ABSECON, NJ

Absecon (, ) is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population was 8,411, reflecting an increase of 773 (+10.1%) from the 7,638 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 340 (+4.7%) from the 7,298 counted in the 1990 Census.

The current City of Absecon was originally incorporated as a town by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 29, 1872, from portions of Egg Harbor Township and Galloway Township. Then on March 24, 1902, the City of Absecon replaced the town. The city is named for the Absegami tribe of Native Americans, from the word "Absogami", which means "little stream".

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, Absecon city had a total area of 7.22 square miles (18.69 km²), including 5.47 square miles (14.16 km²) of land and 1.75 square miles (4.53 km²) of water (24.22%).

The city borders the Atlantic County municipalities of Atlantic City, Egg Harbor Township, Galloway Township and Pleasantville.

Climate

Demographics

Census 2010

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $64,370 (with a margin of error of +/- $5,398) and the median family income was $77,784 (+/- $9,673). Males had a median income of $47,043 (+/- $7,593) versus $43,673 (+/- $3,797) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $31,194 (+/- $4,373). About 5.2% of families and 8.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.4% of those under age 18 and 16.0% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 7,638 people, 2,773 households, and 2,085 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,336.0 people per square mile (515.6/km²). There were 2,902 housing units at an average density of 507.6 per square mile (195.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 83.31% White, 6.01% African American, 0.17% Native American, 7.46% Asian, 1.51% from other races, and 1.54% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.77% of the population.

There were 2,773 households, out of which 32.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.6% were married couples living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.8% were non-families. 19.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.08.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 23.5% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 29.6% from 25 to 44, 25.1% from 45 to 64, and 16.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $55,745, and the median income for a family was $61,563. Males had a median income of $47,984 versus $31,663 for females. The per capita income for the city was $23,615. About 3.2% of families and 4.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.9% of those under age 18 and 4.3% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

Absecon operates under the City form of New Jersey municipal government. The city is one of 15 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this traditional form of government. The governing body is comprised of the Mayor and the seven-member City Council. The mayor is elected to a four-year term of office. The City Council is comprised of six members elected from the city's two wards to three-year terms on a staggered basis, with one seat from each ward up for election each year, along with one member elected at-large to a four-year term in office, all of whom are elected on a partisan basis as part of the November general election.

, the Mayor of Absecon is Democrat Kimberly Horton, the first female mayor in the town's history, serving a term of office ending December 31, 2024. Members of the Absecon City Council are Council President Elizabeth J. "Betty" Howell (D, 2023; Ward 1), Donald "Butch" Burroughs (D, 2023; Ward 2), Sandy Shenk Cain (D, 2024; Ward 2), Caleb N. Cavileer (D, 2022; Ward 2), Nicholas L. LaRotonda (R, 2024; Ward 1), Stephen Light (D, 2025; At Large) and Donna Poley (D, 2022; Ward 1. appointed to fill an unexpired term).

In September 2021, the City Council selected Donna Poley to fill the Ward 1 seat expiring in December 2022 that had been held by Keith C. Bennett until he resignedf from office.

In February 2019, the City Council appointed Ward 2 councilmember Kimberley Horton to fill the mayoral seat expiring in December 2020 that had been held by John Armstrong until he resigned from office. Horton served on an interim basis until the November 2019 general election when he was elected to serve the balance of the term of office. Later that month, Caleb Cavileer was chosen to fill Horton's vacant Ward 2 seat expiring in December 2020. In the November 2019 general election, Cavileer ran for and won a full three-year term and Butch Burroughs was elected to serve the balance of Horton's council term of office, while Horton was elected to complete the mayoral term.

Following the death of Ward 1 Councilmember Donald E. Camp in February 2016, Patrick Sheeran was selected from three candidates nominated by the Republican municipal committee and appointed to fill the vacant seat expiring in December 2016.

Federal, state and county representation

Absecon is located in the 2nd Congressional district and is part of New Jersey's 2nd state legislative district.

