West Windsor, New Jersey | |
---|---|
Location in Mercer County Location in New Jersey | |
Coordinates: 40°17′25″N74°37′40″W / 40.290253°N 74.627672°W [1] [2] | |
Country | United States |
State | New Jersey |
County | Mercer |
Incorporated | February 21, 1798 |
Government | |
• Type | Faulkner Act Mayor-Council |
• Body | Township Council |
• Mayor | Hemant Marathe (term ends December 31, 2025) [4] [5] |
• Administrator | Marlena Schmid [6] |
• Municipal clerk | Gay Huber [7] |
Area | |
• Total | 26.25 sq mi (68.00 km2) |
• Land | 25.55 sq mi (66.17 km2) |
• Water | 0.71 sq mi (1.83 km2) 2.69% |
• Rank | 101st of 565 in state 3rd of 12 in county [1] |
Elevation | 92 ft (28 m) |
Population | |
• Total | 29,518 |
• Estimate | 30,509 |
• Rank | 82nd of 565 in state 7th of 12 in county [13] |
• Density | 1,155.3/sq mi (446.1/km2) |
• Rank | 367th of 565 in state 10th of 12 in county [13] |
Time zone | UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST)) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT)) |
ZIP Codes | |
Area code | 609 [16] |
FIPS code | 3402180240 [1] [17] [18] |
GNIS feature ID | 0882124 [1] [19] |
Website | www |
West Windsor is a township in Mercer County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Located at the cross-roads between the Delaware Valley region to the southwest and the Raritan Valley region to the northeast, the township is considered to be an outer-ring suburb of New York City in the New York metropolitan area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau. [20] As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 29,518, [10] [11] its highest decennial count ever and an increase of 2,353 (+8.7%) from the 27,165 recorded at the 2010 census, [21] [22] which in turn reflected an increase of 5,258 (+24.0%) from the 21,907 counted in the 2000 census. [23]
West Windsor and adjacent East Windsor were established by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 9, 1797, and incorporated on February 21, 1798, as two of the state's initial group of 104 townships, by partitioning provincial Windsor Township. [24]
The Borough of Princeton, now part of Princeton, was formed from a portion of the township on February 11, 1813. [24] The township is closely associated with that now much more widely known town and several localities within West Windsor use Princeton in their name, the most notable of those being Princeton Junction. The Princeton 08540 post office facility is located within West Windsor, and covers parts of the township designated by Princeton mailing addresses. [25]
A portion of Princeton University, covering 400 acres (160 ha) south of Lake Carnegie, is located in West Windsor. [26] The university agreed in 2009 to make an annual payment in lieu of taxes of $50,000 that would be indexed to inflation to cover 81 acres (33 ha) of land in the township that the university had purchased in 2002. [27]
West Windsor is frequently ranked among some of the highest-income municipalities in New Jersey. In 2008, Forbes listed West Windsor as the 15th most affluent neighborhood in the U.S. [28] Using 2012–2016 data from the U.S. Census Bureau, NJ.com listed the township as the 9th highest-income in the state in its January 2018 article "The 19 wealthiest towns in New Jersey, ranked." [29] Based on data from the American Community Survey for 2013–2017, West Windsor residents had a median household income of $175,684, ranked 4th in the state among municipalities with more than 10,000 residents, more than double the statewide median of $76,475. [30]
Prior to individual European land acquisition and settlement around the turn of the 18th century, the primary residents of West Windsor were the Lenape Native Americans. The Assanhicans (Assunpinks) were the subtribe that inhabited the greater Trenton area; artifacts from their society are still found in West Windsor. [32]
The first known European activity in the area now known as West Windsor dates to 1634, during the exploration of Captain Thomas Yong. Yong was an Englishman, who reportedly traded with the native Lenape people. [33] The region was officially claimed for European settlement under the 1682 William Penn treaties, under which the Lenape conveyed vast portions of New Jersey and Pennsylvania to Quaker colonists. [34]
The West Windsor area was within Piscataway Township when it was chartered on December 18, 1666. This changed upon the formation of Middlesex County in 1683. [35]
