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112-684: Salem County is the westernmost county in the U.S. state of New Jersey . Its western boundary is formed by the Delaware River , and it has the eastern terminus of the Delaware Memorial Bridge , which connects the county with New Castle, Delaware . Its county seat is Salem . The county is part of the South Jersey region of the state. The county lies within the Philadelphia metropolitan area, also known as

224-1054: A city , town , or village . A few counties directly provide public transportation themselves, usually in the form of a simple bus system. However, in most counties, public transportation is provided by one of the following: a special district that is coterminous with the county (but exists separately from the county government), a multi-county regional transit authority, or a state agency. In western and southern states, more populated counties provide many facilities, such as airports, convention centers , museums, recreation centers , beaches, harbors, zoos, clinics, law libraries , and public housing . They provide services such as child and family services, elder services, mental health services, welfare services, veterans assistance services, animal control , probation supervision, historic preservation, food safety regulation, and environmental health services. They have many additional officials like public defenders , arts commissioners, human rights commissioners, and planning commissioners. There may be

336-446: A consolidated city-county or independent city exists, a city council usually governs city/county or city affairs. In some counties, day-to-day operations are overseen by an elected county executive or by a chief administrative officer or county administrator who reports to the board, the mayor, or both. In many states, the board in charge of a county holds powers that transcend all three traditional branches of government. It has

448-642: A 3–1 margin. In the wake of the referendum results, Director Julie Acton resigned in December 2016 and was replaced by Scott Griscom. In April 2017, the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled that the reduction in seats will be accomplished through attrition, with the seats expiring at the end of 2017 (held by Commissioners Cross, Painter, and Vanderslice) being eliminated; in the November 2017 general election there will be one new three-year seat up for

560-414: A Republican since George H. W. Bush in 1988 . Trump improved to 55.3% of the vote in winning the county again in 2020 . In the 2009 gubernatorial election , Republican Chris Christie received 9,599 votes here (46.1%), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 8,323 votes (39.9%), Independent Chris Daggett with 2,011 votes (9.7%) and other candidates with 411 votes (2.0%), among the 20,838 ballots cast by

672-539: A War Memorial, visible from the northbound-side lanes. The toll facility is operated by the Delaware River and Bay Authority . The Delaware Memorial Bridge is the southernmost and the largest fixed vehicular crossing of the Delaware River. It is also the only fixed vehicular crossing between Delaware and New Jersey. However, at Fort Mott, New Jersey , there is a small amount of land on the New Jersey side of

784-410: A close call with disaster when on July 9, 1969, the oil tanker Regent Liverpool struck the fender system protecting the tower piers. The bridge itself was spared damage, but the fender suffered about $ 1.0 million in damage. The Delaware River and Bay Authority (DRBA) began a $ 13 million project in 2003 to resurface the bridge, refurbish the expansion joints , upgrade the electrical system, and replace

896-424: A county fire department and a county police department – as distinguished from fire and police departments operated by individual cities, special districts, or the state government. For example, Gwinnett County, Georgia , and its county seat, the city of Lawrenceville , each have their own police departments. (A separate county sheriff's department is responsible for security of the county courts and administration of

1008-465: A few counties bear names of Native American , French, or Spanish origin. Counties are most often named for people, often political figures or early settlers, with over 2,100 of the 3,144 total so named. The most common county name, with 31, is Washington County , for America's first president, George Washington . Up until 1871, there was a Washington County within the District of Columbia , but it

1120-799: A few miles away from the bridge, is also visible. Other landmarks that can be seen from the bridge includes the cooling tower for PSEG 's Hope Creek Nuclear Generating Station near Salem, New Jersey , the Delaware City Refinery in Delaware City, Delaware , the Reedy Point Bridge , also in Delaware City, both the St. Georges Bridge and the Senator William V. Roth Jr. Bridge in St. Georges, Delaware , and

1232-400: A land area of 20,057 square miles (51,947 km ). The least extensive county is Kalawao County, Hawaii , with a land area of 11.991 square miles (31.058 km ). The least extensive county equivalent in the 50 states is the independent city of Falls Church, Virginia , with a land area of 1.999 square miles (5.177 km ). If U.S. territories are included,

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1344-453: A large number of counties, and many Western states were sparsely populated when counties were created by their respective state legislatures. The five counties of Rhode Island and eight of the 14 counties of Massachusetts no longer have functional county governments, but continue to exist as legal and census entities. Connecticut abolished county governments in 1960, leaving its eight counties as mere legal and census entities. In 2022,

1456-888: A matter of U.S. state law , so the specific governmental powers of counties may vary widely between the states, with many providing some level of services to civil townships , municipalities , and unincorporated areas . Certain municipalities are in multiple counties ; New York City is uniquely partitioned into five counties, referred to at the city government level as boroughs . Some municipalities have been consolidated with their county government to form consolidated city-counties , or have been legally separated from counties altogether to form independent cities . Conversely, counties in Connecticut and Rhode Island , eight of Massachusetts's 14 counties , and Alaska's Unorganized Borough have no government power, existing only as geographic distinctions. The United States Census Bureau uses

