Pennsauken Township is a township in Camden County, in the Philadelphia Metropolitan Area in the U.S. state of New Jersey, and a suburb of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which it borders directly on the Delaware River. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 37,074, an increase of 1,189 (+3.3%) from the 2010 census count of 35,885, which in turn increased by 148 (+0.4%) from the 35,737 counted in the 2000 census.
The township is part of the South Jersey region of the state.
History
Pennsauken Township was incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 18, 1892, from portions of the now-defunct Stockton Township.
The exact origin of the name Pennsauken is unclear, but it probably derives from the language of the Lenni Lenape Native Americans, who once occupied the area from "", the Lenape language term for tobacco pouch. Alternatively, the "Penn" in the township's name refers to William Penn, while "sauk" is a water inlet or outlet.
Pennsauken was home to America's first drive-in movie theater, created in 1933 with the opening of the Camden Drive-In in Pennsauken. It featured the comedy Wives Beware, released in the theaters as Two White Arms.
For 50 years, the township was the home to the Pennsauken Mart, a large multi-vendor indoor market, which was closed in January 2006 to make way for a sports arena/conference complex, however, that did not materialize. Most of the vendors relocated to a marketplace in Willingboro Township. A luxury apartment complex was completed on the site in 2018.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 12.13 square miles (31.41 km2), including 10.48 square miles (27.14 km2) of land and 1.65 square miles (4.27 km2) of water (13.59%).
Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Amon Heights, Bethel, Biedemon, Delair, Delair Station, Delaware Gardens, Dudley, East Pennsauken, Fish House, Hillcrest, Homesteadville, Jordantown, Merchantville Park, Morris, Morrisville, North Pennsville and Wellwood.
The township includes Petty's Island, a island in the Delaware River although most of the island actually sits across a narrow strait from neighboring Camden. Once an oil storage and distribution facility, the island is now the site of a container cargo shipping operation and nesting bald eagles. Petty's Island is currently in the process of being turned over to the State of New Jersey by Citgo to be transformed to a new state park and nature center .
Pennsauken borders Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The two municipalities are connected across the Delaware River by the Betsy Ross Bridge which is owned and operated by the Delaware River Port Authority. In New Jersey, Pennsauken borders Camden, Cherry Hill, Collingswood and Merchantville in Camden County, and Cinnaminson Township, Maple Shade Township and Palmyra in Burlington County.
Climate
According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Pennsauken has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps. The hottest temperature recorded in Pennsauken was on July 16, 1995, while the coldest temperature recorded was on January 19–21, 1994.
Demographics
2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 35,885 people, 12,633 households, and 8,995 families in the township. The population density was . There were 13,275 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup was 47.60% (17,081) White, 26.87% (9,644) Black or African American, 0.59% (210) Native American, 7.72% (2,770) Asian, 0.04% (15) Pacific Islander, 13.59% (4,877) from other races, and 3.59% (1,288) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 26.91% (9,657) of the population.
Of the 12,633 households, 30.7% had children under the age of 18; 46.9% were married couples living together; 18.4% had a female householder with no husband present and 28.8% were non-families. Of all households, 23.8% 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 2.83 and the average family size was 3.36.
24.1% of the population were under the age of 18, 9.7% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 27.3% from 45 to 64, and 12.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.0 years. For every 100 females, the population had 91.8 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 87.8 males.