New Windsor Township (West Windsor's predecessor), known later as Windsor Township, was unofficially formed in 1731, and officially created by Royal Charter on March 9, 1751, from a partition of Piscataway Township. [35] Its borders encompassed today's West Windsor Township, all of present-day Princeton up to Nassau Street, and pre-partition East Windsor Township. In 1756, The College of New Jersey relocated to Nassau Hall in the village of Princeton. When West Windsor and East Windsor were created from the division of Windsor Township on February 9, 1797, West Windsor's boundaries extended up to Nassau Street. [35] Following the 1838 formation of Mercer County and further land acquisitions by Princeton in 1843 and 1853, West Windsor's borders were again redefined to reflect the township's current 26.84 square miles (69.5 km2). [36]
Historically, West Windsor relied heavily upon agriculture. Common products were wheat, tomatoes, rye, and potatoes. [37] This identity dominated the township from its first settlement until the last half of the 20th century, and was really only extinguished upon the township's most rapid period of growth from the late 1970s-the 2000s. [38]
However, this agrarian dominance incentivized the institution of slavery as well. Although records are sparse, township censuses indicate 190 slaves in Windsor Township in 1790. In West Windsor, there were 21 slaves in 1830 and 3 in 1840. Additionally, several late 1700s wills and 1800s "abandonments" show the presence of slavery in the township around the turn of the 19th century. [39]
West Windsor never developed a centralized "downtown." Instead, The township contained within it (entirely or partly) several small hamlets whose names and locations are still identifiable and/or in use in contemporary times. [36] They are as follows:
Grover's Mill in West Windsor was the site Orson Welles chose for the Martian invasion in his infamous 1938 radio broadcast of The War of the Worlds . [36]
During the later part of the 20th century the township underwent dramatic changes, driven mainly by a major boom in new housing developments. For generations, West Windsor had existed mostly as a sparsely populated agricultural community according to a 1999 article in The New York Times , the township "has grown into a sprawl of expensive houses in carefully groomed developments, and home to nearly 20,000 people", since the 1970s. [42]
The West Windsor post office was found to be infected with anthrax during the 2001 anthrax attacks. [25]
In April 2002, a memorial was dedicated to the seven residents of West Windsor who died in the September 11 terrorist attacks. [43] [44]
In October 2019, the Historical Society of West Windsor published an online museum exploring the history of West Windsor. [45]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 26.25 square miles (68.00 km2), including 25.55 square miles (66.17 km2) of land and 0.71 square miles (1.83 km2) of water (2.69%). [1] [2]
Princeton Junction (with a 2010 Census population of 2,465) [46] is an unincorporated community and census-designated place located within West Windsor. [47] [48] [49] Other unincorporated communities in the township include Berrien City, Dutch Neck, Edinburg, Grover's Mill, Millstone, Penns Neck, Port Mercer, Post Corner,[ citation needed ] and Princeton Ivy East[ citation needed ]. [50]
The township borders the municipalities of East Windsor, Hamilton, Lawrence Township, Princeton and Robbinsville in Mercer County; and Plainsboro in Middlesex County. [51] [52] [53]
The Howard Hughes Corporation has proposed redevelopment of a 653-acre (264 ha) tract of land bounded by the Northeast Corridor train line, Route 1, and Quakerbridge Road, which includes land once owned by American Cyanamid and last used up until 2002 as an agricultural research facility by BASF; in of 2017 a plan was proposed to create mixed-use development that would include 2,000 residences along with 1,300,000 square feet (120,000 m2) of retail and commercial space on the site, which is currently zoned for commercial use. [54] [55] The local school district has developed a report identifying significant potential growth in the number of students enrolling from this and other residential development in both West Windsor and Plainsboro. [56] In 2019, Atlantic Realty purchased the property, and in November 2020 they and the township reached an agreement to restrict the tract to non-residential use and convert it to warehouse space. The West Windsor Planning Board granted approval to build 5.5 million square feet of warehouse space (called "Bridge Point 8") on June 29, 2022." [57]
According to the Köppen climate classification system, West Windsor Township has a Hot-summer Humid continental climate (Dfa).