1568-478: A non-operating school district in 2010, and disestablished completely in 2017. As of 2010, the county had a total of 879.53 miles (1,415.47 km) of roadways, of which 429.36 miles (690.99 km) were maintained by the local municipality, 355.17 miles (571.59 km) by Salem County and 85.94 miles (138.31 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation , 8.11 miles (13.05 km) by

1680-683: A part of Interstate 95 , they connect two parts of the highway: the Delaware Turnpike ( Interstate 95 in Delaware ) on the south side with the New Jersey Turnpike (later Interstate 95 in New Jersey ) on the north. They also connect Interstate 495 , U.S. Route 13 , and Route 9 in unincorporated New Castle County, Delaware , near New Castle , with U.S. Route 130 in Pennsville Township, New Jersey (at

1792-428: A popular travel route when the New Jersey Turnpike connection was completed at its north end. By 1955, nearly eight million vehicles were crossing the bridge each year, nearly twice the original projection. By 1960, the bridge was carrying more than 15 million cars and trucks per year, and this increased even more when the bridge was linked to the new Delaware Turnpike, Interstate 95 , in November 1963. Construction of

1904-415: A population over 100,000; 137 counties have a population over 500,000; 45 counties have a population over 1,000,000; and 14 counties have a population over 2,000,000. At the other extreme, 35 counties have a population under 1,000; 307 counties have a population under 5,000; 709 counties have a population under 10,000; and 1,492 counties have a population between 10,000 and 50,000. At the 2000 U.S. Census ,

2016-539: A single deck to allow four undivided lanes of traffic. Finally, on December 29, 1969, all eight lanes of the Delaware Memorial Bridge Twin Span opened to traffic, making it the world's second longest twin suspension bridge. While they are similar in basic appearance, major differences exist between the original and second spans. The original was constructed of riveted steel plates, and has an open-grate shoulder access walk. The second span

2128-455: A staggered basis, with either one or two seats coming up for election each year. At an annual reorganization meeting held at the beginning of January, the board selects a director and a deputy director from among its members. The appointed position professional county administrator was abolished by a unanimous vote of the commissioners in January 2014. In 2016, commissioners were paid $ 25,410 and

2240-582: A vote as well as a two-year unexpired term, so that on January 1, 2018, there will be a five-member board. Republicans have fully controlled the board since 2022. As of 2024, Salem County's Commissioners (with terms for director and deputy director ending every December 31) are: 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

2352-428: Is Lake . Words from Native American languages, as well as the names of Native American leaders and tribes, lend their names to many counties. Quite a few counties bear names of French or Spanish origin, such as Marquette County being named after French missionary Father Jacques Marquette . The county's equivalent in the state of Louisiana, the parish (Fr. paroisse civile and Sp. parroquia ) took its name during

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2464-572: Is 343 sq mi (890 km ), whereas in Utah it is 2,427 sq mi (6,290 km ). The most extensive county or county equivalent is the Yukon–Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska , with a land area of 145,505 square miles (376,856 km ). All nine of the most extensive county equivalents are in Alaska. The most extensive county is San Bernardino County, California , with

2576-430: Is an unusual case because it encompasses multiple entire counties in one city. Each of those counties is coextensive with one of the five boroughs of the city: Manhattan (New York County), The Bronx (Bronx County), Queens (Queens County), Brooklyn (Kings County), and Staten Island (Richmond County). Delaware Memorial Bridge The bridges provide a regional connection for long-distance travelers. While not

2688-500: Is either done at the state level or at the municipal level. In Connecticut and parts of Massachusetts, regional councils have been established to partially fill the void left behind by the abolished county governments. The regional councils' authority is limited compared with a county government—they have authority only over infrastructure and land use planning, distribution of state and federal funds for infrastructure projects, emergency preparedness, and limited law enforcement duties. In

2800-399: Is greater than the populations of 41 U.S. states, and is only slightly smaller than the combined population of the 10 least populous states and Washington, D.C. It also makes the population of Los Angeles County 17.4 times greater than that of the least populous state, Wyoming. The second most populous county is Cook County, Illinois , with a population of 5,275,541. Cook County's population

2912-455: Is larger than that of 28 individual U.S. states and the combined populations of the six smallest states. The least populous county is Loving County, Texas , with 64 residents in 2020. Eight county equivalents in the U.S. territories have no human population: Rose Atoll , Northern Islands Municipality , Baker Island , Howland Island , Jarvis Island , Johnston Atoll , Kingman Reef , and Navassa Island . The remaining three islands in

3024-782: Is no formal level of government (municipality, public education, or otherwise) existing below that of the county in the state. In most Midwestern and Northeastern states, counties are further subdivided into townships or towns , which sometimes exercise local powers or administration. Throughout the United States, counties may contain other independent, self-governing municipalities . In New England, counties function at most as judicial court districts and sheriff's departments (presently, in Connecticut only as judicial court districts—and in Rhode Island , they have lost both those functions and most others but they are still used by

3136-410: Is rarely a county responsibility, execution of capital punishment is never a county responsibility, and the state's responses to prisoners' appeals are the responsibility of the state attorney general , who has to defend before the state appellate courts the prosecutions conducted by locally elected district attorneys in the name of the state. Furthermore, county-level trial court judges are officers of

