List of census-designated places in New Jersey facts for kids
A census-designated place (CDP) is a special kind of area defined by the United States Census Bureau. It's like a town or community that doesn't have its own official local government, but it still has a name and people living there. The Census Bureau creates CDPs to collect and share information about these communities during the census, which happens every ten years.
In New Jersey, there were 221 CDPs recorded during the 2010 Census. These places help us understand where people live, even in areas that aren't officially cities or towns.
What Makes a CDP Special?
Most CDPs are located entirely within one township (a type of local government area). However, some CDPs are unique because they are split between different townships. This means parts of the same community might be governed by different local rules.
For example, Fort Dix is a CDP that spans across three different townships: New Hanover, Pemberton, and Springfield. Another example is Kingston, which is split between South Brunswick and Franklin.
Some CDPs even share the same name but are in different counties. For instance, there are three different places named Silver Lake in New Jersey, each in a different county!
Also, some CDPs are split between two different counties. This can happen when a community grows across a county line. Examples include Kingston (in Middlesex and Somerset counties) and Montclair State University (in Passaic and Essex counties).
Changes to CDPs Over Time
The Census Bureau sometimes changes how CDPs are defined. After the 2010 Census, many CDPs that had the same boundaries as their parent townships were removed from the list. This was done to make the data clearer.
Some larger CDPs were also split into smaller ones to better reflect the different communities within them. For example:
- The former CDP of Allamuchy-Panther Valley was divided into two separate CDPs: Allamuchy and Panther Valley.
- Barclay-Kingston was split into Barclay and Kingston Estates.
- Mercerville-Hamilton Square became Hamilton Square and Mercerville.
These changes help the Census Bureau provide more accurate information about smaller, distinct communities within New Jersey.
See also
