Upper Freehold Township is a township in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township’s population was 6,902, reflecting an increase of 2,620 (+61.2%) from the 4,282 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 1,005 (+30.7%) from the 3,277 counted in the 1990 Census.
Upper Freehold Township dates back to 1731, when it was formed from portions of Freehold Township. It was formally incorporated as a township by the Township Act of 1798 of the New Jersey Legislatureon February 21, 1798. Over the years, portions of the township have been taken to form Millstone Township (February 28, 1844), Jackson Township (March 6, 1844) and Allentown (January 20, 1889). The name of the township derives from Freehold Township, which in turn comes from the word freehold, an English legal term describing fee simple property ownership.
Unincorporated communities within the township include Arneytown, Cooleys Corner, Coxs Corner, Cream Ridge, Davis, Ellisdale, Emleys Hill, Fillmore, Hayti, Homes Mills, Hornerstown, Imlaystown, Kirbys Mills, Nelsonville, New Canton, New Sharon, Polhemustown, Prospertown, Pullentown, Red Valley, Robinsville, Sharon, Shrewsbury, Spring Mill, Walnford and Wrightsville.
The township borders Allentown, Millstone Township and Rooseveltin Monmouth County; North Hanover Township in Burlington County; East Windsor Township, Hamilton Township and Robbinsville Township in Mercer County; and Jackson Township and Plumsted Township in Ocean County.
Farming and other agricultural uses have been primary uses of land in the area since the time that the township was first formed. The township has 6,000 acres (2,400 ha) of land protected from development as part of a Farmland Preservation Program. Voters were the first in the county to approve a dedicated portion of property taxes to fund farmland preservation, which was increased by a 2001 referendum to four cents per $100 of assessed value, split between farmland preservation and the costs associated with purchasing and developing land for recreational uses.
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 6,902 people, 2,363 households, and 1,978 families residing in the township. The population density was 148.7 per square mile (57.4/km2). There were 2,458 housing units at an average density of 53.0 per square mile (20.5/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 91.50% (6,315) White, 2.01% (139) Black or African American, 0.14% (10) Native American, 4.35% (300) Asian, 0.01% (1) Pacific Islander, 0.67% (46) from other races, and 1.32% (91) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.68% (254) of the population.
Source: Wikipedia