Climate data for West Windsor Twp (40.2928, -74.6259), Elevation 95 ft (29 m), 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1981–2022 | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °F (°C) | 71.7 (22.1) | 77.6 (25.3) | 88.1 (31.2) | 95.2 (35.1) | 95.4 (35.2) | 98.0 (36.7) | 102.6 (39.2) | 101.4 (38.6) | 97.5 (36.4) | 93.8 (34.3) | 80.7 (27.1) | 75.6 (24.2) | 102.6 (39.2) |
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 40.2 (4.6) | 42.7 (5.9) | 50.5 (10.3) | 62.9 (17.2) | 72.5 (22.5) | 81.7 (27.6) | 86.3 (30.2) | 84.5 (29.2) | 78.1 (25.6) | 66.1 (18.9) | 55.4 (13.0) | 45.3 (7.4) | 63.9 (17.7) |
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 23.3 (−4.8) | 24.8 (−4.0) | 31.7 (−0.2) | 41.5 (5.3) | 51.1 (10.6) | 60.3 (15.7) | 65.6 (18.7) | 63.8 (17.7) | 56.8 (13.8) | 45.0 (7.2) | 35.4 (1.9) | 28.5 (−1.9) | 44.1 (6.7) |
Record low °F (°C) | −11.3 (−24.1) | −4.3 (−20.2) | 3.8 (−15.7) | 17.8 (−7.9) | 31.7 (−0.2) | 40.1 (4.5) | 46.4 (8.0) | 41.2 (5.1) | 34.9 (1.6) | 23.9 (−4.5) | 9.6 (−12.4) | −0.1 (−17.8) | −11.3 (−24.1) |
Average precipitation inches (mm) | 3.53 (90) | 2.72 (69) | 4.26 (108) | 3.69 (94) | 4.05 (103) | 4.53 (115) | 4.94 (125) | 4.43 (113) | 4.17 (106) | 4.02 (102) | 3.31 (84) | 4.33 (110) | 47.96 (1,218) |
Average snowfall inches (cm) | 8.1 (21) | 8.7 (22) | 4.1 (10) | 0.1 (0.25) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.2 (0.51) | 0.7 (1.8) | 3.7 (9.4) | 25.5 (65) |
Average dew point °F (°C) | 21.5 (−5.8) | 22.2 (−5.4) | 27.7 (−2.4) | 37.2 (2.9) | 49.1 (9.5) | 59.4 (15.2) | 64.2 (17.9) | 63.5 (17.5) | 57.6 (14.2) | 45.9 (7.7) | 34.9 (1.6) | 27.3 (−2.6) | 42.6 (5.9) |
Source 1: PRISM [58] | |||||||||||||
Source 2: NOHRSC (Snow, 2008/2009 - 2022/2023 normals) [59] |
According to the A. W. Kuchler U.S. potential natural vegetation types, West Windsor Township would have a dominant vegetation type of Appalachian Oak (104) with a dominant vegetation form of Eastern Hardwood Forest (25). [60]
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1810 | 1,714 | — | |
1820 | 1,918 | 11.9% | |
1830 | 2,129 | 11.0% | |
1840 | 1,536 | −27.9% | |
1850 | 1,596 | 3.9% | |
1860 | 1,497 | −6.2% | |
1870 | 1,428 | −4.6% | |
1880 | 1,396 | −2.2% | |
1890 | 1,329 | −4.8% | |
1900 | 1,279 | −3.8% | |
1910 | 1,342 | 4.9% | |
1920 | 1,389 | 3.5% | |
1930 | 1,711 | 23.2% | |
1940 | 2,160 | 26.2% | |
1950 | 2,519 | 16.6% | |
1960 | 4,016 | 59.4% | |
1970 | 6,431 | 60.1% | |
1980 | 8,542 | 32.8% | |
1990 | 16,021 | 87.6% | |
2000 | 21,907 | 36.7% | |
2010 | 27,165 | 24.0% | |
2020 | 29,518 | 8.7% | |
2023 (est.) | 30,509 | [10] [12] | 3.4% |
Population sources: 1800–1920 [61] 1840 [62] 1850–1870 [63] 1850 [64] 1870 [65] 1880–1890 [66] 1890–1910 [67] 1910–1930 [68] 1940–2000 [69] 2000 [70] [71] 2010 [21] [22] 2020 [10] [11] |
AOL/NeighborhoodScout named West Windsor in 2009 as the best neighborhood to raise children because of its school district (top 7% in New Jersey, top 3% nationwide), prevailing family type (families with school-aged children), and neighborhood safety (safer than 97% of neighborhoods). [72] As of January 2018 the township's population was the second most educated in the state of New Jersey, according to an analysis by NJ.com. The percent of residents with a bachelor's degree or higher was 81.7%, with 48% of residents holding advanced graduate or professional degrees. [73]
The 2010 United States census counted 27,165 people, 9,449 households, and 7,606 families in the township. The population density was 1,062.6 per square mile (410.3/km2). There were 9,810 housing units at an average density of 383.7 per square mile (148.1/km2). The racial makeup was 54.94% (14,924) White, 3.67% (998) Black or African American, 0.09% (25) Native American, 37.71% (10,245) Asian, 0.04% (10) Pacific Islander, 0.97% (263) from other races, and 2.58% (700) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.47% (1,213) of the population. [21]
Of the 9,449 households, 45.5% had children under the age of 18; 73.0% were married couples living together; 5.6% had a female householder with no husband present and 19.5% were non-families. Of all households, 16.7% were made up of individuals and 6.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.85 and the average family size was 3.23. [21]
28.4% of the population were under the age of 18, 5.1% from 18 to 24, 26.2% from 25 to 44, 29.5% from 45 to 64, and 10.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.6 years. For every 100 females, the population had 94.7 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 91.4 males. [21]
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $137,265 (with a margin of error of +/− $12,610) and the median family income was $156,110 (+/− $6,769). Males had a median income of $120,662 (+/− $6,410) versus $71,151 (+/− $9,841) for females. The per capita income for the township was $59,946 (+/− $3,307). About 3.6% of families and 4.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.2% of those under age 18 and 4.7% of those age 65 or over. [74]
As of the 2000 United States census [18] there were 21,907 people, 7,282 households, and 5,985 families residing in the township. The population density was 842.4 inhabitants per square mile (325.3/km2). There were 7,450 housing units at an average density of 286.5 per square mile (110.6/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 71.53% White, 2.76% African American, 0.08% Native American, 22.76% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.08% from other races, and 1.78% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.07% of the population. [70] [71]
