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West Deptford Township, New Jersey
Township
Ladd's Castle in West Deptford Township, January 2009
Ladd's Castle in West Deptford Township, January 2009
Official seal of West Deptford Township, New Jersey
Seal
Location of West Deptford Township in Gloucester County highlighted in red (right). Inset map: Location of Gloucester County in New Jersey highlighted in red (left).
Location of West Deptford Township in Gloucester County highlighted in red (right). Inset map: Location of Gloucester County in New Jersey highlighted in red (left).
Census Bureau map of West Deptford Township, New Jersey
Census Bureau map of West Deptford Township, New Jersey
West Deptford Township, New Jersey is located in Gloucester County, New Jersey
West Deptford Township, New Jersey
West Deptford Township, New Jersey
Location in Gloucester County, New Jersey
West Deptford Township, New Jersey is located in New Jersey
West Deptford Township, New Jersey
West Deptford Township, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
West Deptford Township, New Jersey is located in the United States
West Deptford Township, New Jersey
West Deptford Township, New Jersey
Location in the United States
Country  United States
State  New Jersey
County Gloucester
Incorporated March 1, 1871
Government
 • Type Township
 • Body Township Committee
Area
 • Total 17.81 sq mi (46.12 km2)
 • Land 15.36 sq mi (39.77 km2)
 • Water 2.45 sq mi (6.35 km2)  13.77%
Area rank 161st of 565 in state
8th of 24 in county
Elevation
7 ft (2 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 22,197
 • Estimate 
(2023)
22,472
 • Rank 125th of 565 in state
5th of 24 in county
 • Density 1,445.4/sq mi (558.1/km2)
 • Density rank 341st of 565 in state
12th of 24 in county
Time zone UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT))
ZIP Code
08051, 08063, 08066, 08086, 08093, 08096
Area code(s) 856
FIPS code 3401578800
GNIS feature ID 0882148

West Deptford Township (pronounced West DEP-ford) is a township in Gloucester County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 22,197, an increase of 520 (+2.4%) from the 2010 census count of 21,677, which in turn reflected an increase of 2,309 (+11.9%) from the 19,368 counted in the 2000 census.

West Deptford Township was formed as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 1, 1871, from portions of Deptford Township. Portions of the township were taken to form the boroughs of National Park (April 15, 1902) and Westville (April 7, 1914). Woodbury annexed portions of the township in May 1907.

West Deptford Township was named for the Deptford area of London, located on the River Thames. The township is part of the South Jersey region of the state.

History

Ladd's Castle, also known as Candor Hall, is a historic building located in the Colonial Manor section that is Gloucester County's oldest brick home. Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972, it was constructed c. 1688 by John Ladd, a surveyor who helped William Penn lay out a master design for the city of Philadelphia.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 17.81 square miles (46.12 km2), including 15.36 square miles (39.77 km2) of land and 2.45 square miles (6.35 km2) of water (13.77%).

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Colonial Manor, Eagle Point, Greenfields Village, Hoffman Wharf, League Island, Leonards, North Woodbury, Ogens, Paradise, Parkville, Pierces Corner, Red Bank, Tatens, Thorofare, Verga, Washington Park, and West End.

West Deptford Township borders the municipalities of Deptford Township, East Greenwich Township, Mantua Township, National Park, Paulsboro, Westville, Woodbury, and Woodbury Heights in Gloucester County; and Philadelphia and Tinicum Township in Pennsylvania, both located on the wester side of the Delaware River.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1880 1,399
1890 1,588 13.5%
1900 1,951 22.9%
1910 2,057 * 5.4%
1920 1,781 * −13.4%
1930 3,956 122.1%
1940 4,336 9.6%
1950 5,446 25.6%
1960 11,152 104.8%
1970 13,928 24.9%
1980 18,002 29.3%
1990 19,380 7.7%
2000 19,368 −0.1%
2010 21,677 11.9%
2020 22,197 2.4%
2023 (est.) 22,472 3.7%
Population sources: 1880–2000
1880–1920 1880–1890
1890–1910 1910–1930
1940–2000 2000
2010 2020
* = Lost territory on previous decade.

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 21,677 people, 8,829 households, and 5,757 families in the township. The population density was 1,406.6 per square mile (543.1/km2). There were 9,441 housing units at an average density of 612.6 per square mile (236.5/km2). The racial makeup was 88.96% (19,283) White, 6.52% (1,414) Black or African American, 0.12% (25) Native American, 1.91% (415) Asian, 0.01% (3) Pacific Islander, 0.86% (187) from other races, and 1.61% (350) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.37% (731) of the population.

