Woodbury Heights is a borough in Gloucester County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 3,098,

Woodbury Heights was formed as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 6, 1915, from portions of Deptford Township, based on the results of a referendum held on April 27, 1915. Portions were exchanged with Woodbury in 1925, and portions of the city were annexed on March 22, 1938. Portions were exchanged with Deptford Township in 1956 and other portions were annexed from the township in 1965. The borough was named for the city of Woodbury, which in turn was named for its founder Henry Wood, who settled in the area in 1683 after arriving from Bury, England, at the age of 80 to escape religious persecution.

As of 2020, the borough had the 19th-highest property tax rate in New Jersey with an equalized rate of 4.442% compared to 3.212% in the county as a whole and a statewide average of 2.279%.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 1.25 square miles (3.24&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>), including 1.25 square miles (3.23&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>) of land and 0.01 square miles (0.02&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>) of water (0.48%).

The borough borders the Gloucester County municipalities of Deptford Township, West Deptford Township, and Woodbury.

Demographics

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2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Woodbury Heights had a population of 3,098. The median age was 40.5 years. 21.9% of residents were under the age of 18 and 16.1% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 93.0 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 94.5 males age 18 and over.

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

There were 1,095 households in Woodbury Heights, of which 33.0% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 60.4% were married-couple households, 12.0% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 20.9% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 17.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

2000 census

As of the 2000 census,

There were 1,027 households, out of which 38.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.4% were married couples living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.6% were non-families. 16.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.89 and the average family size was 3.24. 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. 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 Woodbury Heights 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 Woodbury Heights is Republican Matthew W. Cosenza, whose term of office ends December 31, 2026. Borough Council members are Council President Collin Aregood (D, 2026), Eileen M. Connors (R, 2027), Richard J. Gambale Jr. (D, 2026), Robert M. Yerka (R, 2027), Bruce Farrell (D, 2028) and Nicholas Smith (D, 2028).

At the January 2019 reorganization meeting, the borough council appointed Robert J. Morrison to fill the seat expiring in December 2019 that became vacant when William C. Packer took office as mayor and appointed Jeffrey A. Pitzo to fill the seat expiring in December 2020 that had been held by Eshia "Jake" Jacob.

Federal, state, and county representation

Woodbury Heights is located in the 1st Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 5th state legislative district.

Politics

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As of March 2011, there were a total of 2,255 registered voters in Woodbury Heights, of which 843 (37.4%) were registered as Democrats, 397 (17.6%) were registered as Republicans and 1,011 (44.8%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 4 voters registered as Libertarians or Greens.

In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 56.9% of the vote (946 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 42.2% (702 votes), and other candidates with 0.9% (15 votes), among the 1,673 ballots cast by the borough's 2,275 registered voters (10 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 73.5%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 54.7% of the vote (990 cast), ahead of Republican John McCain with 42.4% (768 votes) and other candidates with 1.8% (33 votes), among the 1,811 ballots cast by the borough's 2,304 registered voters, for a turnout of 78.6%. In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 51.5% of the vote (906 ballots cast), outpolling Republican George W. Bush with 47.2% (830 votes) and other candidates with 0.8% (17 votes), among the 1,760 ballots cast by the borough's 2,239 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 78.6.

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In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 61.7% of the vote (625 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 36.6% (371 votes), and other candidates with 1.7% (17 votes), among the 1,040 ballots cast by the borough's 2,249 registered voters (27 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 46.2%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 44.6% of the vote (532 ballots cast), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 41.4% (494 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 11.4% (136 votes) and other candidates with 0.8% (9 votes), among the 1,193 ballots cast by the borough's 2,274 registered voters, yielding a 52.5% turnout.

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Education

The Woodbury Heights School District serves public school students in kindergarten through sixth grade at Woodbury Heights Elementary School. As of the 2023–24 school year, the district, comprised of one school, had an enrollment of 261 students and 25.6 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 10.2:1.

For seventh through twelfth grade, public school students attend Gateway Regional High School, a regional public high school established in 1964 that serves students from the boroughs of National Park, Wenonah, Westville and Woodbury Heights, as part of the Gateway Regional High School District. As of the 2023–24 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 875 students and 82.2 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 10.6:1.

Students from across the county are eligible to apply to attend Gloucester County Institute of Technology, a four-year high school in Deptford Township that provides technical and vocational education. As a public school, students do not pay tuition to attend the school.

St. Margaret Regional School is a PreK–8 elementary school founded in 1963 that operates under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden.

Transportation

Roads and highways

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

County Road 553 passes through the heart of the borough, while Route 45 runs along the borough's western border. The New Jersey Turnpike passes through, but the closest interchange is 15–20 minutes away at Exit 3 in Camden County.

Interstate 295 and Route 55 are accessible in neighboring communities.

Public transportation

NJ Transit bus service is available on the 410 route between Glassboro and Philadelphia and on the 412 route between Sewell and Philadelphia.

The borough is the site of a planned stop on the Glassboro–Camden Line, an diesel multiple unit light rail system.

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Woodbury Heights include:

  • Daniel Webster Cluff (1916–1989), United States Coast Guard officer who led the February 1952 effort that resulted in the rescue of 32 survivors from the SS Pendleton
  • Grace Helbig (born 1985), comedian, actress and YouTube personality
  • Helen Sommers (1932–2017), politician who served in the Washington House of Representatives from 1972 to 2009
  • Stephen Starr (born 1957), CEO of Starr Restaurants

References

  • Borough of Woodbury Heights
  • Woodbury Heights Elementary School
  • School Data for the Woodbury Heights Elementary School, National Center for Education Statistics