Location of Delanco Township in
Burlington County highlighted in red (right). Inset map: Location of Burlington County in
New Jersey highlighted in red (left).
What is now Delanco Township was originally incorporated as Beverly Township by an act of the
New Jersey Legislature on March 1, 1859, within
Willingboro Township. Delanco was a geographical place name by 1868,[26] and probably earlier. At its creation, Beverly Township included
Beverly city, which separated as an independent municipality
c. 1877. Portions of the township were taken to create
Edgewater Park on February 26, 1924. The township's name was changed to Delanco Township as of December 20, 1926, based on the results of a referendum held on November 2, 1926.[27]
In April 1861, the Sixth Massachusetts Militia passed through Delanco, on their way to
Washington to defend the federal capital. According to the report of Colonel
Edward F. Jones during their travel, James Brady was "taken insane" and left in Delanco Township with J. C. Buck. When the regiment arrived in Baltimore, Maryland, it was attacked during the
Baltimore riot of 1861.[28]
Geography
According to the
United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 3.33 square miles (8.62 km2), including 2.36 square miles (6.11 km2) of land and 0.97 square miles (2.52 km2) of water (29.19%).[1][2]
Of the 1,755 households, 26.2% had children under the age of 18; 52.0% were married couples living together; 13.7% had a female householder with no husband present and 29.3% were non-families. Of all households, 23.2% were made up of individuals and 7.3% 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 2.87.[18]
19.7% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 26.3% from 25 to 44, 30.6% from 45 to 64, and 16.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42.4 years. For every 100 females, the population had 94.8 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 91.3 males.[18]
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010
American Community Survey showed that (in 2010
inflation-adjusted dollars)
median household income was $77,357 (with a margin of error of +/− $9,985) and the median family income was $82,368 (+/− $9,070). Males had a median income of $56,333 (+/− $12,752) versus $46,625 (+/− $9,993) for females. The
per capita income for the borough was $33,943 (+/− $4,082). About 1.5% of families and 4.3% of the population were below the
poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 1.9% of those age 65 or over.[42]
2000 census
As of the
2000 United States census there were 3,237 people, 1,227 households, and 892 families residing in the township. The population density was 1,301.1 inhabitants per square mile (502.4/km2). There were 1,285 housing units at an average density of 516.5 per square mile (199.4/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 95.89%
White, 1.92%
African American, 0.25%
Native American, 0.40%
Asian, 0.40% from
other races, and 1.14% from two or more races.
Hispanic or
Latino of any race were 1.95% of the population.[40][41]
There were 1,227 households, out of which 33.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.4% were
married couples living together, 13.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.3% were non-families. 22.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.09.[40][41]
In the township the population was spread out, with 24.9% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 32.5% from 25 to 44, 22.1% from 45 to 64, and 13.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.7 males.[40][41]
The median income for a household in the township was $50,106, and the median income for a family was $56,985. Males had a median income of $40,727 versus $28,144 for females. The
per capita income for the township was $21,096. About 6.8% of families and 9.5% of the population were below the
poverty line, including 13.6% of those under age 18 and 10.0% of those age 65 or over.[40][41]
Government
Local government
Delanco Township is governed under the
Township form of government, one of 141 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this form.[43] The Township Committee is the township's governing body and is responsible for formulating policies, approving the annual budget and enacting ordinances and resolutions to provide a legislative framework. Voters approved a measure in 2000 that expanded the Township Committee from three to five members starting in 2002.[3] The Township Committee is comprised of five members who are elected directly by the voters
at-large in partisan elections to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats coming up for election each year as part of the November general election in a three-year cycle.[7][44] At an annual reorganization meeting, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor and another as Deputy Mayor.