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 5,629 registered voters in Absecon City, of which 1,353 (24.0% vs. 30.5% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 1,716 (30.5% vs. 25.2%) were registered as Republicans and 2,557 (45.4% vs. 44.3%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 3 voters registered to other parties. Among the city's 2010 Census population, 66.9% (vs. 58.8% in Atlantic County) were registered to vote, including 84.5% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 76.6% countywide).

In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 2,172 votes (50.6% vs. 57.9% countywide), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 2,063 votes (48.1% vs. 41.1%) and other candidates with 43 votes (1.0% vs. 0.9%), among the 4,289 ballots cast by the city's 5,938 registered voters, for a turnout of 72.2% (vs. 65.8% in Atlantic County). In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 2,262 votes (49.8% vs. 41.6% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 2,203 votes (48.5% vs. 56.5%) and other candidates with 41 votes (0.9% vs. 1.1%), among the 4,539 ballots cast by the city's 5,993 registered voters, for a turnout of 75.7% (vs. 68.1% in Atlantic County). In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 2,177 votes (53.6% vs. 46.2% countywide), ahead of Democrat John Kerry with 1,800 votes (44.4% vs. 52.0%) and other candidates with 42 votes (1.0% vs. 0.8%), among the 4,058 ballots cast by the city's 5,201 registered voters, for a turnout of 78.0% (vs. 69.8% in the whole county).

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 1,874 votes (65.0% vs. 60.0% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 883 votes (30.6% vs. 34.9%) and other candidates with 33 votes (1.1% vs. 1.3%), among the 2,883 ballots cast by the city's 5,991 registered voters, yielding a 48.1% turnout (vs. 41.5% in the county). In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 1,501 votes (52.3% vs. 47.7% countywide), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 1,195 votes (41.6% vs. 44.5%), Independent Chris Daggett with 133 votes (4.6% vs. 4.8%) and other candidates with 21 votes (0.7% vs. 1.2%), among the 2,872 ballots cast by the city's 5,770 registered voters, yielding a 49.8% turnout (vs. 44.9% in the county).

Education

The Absecon Public School District serve students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. As of the 2017-18 school year, the district, comprised of two schools, had an enrollment of 887 students and 66.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 13.4:1. Schools in the district (with 2017-18 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics.) are

H. Ashton Marsh Elementary School (493 students in grades PreK-4) and

Emma C. Attales Middle School (381 students in grades 5-8).

For ninth through twelfth grades, public school students from Absecon attend the Pleasantville High School in Pleasantville as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Pleasantville Public Schools. As of the 2017-18 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 757 students and 77.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 9.8:1. In 2020, the Absecon district submitted a petition to end its agreement with Pleasantville and send its students to Absegami High School under a new sending/receiving relationship with the Greater Egg Harbor Regional High School District that Absecon argues would give its students a better education at a lower cost, without negatively impacting the demographics in Pleasantville High School. About 10% of Absecon's graduating students have been choosing to attend Pleasantville High School, for which the Absecon district has been paying $18,000 per student each year.

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.

Holy Spirit High School is a Roman Catholic high school, that operates under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Camden.

Transportation

Roads and highways

, the city had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality, by Atlantic County and by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

Highways and roads in Absecon include U.S. Route 9, U.S. Route 30, Route 157 and County Route 585. The now-defunct Route 43 also passed through the city.

The Atlantic City Expressway and the Garden State Parkway are accessible outside the city in bordering Egg Harbor and Galloway Townships.

Public transportation

The Absecon station is served by NJ Transit's Atlantic City Line trains, with east-west service between 30th Street Station in Philadelphia and the Atlantic City Rail Terminal in Atlantic City.

NJ Transit provides bus service to and from Atlantic City on routes 508 (to the Hamilton Mall), 554 (to the Lindenwold PATCO station) and 559 (to Lakewood Township).

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Absecon include: