Lawrence Township, Cumberland County, New Jersey facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lawrence Township, New Jersey
Township
Community of Cedarville
Location of Lawrence Township in Cumberland County highlighted in red (right). Inset map: Location of Cumberland County in New Jersey highlighted in red (left).
Census Bureau map of Lawrence Township, Cumberland County, New Jersey
Lawrence Township, New Jersey Location in Cumberland County, New Jersey Show map of Cumberland County, New Jersey Lawrence Township, New Jersey Location in New Jersey Show map of New Jersey Lawrence Township, New Jersey Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	New Jersey
County	Cumberland
Incorporated	February 17, 1885
Named for	Capt. James Lawrence
Government
• Type	Township
• Body	Township Committee
Area
• Total	38.39 sq mi (99.43 km2)
• Land	36.92 sq mi (95.63 km2)
• Water	1.47 sq mi (3.80 km2)  3.82%
Area rank	61st of 565 in state 6th of 14 in county
Elevation	39 ft (12 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	3,087
• Estimate  (2023)	3,073
• Rank	447th of 565 in state 10th of 14 in county
• Density	83.6/sq mi (32.3/km2)
• Density rank	548th of 565 in state 10th of 14 in county
Time zone	UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT))
ZIP Code	08311 – Cedarville
Area code(s)	856 exchange: 447
FIPS code	3401139450
GNIS feature ID	0882060
Website

Lawrence Township is a special kind of town called a township in Cumberland County, New Jersey. It's part of a larger area that includes the cities of Vineland and Bridgeton. In 2020, about 3,087 people lived here.

Lawrence Township became an official township on February 17, 1885. It was created from parts of Fairfield Township. The township was named after Captain James Lawrence. He was a brave naval hero from the War of 1812. He is famous for his last words, "Don't Give up the Ship!"

Exploring Lawrence Township's Geography

Lawrence Township covers about 38.39 square miles (99.43 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, about 36.92 square miles (95.63 square kilometers). The rest is water, which is about 1.47 square miles (3.80 square kilometers).

Communities within Lawrence Township

There are a few smaller communities inside Lawrence Township. These include Cedarville and Centre Grove. Other small places you might find are Jones Island, Lummis Mill, Lummistown, and Sayres Neck.

Where is Lawrence Township Located?

Lawrence Township shares its borders with several other towns in Cumberland County. These include Downe Township, Fairfield Township, and Millville. It also borders the beautiful Delaware Bay.

Understanding Lawrence Township's Population

What Does the 2010 Census Tell Us?

In 2010, the census counted 3,290 people living in Lawrence Township. There were 1,102 households, which are groups of people living together. Most households (850) were families.

The population density was about 89 people per square mile. This means there were 89 people for every square mile of land.

Who Lives in Lawrence Township?

The census also looked at the different groups of people living in the township. About 81% of the people were White. Around 9% were Black or African American. About 1% were Native American, and less than 1% were Asian or Pacific Islander. About 5% were from other races, and 3% were from two or more races. People of Hispanic or Latino background made up about 11% of the population.

Age Groups in the Township

The population included people of all ages. About 26% of the people were under 18 years old. About 8.7% were between 18 and 24. The largest groups were those aged 25 to 44 and 45 to 64, each making up about 27% of the population. About 11% of the people were 65 years or older. The average age in the township was 37.8 years.

Education in Lawrence Township

Students in Lawrence Township attend public schools through the Lawrence Township School District. This district has one school, Myron L. Powell School. It serves students from pre-kindergarten all the way up to eighth grade. In the 2022–23 school year, there were 484 students and 44.6 teachers. This means there were about 10.9 students for every teacher.

High School Options for Students

When students finish eighth grade, they go to high school in one of two nearby towns. Depending on where they live in Lawrence Township, they attend high school in either Bridgeton or Millville.

Students who go to Bridgeton attend Bridgeton High School. Those who go to Millville join students from other townships at Millville High School.

Technical Education Opportunities

Students can also choose to attend the Cumberland County Technical Education Center in Vineland. This center offers full-time technical training programs. It's free for students who live in Cumberland County.

Transportation in Lawrence Township

County Route 553 is an important road in Lawrence Township.

As of 2010, Lawrence Township had about 54 miles of roads. The township itself took care of about 26 miles of these roads. Cumberland County maintained the other 27 miles.

The most important road in Lawrence Township is County Route 553.

Famous People from Lawrence Township

Lawrence Township has been home to several notable individuals. These are people who were born there, lived there, or had strong connections to the area.

• Ephraim Bateman (1780–1829) was a politician. He represented New Jersey in the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives.
• John Davis (died 1863) was a brave sailor in the American Civil War. He received the Medal of Honor for his actions.
• Ebenezer Elmer (1752–1843) was a doctor and a politician. He also represented New Jersey in the United States House of Representatives.
• Jonathan Elmer (1745–1817) was a politician who represented New Jersey in the United States Senate.
• Benjamin Franklin Howell (1844–1933) represented New Jersey in the United States House of Representatives.
• Samuel Alexander Kinnier Wilson (1878–1937) was a neurologist. He described a medical condition that is now called Wilson's disease.