The county is part of the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ metropolitan statistical area in the Lehigh Valley.
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 109,632. The median age was 44.4 years. 19.9% of residents were under the age of 18 and 18.8% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 94.9 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 93.0 males age 18 and over.
The racial makeup of the county was 79.2% White, 5.4% Black or African American, 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.7% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 4.2% from some other race, and 8.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 11.2% of the population.
There were 43,327 households in the county, of which 28.3% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 50.9% were married-couple households, 17.0% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 25.3% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 27.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
!Pop 1990
!Pop 2000
!Pop 2010
!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" | Pop 2020
!% 1980
!% 1990
!% 2000
!% 2010
!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" |% 2020
|-
|White alone (NH)
|82,024
|87,697
|94,405
|93,165
|style='background: #ffffe6; |84,255
|97.15%
|95.73%
|92.16%
|85.71%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |76.85%
|-
|Black or African American alone (NH)
|909
|1,240
|1,838
|3,592
|style='background: #ffffe6; |5,573
|1.08%
|1.35%
|1.79%
|3.30%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |5.08%
|-
|Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)
|59
|112
|98
|107
|style='background: #ffffe6; |96
|0.07%
|0.12%
|0.10%
|0.10%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.09%
|-
|Asian alone (NH)
|369
|738
|1,235
|2,642
|style='background: #ffffe6; |2,886
|0.44%
|0.81%
|1.21%
|2.43%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |2.63%
|-
|Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)
|x
|x
|15
|19
|style='background: #ffffe6; |28
|x
|x
|0.01%
|0.02%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.03%
|-
|Other race alone (NH)
|107
|36
|110
|140
|style='background: #ffffe6; |500
|0.13%
|0.04%
|0.11%
|0.13%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.46%
|-
|Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)
|x
|x
|985
|1,368
|style='background: #ffffe6; |4,069
|x
|x
|0.96%
|1.26%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |3.71%
|-
|Hispanic or Latino (any race)
|961
|1,784
|3,751
|7,659
|style='background: #ffffe6; |12,225
|1.14%
|1.95%
|3.66%
|7.05%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |11.15%
|-
|Total
|84,429
|91,607
|102,437
|108,692
|style='background: #ffffe6; |109,632
|100.00%
|100.00%
|100.00%
|100.00%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |100.00%
|}
2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 108,692 people, 41,480 households, and 28,870 families in the county. The population density was . There were 44,925 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup was 90.29% (98,137) White, 3.51% (3,818) Black or African American, 0.14% (155) Native American, 2.46% (2,673) Asian, 0.03% (30) Pacific Islander, 1.81% (1,964) from other races, and 1.76% (1,915) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 7.05% (7,659) of the population. there were 102,437 people, 38,660 households, and 27,487 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 41,157 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 94.54% White, 1.87% Black or African American, 0.11% Native American, 1.21% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.01% from other races, and 1.24% from two or more races. 3.66% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Among those residents listing their ancestry, 24.1% were of German, 19.7% Irish, 18.7% Italian, 9.8% English, 8.9% Polish and 4.4% American ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 38,660 households out of which 34.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.20% were married couples living together, 9.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.90% were non-families. 24.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.12.
Economy
The Bureau of Economic Analysis calculated that the county's gross domestic product was $3.7 billion in 2021, which was ranked smallest of the state's 21 counties and was a 3.6% increase from the prior year.
Viticulture
thumb|A farm in [[Franklin Township, Warren County, New Jersey|Franklin Township in Warren County in July 2009]]
Most of Warren County is designated in the Warren Hills American Viticultural Area (AVA) including five active county wineries:
- Alba Vineyard
- Brook Hollow Winery
- Four Sisters Winery
- Vacchiano Farm
- Villa Milagro Vineyards
Municipalities
thumb|A map of Warren County municipalities (click to see an index key)
The 22 municipalities in Warren County, with Census-designated places (CDPs) and other communities listed, are:
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Municipality<br>(with map key)
!Map key
! Mun.<br>type
! Pop.
