Hamilton Township, Mercer County, New Jersey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hamilton Township, New Jersey
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Township
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| Motto(s):
America's Favorite Hometown
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Location of Hamilton Township in Mercer County highlighted in red (right). Inset map: Location of Mercer County in New Jersey highlighted in orange (left)
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Census Bureau map of Hamilton Township, Mercer County, New Jersey
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 Hamilton Township, New Jersey
Location in Mercer County, New Jersey
Hamilton Township, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Hamilton Township, New Jersey
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  New Jersey |
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| County |  Mercer |
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| Incorporated | April 11, 1842 | |
| Named for | Hamilton Square / Alexander Hamilton | |
| Government | ||
| • Type | Faulkner Act Mayor-Council | |
| • Body | Township Council | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 40.31 sq mi (104.41 km2) | |
| • Land | 39.44 sq mi (102.14 km2) | |
| • Water | 0.87 sq mi (2.26 km2) 2.17% | |
| Area rank | 55th of 565 in state 2nd of 12 in county |
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| Elevation | 98 ft (30 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 92,297 | |
| • Estimate
(2023)
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91,640 | |
| • Rank | 9th of 565 in state 1st of 12 in county |
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| • Density | 2,340.3/sq mi (903.6/km2) | |
| • Density rank | 264th of 565 in state 6th of 12 in county |
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| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST)) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT)) | |
| ZIP Codes |
08609–08611, 08619, 08620, 08629, 08650, 08690, 08691
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| Area code(s) | 609 and 640 | |
| FIPS code | 3402129310 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 0882127 | |
Hamilton Township is a busy and growing community in Mercer County, New Jersey. It's the largest town in Mercer County by population. It's also the biggest suburb of Trenton, the state's capital, which is located to its west.
Hamilton Township is part of the larger New York metropolitan area. However, it also borders the Philadelphia metropolitan area. This means it's close to two major cities!
In 2020, about 92,297 people lived in Hamilton Township. This was the highest number of residents ever recorded for the township. Hamilton has been ranked as one of the safest cities in the United States. In 2006, it was the 18th safest out of 369 cities.
Hamilton became an official township on April 11, 1842. It was formed from parts of an older area called Nottingham Township. The name "Hamilton" likely comes from the village of Hamilton Square, which might have been named after Alexander Hamilton.
Contents
Geography of Hamilton Township
Hamilton Township covers about 40.31 square miles (104.41 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.
Even though it's one of the biggest townships in New Jersey, Hamilton doesn't have one main "downtown" area. Instead, it has several smaller community centers. Some of these include Groveville, Hamilton Square, Mercerville, White Horse, and Yardville. These are all places where many people live and work.
Other smaller communities and places within the township include Briar Manor, Broad Street Park, Bromley, and many more.
The Van Nest Wildlife Refuge is a 98-acre (40-hectare) area. It's a special place for wildlife, managed by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.
Hamilton Township shares borders with several other towns. These include Lawrence Township, Robbinsville Township, Trenton, and West Windsor Township in Mercer County. It also borders towns in Burlington and Monmouth Counties, and even Falls Township in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, across the Delaware River.
Population and People
Hamilton Township has seen its population grow steadily over the years.
- In 1990, the population was 86,553.
- By 2000, it grew slightly to 87,109.
- In 2010, the population reached 88,464.
- The most recent count in 2020 showed 92,297 people living in the township.
This growth shows that more and more people are choosing to call Hamilton Township home!
Economy and Growth
In recent years, Hamilton Township has seen a lot of new homes being built. Many of these new homes are for older adults, like retirement communities. This is happening for a few reasons.
One reason is that people are careful about increasing school budgets. Hamilton voters often say no to school budget increases to keep taxes from going up too much. This means the town's planning board is careful about approving new housing that would bring in many more students.
Another reason for growth is the improvements to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, Hamilton. The hospital is now a highly respected place for medical care. It's located near undeveloped land, which is now being used for these new communities for older adults.
Hamilton Township continues to grow and add new businesses. You can find new restaurants, banks, and stores along major roads like Route 33.
Parks and Recreation
Hamilton Township is home to some amazing parks and outdoor spaces.
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- Veterans Park is a huge park, covering 350 acres (1.4 square kilometers). It's entirely within Hamilton Township and offers lots of space for activities.
