2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 5,178 people, 1,880 households, and 1,337 families in the township. The population density was 161.2 inhabitants per square mile (62.2/km²). There were 2,115 housing units at an average density of 65.8 per square mile (25.4/km²). The racial makeup was 83.72% (4,335) White, 10.24% (530) Black or African American, 0.35% (18) Native American, 0.52% (27) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 1.53% (79) from other races, and 3.65% (189) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.10% (316) of the population.^[17]

Of the 1,880 households, 30.6% had children under the age of 18; 42.9% were married couples living together; 18.5% had a female householder with no husband present and 28.9% were non-families. Of all households, 22.4% were made up of individuals and 9.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.14.^[17]

25.3% of the population were under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 28.0% from 45 to 64, and 11.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.3 years. For every 100 females, the population had 98.2 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 98.0 males.^[17]

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $45,323 (with a margin of error of +/− $7,873) and the median family income was $46,790 (+/− $10,373). Males had a median income of $42,297 (+/− $6,069) versus $31,391 (+/− $5,851) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $19,242 (+/− $2,315). About 18.0% of families and 18.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.9% of those under age 18 and 21.2% of those age 65 or over.^[36]

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States census^[13] there were 5,259 people, 1,873 households, and 1,367 families residing in the township. The population density was 162.0 inhabitants per square mile (62.5/km²). There were 2,171 housing units at an average density of 66.9 per square mile (25.8/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 82.98% White, 13.42% African American, 0.42% Native American, 0.23% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.01% from other races, and 1.92% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.86% of the population.^[34][35]

There were 1,873 households, out of which 35.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.1% were married couples living together, 16.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.0% were non-families. 21.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.80 and the average family size was 3.22.^[34][35]

In the township the population was spread out, with 28.3% under the age of 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 20.8% from 45 to 64, and 12.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.0 males.^[34][35]

The median income for a household in the township was $34,960, and the median income for a family was $37,500. Males had a median income of $35,030 versus $21,610 for females. The per capita income for the township was $14,663. About 13.0% of families and 15.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.3% of those under age 18 and 11.9% of those age 65 or over.^[34][35]

Local government

Commercial Township is governed under the Township form of New Jersey municipal government, one of 141 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this form, the second-most commonly used form of government in the state.^[37] The governing body is composed of a three-member Township Committee, whose members are elected directly by the voters at-large in partisan elections to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with one seat coming up for election each year as part of the November general election in a three-year cycle.^[3][38] At an annual reorganization meeting, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor and another as Deputy Mayor, each serving a one-year term.^[4]

As of 2023^[update], members of the Commercial Township Committee are Mayor Warren "Mike" Vizzard (D, term on committee ends December 31, 2025; term as mayor ends 2023), Deputy Mayor Fletcher Jamison (D, term on committee and as deputy mayor ends 2023) and Joseph E. Klaudi (R, 2024).^{[4][39][40][41][42][43]}

After Mayor Judson Moore resigned from office in March 2016, Ronald Sutton was named as mayor to replace Moore and Fletcher Jamison shifted to deputy mayor.^[44]

In the November 2013 general election, Moore became the first candidate to win election running as an independent, while Ronald Sutton was elected to fill the vacant seat of Bill Riggin, who had resigned from office.^[45]

Federal, state and county representation

Commercial Township is located in the 2nd Congressional District^[46] and is part of New Jersey's 1st state legislative district.^[47][48][49]

For the 118th United States Congress, New Jersey's 2nd congressional district is represented by Jeff Van Drew (R, Dennis Township).^[50] New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Democrats Cory Booker (Newark, term ends 2027)^[51] and Bob Menendez (Englewood Cliffs, term ends 2025).^[52][53]

For the 2024-2025 session, the 1st legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Mike Testa (R, Vineland) and in the General Assembly by Antwan McClellan (R, Ocean City) and Erik K. Simonsen (R, Lower Township).^[54]

Cumberland County is governed by a Board of County Commissioners composed of seven members who are elected at large by the citizens of Cumberland County in partisan elections and serve staggered three-year terms in office, with either two or three seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle. Annually, the seven board members select a Director and Deputy Director for one-year terms.^[55] As of 2024^[update], members of the Cumberland County Board of County Commissioners (with party affiliation, residence and term-end year listed in parentheses) are:

Douglas A. Albrecht (R, Vineland, 2025),^[56] Deputy Director Antonio Romero (R, Vineland, 2024),^[57] Sandra Taylor (R, Downe Township; 2026),^[58] Victoria Groetsch-Lods (R, Vineland, 2025),^[59] Arthur Marchand (R, Hopewell Township, 2026),^[60] James Sauro (R, Vineland, 2026)^[61] and Director Joseph V. Sileo (R, Vineland, 2024).^{[62][55][63][64][65][66][67]}

The county's constitutional officers are: Clerk Celeste Riley (D, Bridgeton, 2024),^[68][69] Sheriff Michael Donato (R, Bridgeton, 2026)^[70][71] and Surrogate Rudolph Luisi (R, Vineland, 2028).^[72][73][63]

Politics

As of March 2011, there were a total of 3,183 registered voters in Commercial Township, of which 1,004 (31.5%) were registered as Democrats, 568 (17.8%) were registered as Republicans and 1,608 (50.5%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 3 voters registered as Libertarians or Greens.^[74]

In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 57.6% of the vote (983 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 41.1% (701 votes), and other candidates with 1.3% (23 votes), among the 1,726 ballots cast by the township's 3,270 registered voters (19 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 52.8%.^[75][76] In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 55.0% of the vote (1,032 cast), ahead of Republican John McCain, who received 41.7% (781 votes), with 1,875 ballots cast among the township's 3,151 registered voters, for a turnout of 59.5%.^[77] In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 50.2% of the vote (849 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry, who received 49.2% (832 votes), with 1,690 ballots cast among the township's 2,931 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 57.7.^[78]

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 60.9% of the vote (691 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 36.4% (413 votes), and other candidates with 2.7% (31 votes), among the 1,191 ballots cast by the township's 3,031 registered voters (56 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 39.3%.^[79][80] In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 46.5% of the vote (475 ballots cast), ahead of both Republican Chris Christie with 43.6% (446 votes) and Independent Chris Daggett with 6.0% (61 votes), with 1,022 ballots cast among the township's 3,017 registered voters, yielding a 33.9% turnout.^[81]