As of the 2000 Census, 8.31% of West Windsor's residents identified themselves as being of Chinese ancestry. This was the fourth highest percentage of people with Chinese ancestry in any place in New Jersey with 1,000 or more residents identifying their ancestry. [75]
There were 7,282 households, out of which 50.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 75.3% were married couples living together, 5.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.8% were non-families. 14.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 2.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.01 and the average family size was 3.36. [70] [71]
In the township the population was spread out, with 31.8% under the age of 18, 4.4% from 18 to 24, 31.4% from 25 to 44, 26.2% from 45 to 64, and 6.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.8 males. [70] [71]
The median income for a household in the township was $116,335, and the median income for a family was $127,877. Males had a median income of $100,000 versus $56,002 for females. The per capita income for the township was $48,511. About 2.0% of families and 2.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.4% of those under age 18 and 2.3% of those age 65 or over. [70] [71]
West Windsor's economy includes a mix of corporate, retail and local services. NRG Energy, a company specializing in electricity generation and retail, has its corporate headquarters located in West Windsor. [76] [77] [78]
The township benefits from its proximity to New York City and Philadelphia, making it an attractive location for businesses and sectors such as finance, technology, and healthcare. Several small and medium-sized enterprises operate within the township, ranging from local startups to regional offices of larger corporations. [79] Retail centers, such as the MarketFair in West Windsor, and the nearby Quaker Bridge Mall in Lawrence Township, also drive commerce and attract customers from surrounding communities. [80]
Agriculture remains a small but notable part of West Windsor's economy, with local farms contributing to the region's farmers' markets and community-supported agriculture programs. These farms offer fresh produce and promote agricultural practices that appeal to environmentally-conscious residents. [81] The township's support for green initiatives and environmentally-friendly policies has also made it an appealing place for businesses and residents focused on sustainability. [82]
The West Windsor Arts Center is the junction where the arts and community meet. They offer performances, classes, workshops, exhibitions, literary arts events and various other special events. It is located in the historic Princeton Junction Firehouse. [83]
The Mercer County Italian-American Festival, established in 2000 and held annually in West Windsor, celebrated its 20th annual event in September 2019. [84] [85]
Mercer County Television (MCTV) channel 26 is an Educational-access television station in West Windsor that is owned and operated by Mercer County Community College (MCCC). The student television station is transmitted to all of Mercer County, New Jersey, via cable TV channel 26 on Xfinity and Optimum, reaching an excess of 90,000 households. MCTV was added as Verizon FiOS channel 20 in Mercer County starting in 2009. [86]
Richard J. Coffee Mercer County Park is located on Old Trenton Road. Administered by the Mercer County Park Commission and located primarily in West Windsor, it has athletic fields, a dog park, picnic grounds, a newly renovated boathouse and marina on Mercer Lake, bike trails and an ice skating rink that is home to the Mercer Bulldogs special hockey team. [87] [88]
The West Windsor Community Park is a 123-acre (50 ha) public park which serves as the primary park for active recreation. Facilities include a playground, jogging/bicycling paths, basketball courts, dog parks, a skate park, tennis courts and pickleball courts. This park also features 3 baseball fields and an indoor baseball facility where many children go to train. The park is also home to the West Windsor Waterworks Family Aquatics Center. [89]
Duck Pond Park is a 120-acre (49 ha) park under construction located off Meadow Road between the intersections with Clarksville Road and Bear Brook Road, bordering Duck Pond Run. It is designed to be a "second community park" for the township. As of 2015, lighted soccer fields have been completed and in use by the West Windsor–Plainsboro Soccer Association, as well as tennis, volleyball and basketball courts. Future plans include a playground, picnic areas, an amphitheater, and a fishing pond. [90]
West Windsor is governed under the Faulkner Act (formally known as the Optional Municipal Charter Law) within the mayor-council form of New Jersey municipal government (Plan 6), implemented based on the recommendations of a Charter Study Commission as of July 1, 1993. [3] [91] [92] The township is one of 71 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this form of government. [93] From the time of its formation in 1797, until 1993, the township was governed by a township committee, which combined both executive and legislative authority. In May 1993, West Windsor residents voted to change their form of government to a Faulkner Act form of government.
