South Toms River, New Jersey

South Toms River is a borough in Ocean County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 3,643,

South Toms River was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 28, 1927, from portions of Berkeley Township, based on the results of a referendum held on May 3, 1927. The borough was named for the Toms River and the neighboring community of Toms River, which were named for Capt. William Tom.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 1.21 square miles (3.13 km2), including 1.16 square miles (3.00 km2) of land and 0.05 square miles (0.13 km2) of water (4.21%).

South Toms River sits on the south side of the Toms River, across from Toms River Township. The borough is one of 11 municipalities in Ocean County that are part of the Toms River watershed.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, South Toms River had a population of 3,643. The median age was 33.3 years. 27.2% of residents were under the age of 18 and 10.4% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 93.9 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 90.2 males age 18 and over.

100.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.0% lived in rural areas.

There were 1,081 households in South Toms River, of which 45.5% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 49.1% were married-couple households, 14.4% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 28.6% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 12.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States census

There were 1,073 households, out of which 43.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.2% were married couples living together, 22.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 15.9% were non-families. 12.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.39 and the average family size was 3.63. 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 South Toms River 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 South Toms River Borough is Republican Oscar Cradle, whose term of office ends December 31, 2026. Members of the Borough Council are Council President Sandford Ross Jr. (R, 2023), Samuel S. Fennell (R, 2024), Tanya M. Mosley (R, 2025), Edward F. Murray (R, 2023), Kayla Rolzhausen (R, 2024; appointed to serve an unexpired term) and Thomas Rolzhausen (R, 2025).

In January 2023, Kayla Rolzhausen was appointed to fill the borough council seat expiring in December 2024 that had been held by Oscar Cradle and became vacant when he took office as mayor. Rolzhausen will serve on an interim basis until the November 2023 general election, when voters will select a candidate to serve the balance of the term of office.

Federal, state, and county representation

South Toms River is located in the 4th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 10th state legislative district.

Politics

South Toms River voted for Democrat Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election and was one of only two municipalities in Ocean County that incumbent Republican President Donald Trump didn’t win that year. As of March 2011, there were a total of 2,065 registered voters in South Toms River, of which 562 (27.2%) were registered as Democrats, 345 (16.7%) were registered as Republicans and 1,157 (56.0%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There was one voter registered to another party. Among the borough's 2010 Census population, 56.1% (vs. 63.2% in Ocean County) were registered to vote, including 77.9% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 82.6% countywide).

In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 64.6% of the vote (802 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 33.1% (411 votes), and other candidates with 2.3% (28 votes), among the 1,257 ballots cast by the borough's 2,149 registered voters (16 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 58.5%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 60.9% of the vote (879 cast), ahead of Republican John McCain with 36.9% (533 votes) and other candidates with 1.4% (20 votes), among the 1,443 ballots cast by the borough's 2,233 registered voters, for a turnout of 64.6%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 49.1% of the vote (627 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry with 48.6% (621 votes) and other candidates with 1.1% (22 votes), among the 1,277 ballots cast by the borough's 2,073 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 61.6.

{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; font-size:95%;"

|+ Presidential Elections Results

!Year

!Republican

!Democratic

!Third Parties

| style="text-align:center;" |2024

| style="text-align:center;" |52.2% 713

| style="text-align:center;" |45.4% 620

| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;" |2.4% 29

| style="text-align:center;" |2020

| style="text-align:center;" |46.1% 730

| style="text-align:center;" |51.1% 810

| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;" |2.8% 36

| style="text-align:center;" |2016

| style="text-align:center;" |48.9% 623

| style="text-align:center;" |48.0% 611

| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;" |3.1% 40

| style="text-align:center;" |2012

| style="text-align:center;" |33.1% 411

| style="text-align:center;" |64.6% 802

| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;" |2.3% 28

| style="text-align:center;" |2008

| style="text-align:center;" |36.9% 533

| style="text-align:center;" |60.9% 879

| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;" |1.4% 20

| style="text-align:center;" |2004

| style="text-align:center;" |49.1% 627

| style="text-align:center;" |48.6% 621

| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;" |1.1% 22

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 66.3% of the vote (473 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 31.8% (227 votes), and other candidates with 1.8% (13 votes), among the 736 ballots cast by the borough's 2,072 registered voters (23 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 35.5%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 52.8% of the vote (431 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 37.0% (302 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 6.1% (50 votes) and other candidates with 1.8% (15 votes), among the 816 ballots cast by the borough's 2,157 registered voters, yielding a 37.8% turnout.

Education

Public school students in kindergarten through twelfth grade attend the Toms River Regional Schools, a regional public school district based primarily in Toms River Township that also serves students from Beachwood, Pine Beach and South Toms River. The district's board of education has nine members; seats are allocated based on population, with one seat allocated to South Toms River. As of the 2018–19 school year, the district, comprised of 18 schools, had an enrollment of 15,472 students and 1,171.6 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 13.2:1.

Transportation

thumb|right|The southbound [[Garden State Parkway at Exit 80 in South Toms River]]

Roads and highways

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

The Garden State Parkway bisects the borough, connecting Beachwood to the south and Berkeley Township to the north, and includes Interchange 80.

U.S. Route 9 heads from Beachwood to the east and begins a concurrency with the Garden State Parkway at exit 80. County Route 530 (Dover Road / South Main Street) traverses the borough from Berkeley Township to the southwest to its eastern terminus just over the border with Toms River Township. Route 166 (Main Street) clips the northeastern corner of the borough, running from Beachwood in the south to Toms River in the north.

Public transportation

NJ Transit provides bus service between the borough and Atlantic City on the 559 bus route.

References

External links

Borough of South Toms River
Manitou Park Fire Company – Station 18
Toms River Regional Schools
School Data for the Toms River Regional Schools, National Center for Education Statistics