Northfield, New Jersey

Northfield is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population was 8,624,  reflecting an increase of 899 (+11.6%) from the 7,725 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 420 (+5.7%) from the 7,305 counted in the 1990 Census.

Northfield was incorporated as a city by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 21, 1905, from portions of Egg Harbor Township. A portion of Egg Harbor Township was transferred to Northfield in 1931, and then reverted to Egg Harbor Township in 1933.

The city calls itself the "Gateway to the Shore", just over the bridge from the beaches, and is located about 7 miles west of Atlantic City, bordering the municipalities of Pleasantville, Egg Harbor Township and Linwood.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city had a total area of 3.444 square miles (8.918 km2), including 3.404 square miles (8.816 km2) of land and 0.040 square miles (0.102 km2) of water (1.15%).

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the city include Bakersville and Dolphin.

The borough borders Linwood and Pleasantville.

2010 Census
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $70,980 (with a margin of error of +/- $5,377) and the median family income was $78,727 (+/- $5,763). Males had a median income of $57,027 (+/- $4,611) versus $45,757 (+/- $6,595) for females. The per capita income for the city was $30,675 (+/- $2,461). About 2.5% of families and 3.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.8% of those under age 18 and 5.9% of those age 65 or over.

2000 Census
As of the 2000 United States Census there were 7,725 people, 2,824 households, and 2,109 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,254.9 people per square mile (869.6/km2). There were 2,922 housing units at an average density of 852.9 per square mile (328.9/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 91.52% White, 2.65% African American, 0.10% Native American, 2.50% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 1.81% from other races, and 1.33% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.38% of the population.

There were 2,824 households out of which 35.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.6% were married couples living together, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.3% were non-families. 21.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.11.

In the city the age distribution of the population shows 25.5% under the age of 18, 4.4% from 18 to 24, 29.6% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 17.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 90.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $56,875, and the median income for a family was $62,896. Males had a median income of $43,227 versus $30,227 for females. The per capita income for the city was $25,059. About 4.4% of families and 5.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.5% of those under age 18 and 10.8% of those age 65 or over.

Parks and recreation
Northfield is home to Birch Grove Park, which covers 271 acre of heavily wooded land dotted with stocked fresh water fishing lakes. Birch Grove Park features over 50 campsites, exercise and nature trails, a bandstand and an extensive children's playground.

Northfield features a large bird sanctuary, dedicated to remaining open space in perpetuity.

Local government
Northfield operates under the City form of New Jersey municipal government, led by a Mayor and a seven-member City Council, who are chosen in partisan elections held each year in the November general election. A Mayoral election is held every four years. The City Council consists of six members elected from wards to three-year terms on a staggered basis with two seats up for election each year, and one member elected at-large to a four-year term in office.

, the Mayor of Northfield is Republican Erland Chau, whose term of office ends December 31, 2019. Members of the City Council are Council President Greg Dewees (R, 2nd Ward, 2019), President Pro Tempore Cliff Murray Jr. (R, 1st Ward, 2018), Jeffrey Lischin (R, 1st Ward, 2019), Jim T. O'Neill (R, 1st Ward, 2017), Frank Perri Jr. (D, At Large, 2017), Nick Piergiovanni (R, 1st Ward, 2017) and James Travagline (R, 2nd Ward, 2018).

In the November 2014 general election, Republican Erland Chau was chosen to fill the balance of the mayoral seat expiring December 31, 2015. Jerry McGee had been appointed by the council in February 2014 to fill the seat on an interim basis after Democrat Vince Mazzeo had resigned to take a seat in the New Jersey General Assembly. The city council chose Jeff Lischin in December 2014 to fill the vacant council seat of Erland Chau expiring in December 2016. Lischin will serve on an interim basis until the November 2015 general election, at which time the voters will select a candidate to serve the balance of the unexpired term. In November 2015, Lischin was elected to serve the balance of the term.