! Housing<br>units
! Total<br>area
! Water<br>area
! Land<br>Area
! Pop.<br>density
! Housing<br>density
! School district
! Communities
|-
|Allamuchy<br>Township
|17|| township || 5,335 || 2,096 || 20.76 || 0.31 || 20.45 || 211.3 || 102.5 || Hackettstown (9–12) (S/R)<br>Allamuchy (PK-8) || Allamuchy CDP (156)<br>Panther Valley CDP (4,391)
|-
|Alpha
|5|| borough || 2,328 || 1,032 || 1.70 || 0.03 || 1.67 || 1,417.2 || 617.4 || Phillipsburg (9–12) (S/R)<br>Alpha (PK-8) ||
|-
|Belvidere
|3|| town || 2,520 || 1,140 || 1.49 || 0.04 || 1.45 || 1,847.0 || 785.4 || Belvidere ||
|-
|Blairstown<br>Township
|21|| township || 5,704 || 2,272 || 31.70 || 0.89 || 30.82 || 193.6 || 73.7 || North Warren (7–12)<br>Blairstown (K-6) || Blairstown CDP (493)<br>Hainesburg CDP (part; 422)<br>Paulina
|-
|Franklin<br>Township
|10|| township || 2,968 || 1,219 || 24.13 || 0.09 || 24.04 || 132.1 || 50.7 || Warren Hills (7–12) <br>Franklin Township (PK-6) || Asbury CDP (270)<br>Broadway CDP (213)<br>New Village CDP (399)
|-
|Frelinghuysen<br>Township
|18|| township || 2,199 || 826 || 23.57 || 0.24 || 23.32 || 95.6 || 35.4 || North Warren (7–12)<br>Frelinghuysen (PK-6) || Johnsonburg CDP (381)<br>Marksboro CDP (186)
|-
|Greenwich<br>Township
|7|| township || 5,473 || 1,870 || 10.54 || 0.01 || 10.53 || 542.5 || 177.6 || Phillipsburg (9–12) (S/R)<br>Greenwich (PK-8) || Greenwich CDP (2,558)<br>Stewartsville CDP (636)<br>Upper Stewartsville CDP (329)
|-
|Hackettstown
|1|| town || 10,248 || 3,755 || 3.71 || 0.10 || 3.61 || 2,696.1 || 1,041.1 || Hackettstown ||
|-
|Hardwick<br>Township
|22|| township || 1,598 || 619 || 37.92 || 1.32 || 36.60 || 46.3 || 16.9 || North Warren (7–12) <br>Blairstown (K-6) ||
|-
|Harmony<br>Township
|9|| township || 2,503 || 1,109 || 24.08 || 0.38 || 23.70 || 112.5 || 46.8 || Belvidere (9–12) (S/R)<br>Harmony (PK-8) || Brainards CDP (194)<br>Harmony CDP (374)<br>Hutchinson CDP (103)
|-
|Hope<br>Township
|19|| township || 1,835 || 809 || 18.84 || 0.22 || 18.62 || 104.8 || 43.4 || Belvidere (9–12) (S/R)<br>Hope Township (PK-8) || Hope CDP (256)<br>Mount Hermon CDP (172)<br>Silver Lake CDP (368)
|-
|Independence<br>Township
|16|| township || 5,469 || 2,325 || 19.89 || 0.15 || 19.74 || 286.8 || 117.8 || Hackettstown (9–12) (S/R)<br>Great Meadows (K-8) || Great Meadows CDP (305)<br>Vienna CDP (881)
|-
|Knowlton<br>Township
|20|| township || 2,894 || 1,212 || 25.33 || 0.58 || 24.75 || 123.4 || 49.0 || North Warren (7–12) <br>Knowlton (PK-6) || Columbia CDP (215)<br>Delaware CDP (173)<br>Hainesburg CDP (part; 422)<br>Warrington
|-
|Liberty
|14|| township || 2,670 || 1,151 || 11.87 || 0.26 || 11.60 || 253.6 || 99.2 || Hackettstown (9–12) (S/R)<br>Great Meadows (K-8) || Mountain Lake CDP (494)<br>Townsbury
|-
|Lopatcong