The governing body is comprised of the Mayor and the five-member Township Council. Under the township's mayor-council form of government, the mayor and council function as independent branches of government. The mayor is the chief executive of the township and heads its administration. The mayor is elected in a non-partisan election and serves for a four-year term. The mayor may attend council meetings but is not obligated to do so. The council is the legislative branch. The five members of the township council are elected on a non-partisan basis for four-year terms on a staggered basis, with either two seats (and the mayoral seat) or three seats up for vote in odd-numbered years as part of the November general election. At the annual organizational meeting held during the first week of January of each year, the Council elects a president and vice president to serve for one-year terms. The council president chairs the meetings of the governing body. [95] [96] Starting in 2011, the township's elections were shifted from May to November as part of an effort to lower costs of running standalone municipal elections and as part of an effort to increase voter participation. [97]
As of 2023 [update] , the mayor of West Windsor is Hemant Marathe, whose term of office ends December 31, 2025; [4] Marathe is the first Indian-American to serve as the township's mayor. [98] Members of the West Windsor Township Council are Council President Andrea Sue Mandel (2023), Council Vice President Michael Ray Stevens (2023), Sonia Gawas (2023), Linda Geevers (2023) and Martin Whitfield (2025). [99] [100] [101] [102] [103]
In June 2017, council president Peter Mendonez resigned from office. Council vice president Allison Miller was chosen to serve as acting council president and Jyotika Bahree was appointed to fill the vacant seat left by Miller expiring in December 2019. [104] In the November 2018 general election, Yingchao "YZ" Zhang was elected to serve the balance of the term of office. [105]
In June 2015, the township council selected Hemant Marathe to fill the vacant seat expiring December 2015 of Kristina Samonte, who had resigned from office in the previous month as she was relocating out of the township. [106]
West Windsor is located in the 12th Congressional District [107] and is part of New Jersey's 15th state legislative district. [108] [109] [110]
For the 118th United States Congress , New Jersey's 12th congressional district is represented by Bonnie Watson Coleman ( D , Ewing Township ). [111] [112] New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Democrats Cory Booker ( Newark , term ends 2027) [113] and George Helmy ( Mountain Lakes , term ends 2024). [114] [115]
For the 2024-2025 session , the 15th legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Shirley Turner ( D , Lawrence Township ) and in the General Assembly by Verlina Reynolds-Jackson (D, Trenton ) and Anthony Verrelli (D, Hopewell Township ). [116]
Mercer County is governed by a County Executive who oversees the day-to-day operations of the county and by a seven-member Board of County Commissioners that acts in a legislative capacity, setting policy. All officials are chosen at-large in partisan elections, with the executive serving a four-year term of office while the commissioners serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either two or three seats up for election each year as part of the November general election. [117] As of 2024 [update] , the County Executive is Daniel R. Benson (D, Hamilton Township) whose term of office ends December 31, 2027. [118] Mercer County's Commissioners are:
Lucylle R. S. Walter (D, Ewing Township, 2026), [119] Chair John A. Cimino (D, Hamilton Township, 2026), [120] Samuel T. Frisby Sr. (D, Trenton, 2024), [121] Cathleen M. Lewis (D, Lawrence Township, 2025), [122] Vice Chair Kristin L. McLaughlin (D, Hopewell Township, 2024), [123] Nina D. Melker (D, Hamilton Township, 2025) [124] and Terrance Stokes (D, Ewing Township, 2024). [125] [126] [127]
Mercer County's constitutional officers are: Clerk Paula Sollami-Covello (D, Lawrence Township, 2025), [128] [129] Sheriff John A. Kemler (D, Hamilton Township, 2026) [130] [131] and Surrogate Diane Gerofsky (D, Lawrence Township, 2026). [132] [133] [134]
As of March 2011, there were a total of 16,034 registered voters in West Windsor, of which 5,384 (33.6%) were registered as Democrats, 2,968 (18.5%) were registered as Republicans and 7,672 (47.8%) were registered as unaffiliated. There were 10 voters registered as Libertarians or Greens. [135]
Year | Republican | Democratic | Third Parties |
---|---|---|---|
2020 [136] | 22.2% 3,423 | 76.5%11,821 | 1.3% 208 |
2016 [137] | 24.6% 3,197 | 72.3%9,415 | 3.1% 404 |
2012 [138] | 35.7% 4,401 | 63.1%7,769 | 1.2% 148 |
2008 [139] | 33.3% 4,092 | 64.3%7,895 | 1.0% 125 |
2004 [140] | 39.3% 4,596 | 57.8%6,753 | 0.5% 79 |
In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 63.1% of the vote (7,769 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 35.7% (4,401 votes), and other candidates with 1.2% (148 votes), among the 14,045 ballots cast by the township's 17,891 registered voters (1,727 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 78.5%. [138] [141] In the 2008 presidential election, Obama received 64.3% of the vote (7,895 cast), ahead of Republican John McCain with 33.3% (4,092 votes) and other candidates with 1.0% (125 votes), among the 12,273 ballots cast by the township's 16,548 registered voters, for a turnout of 74.2%. [142]