3248-562: Is simultaneously a city, which is a municipality (municipal corporation), and a county, which is an administrative division of a state, having the powers and responsibilities of both types of entities. The city limit or jurisdiction is synonymous with the county line, as the two administrative entities become a non-dichotomous single entity. For this reason, a consolidated city-county is officially remarked as name of city – name of county (i.e., Augusta–Richmond County in Georgia). The same

3360-506: Is true of the boroughs of New York City , each of which is coextensive with a county of New York State. For those entities in which the city uses the same name as the county, city and county of name may be used (i.e., City and County of Denver in Colorado). Similarly, some of Alaska 's boroughs have merged with their principal cities, creating unified city-boroughs. Some such consolidations and mergers have created cities that rank among

3472-442: The 2020 U.S. census , the county's had 64,837 people, 24,404 households, and 16,880 families. The population density was 195.35 inhabitants per square mile (75.4/km). There were 27,763 housing units at an average density of 83.64 per square mile (32.3/km). The racial makeup was 79.0% White , 13.1% African American , 0.3% Native American , 1.1% Asian , and 3.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.8% of

Salem County, New Jersey - Misplaced Pages Continue

3584-422: The 2021 gubernatorial election , Republican Jack Ciattarelli received 64.1% of the vote (12,620 ballots cast) to Democrat Phil Murphy's 35.0% (6,893 votes). The Bureau of Economic Analysis calculated that the county's gross domestic product was $ 5.2 billion in 2021, which was ranked 18th in the state and was a 3.9% increase from the prior year. School districts include: Elmer School District became

3696-652: The Alaska Constitutional Convention wanted to avoid the traditional county system and adopted their own unique model with different types of boroughs varying in powers and duties. In some states, these powers are partly or mostly devolved to the counties' smaller divisions usually called townships , though in New York, New England and Wisconsin they are called "towns". The county may or may not be able to override its townships on certain matters, depending on state law. The newest county in

3808-458: The City and County of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania ; City and County of San Francisco, California ; and Lynchburg-Moore County, Tennessee A consolidated city-county may still contain independent municipalities maintaining some governmental powers that did not merge with the rest of the county. For example, the government of Jacksonville–Duval County, Florida , still provides county-level services to

3920-544: The Commodore Barry Bridge in Chester, Pennsylvania . As of 2024 , more than 100,000 vehicles cross the twin spans on their combined total of eight lanes daily. The largest single day of traffic had 79,488 private and commercial vehicles cross the bridge one-way on November 29, 2009. The largest single weekend for traffic totals had 211,685 vehicles cross the bridge one-way, August 16–18, 2019. Following

4032-884: The County Clerk and County Surrogate (both elected for five-year terms of office) and the County Sheriff (elected for a three-year term). Salem County's constitutional officers, elected on a countywide basis are: The Salem County Prosecutor is Kristin J. Telsey, who was nominated to fill the position in September 2022. Salem County is a part of Vicinage 15 of the New Jersey Superior Court (along with Cumberland County and Gloucester County ), seated in Woodbury in Gloucester County;

4144-532: The Delaware Valley area. As of the 2020 census , the county retained its position as the state's least-populous county , with a population of 64,837, a decrease of 1,246 (−1.9%) from the 2010 census count of 66,083. The most populous place in Salem County is Pennsville Township with 12,684 residents as of the 2020 Census. Lower Alloways Creek Township covers 72.46 square miles (187.7 km),

4256-603: The Mid-Atlantic and Midwest , counties typically provide, at a minimum, courts, public utilities , libraries, hospitals, public health services, parks, roads, law enforcement, and jails. There is usually a county registrar, recorder, or clerk (the exact title varies) who collects vital statistics , holds elections (sometimes in coordination with a separate elections office or commission), and prepares or processes certificates of births, deaths, marriages, and dissolutions (divorce decrees). The county recorder normally maintains

4368-770: The New Jersey Turnpike Authority and 0.95 miles (1.53 km) by the Delaware River and Bay Authority . Salem is served by many roads. Major county routes include CR 540 , CR 551 , CR 553 (only in Pittsgrove ) and CR 581 . State highways include Route 45 , Route 48 (only in Carneys Point ), Route 49 , Route 56 (only in Pittsgrove), Route 77 and Route 140 (only in Carneys Point). The U.S. routes are U.S. Route 40 and

4480-566: The New York City Borough of Manhattan), with 72,033 persons per square mile (27,812 persons/km ) in 2015. The Yukon–Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska , is both the most extensive and the least densely populated county or county equivalent with 0.0380 persons per square mile (0.0147 persons/km ) in 2015. In the 50 states (plus the District of Columbia), a total of 981 counties have a population over 50,000; 592 counties have

4592-576: The Province of Maine founded York County . Massachusetts followed in 1643. Pennsylvania and New York delegated significant power and responsibility from the colony government to county governments and thereby established a pattern for most of the United States, although counties remained relatively weak in New England . When independence came, the framers of the Constitution left

