Woodstown, New Jersey

Woodstown is a borough in Salem County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 3,678, an increase of 173 (+4.9%) from the 2010 census count of 3,505, which in turn reflected an increase of 369 (+11.8%) from the 3,136 counted in the 2000 census.

Woodstown was established on July 26, 1882, from portions of Pilesgrove Township based on the results of a referendum held that same day. The borough's incorporation was confirmed on March 3, 1925. The borough was named for early settler Jackanias (or Jaconias) Wood.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 1.62 square miles (4.18 km2), including 1.58 square miles (4.08 km2) of land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km2) of water (2.47%).

The Borough of Woodstown is an independent municipality completely surrounded by Pilesgrove Township, making it part of 21 pairs of "doughnut towns" in the state, where one municipality entirely surrounds another. Woodstown serves as the more densely settled commercial core of the paired communities, while Pilesgrove is more agricultural.

2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 3,505 people, 1,444 households, and 939 families in the borough. The population density was 2,211.8 PD/sqmi. There were 1,529 housing units at an average density of 964.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup was 82.25% (2,883) White, 11.44% (401) Black or African American, 0.51% (18) Native American, 1.17% (41) Asian, 0.03% (1) Pacific Islander, 1.28% (45) from other races, and 3.31% (116) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.56% (195) of the population.

Of the 1,444 households, 31.6% had children under the age of 18; 45.7% were married couples living together; 15.0% had a female householder with no husband present and 35.0% were non-families. Of all households, 29.2% were made up of individuals and 12.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.99.

25.2% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 25.4% from 25 to 44, 27.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.0 years. For every 100 females, the population had 90.2 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 85.5 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $62,958 (with a margin of error of +/− $8,239) and the median family income was $74,479 (+/− $7,727). Males had a median income of $64,688 (+/− $16,960) versus $40,781 (+/− $8,241) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $31,074 (+/− $3,576). About 3.4% of families and 8.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.0% of those under age 18 and 8.5% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census
As of the 2000 United States census there were 3,136 people, 1,304 households, and 839 families residing in the borough. The population density was 1,975.6 PD/sqmi. There were 1,389 housing units at an average density of 875.0 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the borough was 85.04% White, 12.91% African American, 0.19% Native American, 0.73% Asian, 0.26% from other races, and 0.86% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.56% of the population.

There were 1,304 households, out of which 30.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.5% were married couples living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.6% were non-families. 30.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the borough the population was spread out, with 24.7% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 29.6% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 16.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.8 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $44,533, and the median income for a family was $56,328. Males had a median income of $42,175 versus $31,169 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $24,182. About 3.5% of families and 5.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.0% of those under age 18 and 4.3% of those age 65 or over.

Local government
Woodstown is governed under the borough form of New Jersey municipal government, which is used in 218 municipalities (of the 564) statewide, making it the most common form of government in New Jersey. The governing body is comprised of the mayor and the borough council, with all positions elected at-large on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. The mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The borough council includes six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle. The borough form of government used by Woodstown is a "weak mayor / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can veto ordinances subject to an override by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council.

, the Mayor of the Borough of Woodstown is (D Joseph H. Hiles, whose term of office ends December 31, 2027. Members of the Woodstown Borough Council are Council President Glenn Merkle (R, 2024), Heather Bobbitt (R, 2026), Jim Hackett (R, 2026), Stacy Shorty - Carney (D, 2024), Bertha Hyman (R, 2025) and Kristin Nixon (R, 2024).

In March 2015, the borough council selected Debbie Tierno from among three candidates nominated by the Republican municipal committee to fill the vacant seat of Fran Grenier who had resigned the previous month.

Matt Perry was selected by the borough council in December 2013 from among three candidates offered by the Republican municipal committee to fill the vacant seat of Veronica Soultz who resigned from office the previous month after moving out of the borough.

Federal, state and county representation
Woodstown is located in the 2nd Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 3rd state legislative district.

Politics
As of March 2011, there were a total of 2,340 registered voters in Woodstown, of which 664 (28.4% vs. 30.6% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 573 (24.5% vs. 21.0%) were registered as Republicans and 1,099 (47.0% vs. 48.4%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 4 voters registered as Libertarians or Greens. Among the borough's 2010 Census population, 66.8% (vs. 64.6% in Salem County) were registered to vote, including 89.2% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 84.4% countywide).

