Shamong Township (pronounced "Shuh-Mong") is a township in Burlington County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 6,460, a decrease of 30 (−0.5%) from the 2010 census count of 6,490, which in turn reflected an increase of 28 (+0.4%) from the 6,462 counted in the 2000 census.Table 7. Population for the Counties and Municipalities in New Jersey: 1990, 2000 and 2010, New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, February 2011. Accessed May 1, 2023. The township, and all of Burlington County, is a part of the Philadelphia metropolitan area.New Jersey: 2020 Core Based Statistical Areas and Counties, United States Census Bureau. Accessed February 1, 2023.

Shamong was incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 19, 1852, from portions of Medford, Southampton and Washington townships. Portions of the township were taken to form Woodland Township (March 7, 1866) and Tabernacle Township (March 22, 1901).Snyder, John P. The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 99. Accessed May 30, 2024. In April 1902, portions of Hammonton and Waterford Township were annexed to the township.Honeyman, Abraham Van Doren. Index-analysis of the Statutes of New Jersey, 1896-1909: Together with References to All Acts, and Parts of Acts, in the 'General Statutes' and Pamphlet Laws Expressly Repealed: and the Statutory Crimes of New Jersey During the Same Period, p. 256. New Jersey Law Journal Publishing Company, 1910. Accessed October 2, 2015. The township's name comes from Native American terms meaning "place of the big horn", from the words oschummo ("horn") and onk ("place").Hutchinson, Viola L. The Origin of New Jersey Place Names, New Jersey Public Library Commission, May 1945. Accessed October 2, 2015.Gannett, Henry. The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States, p. 28. United States Government Printing Office, 1905. Accessed October 2, 2015.

New Jersey Monthly magazine ranked Shamong Township as its 6th best place to live in its 2008 rankings of the "Best Places To Live" in New Jersey."Best Places To Live - The Complete Top Towns List 1-100" , New Jersey Monthly, February 21, 2008. Accessed February 24, 2008.

History This area, along with much of present-day southern New Jersey, was inhabited by Lenape Native Americans at the time of European encounter. They spoke Unami, one of the three major dialects of the Lenape language, which belonged to the Algonquian language family. The Lenape territory ranged from the New York metropolitan area and western Long Island, extending into New Jersey, eastern Pennsylvania along the Delaware River, and Delaware.

By the mid-18th century, English colonists had displaced the local Lenape of southern New Jersey onto what was previously known as the Brotherton Indian Reservation. This reservation was in the area of present-day Indian Mills, which was named after mills built and operated by the Brotherton people, who were converted Christian Indians. Some of them were relocated in 1765 from Cranbury, New Jersey."Tennent's Account of Move from Cranbury (Bethel) to Brotherton", Brotherton & Weekping Indian Communities of NJ. Accessed July 18, 2012. With sustained pressure following the American Revolutionary War, the Brotherton Indians of New Jersey migrated to New York. They accepted an offer by the Stockbridge–Munsee Community, also Christian converts, to settle on their reservation in the central part of the state, where they had been allocated land by the Oneida people, one of the Iroquois nations."Removal to New York, 1793 - 1803", Brotherton & Weekping Indian Communities of NJ. Accessed July 18, 2012. Some of the Munsee-speaking Lenape from the northern part of their territory also migrated there. These remaining communities were attempting to reorganize after years of disease and conflict with colonists and major powers. The Brotherton Indians sold their last property in New Jersey in 1818 and had essentially been absorbed by the Munsee."Petition of the Indians, 1817", Brotherton & Weekping Indian Communities of NJ. Accessed July 18, 2012.

Following the Revolutionary War, settlers from New England flooded into New York, encroaching on Indian territory. Ultimately, the Stockbridge and Munsee were relocated to Wisconsin in the 1820s and 1830s, forced out along with the Oneida by the United States Indian Removal policy, which sought to relocate Native Americans to the west of the Mississippi River. Today, the Stockbridge–Munsee Community is a federally recognized tribe, with a reservation in Shawano County, Wisconsin.