Year | Republican | Democratic | Third Parties |
---|---|---|---|
2021 [143] | 27.6% 2,445 | 71.4%6,324 | 1.0% 84 |
2017 [144] | 32.9% 2,710 | 65.5%5,399 | 1.7% 139 |
2013 [145] | 63.0%4,983 | 35.3% 2,793 | 1.7% 137 |
2009 [146] | 43.4% 3,436 | 49.5%3,918 | 6.4% 508 |
2005 [147] | 44.1% 3,414 | 53.6%4,144 | 2.3% 176 |
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 63.0% of the vote (4,983 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 35.3% (2,793 votes), and other candidates with 1.7% (137 votes), among the 8,181 ballots cast by the township's 17,648 registered voters (268 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 46.4%. [145] [148] In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 49.5% of the vote (3,918 ballots cast), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 43.4% (3,436 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 6.0% (474 votes) and other candidates with 0.4% (34 votes), among the 7,914 ballots cast by the township's 16,267 registered voters, yielding a 48.7% turnout. [149]
West Windsor is the site of the West Windsor Campus of Mercer County Community College. [150]
Princeton University's satellite campus is located in West Windsor. [26]
West Windsor and Plainsboro are part of a combined school district, the West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District, which serves students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade from the two communities. [152] The district has four elementary schools (grades Pre-K/K–3), two upper elementary schools (grades 4 and 5), two middle schools (grades 6–8) and two high schools (grades 9–12). [153] As of the 2020–21 school year, the district, comprised of 10 schools, had an enrollment of 9,386 students and 773.2 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.1:1. [154] Schools in the district (with 2020–21 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics [155] ) are Dutch Neck Elementary School [156] (located in West Windsor: 704 students; in grades K-3), Maurice Hawk Elementary School [157] (West Windsor: 723; K-3), Town Center Elementary School [158] (Plainsboro: 431; PreK-2), J.V.B. Wicoff Elementary School [159] (Plainsboro: 349; K-3), Millstone River School [160] (Plainsboro: 967; 3–5), Village School [161] (West Windsor: 617; 4–5), Community Middle School [162] (Plainsboro: 1,131; 6–8), Thomas R. Grover Middle School [163] (West Windsor: 1,208; 6–8), West Windsor-Plainsboro High School North [164] (Plainsboro: 1,521; 9–12) and West Windsor-Plainsboro High School South [165] (West Windsor: 1,649; 9–12). [166] [167] [168] [169] The district is overseen by a directly elected nine-member board of education whose seats are allocated to the two constituent municipalities based on population, with five of the nine seats allocated to West Windsor. [170]
Three of the district's schools have been recognized by the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program. West Windsor-Plainsboro High School South was recognized during the 1992–1993 school year and Maurice Hawk Elementary School was recognized in 1993–1994, [171] while West Windsor-Plainsboro High School North was recognized in the 2006–2007 school year. [172]
Eighth grade students from all of Mercer County are eligible to apply to attend the high school programs offered by the Mercer County Technical Schools, a county-wide vocational school district that offers full-time career and technical education at its Health Sciences Academy, STEM Academy and Academy of Culinary Arts, with no tuition charged to students for attendance. [173] [174]
The Wilberforce School, a K–12 school founded in 2005 that offers a Classical Christian education, moved to new facilities in the township in 2014. [175]
As of 2010 [update] , the township had a total of 151.84 miles (244.36 km) of roadways, of which 123.43 miles (198.64 km) were maintained by the municipality, 24.16 miles (38.88 km) by Mercer County and 4.25 miles (6.84 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation. [176]
US 1 is the largest and busiest highway in West Windsor, crossing the northwestern sections of the township, oriented southwest to northeast. [177] CR 533 (Quakerbridge Road) passes along the western border with Lawrence. [178] CR 526 [179] and CR 571 [180] are multiplexed together from the northwestern part of the township until they split in the center of the municipality. CR 535 passes through in the south and serves Mercer County Community College. [181] New Jersey Route 64 is a short, unsigned state highway that runs 0.32 miles (0.51 km) concurrent with CR 526/CR 571 where they cross the Northeast Corridor rail line. [182]
Other major roads that are accessible in neighboring municipalities include: Interstate 295 in Hamilton and Lawrence, Interstate 195 in Hamilton and Robbinsville, and the New Jersey Turnpike (Interstate 95) in Robbinsville (Exit 7A) and East Windsor (Exit 8).