Politics
As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 5,610 registered voters in Northfield Township, of which 1,331 (23.7% vs. 30.5% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 1,801 (32.1% vs. 25.2%) were registered as Republicans and 2,473 (44.1% vs. 44.3%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 5 voters registered to other parties. Among the township's 2010 Census population, 65.1% (vs. 58.8% in Atlantic County) were registered to vote, including 85.9% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 76.6% countywide).

In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 2,077 votes (49.3% vs. 57.9% countywide), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 2,059 votes (48.9% vs. 41.1%) and other candidates with 40 votes (0.9% vs. 0.9%), among the 4,214 ballots cast by the township's 5,923 registered voters, for a turnout of 71.1% (vs. 65.8% in Atlantic County). In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 2,244 votes (49.7% vs. 41.6% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 2,187 votes (48.5% vs. 56.5%) and other candidates with 44 votes (1.0% vs. 1.1%), among the 4,512 ballots cast by the township's 5,879 registered voters, for a turnout of 76.7% (vs. 68.1% in Atlantic County). In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 2,239 votes (52.6% vs. 46.2% countywide), ahead of Democrat John Kerry with 1,940 votes (45.6% vs. 52.0%) and other candidates with 40 votes (0.9% vs. 0.8%), among the 4,253 ballots cast by the township's 5,296 registered voters, for a turnout of 80.3% (vs. 69.8% in the whole county).

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 1,877 votes (63.2% vs. 60.0% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 950 votes (32.0% vs. 34.9%) and other candidates with 39 votes (1.3% vs. 1.3%), among the 2,971 ballots cast by the township's 5,981 registered voters, yielding a 49.7% turnout (vs. 41.5% in the county). In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 1,662 votes (50.7% vs. 47.7% countywide), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 1,352 votes (41.2% vs. 44.5%), Independent Chris Daggett with 183 votes (5.6% vs. 4.8%) and other candidates with 36 votes (1.1% vs. 1.2%), among the 3,281 ballots cast by the township's 5,742 registered voters, yielding a 57.1% turnout (vs. 44.9% in the county).

Federal, state and county representation
Northfield is located in the 2nd Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 2nd state legislative district.

Education
Students in public school for kindergarten through eighth grade are served by the Northfield Community Schools. As of the 2014-15 school year, the district and its two schools had an enrollment of 1,411 students and 79.4 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 17.8:1. Schools in the district (with 2014-15 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics ) are Northfield Community Elementary School which served 487 students in grades K-4 and Northfield Community Middle School which served 440 students in grades 5-8.

Students in ninth through twelfth grades attend Mainland Regional High School, which serves students from Linwood, Northfield and Somers Point. The high school is located in Linwood. For the 1997-98 school year, Mainland Regional High School was recognized by the United States Department of Education as a National Blue Ribbon School. As of the 2014-15 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 1,356 students and 119.6 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.3:1.

City public school students are also eligible to attend the Atlantic County Institute of Technology in the Mays Landing section of Hamilton Township or the Charter-Tech High School for the Performing Arts, located in Somers Point. Students may also attend Holy Spirit High School, a Christian high school located in Abescon, New Jersey.

Roads and highways
, the city had a total of 46.41 mi of roadways, of which 36.07 mi were maintained by the municipality, 8.43 mi by Atlantic County and 1.91 mi by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

Public transportation
NJ Transit offers bus transportation in the city between Ocean City and Atlantic City on the 507 and 509 routes.

Notable people
People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Northfield include:
 * A. R. Ammons (1926–2001), author and poet, winner of the National Book Award.
 * Art Blakey (1919-1990), jazz drummer and bandleader.
 * Dennis Levinson, County Executive of Atlantic County who served on the Northfield council before his election to the Board of Chosen Freeholders.
 * Vince Mazzeo (born 1964), politician who has served in the New Jersey General Assembly since January 2014, before which he had served as the mayor of Northfield from 2008 through 2014.
 * Evelyn Nesbit (1884–1967), chorus girl, noted for her entanglement in the murder of her ex-lover, architect Stanford White, by her first husband, Harry K. Thaw.
 * N. Leonard Smith (1929-2014), politician who served on the Camden County Board of CHosen Freeholders and the Northfield Board of Education.