In 1992, a non-binding referendum gave voters the opportunity to consider renaming the township to Indian Mills, the name of an unincorporated community within the township.Harbach, Louise. "On The Ballot, Shamong Will Find That Its Very Name Is On The Line", The Philadelphia Inquirer, October 21, 1992. Accessed October 2, 2015. "Shamong is a Leni-Lenape name meaning 'place of the horn,' for the abundance of deer there. Now, 140 years later, some present-day settlers say Shamong just doesn't have the snap to it that Indian Mills does, and they say that's what folks call Shamong anyway.... A nonbinding ballot question Nov. 3 might settle the argument, which residents of the Burlington County community say has been going on since 1852."

Geography According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 45.01 square miles (116.58 km2), including 44.45 square miles (115.14 km2) of land and 0.56 square miles (1.44 km2) of water (1.24%). Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Atsion, Dellette, Flyat, Hampton Furnace, High Crossing, Indian Mills, and Smalls.Locality Search, State of New Jersey. Accessed May 21, 2015.

The township borders Medford Township, Tabernacle Township, and Washington Township in Burlington County; Hammonton in Atlantic County; and Waterford Township in Camden County.Areas touching Shamong Township, MapIt. Accessed March 6, 2020.Municipalities within Burlington County, NJ, Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission. Accessed March 6, 2020.New Jersey Municipal Boundaries, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed November 15, 2019.

The township is one of 56 South Jersey municipalities that are included within the New Jersey Pinelands National Reserve, a protected natural area of unique ecology covering , that has been classified as a United States Biosphere Reserve and established by Congress in 1978 as the nation's first National Reserve.The Pinelands National Reserve, New Jersey Pinelands Commission. Accessed December 1, 2013. All of the township is included in the state-designated Pinelands Area, which includes portions of Burlington County, along with areas in Atlantic, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester and Ocean counties.Pinelands Municipalities, New Jersey Pinelands Commission, April 2003. Accessed December 1, 2013.

Demographics

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 6,490 people, 2,168 households, and 1,825 families in the township. The population density was . There were 2,227 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup was 96.86% (6,286) White, 0.92% (60) Black or African American, 0.20% (13) Native American, 0.59% (38) Asian, 0.02% (1) Pacific Islander, 0.26% (17) from other races, and 1.16% (75) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.30% (149) of the population.

Of the 2,168 households, 40.2% had children under the age of 18; 71.7% were married couples living together; 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present and 15.8% were non-families. Of all households, 12.7% were made up of individuals and 4.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.99 and the average family size was 3.28.

26.8% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 21.7% from 25 to 44, 34.3% from 45 to 64, and 9.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.9 years. For every 100 females, the population had 97.4 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 98.3 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $104,063 (with a margin of error of +/− $7,752) and the median family income was $110,848 (+/− $10,655). Males had a median income of $80,188 (+/− $22,205) versus $53,591 (+/− $14,752) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $38,817 (+/− $3,645). About 2.4% of families and 3.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.6% of those under age 18 and 9.4% of those age 65 or over.DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics from the 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates for Shamong township, Burlington County, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed August 30, 2012.

2000 census As of the 2000 U.S. census, there were 6,462 people, 2,132 households, and 1,820 families residing in the township. The population density was . There were 2,175 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the township was 97.25% White, 0.82% African American, 0.11% Native American, 0.67% Asian, 0.31% from other races, and 0.85% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.05% of the population.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Shamong township, Burlington County, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed August 30, 2012.DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Shamong township, Burlington County, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed August 30, 2012.

There were 2,132 households, out of which 44.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 76.2% were married couples living together, 6.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 14.6% were non-families. 11.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 3.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.03 and the average family size was 3.29.

In the township, the population was spread out, with 29.4% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 29.2% from 45 to 64, and 6.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.8 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $77,457, and the median income for a family was $82,534. Males had a median income of $55,664 versus $35,440 for females. The per capita income for the township was $30,934. About 2.3% of families and 2.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.7% of those under age 18 and 2.1% of those age 65 or over.

Government Local government