|8|| township || 8,776 || 3,420 || 7.16 || 0.06 || 7.10 || 1,129.0 || 481.8 || Phillipsburg (9–12) (S/R)<br>Lopatcong (PK-8) || Delaware Park CDP (739)<br>Lopatcong Overlook CDP (692)
|-
|Mansfield<br>Township
|15|| township || 7,781 || 3,316 || 29.93 || 0.11 || 29.82 || 259.1 || 111.2 || Warren Hills (7–12)<br>Mansfield (PK-6) || Anderson CDP (306)<br>Beattystown CDP (4,701)<br>Port Murray CDP (227)
|-
|Oxford<br>Township
|12|| township || 2,444 || 1,033 || 5.89 || 0.10 || 5.79 || 434.5 || 178.5 || Warren Hills (9–12) (S/R)<br>Oxford (K-8) || Oxford CDP (1,033)
|-
|Phillipsburg
|4|| town || 15,249 || 6,607 || 3.31 || 0.12 || 3.19 || 4,682.1 || 2,069.2 || Phillipsburg ||
|-
|Pohatcong
|6|| township || 3,241 || 1,420 || 13.71 || 0.36 || 13.36 || 250.0 || 106.3 || Phillipsburg (9–12) (S/R)<br>Pohatcong (PK-8) || Carpentersville<br>Finesville CDP (364)<br>Hughesville<br>Upper Pohatcong CDP (1,714)
|-
|Washington<br>Borough
|2|| borough || 7,299 || 2,897 || 1.95 || 0.00 || 1.94 || 3,326.8 || 1,491.7 || Warren Hills (7–12)<br>Washington Borough (PK-6) ||
|-
|Washington<br>Township
|11|| township || 6,492 || 2,493 || 17.75 || 0.09 || 17.66 || 376.6 || 141.1 || Warren Hills (7–12)<br>Washington Township (PK-6) || Brass Castle CDP (1,536)<br>Changewater<br>Port Colden CDP (260)
|-
|White
|13|| township || 4,606 || 2,304 || 27.63 || 0.48 || 27.15 || 179.8 || 84.9 || Belvidere (9–12) (S/R)<br>White Township (PK-8) || Bridgeville CDP (229)<br>Brookfield CDP (727)<br>Buttzville CDP (205)<br>Foul Rift (ghost town)
|-
|Warren County
| || county || 109,632 || 44,925 || 362.86 || 5.94 || 356.92 || 304.5 || 125.9
|}
Historical municipalities
- Pahaquarry Township (1854-1997)
Government
County government
thumb|[[Warren County Courthouse (New Jersey)|Warren County Courthouse in Belvidere, in November 2016]]
Warren County is governed by the three-member Warren County Board of County Commissioners who are chosen at-large on a staggered basis in partisan elections with one seat coming up for election each year as part of the November general election. At an annual reorganization meeting held at the beginning of January, the board selects one of its members to serve as director and another as deputy director. In 2016, commissioners were paid $24,000 and the head Commissioner had an annual salary of $25,000. , Warren County's Commissioners are (with terms for director and deputy director ending every December 31):
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Commissioner
! Party, residence, term
|-
| Deputy Director James R. Kern III
| R, Pohatcong Township, 2027
|-
| Commissioner Director Jason J. Sarnoski
| R, Lopatcong Township, 2025
|-
| Lori Ciesla
| R, Lopatcong Township, 2026
|}
Former commissioners
No Democrat has been elected to countywide office since 1997.
