Northfield, New Jersey facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Northfield, New Jersey
City
Risley House
Seal
Nickname(s):  "Gateway to the Shore"
Map of Northfield in Atlantic County. Inset: Location of Atlantic County highlighted in the State of New Jersey.
Census Bureau map of Northfield, New Jersey
Northfield, New Jersey Location in Atlantic County, New Jersey Show map of Atlantic County, New Jersey Northfield, New Jersey Location in New Jersey Show map of New Jersey Northfield, New Jersey Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	New Jersey
County	Atlantic
Incorporated	March 21, 1905
Government
• Type	City
• Body	City Council
Area
• Total	3.62 sq mi (9.37 km2)
• Land	3.58 sq mi (9.28 km2)
• Water	0.04 sq mi (0.09 km2)  0.97%
Area rank	310th of 565 in state 20th of 23 in county
Elevation	23 ft (7 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	8,434
• Estimate  (2023)	8,426
• Rank	281st of 565 in state 10th of 23 in county
• Density	2,354.6/sq mi (909.1/km2)
• Density rank	262nd of 565 in state 6th of 23 in county
Time zone	UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT))
ZIP Code	08225
Area code	609
FIPS code	3400152950
GNIS feature ID	0885324
Website

Northfield is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey. It is often called the "Gateway to the Shore" because it's very close to the beaches. In 2020, about 8,434 people lived there.

The city was founded by Jeremiah Leeds. Northfield officially became a city on March 21, 1905. It was created from parts of Egg Harbor Township.

Northfield is located about 7 miles (11 km) west of Atlantic City. It shares borders with Pleasantville, Egg Harbor Township, and Linwood.

Exploring Northfield's Location

Northfield is part of the South Jersey region. It is also included in the larger Atlantic City-Hammonton area. This area is part of the even bigger Philadelphia-Reading-Camden region, also known as the Delaware Valley.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Northfield covers about 3.62 square miles (9.37 km²). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.

Nearby Communities

Some smaller communities and places within Northfield include Bakersville and Dolphin. The city also borders other towns in Atlantic County like Egg Harbor Township, Linwood, and Pleasantville.

Northfield's Population Over Time

The population of Northfield has changed over the years. In 2010, there were 8,624 people living in the city. This was an increase from the 7,725 people counted in 2000. By 2020, the population had slightly decreased to 8,434.

Who Lives in Northfield?

In 2010, there were 3,152 households in Northfield. About 34.7% of these households had children under 18 years old. Most households (55.2%) were married couples living together.

The average household had about 2.68 people. The average family size was 3.15 people.

The population's age breakdown in 2010 was:

• 24.2% were under 18 years old.
• 16.1% were 65 years or older.
• The median age was 43.1 years.

Fun and Nature in Northfield

Northfield has a great place called Birch Grove Park. This park covers 271 acres (110 ha) of wooded land. It has lakes where you can fish.

Birch Grove Park also offers:

• Over 50 campsites for camping trips.
• Trails for exercise and enjoying nature.
• A bandstand for events.
• A large playground for kids.

The city also has a big bird sanctuary. This area is protected to keep it as open space for birds and other wildlife.

Learning in Northfield

Students in Northfield attend public schools from kindergarten through eighth grade. These schools are part of the Northfield Community Schools district.

The district has two schools:

• Northfield Community Elementary School (for grades K–4).
• Northfield Community Middle School (for grades 5–8).

High School Education

For high school, students from Northfield go to Mainland Regional High School. This high school also serves students from Linwood and Somers Point. The high school is located in Linwood.

Mainland Regional High School was recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School in 1997–98. This is a special award from the United States Department of Education.

Northfield has three seats on the high school district's board of education. This means Northfield residents help make decisions for the high school.

Other School Options

Students can also choose to attend other schools, such as:

• The Atlantic County Institute of Technology in Mays Landing. This school offers technical training.
• The Charter-Tech High School for the Performing Arts in Somers Point. This school focuses on arts education.
• Holy Spirit High School, a Christian high school in Absecon, New Jersey.

Getting Around Northfield

U.S. Route 9 southbound in Northfield

Northfield has many roads that help people travel. In 2010, the city had about 46.41 miles (74.69 km) of roadways. Most of these roads are maintained by the city itself.

Major Roads

U.S. Route 9 is the main highway that goes through Northfield. It connects the city to Linwood in the south and Pleasantville in the north.

Other important highways are close by, including the Garden State Parkway and the Atlantic City Expressway. These highways make it easy to travel to big cities like New York City, Philadelphia, and even Cape May.

Public Transportation

NJ Transit provides bus services in Northfield. You can take buses like the 507 and 509 routes to travel between Ocean City and Atlantic City.

Famous People from Northfield

Many interesting people have lived in or are connected to Northfield:

• A. R. Ammons (1926–2001), a well-known author and poet who won the National Book Award.
• Art Blakey (1919–1990), a famous jazz drummer and bandleader.
• Vince Mazzeo (born 1964), a politician who served as the mayor of Northfield before joining the New Jersey General Assembly.
• Evelyn Nesbit (1884–1967), a chorus girl who was part of a famous historical event.
• Walter Fifield Snyder (1912–1993), a scholar who studied ancient history.

See also

In Spanish: Northfield (Nueva Jersey) para niños