Salem County, New Jersey - Misplaced Pages Continue

4704-437: The U.S. Minor Outlying Islands ( Midway Atoll , Palmyra Atoll and Wake Island ) have small non-permanent human populations. The county equivalent with the smallest non-zero population counted in the census is Swains Island, American Samoa (17 people), although since 2008 this population has not been permanent either. The most densely populated county or county equivalent is New York County, New York (coextensive with

4816-582: The USGS counts Guam's election districts (villages) as county equivalents. The U.S. Census Bureau counts the 3 main islands in the U.S. Virgin Islands as county equivalents, while the USGS counts the districts of the U.S. Virgin Islands (of which there are 2) as county equivalents. Common sources of county names are names of people, geographic features, places in other states or countries, and animals. Quite

4928-552: The United States , a county or county equivalent is an administrative or political subdivision of a U.S. state or other territories of the United States which consists of a geographic area with specific boundaries and usually some level of governmental authority. The term " county " is used in 48 states, while Louisiana and Alaska have functionally equivalent subdivisions called parishes and boroughs , respectively. Counties and other local governments exist as

5040-689: The United States Census Bureau and some other federal agencies for some federal functions), and most of the governmental authority below the state level is in the hands of towns and cities . In several of Maine's sparsely populated counties, small towns rely on the county for law enforcement, and in New Hampshire several social programs are administered at the state level. In Connecticut, Rhode Island, and parts of Massachusetts, counties are now only geographic designations, and they do not have any governmental powers. All government

5152-471: The county seat ("parish seat" in Louisiana, "borough seat" in Alaska, or " shire town " in several New England counties). The county seat usually resides in a municipality. However, some counties may have multiple seats or no seat. In some counties with no incorporated municipalities, a large settlement may serve as the county seat. The power of county governments varies widely from state to state, as does

5264-478: The median land area of U.S. counties was 622 sq mi (1,610 km ), which is two-thirds of the median land area of a ceremonial county of England , and a little more than a quarter of the median land area of a French département . Counties in the western United States typically have a much larger land area than those in the eastern United States. For example, the median land area of counties in Georgia

5376-668: The poverty line , including 20.2% of those under age 18 and 4.7% of those age 65 or over. The 2010 United States census counted 66,083 people, 25,290 households, and 17,551 families in the county. The population density was 199.1 inhabitants per square mile (76.9/km). There were 27,417 housing units at an average density of 82.6 per square mile (31.9/km). The racial makeup was 79.83% (52,757) White , 14.09% (9,309) Black or African American , 0.36% (240) Native American , 0.84% (557) Asian , 0.02% (10) Pacific Islander , 2.64% (1,745) from other races , and 2.22% (1,465) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.82% (4,507) of

5488-477: The 175 feet (53 m) high span with towers reaching 440 feet (134 m) above water level. The first span opened to traffic on August 16, 1951, and at the time was the sixth-longest main suspension span in the world. The Governor of Delaware , Elbert N. Carvel , and the Governor of New Jersey , Alfred E. Driscoll , dedicated the bridge to each state's war dead from World War II . The bridge quickly proved

5600-423: The 2020 Census, the county had a total area of 372.55 square miles (964.9 km), of which 331.86 square miles (859.5 km) was land (89.1%) and 40.69 square miles (105.4 km) was water (10.9%). The county is bordered on the west by the Delaware River , and drained by Salem River , Alloway , and other creeks. The terrain is almost uniformly flat coastal plain, with minimal relief. The highest elevation in

5712-524: The 3rd legislative district. Dave Bailey (D) As of January 2023, there were a total of 48,956 registered voters in Salem County, of whom 14,768 (30.2%) were registered as Democrats , 14,839 (30.3%) were registered as Republicans and 18,525 (37.8%) were registered as unaffiliated . There were 824 voters (1.7%) registered to other parties. Among the county's 2010 Census population, 64.6% were registered to vote, including 84.4% of those ages 18 and over. Salem County generally and historically leaned towards

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5824-451: The 50 states and District of Columbia. There are an additional 100 county equivalents in the territories of the United States . The average number of counties per state is 62, with a range from the three counties of Delaware to the 254 counties of Texas . Southern and Midwestern states generally tend to have more counties than Western or Northeastern states, as many Northeastern states are not large enough in area to warrant

5936-461: The 50 states and the District of Columbia. If the 100 county equivalents in the U.S. territories are counted, then the total is 3,244 counties and county-equivalents in the United States. The idea of counties originated with the counties of England . English (after 1707, British ) colonists brought to their colonies in North America a political subdivision that they already used in

6048-520: The Assignment Judge for the vicinage is Benjamin C. Telsey. The Salem County Courthouse is in Salem. No Democrat has one county-wide office since 2020. Salem County falls entirely within the 2nd congressional district For the 118th United States Congress , New Jersey's 2nd congressional district is represented by Jeff Van Drew ( R , Dennis Township ). All of Salem County is located in

6160-997: The British metropole : the counties. Counties were among the earliest units of local government established in the Thirteen Colonies that would become the United States. Virginia created the first counties in order to ease the administrative workload in Jamestown . The House of Burgesses divided the colony first into four "incorporations" in 1617 and finally into eight shires (or counties) in 1634: James City , Henrico , Charles City , Charles River , Warrosquyoake , Accomac , Elizabeth City , and Warwick River . America's oldest intact county court records can be found at Eastville, Virginia , in Northampton (originally Accomac) County , dating to 1632. Maryland established its first county, St. Mary's in 1637. In 1639,

