Somers Point, New Jersey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Somers Point, New Jersey
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City
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| City of Somers Point | |
Somers Mansion
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| Motto(s):
"The Shore Starts Here"
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Map of Somers Point in Atlantic County. Inset: Location of Atlantic County highlighted in the State of New Jersey.
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Census Bureau map of Somers Point, New Jersey
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 Somers Point, New Jersey
Location in Atlantic County, New Jersey
Somers Point, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Somers Point, New Jersey
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  New Jersey |
| County | Atlantic |
| European settlement | 1693 |
| Incorporated | April 24, 1886 (as Borough) |
| Reincorporated | April 2, 1890 |
| Reincorporated | April 9, 1902 (as city) |
| Government | |
| • Type | City |
| • Body | City Council |
| Area | |
| • Total | 5.23 sq mi (13.55 km2) |
| • Land | 4.01 sq mi (10.39 km2) |
| • Water | 1.22 sq mi (3.17 km2) 23.37% |
| Area rank | 270th of 565 in state 18th of 23 in county |
| Elevation | 16 ft (5 m) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 10,795 |
| • Estimate
(2019)
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10,174 |
| • Rank | 226th of 566 in state 7th of 23 in county |
| • Density | 2,678.8/sq mi (1,034.3/km2) |
| • Density rank | 234th of 566 in state 5th of 23 in county |
| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT)) |
| ZIP Code |
08244
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| Area code | 609 exchanges: 601, 653, 926, 927 |
| FIPS code | 34001684307 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0885397 |
| Website | |
Somers Point is a city and the oldest settlement in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. It was settled by Europeans in 1693 and was incorporated as a borough in 1886. Somers Point was incorporated as a city in 1902. At the 2010 United States Census, the city's population was 10,795, reflecting a decline of 819 (-7.1%) from the 11,614 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 398 (+3.5%) from the 11,216 counted in the 1990 Census.
The City of Somers Point is in the eastern part of Atlantic County, southwest of Atlantic City.
Contents
History
Somers Point was once known as the Somerset Plantation and its settlement started around 1693. The Somers Mansion, with a commanding view of Somers Point's harbor, was built in 1725. Somers Point was designated as a port of entry in 1791 and remained one until it was abolished in 1915.
Somers Point was originally incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 24, 1886, from portions of Egg Harbor Township, based on the results of a referendum held five days earlier. The borough was reincorporated on April 2, 1890, based on the previous day's referendum. Somers Point was incorporated as a city on April 9, 1902, from all of Somers Point borough and additional portions of Egg Harbor Township. The borough was named for John Somers.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city had a total area of 5.159 square miles (13.361 km2), including 4.030 square miles (10.437 km2) of land and 1.129 square miles (2.924 km2) of water (21.88%).
Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Ocean Heights.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1890 | 191 | — | |
| 1900 | 308 | 61.3% | |
| 1910 | 604 | 96.1% | |
| 1920 | 843 | 39.6% | |
| 1930 | 2,073 | 145.9% | |
| 1940 | 1,992 | −3.9% | |
| 1950 | 2,480 | 24.5% | |
| 1960 | 4,504 | 81.6% | |
| 1970 | 7,919 | 75.8% | |
| 1980 | 10,330 | 30.4% | |
| 1990 | 11,216 | 8.6% | |
| 2000 | 11,614 | 3.5% | |
| 2010 | 10,795 | −7.1% | |
| 2019 (est.) | 10,174 | −5.8% | |
| Population sources: 1890-2000 1890-1920 1890-1920 1890-1910 1910-1930 1930-1990 2000 2010 |
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2010 Census
As of the census of 2010, there were 10,795 people, 4,655 households, and 2,826 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,678.8 per square mile (1,034.3/km2). There were 5,556 housing units at an average density of 1,378.7 per square mile (532.3/km2)*. The racial makeup of the city was 78.75% (8,501) White, 10.68% (1,153) Black or African American, 0.25% (27) Native American, 3.08% (332) Asian, 0.06% (6) Pacific Islander, 4.17% (450) from other races, and 3.02% (326) from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.49% (1,024) of the population.
There were 4,655 households out of which 26.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.8% were married couples living together, 18.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.3% were non-families. 31.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.90.
In the city, the population was spread out with 21.3% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 24.0% from 25 to 44, 31.1% from 45 to 64, and 14.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.4 years. For every 100 females there were 88.5 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and old there were 84.5 males.
