Monmouth County, New Jersey

Monmouth County
Sandy Hook, New Jersey
Flag Seal
Location within the U.S. state of New Jersey
New Jersey's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 40°17′N 74°09′W / 40.29°N 74.15°W / 40.29; -74.15
Country	United States
State	New Jersey
Founded	1683
Named for	Monmouthshire
Seat	Freehold[1]
Largest city	Middletown Township (population) Howell Township (area)
Government
• Commissioner Director	Thomas A. Arnone (R, term ends December 31, 2025)
Area [2]
• Total	661.40 sq mi (1,713.0 km2)
• Land	468.18 sq mi (1,212.6 km2)
• Water	193.22 sq mi (500.4 km2)  29.2%
Population  (2020)[3][4]
• Total	643,615
• Estimate  (2023)[3][5]	642,799
• Density	1,372.9/sq mi (530.1/km2)
Congressional districts	3rd, 4th, 6th
Website	www.co.monmouth.nj.us

Interactive map of Monmouth County, New Jersey

Monmouth County (/ˈmɒnməθ/) is a county, located in the central section of the U.S. state of New Jersey. Comprising much of the northern half of the Jersey Shore, it is bordered to its west by Mercer and Middlesex Counties, to its south by Ocean County, to its east by the Atlantic Ocean, and to its north by the Raritan Bay (sharing a border with the boroughs of Staten Island, Brooklyn, and Queens in New York City, across it). Monmouth County's geographic area comprises 30% water. The county is considered part of the Central Jersey region of the state,^[6] though it was not among the four counties explicitly listed as included in Central Jersey as part of legislation signed into law in 2023.^[7]

As of the 2020 United States census, the county was the state's fifth-most-populous county^[8] with a population of 643,615,^[3][4] its highest decennial count ever and an increase of 13,235 (+2.1%) from the 2010 census count of 630,380,^[9] which in turn reflected an increase of 15,079 from 615,301 at the 2000 census.^[10] As of 2010, the county fell to the fifth-most populous county in the state, having been surpassed by Hudson County.^[11][12] Monmouth's county seat is Freehold Borough,^[1] though many county offices are also located in neighboring Freehold Township.^[13] The most populous place was Middletown Township, with 67,106 residents at the time of the 2020 Census,^[4] while Howell Township covered 61.21 square miles (158.5 km²), the largest total area of any municipality.^[12]

While there are differing historical theories, the most plausible of theories in the origin of the county's name are attributed to many settlers originating from Rhode Island where the Rhode Island Monmouth Society hailed from, or it being named after the historic town of Monmouthshire in Wales, Great Britain. The county, like much of the state, was significantly involved during the American Revolutionary War. The Battle of Monmouth was fought in June 1778 in what has been preserved as Monmouth Battlefield State Park, currently located in Freehold Township and Manalapan Township.^[14]

The county's economy is rich and diverse, due to its high population density and proximity to New York City. Located in the middle of the

Etymology

The naming of Monmouth County has different historical theories. It is thought that the county received its name from the Rhode Island Monmouth Society.^[22][23] This is likely, due to many of the county's earliest settlers originating from Rhode Island. Another plausible theory, is from a suggestion from Colonel Lewis Morris that the county should be named after Monmouthshire in Wales, Great Britain. Other suggestions include that it was named for James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth (1649–1685), who had many allies among the East Jersey leadership.^[24]

Indigenous history

Around the year 1000, the area of Monmouth County began to be inhabited by the Lenape Native Americans prior to the arrival of European settlers. They came from the Mississippi River area. They lived along the vicinity of the Jersey Shore, the Raritan Bay, the Raritan River and other areas in the northeastern United States. The Lenape were a hunter-gatherer society. They were largely sedentary, changing campsites seasonally. They were prolific hunters of small game and birds. They were also skilled fisherman, and were known to harvest vast amounts of clams from the bays and inlets on the Jersey Shore. They also practiced some agriculture to augment their food supply. During this time, an important crossroad of two major Lenape trails was located in the area of Freehold in western Monmouth County.^[25]

Dutch and English colonization

In 1609, the English navigator,

Monmouth County was established on March 7, 1683, while part of the province of East Jersey. On October 31, 1693, the county was partitioned into the townships of Freehold, Middletown and Shrewsbury.^[29]

At the June 28, 1778,

Ocean County was carved out of Monmouth County in 1850.^{[citation needed]}

In 1790 Monmouth County's population was 16,918, of whom roughly 6,600 were of

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of the 2020 Census, the county had a total area of 661.40 square miles (1,713.0 km²), of which 468.18 square miles (1,212.6 km²) was land (70.8%) and 193.22 square miles (500.4 km²) was water (29.2%).^[2]