- 2012–2018 Edward Smith (R)
- 2004–12 – Everett Chamberlain (R)
- 2010 – Angelo Accetturo (R)
- 2001–03 – Michael J. Doherty (R)
- 2001–09 – John DiMaio (R)
- 2000–02 – James DeBosh (D)
- 1997–99 – Stephen Lance (R)
- 1996-00 – Ann Stone (D)
- 1993-01 – Susan Dickey (R)
- 1989–94 – Jacob Matthenius (R)
- 1988–96 – Kenneth Miller (R)
- 1986–88 – Anthony Fowler (R)
- 1984–87 – Charles Lee (R)
- 1981–83 – George Thompson (R)
- 1980–82 – Kenneth Keyes (R)
- 1979–81 – Chuck Haytaian (R)
- 1977–79 – Christopher Maier (D)
- 1976–78 – Irene Smith (D)
- 1975–77 – Benjamin Bosco (D)
- 1974–76 – Raymond Stem (D)
- 1973–75 – Frank Seney (R)
- 1968–73 – Herman Shotwell (D)
Pursuant to Article VII Section II of the New Jersey State Constitution, each county in New Jersey is required to have three elected administrative officials known as "constitutional officers." These officers are the County Clerk and County Surrogate (both elected for five-year terms of office) and the County Sheriff (elected for a three-year term). Constitutional officers of Warren County are:
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Title
! Representative
|-
| County Clerk
| Holly Mackey (R, Alpha, 2027)
|-
| Sheriff
| Sheriff James McDonald Sr. (R, Phillipsburg, 2025)
|-
| Surrogate
| Surrogate Michael J. Doherty (R, Washington Township, 2025)
|}
The county's prosecutor is James L. Pfeiffer of Pohatcong, who was nominated by Governor of New Jersey Phil Murphy and sworn into office in November 2019 after being confirmed by the New Jersey Senate. Warren County is a part of Vicinage 13 of the New Jersey Superior Court (along with Somerset County and Hunterdon County), which is seated at the Somerset County Courthouse in Somerville; the Assignment Judge for Vicinage 15 is the Honorable Yolanda Ciccone. The Warren County Courthouse is in Belvidere. Law enforcement at the county level is provided by the Warren County Sheriff's Office and the Warren County Prosecutor's Office. Emergency services are provided by the Warren County Public Safety Department and the county's municipal fire and police departments.
Federal representatives
Warren County falls entirely within the 7th congressional district.
State representatives
The 22 municipalities of Warren County are represented by two separate legislative districts.
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!District
!Senator
!Assembly
<!-- PresRow should be -->
Warren County has long been a consistently conservative county in local, state, and national elections, much like neighboring Sussex County. All of its state legislators and countywide elected officials are Republicans, as are the vast majority of municipal officials. The county has not backed a Democrat for president since 1964, and has only done so four times since 1920. No Democrat has carried the county in a gubernatorial election since 1977. As of June 1, 2024, there were a total of 87,537 registered voters in Warren County, of whom 35,756 (40.8%) were registered as Republicans, 23,346 (26.7%) were registered as Democrats and 26,938 (30.8%) were registered as unaffiliated. There were 1,497 voters (1.7%) registered to other parties.
State elections
Transportation
thumb|[[Lehigh Valley International Airport outside Allentown in March 2014]]
Roads and highways
, the county had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the local municipality, by Warren County and by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and by the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission.
The county has a few notable state and federal roads. The chief state routes are Route 31, a north–south road that runs from Buttzville in White Township to Trenton, and Route 57 that runs between Lopatcong Township to Hackettstown. Route 94 in the northern part runs through Blairstown into New York state via Newton and the rest of Sussex County. Route 173 runs near Bloomsbury into Hunterdon County, terminating at Clinton and Annandale. Route 182 serves as one of the commercial areas of Hackettstown, & Route 122 serves as one of the commercial areas of Phillipsburg. The US Routes are U.S. Route 22 in the Phillipsburg area and U.S. Route 46 runs from Columbia to Hackettstown in the northern section. The two interstates that pass through are the Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway (Interstate 78), and the Bergen-Passaic Expressway (Interstate 80).
Air
By air, the county is served by Lehigh Valley International Airport in Allentown. Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark is located east of the county.