Of the 8,829 households, 27.9% had children under the age of 18; 48.5% were married couples living together; 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present and 34.8% were non-families. Of all households, 28.5% were made up of individuals and 10.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.03.

21.6% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 29.7% from 45 to 64, and 14.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.7 years. For every 100 females, the population had 94.0 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 90.2 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $69,316 (with a margin of error of +/− $3,689) and the median family income was $84,900 (+/− $5,549). Males had a median income of $61,346 (+/− $4,244) versus $47,155 (+/− $4,421) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $33,874 (+/− $1,513). About 4.0% of families and 5.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.6% of those under age 18 and 7.0% of those age 65 or over.

Education

The West Deptford Public Schools serve students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. As of the 2021–22 school year, the district, comprised of five schools, had an enrollment of 2,947 students and 238.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.4:1. Schools in the district (with 2021–22 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Oakview Elementary School with 423 students in grades PreK-1, Red Bank Elementary School with 308 students in grade K and 2, Green-Fields Elementary School with 483 students in grades 3-4, West Deptford Middle School with 869 students in grades 5-8 and West Deptford High School with 821 students in grades 9-12.

Students from across the county are eligible to apply to attend Gloucester County Institute of Technology, a four-year high school in Deptford Township that provides technical and vocational education. As a public school, students do not pay tuition to attend the school.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden operated St. Matthews School, which had campuses in Verga and National Park. In 2007 it was consolidated into Holy Trinity Regional School in Deptford Township. In 2017 the school moved to the former St. Patrick's Building in Woodbury due to the superior condition of that building, according to the archdiocese. It opened as Holy Angels Catholic School which still operates. Guardian Angels Regional School is a K-8 school that operates under the auspices of the Diocese of Camden and accepts students from West Deptford Township. Its PreK-3 campus is in Gibbstown while its 4-8 campus is in Paulsboro.

Transportation

2021-06-24 13 53 23 View north along Interstate 295 and U.S. Route 130 from the overpass for Mid Atlantic Parkway in West Deptford Township, Gloucester County, New Jersey
Interstate 295 northbound and U.S. Route 130 in West Deptford Township

Roads and highways

As of May 2010, the township had a total of 98.00 miles (157.72 km) of roadways, of which 64.28 miles (103.45 km) were maintained by the municipality, 20.79 miles (33.46 km) by Gloucester County and 11.07 miles (17.82 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and 1.86 miles (2.99 km) by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.

There are several major roadways in and around West Deptford Township. These include Interstate 295, which enters the township's southwest from Paulsboro and continues for 5.5 miles (8.9 km) towards the northeast to Deptford Township and includes exits 19, 20, 21, 22 and 23. U.S. Route 130 follows a concurrency with Interstate 295, splitting off near interchange 23 towards the township's northeast as Crown Point Road and continuing into Westville. Route 44 (Crown Point Road) enters from Paulsboro, closely paralleling Interstate 295 for 4.0 miles (6.4 km) to its northern terminus in the township. Route 45 (Mantua Avenue) enters from Mantua Township in the extreme southeast corner of the township and runs along the eastern border with Deptford Township and then Woodbury Heights, enters Woodbury and then reenters West Deptford Township as its border with Deptford Township before continuing to the north towards its terminus in Westville.

County Route 551, also known as Kings Highway, enters on the south from East Greenwich Township and continues for 2.4 miles (3.9 km) heading northeast into Woodbury. The New Jersey Turnpike passes through the township's southeastern corner, heading northeast from East Greenwich Township to Woodbury Heights, but the nearest exits are Interchanges 3 and 2.

Public transportation

NJ Transit bus service between the township and Philadelphia is available on the 401 (Salem to Philadelphia), 402 (Pennsville Township to Philadelphia), 410 (Bridgeton to Philadelphia) and 412 (Glassboro to Philadelphia) routes, with local service offered on the 455 route between Cherry Hill Township and Paulsboro.

Port of Paulsboro

The Port of Paulsboro is located on the Delaware River and Mantua Creek in Paulsboro and West Deptford. Traditionally one of the nation's busiest for marine transfer operations of petroleum products, the port is being redeveloped as an adaptable omniport able to handle a diversity of bulk, break bulk cargo and shipping containers. Studies completed in 2012. concluded that the port is well suited to become a center for the manufacture, assembly, and transport of wind turbines and platforms the development of Atlantic Wind Connection

Community

West Deptford is host of the annual Senior Little League Baseball Eastern Regional Tournament. The winner of this tournament advances to the Senior League World Series held annually in Bangor, Maine since 2002.

Notable people

See also (related category): People from West Deptford Township, New Jersey

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with West Deptford Township include:

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