Much of Monmouth County remains flat and low-lying, even at its western inland extreme. However, there are some low hills in and around

Much of Monmouth County has a humid subtropical climate (Cfa), while some inland areas have a hot-summer humid continental climate (Dfa). In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Freehold Borough have ranged from a low of 22 °F (−6 °C) in January to a high of 86 °F (30 °C) in July, although a record low of −13 °F (−25 °C) was recorded in January 1984 and a record high of 106 °F (41 °C) was recorded in July 2011. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 2.98 inches (76 mm) in February to 5.08 inches (129 mm) in July.^[41]

Average monthly temperatures in Asbury Park range from 32.5 °F in January to 75.0 °F in July, while in Allentown, NJ they range from 32.1 °F in January to 75.5 °F in July. [3]

On October 29, 2012,

• Middlesex County - northwest
• Ocean County - south
• Mercer County - west
• Burlington County - southwest
• Richmond County, New York
  - north
• Queens County, New York
  ) - northeast

• Gateway National Recreation Area (part)

Demographics

2020 census

As of the

Of the 240,377 households, of which 38.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.5% were married couples living together, 25.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 14.4% had a male householder with no wife present and 32.8% were non-families. 13.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.16.^[3]

About 21.4% of the county's population was under age 18, 8.1% was from age 18 to 24, 34.8% was from age 15 to 44, and 18.2% was age 65 or older. The median age was 43.5 years. The gender makeup of the city was 48.7% male and 51.3% female. For every 100 females, there were 95.0 males.^[3]

The county's median household income was $102,870, and the median family income was $124,778. About 6.0% of the population were below the

Of the 233,983 households, 32.4% had children under the age of 18; 55.5% were married couples living together; 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present and 30.2% were non-families. Of all households, 25% were made up of individuals and 10.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.22.[9]

23.8% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 24% from 25 to 44, 30.6% from 45 to 64, and 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.3 years. For every 100 females, the population had 94.7 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 91.9 males.^[9]

Government

County government

Monmouth County is governed by a five-member Board of County Commissioners, who are elected at-large for three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats up for election each year. Each January, the commissioners select one of their members to serve as the director of the board for the year to preside over the meetings and activities of the board. Monmouth County's Commissioners have both administrative and policy-making powers. The commissioners oversee the five mandatory functions of the county government delegated to it by the state. Each commissioner is assigned responsibility for one of the five functional areas: Administration and Special Services; Public Works and Engineering; Human Services, Health and Transportation; Finance and Administration of Justice, overseeing more than 70 county departments in total.^[44][45] In 2016, freeholders were paid $27,000 and the freeholder director was paid an annual salary of $27,900.^[46] County Administrator Teri O'Connor, an appointed position, serves as the county's chief executive officer, and is responsible for carrying out the policies and directives established by the Board of County Commissioners and managing the daily operations of the county's more than 3,000 employees.^[47]

As of 2024^[update], Monmouth County's Commissioners are (with terms for Chair and Vice-Chair ending every December 31):^{[48][49][50][51][52]}

The Republican Party had held all five Commissioner seats until 2006, but after the 2006 and 2008 elections, Democrats controlled the Board by a 3–2 margin. The Board swung back in favor of the Republicans after the 2009 election when Republican John Curley beat Democrat Sean Byrnes. Both were running to succeed former Commissioner Director Barbara McMorrow, a Democrat, who had chosen not to seek re-election. In 2010, former mayor of Neptune City, NJ, Thomas Arnone (R), and incumbent Commissioner Robert Clifton (R) won seats giving Republicans control of the Board of Chosen Commissioners by a 4–1 margin. The board has been all Republican since 2011.^[58]

Pursuant to Article VII Section II of the

Monmouth County is covered by 53 different fire departments, which contain 135 individual fire companies and over 7,000 volunteer firefighters, who are all represented by the Monmouth County Firemen's Association.[77]

The Monmouth County Fire Marshal's Office is responsible for training all of the firefighters through the Monmouth County Fire Academy, as well as investigating any fires which may be deemed suspicious and/or involving a fatality. The Monmouth County fire marshal, currently Fred Migliaccio, and his staff – including assistant fire marshals and academy staff – are appointed by the County Board of Commissioners.^[78]

