Oaklyn is a borough in Camden County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 3,930, a decrease of 108 (−2.7%) from the 2010 census count of 4,038, which in turn reflected a decline of 150 (−3.6%) from the 4,188 counted in the 2000 census.
The borough had the 28th-highest property tax rate in New Jersey, with an equalized rate of 4.134% in 2020, compared to 3.470% in the county as a whole and a statewide average of 2.279%.
History
Before European settlement began, Oaklyn was dense forest land which was inhabited by Lenape Native Americans. In 1681, a group of Quakers seeking religious freedom sailed from Ireland to Fenwick's Colony at Salem, New Jersey, where they spent the winter. In 1682, they sailed up the Delaware River and settled on Newton Creek. William Bates, their leader, purchased on the south side of Newton Creek from the local Native Americans. The original Quaker settlement, known as Newton Colony, was located in The Manor section of today's Oaklyn.
The Colony began to grow rapidly and the land was cleared for farming. Eventually two highways were laid out. One, from the Delaware River to Egg Harbor, followed an old Native American trail, which is today the Black Horse Pike. The other was known as the Long-a-coming trail, which extended from Atlantic City to Berlin and then from Berlin to Camden. This trail is now known as the White Horse Pike.
After the American Revolutionary War, a group of Virginia sportsmen built a racetrack on the east side of the White Horse Pike. Future president Ulysses S. Grant visited this track as a young man before it closed in 1846. Samuel Bettle bought the land which was formerly the racetrack and eventually, the land was deeded to Haddon Township.
As the years passed, the farms along Newton Creek were divided into lots and the development called "Oakland the Beautiful", for the many trees in the area. The name was changed to Oaklyn in 1894 to avoid confusion with another Oakland in North Jersey.
Oaklyn was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 13, 1905, from portions of Haddon Township.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 0.69 square miles (1.78 km2), including 0.63 square miles (1.62 km2) of land and 0.06 square miles (0.15 km2) of water (8.70%).
Oaklyn borders the Camden County municipalities of Audubon, Audubon Park, Camden, Collingswood, and Haddon Township.
Demographics
2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 4,038 people, 1,725 households, and 1,007 families in the borough. The population density was . There were 1,847 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup was 92.40% (3,731) White, 2.48% (100) Black or African American, 0.22% (9) Native American, 1.81% (73) Asian, 0.02% (1) Pacific Islander, 1.49% (60) from other races, and 1.58% (64) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.37% (217) of the population.
Of the 1,725 households, 25.2% had children under the age of 18; 43.3% were married couples living together; 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present and 41.6% were non-families. Of all households, 33.4% were made up of individuals and 8.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 3.03.
20.5% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 30.6% from 45 to 64, and 11.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.4 years. For every 100 females, the population had 96.3 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 96.0 males.
The Census Bureau's 2006−2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $55,690 (with a margin of error of +/− $6,370) and the median family income was $86,019 (+/− $13,045). Males had a median income of $52,963 (+/− $6,041) versus $44,653 (+/− $12,251) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $31,168 (+/− $2,965). About 1.6% of families and 4.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.4% of those under age 18 and 1.6% of those age 65 or over.