Princeton Junction station, a Northeast Corridor stop on Amtrak and NJ Transit, is located within West Windsor. Amtrak's Keystone Service and Northeast Regional routes stop at Princeton Junction which is ranked as one of the ten busiest train stations in the Northeast. [183] The station had 6,800 average weekday boardings in 2012, the fourth-highest of any NJ Transit station in the state. [183] [184]
Running between the Princeton Junction station and the Princeton station is what is known to locals as the "Dinky." The Dinky is a one-car train that shuttles back and forth many times a day between the two stations. Traveling 2.7 miles (4.3 km) each way, it is the shortest regularly scheduled passenger route in the United States. [185]
NJ Transit bus service to Trenton is provided via the 600, 603, 609, with other area service on the 605 route. [186] [187]
The Greater Mercer Transportation Management Association offers service on Route 130 between the West Windsor Campus of Mercer County Community College and East Windsor Township / Hightstown. [188] [189]
Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center is a 355-bed regional non-profit, tertiary and academic medical center located in neighboring Plainsboro Township. The hospital services the greater Princeton region in central New Jersey. It is owned by the Penn Medicine Health System and is the only such hospital in the state of New Jersey. [190] The PMC network offers a wide array of services at its main campus location in Plainsboro, along with its network of primary and specialty care through its family-based physician practice locations across Central Jersey. [191] [192] One of those physician practices has a primary and specialty care unit in West Windsor, located on Princeton-Hightstown Road. [193]
Other nearby regional hospitals and healthcare networks that are accessible to the township include CentraState Medical Center in nearby Freehold Township, the Old Bridge Township division of Raritan Bay Medical Center, and the Hamilton Township division of Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH). Saint Peter's University Hospital and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital are also located nearby in New Brunswick.
People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with West Windsor include:
Princeton is a borough in Mercer County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It was established on January 1, 2013, through the consolidation of the Borough of Princeton and Princeton Township, both of which are now defunct. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 30,681, an increase of 2,109 (+7.4%) from the 2010 census combined count of 28,572. In the 2000 census, the two communities had a total population of 30,230, with 14,203 residents in the borough and 16,027 in the township.
Mercer County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Its county seat is Trenton, also the state capital, prompting its nickname The Capital County. Mercer County alone constitutes the Trenton–Princeton metropolitan statistical area and is considered part of the New York combined statistical area by the U.S. Census Bureau, but also directly borders the Philadelphia metropolitan area and is included within the Federal Communications Commission's Philadelphia Designated Media Market Area. The county is part of the Central Jersey region of the state.
East Windsor is a township in Mercer County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Located at the cross-roads between the Delaware Valley region to the southwest and the Raritan Valley region to the northeast, the township is an outer-ring suburb of New York City in the New York Metropolitan area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, but directly borders the Philadelphia metropolitan area and is part of the Federal Communications Commission's Philadelphia Designated Market Area. Since East Windsor is situated at the confluence of several major highways that serve both the major cities of New York City and Philadelphia, and even the local commercial hubs of nearby Freehold, Princeton, and the state capital of Trenton, the community has been a longtime residential, commercial, and industrial hub in the heart of Central New Jersey.
Hamilton Township is a township and the most populous municipality in Mercer County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is the largest suburb of Trenton, the state's capital, which is located to the township's west. The township is situated within the New York metropolitan area as defined by the United States Census Bureau but directly borders the Philadelphia metropolitan area and is part of the Federal Communications Commission's Philadelphia Designated Market Area. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 92,297, its highest decennial count ever and an increase of 3,833 (+4.3%) from the 2010 census count of 88,464, which in turn reflected an increase of 1,355 (+1.6%) from the 2000 census count of 87,109. The township was the state's ninth-largest municipality in 2010 and 2020, after having been ranked 10th in 2000.
Hightstown is a borough in Mercer County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Nestled within the Raritan Valley region, Hightstown is an historic, commercial, and cultural hub of Central New Jersey, along with being a diverse outer-ring commuter suburb of New York City in the New York Metropolitan Area. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 5,900, its highest decennial count ever and an increase of 406 (+7.4%) from the 5,494 recorded at the 2010 census, which in turn reflected an increase of 278 (+5.3%) from the 5,216 counted in the 2000 census.