Except for the fully professional Asbury Park Fire Department and the US Navy Fire Department at NWS Earle, the remainder of the municipalities in the county have volunteer or combination fire departments.^[79] The largest volunteer department is in Middletown Township with 11 stations and 350 active members, special services, air and fire police units, in addition to operating its own training facility.^[80]

In terms of hazardous material (

The oldest fire department in the county in continuous operation is the Hope Fire Company in Allentown, organized in 1856.^[citation needed] The newest fire department, Holmdel Fire Co. No. 2 was established in 2006.^{[citation needed]} Monmouth County utilizes a mutual aid system, in which surrounding municipalities are available to send their resources to incidents where extra help or expertise is needed.^[81]

Politics

Monmouth County has generally leaned moderately

The Bureau of Economic Analysis calculated that the county's gross domestic product was $34.2 billion in 2021, which was ranked ninth in the state and was a 6.1% increase from the prior year.^[89]

Housing expense

In 2015, the county had a

Tri-City region of urban centers in Monmouth County; Red Bank, Long Branch, and Asbury Park respectively^[94]

Hurricane Sandy in 2012 devastated much of the northern part of the Jersey Shore, particularly in Monmouth County. This necessitated the demolition and rebuilding of entire neighborhoods. Some were rebuilt to a higher economic level; this process of climate gentrification is rapidly escalating property values and transforming many communities along the Shore. Many houses have become vacation homes for the New York financial community, akin to shoreline communities on Long Island like the Gold Coast and The Hamptons.^[95]

Telecommunications and high technology

The

Wealthy home that was under construction in Marlboro Township, pictured Late 2005

Bell Labs water tower in Holmdel Township was designed to resemble a transistor, an important invention

Freehold Raceway Mall, a super-regional shopping mall, located in Freehold Township

Pier Village, a Victorian-inspired mixed-use lifestyle center, located in Long Branch along the Atlantic Ocean

The county has been a commercial hub for the state and the larger

• Freehold Raceway Mall
• Monmouth Mall
• Pier Village
• The Grove at Shrewsbury
• Jersey Shore Premium Outlets

Education

Tertiary education

Monmouth University is a four-year private university located in West Long Branch that was founded in 1933 as Monmouth Junior College.^[97][98]

Brookdale Community College is the two-year community college for Monmouth County, one of a network of 19 county colleges statewide. The school is located in the Lincroft section of Middletown Township, having been founded in 1967.^[99]

Rutgers University has a partnership with Brookdale which offers bachelor's degree completion programs at Brookdale's Freehold campus.^[100]

K-12 education

School districts in Monmouth County include:^{[101][102][103]}

K-12 districts

Secondary districts

Elementary districts(K-8, except as indicated)

In addition to multiple public high schools, parochial schools in Monmouth County include St. Rose High School, Red Bank Catholic High School, Christian Brothers Academy, St. John Vianney High School, and Mater Dei High School, which operate under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Trenton.^[104] A secular private school, Ranney School, is also located in the county.

The county has an extensive

• Academy of Allied Health & Science (Allied) in Neptune Township
• Biotechnology High School (BioTech) in Freehold Township
• Communications High School (Communications, CHS) in Wall Township
• High Technology High School (High Tech) in Lincroft (located on the Brookdale Community College campus)
• Sandy Hook