- Mercer County Park borders Hamilton to the north. This park is even bigger, with 2,500 acres (10 square kilometers) of land. It includes Mercer Lake, one of the largest man-made lakes in New Jersey. The lake was created to help prevent flooding in Trenton.
- Grounds for Sculpture is a unique 42-acre (17-hectare) sculpture park. It features over 270 sculptures, beautiful gardens, and water features. Its goal is to help people appreciate art and sculptures.
- Sayen Park Botanical Garden is a lovely garden named after Fredrick Sayen. It was originally his land and home.
Did you know that George Washington used Quakerbridge Road in Hamilton during his famous night march? This was after the Second Battle of Trenton and on his way to the Battle of Princeton during the American Revolutionary War.
Historic Places
Hamilton Township has several historic buildings that tell stories from long ago.
- The Isaac Watson House was built in 1708. It's the oldest house in Mercer County. It's located near the community of White Horse. Today, it serves as the headquarters for the New Jersey State Society DAR. This house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
- The John Abbott II House was built in 1730. It's famous for being a secret hiding spot for money during the American Revolution. Funds were hidden from the British as they moved towards Trenton in 1776. The house was almost torn down in 1969 but was saved by the Hamilton Township Historical Society. It's also on the National Register.
- The Isaac Pearson House was built in 1733. Isaac Pearson was an important political figure during the Revolutionary War era. This house is listed on the New Jersey Register of Historic Places.
Education
The Hamilton Township School District provides education for students from pre-kindergarten all the way through twelfth grade. It's one of the ten largest school districts in New Jersey.
The district has:
- 17 elementary schools
- 3 middle schools
- 3 high schools
- An alternative program for students
In the 2021–22 school year, there were about 11,816 students in the district. This means there was about one teacher for every 12 students.
Some of the high schools in the district include:
- Nottingham High School
- Hamilton High School West
- Steinert High School
There are also other school options in Hamilton. The Pace Charter School of Hamilton serves students from Kindergarten to fifth grade. It was recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School in 2014, which is a big honor!
Eighth-grade students in Mercer County can also apply to special high school programs. These are offered by the Mercer County Technical Schools. They provide career and technical education in areas like Health Sciences, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math), and Culinary Arts.
St. Gregory the Great Academy is a Catholic school for students from preschool to eighth grade. It was also recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School in 2014.
Transportation
Hamilton Township is a great place for getting around! It's located near Trenton, the state capital. It's about 65 miles (105 kilometers) from New York City and 35 miles (56 kilometers) from Philadelphia. This makes it easy to visit these big cities.
Roads and Highways
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Many important roads and highways pass through Hamilton Township. These include:
- The New Jersey Turnpike (Interstate 95)
- Interstate 295
- Interstate 195
- U.S. Route 130
- U.S. Route 206
- Route 29
- Route 33
- Route 156
Hamilton is the only town in New Jersey that has Interstate 95 and both of its helper routes, Interstates 195 and 295, running through it!
The New Jersey Turnpike has two rest areas in Hamilton Township: the Woodrow Wilson service area and the Richard Stockton service area. While there's no direct exit for the Turnpike in Hamilton, the closest one is nearby in Robbinsville Township.
Public Transportation
Hamilton Township has a modern train station, the Hamilton train station, which opened in 1999. This station is very popular for people who commute to New York City. You can take NJ Transit trains from here to New York Penn Station in Midtown Manhattan. You can also go to Trenton station, where you can connect to trains that go to Philadelphia.
NJ Transit also offers public bus service. You can take buses from Hamilton to Philadelphia and to Trenton.
Climate and Nature
Hamilton Township has a climate known as a Humid subtropical climate. This means it has warm, humid summers and mild winters.
The area's natural plant life would mostly be Appalachian Oak trees, forming an Eastern Hardwood Forest.
Notable People
Many interesting people have lived in or are connected to Hamilton Township! Here are a few examples:
- Samuel Alito (born 1950), who is a Justice on the highest court in the United States, the Supreme Court of the United States.
- Erin Bowman (born 1990), a pop singer-songwriter.
- Christian Burns (born 1985), a professional basketball player.
- Eddie Gaven (born 1986), a soccer player who played for the Columbus Crew in Major League Soccer.
- Dahntay Jones (born 1980), a former professional basketball player and now an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Clippers.
- Chris Smith (born 1953), who is a member of the United States House of Representatives.