6272-597: The Philadelphia Port Authorities, which claimed that the bridge would be a menace to navigation. The U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard were also concerned that the bridge would be vulnerable to an enemy attack. If the bridge were to collapse into the river, it could render the Philadelphia Navy Yard unusable. As traffic by cars and truck increased rapidly, the benefits of a bridge in this area became evident, and its construction

6384-538: The Republican Party, but not as much so as the Northwest or Shore regions of the state. In the 2008 presidential election , Democrat Barack Obama carried the county by a 4% margin over Republican John McCain , with Obama receiving 57.27% statewide. Obama received 16,044 votes here (50.4%), ahead of McCain with 14,816 votes (46.6%) and other candidates with 503 votes (1.6%), among the 31,812 ballots cast by

6496-493: The Salem Raid in 1778. Afterward the courthouse was the site of the "treason trials", wherein suspected Loyalists were put on trial for having allegedly aided the British during the Salem Raid. Four men were convicted and sentenced to death for treason; however, they were pardoned by Governor William Livingston and exiled from New Jersey. The courthouse is also the site of the legend of Colonel Robert Gibbon Johnson's proving

6608-655: The U.S. Census Bureau began to also count Connecticut's Councils of Governments , which took over some of the regional powers from the state's former county governments, as county equivalents. Territories of the United States do not have counties; instead, the United States Census Bureau also divides them into county equivalents. The U.S. Census Bureau counts American Samoa 's districts and atolls as county equivalents. American Samoa locally has places called "counties", but these entities are considered to be " minor civil divisions " (not true counties) by

6720-473: The U.S. Census Bureau recognized the state's nine Councils of Governments as replacement for the state's eight legacy counties for all statistical purposes; full implementation was completed in 2024. The average U.S. county population was 104,435 in 2019, while the median county, which is Nicholas County, West Virginia , had a population of 25,965 in 2019. The most populous county is Los Angeles County, California , with 10,014,009 residents in 2020. This number

6832-479: The U.S. Census Bureau treats American Samoa's three districts and two atolls as county equivalents). American Samoa's counties are treated as minor civil divisions. Most territories are directly divided into municipalities or similar units, which are treated as equivalent of counties for statistical purposes: The U.S. Census Bureau counts all of Guam as one county equivalent (with the FIPS code 66010), while

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6944-690: The U.S. Census Bureau. The number of counties per state ranges from the three counties of Delaware to the 254 counties of Texas . County populations also vary widely: in 2017, according to the Census Bureau, more than half the U.S. population was concentrated in just 143 of the more than 3,000 counties, or just 4.6% of all counties; the five most populous counties, ordered from most to least, are Los Angeles County, California ; Cook County, Illinois ; Harris County, Texas ; Maricopa County, Arizona ; and San Diego County, California . As of 2022 , there are 3,144 counties and county-equivalents in

7056-489: The United States is the city and county of Broomfield, Colorado , established in 2001 as a consolidated city-county , previously part of four counties. The newest county equivalents are the Alaskan census areas of Chugach and Copper River , both established in 2019, and the Alaskan boroughs of Petersburg established in 2013, Wrangell established in 2008, and Skagway established in 2007. A consolidated city-county

7168-402: The board. These positions may include county clerk , county treasurer , county surrogate, sheriff , and others. District attorneys or state attorneys are usually state-level as opposed to county-level officials, but in many states, counties and state judicial districts have coterminous boundaries. The site of a county's administration, and often the county courthouse , is generally called

7280-410: The city and the county at least nominally exist, they are properly classified as counties in their own right. Likewise, the boroughs of New York City are coextensive with counties and are therefore by definition also not county equivalents. There are technically no counties in U.S. territories. American Samoa has its own counties , but the U.S. Census Bureau does not treat them as counties (instead,

7392-421: The county (which merely implements state law). A typical criminal defendant will be arraigned and subsequently indicted or held over for trial before a trial court in and for a particular county where the crime occurred, kept in the county jail (if he is not granted bail or cannot make bail), prosecuted by the county's district attorney, and tried before a jury selected from that county. But long-term incarceration

7504-454: The county are listed next to their parent municipality. Some of these areas are census-designated places (CDPs) that have been created by the United States Census Bureau for enumeration purposes within a Township . Other communities and enclaves that exist within a municipality are also listed next to the name. 39°35′N 75°22′W  /  39.58°N 75.36°W  / 39.58; -75.36 County (United States) In

7616-791: The county has never been determined with any specificity, but is likely one of seven low rises in Upper Pittsgrove Township that reach approximately 160 feet (49 m) in elevation. Sea level is the lowest point. The county has a humid subtropical climate ( Cfa ) and monthly temperatures in Salem city average from 33.2 °F (0.7 °C) in January to 77.2 °F (25.1 °C) in July, while in Elmer they average from 33.1 °F (0.6 °C) in January to 76.8 °F (24.9 °C) in July. In recent years, average temperatures in