Arts and culture

• Count Basie Theatre - A landmarked performing arts center in Red Bank. The core structure opened as the "Carlton Theater" in 1926, became the "Monmouth Arts Center" in 1973, then was renamed to the "Count Basie Theatre" in 1984 to honor jazz great and Red Bank native William "Count" Basie. It was designed by William E. Lehman and has seating capacity
  for 1,568 patrons.
• Two River Theater - A professional, not-for-profit, regional theater company producing plays and educational programs. The company received "Theatre of the Year" awards from the New Jersey Theatre Alliance in 2006, and from The Star-Ledger in both 2006 and 2008. At the July 2009 meeting of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, Two River Theater was designated as a Major Impact Organization.
• Monmouth County Historical Association – Established in 1898 by a group of county residents headed by professional educator Caroline Gallup Reed, it was soon incorporated in order “to discover, procure, preserve and perpetuate whatever relates to the history of Monmouth County.” The headquarters are located in Freehold Borough in a brick Georgian-style building designed by architect J. Hallam Conover.
• Monmouth County Jewish Heritage Museum - focuses on Jewish life in the county, which dates back to 1720.^[106]
• farmhouses that were associated with the American Revolutionary War's Battle of Monmouth, including the Craig House
  , the Cobb House, the Sutfin House, and the Rhea-Applegate House. The park includes a visitor center with replicas of eighteenth-century canons and other exhibits.
• Queens in New York
  ) forms the other side of the "gateway" to New York Harbor. It includes two main park sites:
  • Fort Hancock served as part of the harbor's coastal defense system from 1895 until 1974 and contains 100 historic buildings and fortifications.^[107]
  • Sandy Hook contains seven beaches, including Gunnison Beach, a nude beach by custom, as well as salt marshes and a maritime holly forest. Ferries from Manhattan
    are available in season. Fishing and using hand-launched vessels are popular here.
• Monmouth County Courthouse – In front of the courthouse, is a park at the center of town which hosts a 90-foot (27 m) tall monument to the Battle of Monmouth at its center.
• Gothic Revival
  elements.
• Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association District - An association founded in 1869 by a group of Methodist clergymen, led by William B. Osborn and Ellwood H. Stokes. Its mission is to "provide opportunities for spiritual birth, growth, and renewal in a Christian seaside setting."^[108] It was to operate as a summer camp meeting site on the New Jersey seashore.^[109] By the early 20th century, the popular Christian meeting ground became known as the "Queen of Religious Resorts."^[110] The community's land is still owned by the camp meeting association and leased to individual homeowners and businesses. Ocean Grove remains the longest-active camp meeting site in the United States.^[111]
• Church of the Presidents - Originally consecrated in 1879 as St. James Protestant Episcopal Chapel, a branch of St. James Episcopal Church, this former Episcopal chapel was where seven United States presidents during the Victorian era worshipped. It was visited by presidents Ulysses S. Grant, Rutherford B. Hayes, James A. Garfield, Chester A. Arthur, Benjamin Harrison, William McKinley, and Woodrow Wilson.^[112] All except Grant were in office when they paid their visits to the church.
• Seabrook–Wilson House – Nicknamed the "Spy House" by local residents, the house was built in 1663 in the town of Port Monmouth, a part of Middletown Township, making it the oldest structure in Monmouth County and one of the oldest in the state. The house's architecture was emblematic of the early English influence in the county. For most of its history, the farm on Sandy Hook Bay was home to generations of two prominent Port Monmouth families, the Seabrooks and the Wilsons. Ship owners and captains, a Revolutionary War militia officer, local business owners and investors, and a clergyman were part of these notable families, many of whom served in local government positions.
• row house buildings has been recreated and now houses a visitor center, museum, and reenactments of nineteenth-century life in this bustling mill town.^[113] The historic village is run by a non-profit organization independent of the park and charges a nominal fee to enter the buildings.^[114] It is named after James P. Allaire, founder of the Howell Works at the same site.^[113]
  The park also hosts the Pine Creek Railroad, a tourist railroad.
• Holmdel Park - Located in Holmdel Township, this massive park is part of the Monmouth County Park System. The initial park land was established in 1962, with an additional 227 acres (92 ha) section added in 2001. The park's recreational offerings include fishing (with permit),^[115] individual and group picnic areas, tennis courts, playgrounds and 10 miles of hiking trails. Ice skating and sledding are permitted when conditions are deemed safe.^[116] The park contains four distinct visitor areas, each with its own parking; three are accessed via the main park entrance while the fourth is located at the activity center further north on Longstreet Road. The park also features:
  • weeping Atlas cedar, cherry trees, Amur cork tree
    , among many others. A map at the entrance identifies the major plant collections.
  • Longstreet Farm - A living history farm museum displaying a recreation of life in the 1890s. Workers dress in period costume, and perform the activities of a resident of the time period, such as planting and harvesting of crops, and taking caring of livestock.^[117] The Holmes-Hendrickson House, built in 1754, is a museum operated by the Monmouth County Historical Association near the farm.^[117]

Sports

Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport and Freehold Raceway in Freehold offer fans of thoroughbred horse racing a chance to bet on races.

In 1943, the New York Yankees held their spring training in Asbury Park instead of Florida.^[118] This was because rail transport had to be conserved during the war, and Major League Baseball's Spring Training was limited to an area east of the Mississippi River and north of the Ohio River.^[119]

Parks and recreation

Monmouth County parks are under the administration of the

• Gateway National Recreation Area (part)

Wineries, breweries, and distilleries

The county is home to several

• Basil T's Brewery
• Carton Brewing
• Cream Ridge Winery
• Four JG's Orchards & Vineyards
• Kane Brewing
• Laird & Company
• Peppadew Fresh Vineyards

Other points of interest

• Keansburg Amusement Park & Runaway Rapids
• PNC Bank Arts Center
• Pier Village
• Asbury Park Boardwalk
• Freehold Raceway Mall
• Monmouth Mall
• iPlay America
• Numerous beaches along the Jersey Shore
• Monmouth Executive Airport
• Holmdel Cemetery & Mausoleum^[121]

Municipalities

Interactive map of municipalities in Monmouth County.