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $47,312 (with a margin of error of +/- $4,646) and the median family income was $51,489 (+/- $7,704). Males had a median income of $45,385 (+/- $6,862) versus $37,536 (+/- $3,731) for females. The per capita income for the city was $29,626 (+/- $1,822). About 11.9% of families and 12.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.6% of those under age 18 and 6.6% of those age 65 or over.
Transportation
_from_the_overpass_for_U.S._Route_9_(New_Road)_in_Somers_Point,_Atlantic_County,_New_Jersey.jpg)
Roads and highways
As of May 2010[update], the city had a total of 55.39 miles (89.14 km) of roadways, of which 43.19 miles (69.51 km) were maintained by the municipality, 5.45 miles (8.77 km) by Atlantic County and 3.73 miles (6.00 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and 3.02 miles (4.86 km) by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.
The Garden State Parkway passes through the city, connecting Egg Harbor Township on either side of the city. Interchange 30 for the Parkway is located in the city, signed for Somers Point and Downtown Ocean City.
On the city's southern border, bridges connect to Cape May County via the Garden State Parkway to Upper Township, into Ocean City via Route 52 and over the Beesley's Point Bridge, which has been demolished. As part of a $400 million project completed by the New Jersey Department of Transportation in 2012, a new causeway for Route 52 was completed over Great Egg Harbor Bay, replacing the Howard S. Stainton Memorial Causeway that had been completed in 1933. the Beesley's Point Bridge was demolished in 2013 as part of a project adding a new bridge for traffic on the Parkway.
Public transportation
NJ Transit offers bus transportation in the city between Ocean City and Atlantic City on the 507 and 509 routes.
Popular culture
The 1983 movie Eddie and the Cruisers was largely filmed in Somers Point, using the defunct Tony Mart's nightclub as a setting.
Somers Point is the home to the largest crabbing tournament in the United States, the Assault on Patcong Creek. The tournament takes place annually in June and attracts participants from over a dozen states. The 2017 tournament takes place on June 24th.
Economy
The largest employer in Somers Point is Shore Medical Center, with 1,500 employees, 370 physicians, and 296 beds.
Somers Point is the home to the largest crabbing tournament in the United States, the Assault on Patcong Creek. Founded in 2010, the tournament takes place annually in June and attracts participants from over a dozen states.
Education
Students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade are served by the Somers Point Public Schools. As of the 2018–19 school year, the district, comprised of three schools, had an enrollment of 894 students and 95.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 9.4:1. Schools in the district (with 2018–19 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are New York Avenue School with 70 students in pre-kindergarten, Dawes Avenue School with 387 students in grades Kindergarten through 3rd grade and Jordan Road Middle School with 425 students in 4th through 8th grade.
Students in public school for ninth through twelfth grades attend Mainland Regional High School, which also serves students from Linwood and Northfield. The high school is located in Linwood. For the 1997–98 school year, Mainland Regional High School was recognized by the United States Department of Education as a National Blue Ribbon School. As of the 2018–19 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 1,226 students and 112.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 10.9:1.
City public school students are also eligible to attend the Atlantic County Institute of Technology in the Mays Landing section of Hamilton Township or the Charter-Tech High School for the Performing Arts, located in Somers Point.
St. Joseph Regional School is an elementary school serving students in kindergarten through eighth grade, operated under the jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden.
Notable people
People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Somers Point include:
- Joe Bastardi (born 1955), meteorologist.
- Matt Broomall (born 1994), soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper for the Richmond Kickers in USL League One.
- Joshua Cohen (born 1980), novelist and story writer, known for his works Witz and Book of Numbers.
- Doug Colman (born 1973), former NFL linebacker.
- Peter Erskine (born 1954), jazz drummer.
- John H. Hamilton Jr. (1919–1986), member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.
- Joe Maloy (born 1985), triathlete who was chosen to represent the United States in triathlon at the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics.
- Osun Osunniyi (born 1998), college basketball player for the St. Bonaventure Bonnies of the Atlantic 10 Conference
- Cody Stashak (born 1994), professional baseball pitcher for the Minnesota Twins.
- John Stone (born 1979), wide receiver who played in the NFL for the Oakland Raiders.
- Gregory L. Verdine (born 1959) chemical biologist, university professor, entrepreneur, venture capitalist and business executive.
Images for kids
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Panoramic map of "Somers-Point" with list of landmarks ans images of several inset (1925)
See also
In Spanish: Somers Point para niños