7728-463: The county jail.) In several southern states, public school systems are organized and administered at the county level. As of 2024 , there were 2,999 counties, 64 Louisiana parishes , 19 organized boroughs and 11 census areas in Alaska, 9 Councils of Government in Connecticut, 41 independent cities , and the District of Columbia for a total of 3,144 counties and county equivalents in

7840-520: The county seat of Salem have ranged from a low of 25 °F (−4 °C) in January to a high of 86 °F (30 °C) in July, although a record low of −14 °F (−26 °C) was recorded in January 1985 and a record high of 107 °F (42 °C) was recorded in August 1918. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 2.78 inches (71 mm) in February to 4.57 inches (116 mm) in July. As of

7952-401: The county's 44,037 registered voters, yielding a 47.3% turnout. In the 2013 gubernatorial election , Republican Chris Christie received 12,748 votes in the county (66.6%), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 5,889 votes (30.7%). In the 2017 gubernatorial election , Republican Kim Guadagno received 8,629 (50.1%) of the vote, and Democrat Phil Murphy received 7,814 (45.3%) of the vote. In

8064-410: The county's 44,324 registered voters, for a turnout of 71.8%. In the 2012 presidential election , Democrat Barack Obama narrowly finished ahead of Republican Mitt Romney ; the state voted for Obama. Since 2012, the county has swung more toward Republicans, following the trend of most rural counties in the United States. Republican Donald Trump won 54.9% of the vote in 2016 , the highest vote share for

8176-400: The director was paid an annual salary of $ 26,410. In the 2016 general election, Salem County voters approved a binding referendum to cut the number of Commissioner from seven to five as well as a non-binding referendum to cut Commissioner salaries by 20%; both initiatives, which had been placed on the ballot as the result of grassroots campaigns opposed to a proposed outsourcing deal, passed by

8288-403: The early 20th century, its towns received numerous immigrants from eastern and southern Europe, who markedly added to the population. In the period following World War II, the county's population increased due to suburban development. To accommodate increasing traffic, the Delaware Memorial Bridge was built from Salem County to New Castle, Delaware . According to the U.S. Census Bureau , as of

8400-405: The edibility of the tomato. Before 1820, Americans often assumed tomatoes were poisonous. In 1820, Colonel Johnson, according to legend, stood upon the courthouse steps and ate tomatoes in front of a large crowd assembled to watch him do so. Salem County is notable for its distinctive Quaker -inspired architecture and masonry styles of the 18th century. It had a rural and agricultural economy. In

8512-514: The elevators in the four towers. This work was completed in 2008. In 2022 the DRBA began a project to apply ultra-high performance concrete to the driving surface of the eastbound span. The Delaware Memorial Bridge Protection System began in July 2023. The $ 93 million ship collision protection system project consists of the installation of eight stone filled “dolphin” cylinders, each measuring eighty feet in diameter. Four cells are being installed at

8624-399: The four independent municipalities within its borders: Atlantic Beach , Baldwin , Jacksonville Beach , and Neptune Beach . The term county equivalents is used by the United States Census Bureau to describe divisions that are comparable to counties but called by different names: Consolidated city-counties are not designated county equivalents for administrative purposes; since both

8736-461: The general law of the state or by a charter specific to that county. States may allow only general-law counties, only charter counties, or both. Generally, general-law local governments have less autonomy than chartered local governments. Counties are usually governed by an elected body, variously called the county commission , board of supervisors , commissioners' court , county council , county court , or county legislature . In cases in which

8848-626: The geographically largest cities in the world, though often with population densities far below those of most urban areas. There are 40 consolidated city-counties in the U.S., including Augusta–Richmond County; the City and County of Denver, Colorado; the City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii ; Indianapolis–Marion County, Indiana ; Jacksonville–Duval County, Florida ; Louisville–Jefferson County, Kentucky ; Lexington–Fayette County, Kentucky ; Kansas City–Wyandotte County, Kansas ; Nashville–Davidson County, Tennessee ; New Orleans–Orleans Parish, Louisiana ;

8960-465: The introduction of the new system, and the tokens are no longer valid. When the bridge opened in 1951, DRBA officials noticed that some motorists expressed fear of crossing the bridge due to gephyrophobia or acrophobia . As a result, the DRBA Police offers an "acrophobia support" service whereby a motorist can call ahead to arrange for an officer to drive them over the bridge. One officer drives

9072-405: The judicial branch of the state government rather than county governments. In many states, the county controls all unincorporated lands within its boundaries. In states with a township tier, unincorporated land is controlled by the townships. Residents of unincorporated land who are dissatisfied with county-level or township-level resource allocation decisions can attempt to vote to incorporate as

9184-525: The largest total area of any municipality. Salem County, along with adjacent Gloucester County , also in South Jersey, have become an East Coast epicenter for logistics and warehouse construction. The county derives its name from the Hebrew word shalom , which means "peace", chosen by early Quaker settlers to mark the serenity of the area. European settlement began with English colonists in

9296-560: The least extensive county equivalent is Kingman Reef , with a land area of 0.01 square miles (0.03 km ). In some states, a municipality may be in only one county and may not annex territory in adjacent counties, but in the majority of states, the state constitution or state law allows municipalities to extend across county boundaries. At least 32 states include municipalities in multiple counties . Dallas , for example, contains portions of five counties, while numerous other cities comprise portions of four counties. New York City

