Laurel Springs is a borough in Camden County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 1,978,

Laurel Springs was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 2, 1913, from portions of Clementon Township, based on the results of a referendum held on May 1, 1913. The borough was named for its therapeutic springs situated in laurel groves.

In 2021, the borough had the 11th-highest property tax rate in New Jersey, with an equalized rate of 4.803% in 2020, compared to 3.470% in the county as a whole and a statewide average of 2.279%.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 0.46 square miles (1.19&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>), including 0.45 square miles (1.17&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>) of land and 0.01 square miles (0.02&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>) of water (2.17%).

Laurel Springs borders the Camden County municipalities of Lindenwold and Stratford.

Demographics

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 1,908 people, 727 households, and 506 families in the borough. The population density was . There were 771 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup was 92.87% (1,772) White, 3.46% (66) Black or African American, 0.10% (2) Native American, 1.00% (19) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 1.31% (25) from other races, and 1.26% (24) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.88% (74) of the population.

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States census

There were 762 households, out of which 32.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.5% were married couples living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.9% were non-families. 26.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.16. The governing body is comprised of a mayor and a borough council, with all positions elected at-large on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. A 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 Laurel Springs 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 Laurel Springs Borough is Democrat Thomas A. "Tom" Barbera, whose term of office ends December 31, 2023. Members of the Laurel Springs Borough Council are Council President James W. "Jim" Redstreake (R, 2024), Joseph Cruz (D, 2023), Samuel V. Del Pidio (R, 2023), Susan DiGregorio (D, 2024), Sarah Bolam DiMarco (D, 2025) and Marc A. Riondino (D, 2025).

Federal, state and county representation

Laurel Springs is located in the 1st Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 6th state legislative district.

Politics

As of March 2011, there were a total of 1,339 registered voters in Laurel Springs, of which 500 (37.3%) were registered as Democrats, 293 (21.9%) were registered as Republicans and 545 (40.7%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There was one voter registered to another party.

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In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 58.9% of the vote (558 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 39.5% (374 votes), and other candidates with 1.6% (15 votes), among the 962 ballots cast by the borough's 1,422 registered voters (15 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 67.7%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 55.7% of the vote (583 cast), ahead of Republican John McCain, who received around 40.3% (422 votes), with 1,047 ballots cast among the borough's 1,346 registered voters, for a turnout of 77.8%. In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 55.6% of the vote (583 ballots cast), outpolling Republican George W. Bush, who received around 42.9% (450 votes), with 1,048 ballots cast among the borough's 1,328 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 78.9.

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In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 63.5% of the vote (371 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 34.6% (202 votes), and other candidates with 1.9% (11 votes), among the 598 ballots cast by the borough's 1,438 registered voters (14 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 41.6%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 45.8% of the vote (324 ballots cast), ahead of both Democrat Jon Corzine with 43.5% (308 votes) and Independent Chris Daggett with 7.2% (51 votes), with 708 ballots cast among the borough's 1,368 registered voters, yielding a 51.8% turnout.

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Education

The Laurel Springs School District serves public school students in pre-kindergarten through sixth grade at Laurel Spring School. As of the 2021–22 school year, the district, comprised of one school, had an enrollment of 177 students and 15.4 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.5:1.

For seventh and eighth grades, students from Laurel Springs attend Samuel S. Yellin Elementary School in Stratford as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Stratford School District. As of the 2021–22 school year, Yellin School had an enrollment of 484 students and 41.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.7:1.

For ninth grade through twelfth grade, public school students attend Sterling High School, a regional high school district that also serves students from Magnolia, Somerdale and Stratford, along with the sending districts of Hi-Nella and Laurel Springs. The high school is located in Somerdale. As of the 2021–22 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 897 students and 70.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.8:1.

Transportation

thumb|right|[[U.S. Route 30 in New Jersey|U.S. Route 30 westbound along the northeast edge of Laurel Springs]]

Roads and highways

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

U.S. Route 30 is the main highway serving Laurel Springs. It runs along the northeast side of the borough, connecting it with Lindenwold and Stratford.

Public transportation

NJ Transit offers service between the borough and Atlantic City on the 554 route, with local bus service offered on the 451 and 459 routes.

Notable people

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

  • Daniel J. Dalton (born 1949), politician who served as New Jersey Senate Majority Leader and as Secretary of State of New Jersey
  • Ray Narleski (1928–2012), relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played with the Cleveland Indians (1954–1958) and Detroit Tigers (1959)
  • Jacob Rupertus (1822/1823–1921), handgun designer and manufacturer
  • William Burns Smith (1844–1917), politician who was the 74th Mayor of Philadelphia, serving from 1884 to 1887
  • Walt Whitman (1819–1892), poet who made his summer home here

References

  • Laurel Springs Borough website
  • Laurel Springs Fire Department website
  • Laurel Spring School website
  • Data for Laurel Spring School, National Center for Education Statistics
  • Stratford School District
  • Sterling High School