The 53 municipalities in Monmouth County (with 2010 Census data for housing units and area in square miles, as well as 2018 estimates for population) are listed below.^[122][123] Other, unincorporated communities in the county are listed next to their parent municipality. Many of these areas are census-designated places (labeled as CDPs) that have been created by the United States Census Bureau for enumeration purposes within a township, with the 2010 Census population listed. Other communities and enclaves that exist within a municipality are also listed.

Services

Coroners and medical examiners

Jordan Woolley served as coroner c. 1880.^[124] John W. Flock Sr. was the coroner in 1902.^[125] The office of medical examiner was merged with Middlesex County, New Jersey in 2016.^[126] Diane Karluk is the medical examiner serving Mercer County, Middlesex County and Monmouth County.^[127][128]

Monmouth County SPCA

The Monmouth County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is an animal welfare organization in Eatontown providing animal sheltering and cruelty investigation services to Monmouth County, New Jersey. It was founded in 1945 to care for the community's homeless, neglected, and abused animals. It is a government agency (see wronko vs mcspca 2023), not-for-profit s. 501(c)3 organization. The organization remains open-admission for communities it serves, taking owner surrenders by appointment and also offers animals for adoption. Many of the animals that are up for adoption come from all over the United States.^[129][130] Its Humane Law Enforcement Division investigates more than 900 animal cruelty complaints every year, and accepts anonymous calls. The SPCA also provides dog obedience training, a spay/neutering clinic, and pet bereavement counseling.^[131][132]

Transportation

Roads and highways

As of May 2010^[update], the county had a total of 3,354.67 miles (5,398.82 km) of roadways, of which 2,762.31 miles (4,445.51 km) are maintained by the local municipality, 360.42 miles (580.04 km) by Monmouth County and 204.89 miles (329.74 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and 27.05 miles (43.53 km) by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.^[133]

Monmouth County is served by several major roadways including:^[134]

• U.S. Route 9 (The only U.S. Highway in the county; practically bisects Monmouth, stretching through the county for more than 20 miles (32 km) from Lakewood in Ocean County in the south to Old Bridge Township in Middlesex County to the north.)
• Route 18
• Route 33
• Route 33 Business
• Route 34
• Route 35
• Route 36
• Route 66
• Route 70
• Route 71
• Route 79
• Interstate 95 (Does not actually enter Monmouth County, however, exit 7A is just west of the county border near Upper Freehold Township, providing direct access to Interstate 195)
• Route 138
• Interstate 195 (Only interstate to pass through the county)
• The Garden State Parkway extends 26.5 miles (42.6 km) from Brick Township in Ocean County in the south to Old Bridge Township in Middlesex County to the north. The Parkway's Monmouth Service Area is located at milepost 100, between exits 98 and 100.

There are also many other major county routes passing through the county, including:

• CR 516, CR 516 Spur, CR 520, CR 522, CR 524, CR 524A, CR 524 Spur, CR 526, CR 526 Spur, CR 527, CR 527A, CR 537, CR 539, CR 547, CR 549, CR 571

Public transportation

Numerous

• USS Monmouth County (LST-1032)
• Monmouth County Historical Association
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Monmouth County, New Jersey
• List of Monmouth County Board of County Commissioner Directors

References

Further reading

• Graham Russell Hodges, Slavery and Freedom in the Rural North: African Americans in Monmouth County, New Jersey, 1665-1865 Madison, WI: Madison House, 1997
• Charles A. Philhower, Indians of Monmouth County, New Jersey. (1924) Morristown, NJ: Digital Antiquaria, 2006.
• Edwin Salter, A History of Monmouth and Ocean Counties Embracing a Genealogical Record of Earliest Settlers of Monmouth and Ocean Counties and Their Descendants; The Indians: Their Language, Manners, and Customs; Important Historical Events: The Revolutionary War, Battle of Monmouth, The War of the Rebellion: Names of Officers and Men of Monmouth and Ocean Counties Engaged in It, etc., etc. Bayonne, NJ: E. Gardner and Son, 1890.
• Charles A. Philhower, Indians of Monmouth County, New Jersey. (1924) Morristown, NJ: Digital Antiquaria, 2006.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Monmouth County, New Jersey.

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Monmouth County.

• Monmouth County official website
• Monmouth County map, New Jersey