9408-416: The legislative power to enact laws for the county; it has the executive power to oversee the executive operations of county government; and it has quasi-judicial power with regard to certain limited matters (such as hearing appeals from the planning commission if one exists). In many states, several important officials are elected separately from the board of commissioners or supervisors and cannot be fired by

9520-686: The matter to the states. Subsequently, state constitutions conceptualized county governments as arms of the state. Louisiana instead adopted the local divisions called parishes that dated back to both the Spanish colonial and French colonial periods when the land was dominated by the Catholic Church . In the twentieth century, the role of local governments strengthened and counties began providing more services, acquiring home rule and county commissions to pass local ordinances pertaining to their unincorporated areas . In 1955, delegates to

9632-599: The motorist's vehicle while another officer follows in an escort vehicle. The DRBA responds to about 450 escort requests per year, with 60% of calls coming from repeat customers. Since opening of the first bridge in 1951, annual ceremonies are held at the bridge's war memorial on Memorial Day and Veterans Day to honor the sacrifices of American war veterans. The memorial is located in Veterans Memorial Park in New Castle, Delaware , and it features

9744-521: The next most common source of county names are geographic features and locations, with some counties even being named after counties in other states, or for places in other countries, such as the United Kingdom (the latter is most common in the area of the original Thirteen Colonies in the case of the United Kingdom, or in places which had a large number of immigrants from a particular area for other countries). The most common geographic county name

9856-478: The northbound side and the Clara Barton Service Area in the southbound direction. The Route 55 freeway passes through the northeastern part of the county briefly but has no interchanges within the county. The Delaware Memorial Bridge (which is signed as I-295/US 40) is a set of twin suspension bridges crossing the Delaware River. Connecting New Castle, Delaware and Pennsville Township ,

9968-424: The official record of all real estate transactions. Other key county officials include the coroner / medical examiner , treasurer , assessor , auditor , comptroller , and district attorney . In most states, the county sheriff is the chief law enforcement officer in the county. However, except in major emergencies where clear chains of command are essential, the county sheriff normally does not directly control

10080-483: The opening of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge in Philadelphia , residents of Delaware and New Jersey began to advocate a crossing of the river in the area of Wilmington, Delaware . As commercial pressures mounted, a ferry service began, as an interim measure, to run in 1926, near the bridge's current location. Advocates of a bridge crossing between Delaware and New Jersey faced strong opposition from

10192-607: The original span was opened in 1951 and the second span in 1968. NJ Transit operates three routes through Salem County: the 401, which stops in Salem, Woodstown, Swedesboro, and Woodbury en route to and from Philadelphia; the 402, which stops in Penns Grove and has two stops in Salem en route to and from Philadelphia; and the 468, which has local stops throughout Salem County. The 15 municipalities in Salem County (with 2010 Census data for population, housing units and area in square miles) are: Other, unincorporated communities in

10304-632: The piers supporting both eastern and western towers and will be located a minimum of 443 feet from the edge of the Delaware River’s 800 foot wide channel. Construction is expected to be completed in September 2025. One-way tolls for traffic entering Delaware (westbound) were instituted in 1992. As of May 1, 2019 , the toll is $ 5.00 for passenger vehicles using cash and $ 4.75 using a Delaware or New Jersey issued E-ZPass . Frequent Traveler discounts are available. About $ 270,000 in tolls are collected daily. The DRBA has originally proposed to raise

10416-448: The police departments of city governments, but merely cooperates with them (e.g., under mutual aid pacts). Thus, the most common interaction between county and city law enforcement personnel is when city police officers deliver suspects to sheriff's deputies for detention or incarceration in the county jail. In most states, the state courts and local law enforcement are organized and implemented along county boundaries, but nearly all of

10528-428: The population were under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 23.9% from 25 to 44, 29.4% from 45 to 64, and 15% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.8 years. For every 100 females, the population had 94.9 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 91.6 males. Salem County is governed by a five-member Board of Commissioners who are elected at-large to serve three-year terms of office on

10640-418: The population. Of the 25,290 households, 29% had children under the age of 18; 49.9% were married couples living together; 14.4% had a female householder with no husband present and 30.6% were non-families. Of all households, 25.4% were made up of individuals and 10.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.07. 23.5% of

10752-422: The population. Of the 24,404 households, of which 21.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.6% were married couples living together, 14.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.6% had a male householder with no wife present and 30.8% were non-families, and 12.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size

10864-582: The relationship between counties and incorporated cities. The powers of counties arise from state law and vary widely. In Connecticut and Rhode Island , counties are geographic entities, but not governmental jurisdictions. At the other extreme, Maryland counties and the county equivalent City of Baltimore handle almost all services, including public education , although the state retains an active oversight authority with many of these services. Counties in Hawaii also handle almost all services since there

10976-564: The river that is part of the State of Delaware , and thus there are pedestrian crossings in between those states, but not spanning the river. The Cape May–Lewes Ferry provides an alternate route between travelers from New Jersey and the Northeastern states to southern Delaware. On clear days, the skyline of Philadelphia is visible in the distance on the left going to New Jersey and on the right leaving New Jersey. Wilmington, Delaware, only