As of 2023[update], members of the Delanco Township Committee are
Mayor Kate Fitzpatrick (
R, term on committee ends December 31, 2025; term as mayor ends 2023),
Deputy Mayor Matt Bartlett (R, term on committee ends 2024; term as deputy mayor ends 2023), Fernand C. Ouelette (D, 2023), Carolyn Suess (R, 2025) and Mike Templeton (
D, 2024).[3][45][46][47][48]
Delanco's Chief of Police is Adam Tilger.[49] Delanco Township's Administrator is Richard Schwab.[5] The Township Clerk and Assistant Administrator is Janice Lohr.[6]
Federal, state and county representation
Delanco Township is located in the 3rd Congressional District[50] and is part of New Jersey's 7th state legislative district.[51][52][53]
Burlington County's Constitutional Officers are:
Clerk Joanne Schwartz (D,
Southampton Township, 2028)[69][70]
Sheriff James H. Kostoplis (D,
Bordentown, 2025)[71][72] and
Surrogate Brian J. Carlin (D, Burlington Township, 2026).[73][74]
Politics
As of March 2011, there were a total of 2,927 registered voters in Delanco Township, of which 1,001 (34.2% vs. 33.3% countywide) were registered as
Democrats, 703 (24.0% vs. 23.9%) were registered as
Republicans and 1,220 (41.7% vs. 42.8%) were registered as
Unaffiliated. There were 3 voters registered as
Libertarians or
Greens.[75] Among the township's 2010 Census population, 68.3% (vs. 61.7% in Burlington County) were registered to vote, including 85.1% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 80.3% countywide).[75][76]
In the
2012 presidential election, Democrat
Barack Obama received 1,406 votes here (59.2% vs. 58.1% countywide), ahead of Republican
Mitt Romney with 933 votes (39.3% vs. 40.2%) and other candidates with 23 votes (1.0% vs. 1.0%), among the 2,375 ballots cast by the township's 3,153 registered voters, for a turnout of 75.3% (vs. 74.5% in Burlington County).[77][78] In the
2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 1,374 votes here (57.7% vs. 58.4% countywide), ahead of Republican
John McCain with 967 votes (40.6% vs. 39.9%) and other candidates with 18 votes (0.8% vs. 1.0%), among the 2,382 ballots cast by the township's 2,894 registered voters, for a turnout of 82.3% (vs. 80.0% in Burlington County).[79] In the
2004 presidential election, Democrat
John Kerry received 1,097 votes here (54.7% vs. 52.9% countywide), ahead of Republican
George W. Bush with 881 votes (43.9% vs. 46.0%) and other candidates with 21 votes (1.0% vs. 0.8%), among the 2,007 ballots cast by the township's 2,509 registered voters, for a turnout of 80.0% (vs. 78.8% in the whole county).[80]
In the
2013 gubernatorial election, Republican
Chris Christie received 982 votes here (60.6% vs. 61.4% countywide), ahead of Democrat
Barbara Buono with 574 votes (35.4% vs. 35.8%) and other candidates with 24 votes (1.5% vs. 1.2%), among the 1,620 ballots cast by the township's 3,174 registered voters, yielding a 51.0% turnout (vs. 44.5% in the county).[81][82] In the
2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat
Jon Corzine received 756 ballots cast (49.2% vs. 44.5% countywide), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 666 votes (43.3% vs. 47.7%), Independent
Chris Daggett with 78 votes (5.1% vs. 4.8%) and other candidates with 25 votes (1.6% vs. 1.2%), among the 1,537 ballots cast by the township's 2,973 registered voters, yielding a 51.7% turnout (vs. 44.9% in the county).[83]
Students from Delanco Township, and from all of Burlington County, are eligible to attend the
Burlington County Institute of Technology, a countywide public school district that serves the vocational and technical education needs of students at the high school and post-secondary level at its campuses in
Medford and
Westampton.[98] All costs associated with attending the school are paid by the home school district, which is also responsible for student transportation to and from the school.[99]
Transportation
Roads and highways
As of May 2010[update], the township had a total of 18.88 miles (30.38 km) of roadways, of which 14.01 miles (22.55 km) were maintained by the municipality, 4.61 miles (7.42 km) by Burlington County and 0.26 miles (0.42 km) by the
New Jersey Department of Transportation.[100]
U.S. Route 130 is the main highway directly serving Delanco Township, forming the township's southeastern border with
Willingboro Township.[101]County Route 543 crosses the township close to the Delaware River.[102] Both roads are oriented southwest to northeast parallel to the Delaware River, but are signed north–south.[103]
^
abcMeet Your Township Committee, Delanco Township. Accessed April 24, 2023. "The Township Committee is the township's governing body. This elective body is responsible for formulating policies, approving the annual budget and enacting ordinances and resolutions to provide a legislative framework. Beginning in 2002 the Township Committee increased to a five-member committee. This increase in the Committee was approved by the voters in the 2000 General Election. The Township Committee consists of a mayor, deputy mayor and three committee members."