Hopewell is a borough in Mercer County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Centrally located within the Raritan Valley region, this historical settlement is an exurban commuter suburb of New York City in the New York metropolitan area as defined by the United States Census Bureau. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 1,918, a decrease of 4 (−0.2%) from the 2010 census count of 1,922, which in turn had reflected a decline of 113 (−5.6%) from the 2,035 counted at the 2000 census.
Hopewell Township is a township in Mercer County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Located at the cross-roads between the Delaware Valley region to the southwest and the Raritan Valley region to the northeast, the township considered an exurb of New York City in the New York metropolitan area as defined by the United States Census Bureau, while also directly bordering the Philadelphia metropolitan area, being a part of the Federal Communications Commission's Philadelphia Designated Market Area. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 17,491, its highest decennial count ever and an increase of 187 (+1.1%) from the 2010 census count of 17,304, which in turn reflected an increase of 1,199 (+7.4%) from the 16,105 counted in the 2000 census.
Lawrence Township is a township in Mercer County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Located at the cross-roads between the Delaware Valley region to the southwest and the Raritan Valley region to the northeast, the township is an outer-ring suburb of New York City in the New York Metropolitan area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, while also directly bordering the Philadelphia metropolitan area and is part of the Federal Communications Commission's Philadelphia Designated Market Area.
Pennington is a borough in Mercer County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The borough is located at the cross-roads between the Delaware Valley region to the southwest and the Raritan Valley region to the northeast. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 2,802, its highest decennial count ever and an increase of 217 (+8.4%) from the 2010 census count of 2,585, which in turn had reflected a decline of 111 (−4.1%) from the 2,696 counted in the 2000 census.
Princeton Township was a township in Mercer County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, that existed from 1838 until the end of 2012. On January 1, 2013, it merged with the Borough of Princeton to form Princeton, New Jersey; both Princeton Township and the Borough of Princeton were dissolved in the merger.
Princeton Junction is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within West Windsor township, Mercer County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 census, the CDP's population was 2,475.
Robbinsville Township is a township in Mercer County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is located on the border of the New York metropolitan area and the Philadelphia metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 15,476, its highest decennial count ever. Inspired by its central geographical location within New Jersey, Robbinsville's motto is Be at the Center of it All.
Cranbury is a township in southern Middlesex County, within the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 3,842, a decrease of 15 (−0.4%) from the 2010 census count of 3,857, which in turn reflected an increase of 630 (+19.5%) from the 3,227 counted in the 2000 census.
Plainsboro Township is a township situated in southern Middlesex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Centrally located in the Raritan Valley region, the township is an outer-ring suburb of New York City in the New York metropolitan area, even though it is slightly geographically closer to Center City, Philadelphia than to Midtown Manhattan. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 24,084, its highest decennial count ever and an increase of 1,085 (+4.7%) from the 22,999 recorded at the 2010 census, which in turn reflected an increase of 2,784 (+13.8%) from the 20,215 counted in the 2000 census.
Clarksburg is an unincorporated community located within Millstone Township in Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The area is served as United States Postal Service ZIP code 08510.
The Borough of Princeton was a borough of New Jersey that existed from 1813 until the end of 2012. On January 1, 2013, it merged with Princeton Township to form Princeton, New Jersey; both the Borough of Princeton and Princeton Township were dissolved in the merger.
The West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District is a comprehensive high achieving regional public school district in the U.S. state of New Jersey, serving students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade from West Windsor Township and Plainsboro Township. There are four elementary schools, two upper elementary schools, two middle schools and two high schools. Niche.com listed the district as fourth best in New Jersey, and 63rd best in the nation, according to its 2023 Best Schools ranking.
West Windsor-Plainsboro High School North, also known as WW-P North or North, is a four-year public comprehensive high school located in Plainsboro Township in Middlesex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The school serves students in ninth through twelfth grades. The school joins West Windsor-Plainsboro High School South as the two secondary schools of the West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District, a school district serving students from West Windsor and Plainsboro Township.
West Windsor-Plainsboro High School South, is a four-year comprehensive public high school located in the Princeton Junction section of West Windsor in Mercer County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, serving students in ninth through twelfth grades. The school is part of the West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District, a regional school district serving students from West Windsor and from Plainsboro Township. It is one of two high schools in the district, the other being West Windsor-Plainsboro High School North.
New Jersey's 12th congressional district is represented by Democrat Bonnie Watson Coleman, who has served in Congress since 2015. The district is known for its research centers and educational institutions such as Princeton University, Rider University, The College of New Jersey, Institute for Advanced Study, Johnson & Johnson and Bristol-Myers Squibb. The district is primarily suburban in character, covering portions of Mercer, Somerset, Union, and Middlesex counties, although the district contains the state capital of Trenton as well as the smaller city of Plainfield.