In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 51.7% of the vote (886 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 46.2% (792 votes), and other candidates with 2.1% (36 votes), among the 1,728 ballots cast by the borough's 2,497 registered voters (14 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 69.2%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 936 votes (52.3% vs. 50.4% countywide), ahead of Republican John McCain with 821 votes (45.8% vs. 46.6%) and other candidates with 19 votes (1.1% vs. 1.6%), among the 1,791 ballots cast by the borough's 2,340 registered voters, for a turnout of 76.5% (vs. 71.8% in Salem County). In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 818 votes (50.8% vs. 52.5% countywide), ahead of Democrat John Kerry with 766 votes (47.5% vs. 45.9%) and other candidates with 11 votes (0.7% vs. 1.0%), among the 1,611 ballots cast by the borough's 2,241 registered voters, for a turnout of 71.9% (vs. 71.0% in the whole county).

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 62.9% of the vote (704 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 34.6% (387 votes), and other candidates with 2.5% (28 votes), among the 1,132 ballots cast by the borough's 2,472 registered voters (13 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 45.8%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 522 votes (45.4% vs. 46.1% countywide), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 489 votes (42.5% vs. 39.9%), Independent Chris Daggett with 108 votes (9.4% vs. 9.7%) and other candidates with 19 votes (1.7% vs. 2.0%), among the 1,150 ballots cast by the borough's 2,361 registered voters, yielding a 48.7% turnout (vs. 47.3% in the county).

Education
The Woodstown-Pilesgrove Regional School District serves public school students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade from Woodstown and Pilesgrove Township. As of the 2020–21 school year, the district, comprised of four schools, had an enrollment of 1,425 students and 126.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.3:1. Schools in the district (with 2020–21 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics ) are William Roper Early Childhood Learning Center with 83 students in grades PreK-K, Mary S. Shoemaker Elementary School with 470 students in grades 1-5, Woodstown Middle School with 278 students in grades 6-8 and Woodstown High School with 579 students in grades 9-12. Students from neighboring Alloway Township, Oldmans Township and Upper Pittsgrove Township attend the high school as part of sending/receiving relationships. A majority of public school students in grades 9–12 from Oldmans Township attend Penns Grove High School as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Penns Grove-Carneys Point Regional School District, with the balance attending Woodstown High School.

Roads and highways
, the borough had a total of 18.28 mi of roadways, of which 11.51 mi were maintained by the municipality, 4.66 mi by Salem County, and 2.11 mi by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

U.S. Route 40 traverses the borough roughly east to west and Route 45 roughly south to north.

Public transportation
NJ Transit provides bus service between Salem and Philadelphia on the 401 route, with local service offered on the 468 route operating between Penns Grove and Woodstown.

The 18.6 mi southern portion of the freight rail Salem Branch operated under contract by Southern Railroad of New Jersey runs through the borough.

Notable people
People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Woodstown include:


 * Teyona Anderson (born 1989), winner of America's Next Top Model (season 12)
 * David Bailey, politician who represents the 3rd legislative district in the New Jersey General Assembly since January 2024
 * Isaac Ambrose Barber (1852–1909), U.S. Congressman from Maryland, serving from 1897 to 1899
 * Mario Cerrito (born 1984), horror filmmaker
 * Isaiah D. Clawson (1820–1879), represented New Jersey's 1st congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1855 to 1859
 * Fred Drains (born 1971), American-born and naturalized Swedish basketball player
 * Rachel Davis DuBois (1892–1993), educator, human rights activist and pioneer of intercultural education
 * Hilly Flitcraft (1923–2003), pitcher whose MLB career consisted of three games played with the Philadelphia Phillies during the 1942 season at the age of 19
 * Elwood L. Haines (1893–1949), Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Iowa from 1944 to 1949
 * Irv Halter (born 1954), retired United States Air Force major general who ran for Congress in Colorado in the 2014 elections
 * Tara LaRosa (born 1978), mixed martial arts fighter
 * Everett Shinn (1876–1953), realist painter best known for his work with the Ashcan School