Hopewell Township is a township in Mercer County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Located at the cross-roads between the Delaware Valley region to the southwest and the Raritan Valley region to the northeast, the township considered an exurb of New York City in the New York metropolitan area as defined by the United States Census Bureau, while also directly bordering the Philadelphia metropolitan area, being a part of the Federal Communications Commission's Philadelphia Designated Market Area. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 17,491, its highest decennial count ever and an increase of 187 (+1.1%) from the 2010 census count of 17,304, which in turn reflected an increase of 1,199 (+7.4%) from the 16,105 counted in the 2000 census.
The township dates back to February 20, 1700, when the area was still part of Burlington County. One of the earliest European settlers before 1710 was George Woolsey, formerly of Jamaica, Queens (in present-day New York City), whose father was one of the earliest pre-1650 settlers of what was New Amsterdam. His descendants maintained the family farm for over 200 years.
The township was formerly the name for one of two portions of 800 acres (3.2 km2) of land purchased in 1714 by William Trent, and was formally set off to Hunterdon County, when that county was created on March 11, 1714. Trenton Township was formed out of this estate on June 3, 1719, later to become the City of Trenton. Hopewell Township was incorporated by Royal charter on March 1, 1755, and was re-incorporated by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798, as one of the state's initial group of 104 townships. Hopewell Township became part of Mercer County at its creation on February 22, 1838. Portions of the township were taken to form Marion Township (February 22, 1838, reverted to Hopewell Township on February 14, 1839), the Borough of Pennington (January 31, 1890) and Hopewell Borough (April 14, 1891), with additional portions of the township transferred to both Pennington and Hopewell Borough in 1915.
History
Hopewell Township includes the location (now known as Washington Crossing) along the east side of the Delaware River to which George Washington and the Continental Army crossed from Pennsylvania. Once in Hopewell Township, the army marched to Trenton on December 26, 1776. The Battle of Trenton followed. Today, Washington Crossing State Park commemorates this important milestone in American history.
Hopewell Township was also the location where—two months after being abducted from his home in neighboring East Amwell—the body of Charles Lindbergh Jr. was discovered on May 12, 1932.
In May 2023, a home in the township had its roof pierced by a stony chondrite meteorite weighing 986 grams (34.8 oz). After analysis, it was found to be one of 1,100 known meteorites with an unusually low iron content.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 58.95 square miles (152.67 km2), including 58.07 square miles (150.40 km2) of land and 0.87 square miles (2.26 km2) of water (1.48%).
The topography of the township is one of rolling hills, with The Sourlands encompassing the northern and western portions of the township and flatter terrain further southeast. Baldpate Mountain, in the western part of the township, is the highest hill, at 480 feet (150 m) above sea level. The lowest elevation is between 20 and 40 feet, located where Jacobs Creek joins the Delaware River in the southwestern corner of the township.
The township completely surrounds Hopewell Borough and Pennington, making it part of two of the 21 pairs of "doughnut towns" in the state, where one municipality entirely surrounds another, and the only municipality that surrounds two others. The township borders Ewing Township, Lawrence Township and Princeton in Mercer County; East Amwell Township and West Amwell Township in Hunterdon County; Montgomery Township in Somerset County; and Solebury Township and Upper Makesfield Township in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, across the Delaware River.
Ackors Corner, Baldwins Corner, Bear Tavern, Centerville, Coopers Corner, Federal City, Glenmoore, Harbourton, Harts Corner, Marshalls Corner, Moore, Mount Rose, Pleasant Valley, Stoutsburg, Titusville, Washington Crossing and Woodsville are unincorporated communities, localities and place names located within Hopewell Township. Some neighborhoods in the township include Hopewell Hunt, Brandon Farms and Elm Ridge.
Demographics
2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 17,304 people, 6,282 households, and 4,925 families in the township. The population density was 298.2 inhabitants per square mile (115.1/km2). There were 6,551 housing units at an average density of 112.9 per square mile (43.6/km2). The racial makeup was 86.74% (15,010) White, 2.10% (364) Black or African American, 0.07% (12) Native American, 8.89% (1,539) Asian, 0.01% (1) Pacific Islander, 0.52% (90) from other races, and 1.66% (288) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.31% (573) of the population.
Of the 6,282 households, 39.0% had children under the age of 18; 69.1% were married couples living together; 6.6% had a female householder with no husband present and 21.6% were non-families. Of all households, 17.8% were made up of individuals and 7.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.75 and the average family size was 3.14.
26.4% of the population were under the age of 18, 5.0% from 18 to 24, 19.8% from 25 to 44, 34.6% from 45 to 64, and 14.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44.4 years. For every 100 females, the population had 96.7 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 93.4 males.
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $132,813 (with a margin of error of ±$15,634) and the median family income was $151,394 (±$9,062). Males had a median income of $106,431 (±$9,830) versus $66,285 (±$11,820) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $55,219 (±$3,466). About 0.6% of families and 1.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.9% of those under age 18 and 1.3% of those age 65 or over.
2000 census
As of the 2000 United States census there were 16,105 people, 5,498 households, and 4,431 families residing in the township. The population density was 277.1 inhabitants per square mile (107.0/km2). There were 5,629 housing units at an average density of 96.9 per square mile (37.4/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 77.30% White, 15.83% African American, 0.12% Native American, 3.97% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.66% from other races, and 1.09% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.45% of the population.
