementary School (354 students; in grades K-2), Aldrich Elementary School (427; 3-5), Ardena Elementary School (348; 3-5), Greenville Elementary School (318; K-2), Griebling Elementary School (253; K-2), Land O' Pines Elementary School (514; PreK-2), Memorial Elementary Elementary School (344; 3-5), Newbury Elementary School (399; 3-5), Ramtown Elementary School (356; 3-5), Taunton Elementary School (358; K-2), Howell Township Middle School North (1,133; 6-8) and Howell Township Middle School South (943; 6-8).

Students in public school for ninth through twelfth grades attend either Howell High School, Freehold Township High School or Colts Neck High School (depending on home address), as part of the Freehold Regional High School District (FRHSD). The Freehold Regional High School District also serves students from Colts Neck Township, Englishtown, Farmingdale, Freehold Borough, Freehold Township, Manalapan Township and Marlboro. Students from Howell can apply to participate in one of the Freehold Regional Learning Center programs within these six schools. The FRHSD board of education has nine members, who are elected to three-year terms from each of the constituent districts. Each member is allocated a fraction of a vote that totals to nine points, with Howell allocated two members, who each have 1.0 votes. Students from Howell may also apply to attend one of the Monmouth County Vocational School District schools throughout Monmouth County.

Mother Seton Academy, a Catholic School for grades PreK-8, which operates under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Trenton, is in the township. It formed in 2019 by the merger of St. Veronica and St. Aloysius schools; the former was in Howell and the latter was in Jackson Township.

Monmouth Academy (formerly Lakewood Prep School) was a private, nonsectarian, coeducational day school located in Howell Township, that served 180 students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade.

Notable people

See also (related category): People from Howell Township, New Jersey

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Howell Township include:

  • Jay Alders (born 1973), artist, photographer and graphic designer, who is best known for his original surf art paintings.
  • Bonnie Bernstein (born 1970), sportscaster for ESPN/ABC Sports
  • Jimmy Blewett (born 1980), professional driver in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour; brother of John Blewett III.
  • John Blewett III (1973–2007), driver who competed in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour; brother of Jimmy Blewett.
  • Cody Calafiore (born 1990), actor and model who was the runner-up on Big Brother 16 in 2014.
  • Sopan Deb (born 1988), journalist who works as a culture reporter for The New York Times.
  • Anthony DeSclafani (born 1990), MLB pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds.
  • Tom Fitzgerald (born 1966), News Anchor for Fox 5 News WTTG in Washington D.C.
  • Charles Asa Francis (1855–1934), politician who served in both the New Jersey General Assembly and New Jersey Senate.
  • Doug French (born 1959), competed in NASCAR and the ARCA Menards Series from 1985 to 2001.
  • Sandje Ivanchukov (1960–2007), professional soccer player who was drafted out of high school by the Tampa Bay Rowdies.
  • Rob Kinelski (born 1981), four-time Grammy award-winning sound engineer, most noted for his work with Billie Eilish & former bass player & founding member of indie rock band Union Spirit.
  • Nick LaBrocca (born 1984), midfielder for Colorado Rapids.
  • Austin H. Patterson (d. 1905), who served on the Howell Township Committee, the Monmouth County, New Jersey Board of Chosen Freeholders and the New Jersey State Assembly.
  • Tom Pelphrey (born 1982), actor who has appeared in the daytime soap Guiding Light, as Jonathan Randall.
  • Frankie Perez (born 1989), mixed martial artist specializing in Brazilian jiu-jitsu who has competed in Ultimate Fighting Championship.
  • Amy Polumbo (born 1984), Miss New Jersey 2007.
  • Vinnie Roslin (1947–2012), bass guitarist who was an original member of Steel Mill, an early Bruce Springsteen band that included Danny Federici, Vini Lopez and Steve Van Zandt, who would later become members of Springsteen's E Street Band.
  • Rich Skrosky (born 1964), football coach.
  • Ryan Spadola (born 1991), wide receiver who has played with the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins.
  • Jamie Tomaino (born 1956), racecar driver and 1990 champion in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour.
  • Denny Walling (born 1954), former Major League Baseball player.
  • Ken Woolley Jr. (born 1960), competed in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour from 1986 to 2011.

Images for kids

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Municipio de Howell (Nueva Jersey) para niños

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