Hamilton Township is a township and the most populous municipality in Mercer County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is the largest suburb of Trenton, the state's capital, which is located to the township's west. The township is situated within the New York metropolitan area as defined by the United States Census Bureau but directly borders the Philadelphia metropolitan area and is part of the Federal Communications Commission's Philadelphia Designated Market Area. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 92,297, its highest decennial count ever and an increase of 3,833 (+4.3%) from the 2010 census count of 88,464, which in turn reflected an increase of 1,355 (+1.6%) from the 2000 census count of 87,109. The township was the state's ninth-largest municipality in 2010 and 2020, after having been ranked 10th in 2000.
Hamilton was incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 11, 1842, from portions of the now-defunct Nottingham Township. Portions of the township were taken to form Chambersburg on April 1, 1872, and annexed by Trenton in 1888, and by Wilbur on April 24, 1891, and annexed by Trenton in 1898. Hamilton Township derives its name from the village of Hamilton Square, which might have been named for Alexander Hamilton.
In 2006, Hamilton Township was ranked by Morgan Quitno Press as the 18th-safest city in the United States, out of 369 cities nationwide. In the company's 2005 survey, the Township was ranked 15th safest of 354 cities surveyed nationwide.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 40.31 square miles (104.41 km2), including 39.44 square miles (102.14 km2) of land and 0.87 square miles (2.26 km2) of water (2.17%).
Although Hamilton is one of the largest townships in New Jersey it doesn't have a true "downtown", but a number of settlements within the township form smaller commercial centers. Groveville (with a 2010 Census population of 2,945), Hamilton Square (12,784), Mercerville (13,230), White Horse (9,494) and Yardville (7,186) are all census-designated places and unincorporated communities located within the township.
Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Briar Manor, Broad Street Park, Bromley, Chewalla Park, Creston, DeCou Village, Deutzville, Duck Island, East Trenton Heights, Edgebrook, Extonville, Golden Crest, Gropps Lake, Haines Corner, Hutchinson Mills, Lakeside Park, Maple Shade, North Crosswicks, Nottingham, Oil City, Pond Run, Quaker Bridge, Quaker Gardens, Rosemont, The Orchards, Trenton Gardens, Warner Village, White City and Yardville Heights.
Van Nest Wildlife Refuge is a wildlife management area operated by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection's Division of Fish and Wildlife.
The township borders the municipalities of Lawrence Township, Robbinsville Township, Trenton and West Windsor Township in Mercer County; Bordentown City, Bordentown Township, Chesterfield Township and North Hanover Township in Burlington County; Upper Freehold Township in Monmouth County; and Falls Township in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, across the Delaware River in Pennsylvania.
Demographics
2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 88,464 people, 34,534 households, and 23,759 families in the township. The population density was . There were 36,170 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup was 78.38% (69,340) White, 11.78% (10,419) Black or African American, 0.17% (149) Native American, 3.29% (2,914) Asian, 0.09% (79) Pacific Islander, 4.27% (3,775) from other races, and 2.02% (1,788) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.87% (9,613) of the population.
Of the 34,534 households, 28.0% had children under the age of 18; 51.3% were married couples living together; 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present and 31.2% were non-families. Of all households, 26.3% were made up of individuals and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.09.
21.2% of the population were under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 25.3% from 25 to 44, 29.6% from 45 to 64, and 15.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.8 years. For every 100 females, the population had 91.8 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 88.6 males.