There were 5,498 households, out of which 40.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 71.6% were married couples living together, 6.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.4% were non-families. 16.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.11.
In the township the population was spread out, with 26.5% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 26.8% from 45 to 64, and 11.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 104.3 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $93,640, and the median income for a family was $101,579. Males had a median income of $66,849 versus $47,701 for females. The per capita income for the township was $43,947. About 0.9% of families and 1.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.5% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.
Parks and recreation
- Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association
- Washington Crossing State Park is a state park covering 3,575 acres (1,447 ha) in portions of both Hunterdon County and Mercer County that commemorates "one of the pivotal events of the American Revolution."
- St. Michaels Farm Preserve, which was first preserved in 2010, is a 400-acre (160 ha) area of farm fields and forested land.
- Woolsey Park
Government
Local government
Hopewell Township is governed under the Township form of government, one of 141 municipalities (of the 564) statewide governed under this form. The Township Committee is comprised of five members, who are elected directly by the voters at-large in partisan elections to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats coming up for election each year as part of the November general election in a three-year cycle. At an annual reorganization meeting, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor.
As of 2024, the members of the Hopewell Township Committee are Mayor Courtney Peters-Manning (D, term on committee ends December 31, 2025; term as mayor ends 2024), Deputy Mayor Urmila "Uma" Purandare (D, term on committee and as Deputy Mayor ends 2024), David Chait (D, 2025), Kevin D. Kuchinski (D, 2026) and Michael Ruger (D, 2026).
In December 2022, David Chait was selected from a list of three prospective candidates nominated by the Democratic municipal committee to fill the seat expiring in December 2022 that had been held by Kristin McLaughlin until she left office to take a seat in the Mercer County Board of County Commissioners.
Citing differences with local party leadership, Mayor Harvey Lester changed his party affiliation in March 2015 from Democrat to Republican. In the November 2015 general election, Democrat Julie Blake defeated incumbent Mayor Harvey Lester, with affordable housing, development and taxes as key issues in the race.
Hopewell Township is served by the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station & Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Mercer County, located in Trenton.
Federal, state and county representation
Hopewell Township is located in the 12th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 15th state legislative district.
For the 119th United States Congress, New Jersey's 12th congressional district is represented by Bonnie Watson Coleman (D, Ewing Township). New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Democrats Cory Booker (Newark, term ends 2027) and Andy Kim (Moorestown, term ends 2031).
For the 2026–2027 session, the 15th legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Shirley Turner (D, Lawrence Township) and in the General Assembly by Verlina Reynolds-Jackson (D, Trenton) and Anthony Verrelli (D, Hopewell Township).
Mercer County is governed by a County Executive who oversees the day-to-day operations of the county and by a seven-member Board of County Commissioners that acts in a legislative capacity, setting policy. All officials are chosen at-large in partisan elections, with the executive serving a four-year term of office while the commissioners serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either two or three seats up for election each year as part of the November general election. As of 2025, the County Executive is Daniel R. Benson (D, Hamilton Township) whose term of office ends December 31, 2027. Mercer County's Commissioners are:
Lucylle R. S. Walter (D, Ewing Township, 2026),
Chair John A. Cimino (D, Hamilton Township, 2026),
Samuel T. Frisby Sr. (D, Trenton, 2027),
Cathleen M. Lewis (D, Lawrence Township, 2025),
Vice Chair Kristin L. McLaughlin (D, Hopewell Township, 2027),
Nina D. Melker (D, Hamilton Township, 2025) and
Terrance Stokes (D, Ewing Township, 2027).
Mercer County's constitutional officers are:
Clerk Paula Sollami-Covello (D, Lawrence Township, 2025),
Sheriff John A. Kemler (D, Hamilton Township, 2026) and
Surrogate Diane Gerofsky (D, Lawrence Township, 2026).
Politics
As of March 2011, there were a total of 12,218 registered voters in Hopewell Township, of which 3,949 (32.3%) were registered as Democrats, 3,088 (25.3%) were registered as Republicans and 5,178 (42.4%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 3 voters registered as Libertarians or Greens.
In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 54.9% of the vote (5,223 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 43.8% (4,171 votes), and other candidates with 1.3% (123 votes), among the 10,697 ballots cast by the township's 12,983 registered voters (1,180 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 82.4%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 56.5% of the vote here (5,517 cast), ahead of Republican John McCain with 41.4% (4,042 votes) and other candidates with 1.4% (133 votes), among the 9,765 ballots cast by the township's 12,615 registered voters, for a turnout of 77.4%. In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 51.3% of the vote here (4,974 ballots cast), outpolling Republican George W. Bush with 46.2% (4,476 votes) and other candidates with 0.7% (80 votes), among the 9,698 ballots cast by the township's 11,780 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 82.3.
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 61.8% of the vote (3,826 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 36.5% (2,257 votes), and other candidates with 1.7% (107 votes), among the 6,322 ballots cast by the township's 12,818 registered voters (132 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 49.3%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 48.9% of the vote here (3,503 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 42.9% (3,074 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 6.9% (497 votes) and other candidates with 0.5% (36 votes), among the 7,158 ballots cast by the township's 12,441 registered voters, yielding a 57.5% turnout.