^Delanco Township History, Delanco Township. Accessed September 15, 2019. "1845: Richard F. Wilmerton obtained a charter for a village to be called Delaranco, which he planned to develop on his farmland. He created this name from an abridgement of Delaware River and Rancocas Creek.... March 9, 1848: The Delanco Land Company officially incorporated for the purpose of developing residential housing on the riverfront of the village."
^United States War Department. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series 1. Edited by John Sheldon Moody, et al. Vol. 2. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1880, p. 7.
^Staff.
A compendium of the ninth census, 1870, p. 259.
United States Census Bureau, 1872. Accessed July 9, 2013. Population of 2,438 for Beverly Township includes 1,418 for Beverly Borough and 500? (middle digit is obscured) for Delanco. Population for township is calculated by subtracting out the borough's population.
^Biography of Bob Menendez,
United States Senate, January 26, 2015. "Menendez, who started his political career in Union City, moved in September from Paramus to one of Harrison's new apartment buildings near the town's PATH station.."
^Delanco Township Board of Education District Policy 0110 - Identification, Delanco Township School District. Accessed January 31, 2023. "Purpose: The Board of Education exists for the purpose of providing a thorough and efficient system of free public education in grades Pre-Kindergarten through eight in the Delanco Township School District. Composition: The Delanco Township School District is comprised of all the area within the municipal boundaries of Delanco Township."
^Hefler, Jan.
"Relations Improve Between Riverside And Delanco Boards", The Philadelphia Inquirer, December 5, 1990. Accessed December 10, 2014. "The two boards were not always on such friendly terms. In October, the Riverside board hired Jane Butler as superintendent of schools without any suggestions from the Delanco board and without any advance notice. Butler, who will become superintendent effective July 1, will oversee the school system, which includes Riverside High School. Delanco sends 100 students to Riverside High."
^FAQ,
Burlington County Institute of Technology. Accessed September 2, 2020. "BCIT is a free, public high school option for Burlington County students. Costs associated with attending BCIT are covered by your sending school, including transportation."
^Willard, Frances Elizabeth.
"Bergen, Miss Helen Corinne", p. 97, American Women: Fifteen Hundred Biographies with Over 1,400 Portraits: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of the Lives and Achievements of American Women During the Nineteenth Century, Volumes 1-2. Mast, Crowell & Kirkpatrick, 1897. "Bergen, Miss Helen Corinne, author and journalist, born in Delanco, N. J., 14th October, 1868."
^Kenney, Bob.
"'Pop' Vernon clinics still going strong", Courier-Post, March 28, 1982. Accessed August 17, 2020, via
Newspapers.com. "He took a lanky youngster from nearby Delanco, Allen Bunge, and helped him become a star. The 6-9 Bunge led Riverside's biggest rival, Palmyra, to a state title in '56 and later was an All-American at Maryland and a first round NBA draft choice."
^Joseph W. "Joe" Burk, Delanco Military Veterans Honor Roll, updated October 6, 2021. Accessed October 4, 2021. "Joseph William Burk was listed on the original Delanco WW II Honor Roll. He was born January 19, 1914 in Philadelphia, to Paul and Margurite Burk. Joe was the elder of the two Burk brothers of Delanco that grew up on a farm on Creek Road in Delanco.... Joe returned to Delanco after the war and returned to competitive rowing and coaching."
^Our club's namesake – Senator Albert McCayArchived 2016-08-10 at the
Wayback Machine, Albert Mcay Republican Club of Delanco. Accessed December 10, 2014. "The late Senator Albert McCay was a fine gentleman of Delanco, a good neighbor to many and a man dedicated to public service. He served in the New Jersey Senate from 1952-60."