11088-540: The same block as the Salem County Courthouse, serves as the court for Salem City in the 21st century. It is the oldest active courthouse in New Jersey and is the second oldest courthouse in continuous use in the United States, the oldest being King William County Courthouse in Virginia. The courthouse was built in 1735 during the reign of King George II using locally manufactured bricks. The building

11200-484: The second span began in mid-1964, 250 feet (76 m) north of the original span. It was completed at a cost of $ 77 million and opened on September 12, 1968, dedicated to those soldiers from Delaware and New Jersey killed in the Korean War and Vietnam War . The original span was closed down for fifteen months for refurbishment: its suspenders were replaced and its deck and median barrier were removed and replaced with

11312-712: The settlement of Deepwater, New Jersey ). The Delaware Memorial and Benjamin Franklin Bridge are the only crossings of the Delaware River with both U.S. Highway and Interstate Highway designations. The bridges are dedicated to those from both New Jersey and Delaware who died in World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the Persian Gulf War. On the Delaware side of the bridge is

11424-626: The seventeenth century, who were settling both sides of the Delaware River. They established a colonial court in the area in 1681, but Salem County was first formally organized within West Jersey on May 17, 1694, from the Salem Tenth. Pittsgrove Township was transferred to Cumberland County in April 1867, but was restored to Salem County in February 1868. The area was initially settled by Quakers. The Old Salem County Courthouse , located on

11536-719: The southern end of U.S. Route 130 . Limited access roads include Interstate 295 and the New Jersey Turnpike . Both highways pass through the northern part of the county. Only one turnpike interchange is located in Salem: Exit 1 in Carneys Point (which is also where the turnpike ends). There are a pair of service areas on the Turnpike, both located between exits 1 and 2 in Oldmans Township: The John Fenwick Service Area on

11648-556: The state's French and Spanish colonial periods. Before the Louisiana Purchase and granting of statehood, government was often administered in towns where major church parishes were located. Of the original 19 civil parishes of Louisiana that date from statehood in 1807, nine were named after the Roman Catholic parishes from which they were governed. The structure and powers of a county government may be defined by

11760-421: The substantive and procedural law adjudicated in state trial courts originates from the state legislature and state appellate courts. In other words, most criminal defendants are prosecuted for violations of state law, not local ordinances, and if they, the district attorney, or police seek reforms to the criminal justice system, they will usually have to direct their efforts towards the state legislature rather than

11872-399: The term "county equivalent" to describe places that are comparable to counties, but called by different names. Louisiana parishes, the organized boroughs of Alaska, independent cities, and the District of Columbia are equivalent to counties for administrative purposes. Alaska's Unorganized Borough is further divided into 11 census areas that are statistically equivalent to counties. In 2024,

11984-564: The toll from $ 4.00 to $ 5.00 on March 1, 2019, however New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy vetoed this plan on January 3, 2019. In February, the DRBA and the governors of Delaware and New Jersey reached an agreement which postponed the toll hike to May 1, as well as providing a 25 cent E-ZPass discount for passenger vehicles. The frequent traveler rate increased from $ 1.25 to $ 1.75. Prior to the introduction of E-ZPass, both tokens and frequent traveler tickets were used, with special, discounted ticket books for local residents. They were phased out upon

12096-401: Was 3.03. About 21.0% of the population was under age 18, 8.0% was from age 18 to 24, 35.2% was from age 15 to 44, and 19.8% was age 65 or older. The median age was 43.1 years. The gender makeup was 47.9% male and 52.1% female. For every 100 females, there were 92.1 males. The median household income was $ 68,531, and the median family income was $ 81,122. About 12.4% of the population were below

12208-436: Was authorized by the highway departments of Delaware and New Jersey in 1945. Originally, a two-lane highway tunnel was considered, but the costs for a four-lane bridge was found to be equivalent in price, therefore being the reason a four-lane bridge was chosen. Congress approved the bridge project on July 13, 1946, and its construction began on February 1, 1949. The project cost $ 44 million, and it took two years to complete

12320-431: Was constructed mostly of welded steel plates (with heavy riveted joints in crucial areas) like with most contemporary steel bridges, and also has concrete access walks. The original suspension span carries northbound traffic for Interstate 295 , the newer southbound. Crossover lanes on each side of the bridge can allow two-way traffic on one span if the other must be closed for an extensive period of time. The bridge had

12432-440: Was dissolved by the District of Columbia Organic Act . Jefferson County , for Thomas Jefferson , is next with 26. The most recent president to have a county named for him was Warren G. Harding , reflecting the slowing rate of county creation since New Mexico and Arizona became states in 1912. The most common names for counties not named after a president are Franklin (25), Clay (18), and Montgomery (18). After people,

12544-593: Was enlarged in 1817 and additionally enlarged and remodeled in 1908. Its distinctive bell tower is essentially unchanged and the original bell sits in the courtroom. Judge William Hancock of the King's Court presided at the courthouse. He was later killed by the British in the American Revolutionary War during the massacre at Hancock House committed by the British against local militia during

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