Bus
Warren County contracts with Easton Coach to provide demand-responsive service and limited fixed-route service along the Route 31 and Route 57 corridors. NJ Transit operates the No. 890 and No. 891 buses in the Phillipsburg area.
Rail
Warren County has a single NJ Transit train stop, located at the Hackettstown station on the Montclair-Boonton Line and the Morristown Line.
Norfolk Southern Railway's Lehigh Line, formerly the mainline of the Lehigh Valley Railroad, runs through southern Warren County on its way to Phillipsburg.
Education
thumb|[[Centenary University in Hackettstown in April 2020]]
Colleges
- Centenary University is a private college located in Hackettstown that is affiliated with the United Methodist Church.
- Warren County Community College, in Washington Township, offers both associate and bachelor's degree programs and certificate programs. The college serves approximately 1,700 full-time and part-time students, in addition to students in non-credit programs and courses. The college is able to offer bachelor programs through partnerships with four-year colleges.
Private secondary schools
thumb|The waterfall and footbridge at [[Blair Academy, a private boarding school in Blairstown, in October 2020]]
- Blair Academy is a college preparatory school located in Blairstown, founded in 1848 with a gift from John Insley Blair.
School districts
School districts in Warren County include:
;K-12 districts:
- Belvidere School District
- Hackettstown School District
- Phillipsburg School District
- Warren County Special Services School District
;Secondary districts:
- North Warren Regional High School 7–12
- Warren County Vocational School District 9–12
- Warren Hills Regional School District 7–12
;Elementary districts:
- Alpha School District K–8
- Allamuchy Township School District K–8
- Blairstown Township School District K–6
- Franklin Township School District (Warren County, New Jersey) K–6
- Frelinghuysen Township School District K–6
- Great Meadows Regional School District K–8
- Greenwich Township School District K–8
- Harmony Township School District K–8
- Hope Township School District K–8
- Knowlton Township School District K–6
- Lopatcong Township School District K–8
- Mansfield Township School District K–6
- Oxford Township School District K–8
- Pohatcong Township School District K–8
- Washington Borough Public Schools K–6
- Washington Township School District K–6
- White Township School District K–8
Public high schools
- Belvidere High School, a part of the Belvidere School District (PreK-12) with students attending from Harmony, Hope and White townships
- Hackettstown High School, a part of the Hackettstown School District (PreK-12) with students from Allamuchy, Independence, and Liberty townships
- North Warren Regional High School, which serves the northern townships of Blairstown (where the school is located), Frelinghuysen, Hardwick and Knowlton
- Phillipsburg High School, a part of the Phillipsburg School District (PreK-12) with students attending from Alpha Borough and the Townships of Greenwich, Lopatcong and Pohatcong.
- Warren County Technical School serves the entire county. It includes grades 9–12 and also has a post secondary night school.
- Warren Hills Regional High School, a part of the Warren Hills Regional School District that serves the Borough of Washington, and the Townships of Washington, Mansfield, Franklin and Oxford (9–12 only)
Parks and Recreation
Warren County borders the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area and the Middle Delaware National Scenic River. Warren County has many areas for hunting and fishing. The New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife houses its Pequest Fish Hatchery, which produces trout and other fish, in Warren County about five miles northeast of Oxford, along U.S. Route 46. Thousands of trout are raised in this hatchery and also serves as an educational center for other outdoor activity. Wildlife Management Areas in the county include White Lake, Oxford Lake, and the Pequest River W.M.A. The five major rivers or creeks for fishing in Warren County are the Paulinskill, the Pequest, the Musconetcong, Pohatcong Creek, as well as the Delaware River. Merrill Creek Reservoir, located in Harmony Township, is also stocked with fish and has game in the surrounding woods.
See also
- Musconetcong County, New Jersey, a proposed county in the 19th Century from parts of Warren and Hunterdon Counties
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Warren County, New Jersey
References
External links
- Official website
- Warren County news at The Express-Times
- Warren County news at NJ.com