Rumson, New Jersey

Rumson is a borough in Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, and is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 7,343, an increase of 221 (+3.1%) from the 2010 census count of 7,122, which in turn reflected a decline of 15 (−0.2%) from 7,137 in 2000.

Rumson was formed by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 15, 1907, from portions of Shrewsbury Township, based on results of a referendum held on June 18, 1907.

The borough has been one of the state's highest-income communities. In the 2013–2017 American Community Survey, Rumson had a median household income of $158,229 (ranked 24th in the state) and included 43.9% of households earning more than $200,000 annually.

Rumson ranked among the highest annual property tax bills in New Jersey, and was the highest in Monmouth County, at $20,602 in 2018, compared to a statewide average of $8,767.

In 2010, Forbes.com listed Rumson as 192nd in its listing of "America's Most Expensive ZIP Codes", with a median home price of $1,104,271.

History

Legend has it that the borough's name is derived from early European settlers who bought the land from the local Lenape Native Americans in exchange for some rum. But as far back as 1663, long before the area was officially named Rumson, Native Americans called it "Navarumsunk". Over the years it has been shortened to "Rumson", though sources also talk of a Chief Alumson as a source of the name. Other names Rumson has been known by include Black Point, Port Washington and Oceanic.

Rumson was purchased by English settlers in pieces. The first purchase was dated January 25, 1665, and it included parts of Middletown. The rest of the area was purchased later that year.

Rumson is known for its many sprawling 19th-century estates located alongside the shores of the Navesink and Shrewsbury rivers and also dotted along the historic Rumson Road (serving as one of Rumson's main thoroughfares). Now an upscale commuter suburb, Rumson was once a prominent summer colony for wealthy New York bankers and industrialists during the turn of the century. The oldest of Rumson's homes was the Tredwell House, named after a family that summered there for almost 100 years. The oldest part of the house was from 1670, and the estate once occupied 700 acres (2.8 km²). It was the second-oldest building in Monmouth County when it was destroyed by fire in June 2006.

The Lauriston Mansion, built in 1870 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2002, is a 10,000 square feet (930 m²) home constructed in the Colonial Revival style. Originally, the home sat on 39 acres (16 ha) of land, which over the years were parceled out, leaving 6 acres (2.4 ha) of land. Plans have been submitted to demolish the building, which the developer stated could not be renovated, and to replace it with townhomes that would include affordable housing, leading Preservation New Jersey to declare the home "endangered" as of 2020.

In the 19th century, Rumson's summer residents enjoyed many activities, such as swimming and boating in the adjacent Navesink River and the Atlantic Ocean, or taking wagon rides. In winter, residents used the river for ice boating.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 7.11 square miles (18.42 km²), including 5.07 square miles (13.12 km²) of land and 2.05 square miles (5.30 km²) of water (28.76%). It has a humid subtropical climate (Cfa) and average monthly temperatures range from 32.5 °F in January to 75.2 °F in July. [1]

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include East Oceanic, Elsemere, Oceanic, Rumson Bluffs, Rumson Hills and Waterloo.

The borough borders the Monmouth County municipalities of Fair Haven, Little Silver, Middletown Township, Monmouth Beach and Sea Bright.

Demographics

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 7,122 people, 2,344 households, and 1,957 families in the borough. The population density was 1,408.0 per square mile (543.6/km²). There were 2,585 housing units at an average density of 511.0 per square mile (197.3/km²). The racial makeup was 97.22% (6,924) White, 0.25% (18) Black or African American, 0.07% (5) Native American, 1.26% (90) Asian, 0.03% (2) Pacific Islander, 0.15% (11) from other races, and 1.01% (72) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.43% (173) of the population.

Of the 2,344 households, 46.8% had children under the age of 18; 72.4% were married couples living together; 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present and 16.5% were non-families. Of all households, 14.3% were made up of individuals and 7.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.03 and the average family size was 3.38.

32.5% of the population were under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 18.0% from 25 to 44, 32.4% from 45 to 64, and 11.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.6 years. For every 100 females, the population had 94.0 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 89.9 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $134,281 (with a margin of error of +/− $18,300) and the median family income was $157,188 (+/− $28,308). Males had a median income of $140,885 (+/− $25,278) versus $56,071 (+/− $16,014) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $79,388 (+/− $10,219). About 3.8% of families and 4.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.1% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States census there were 7,137 people, 2,452 households, and 1,988 families residing in the borough. The population density was 1,366.0 inhabitants per square mile (527.4/km²). There were 2,610 housing units at an average density of 499.5 per square mile (192.9/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 97.77% White, 0.24% African American, 0.06% Native American, 1.06% Asian, 0.36% from other races, and 0.50% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.39% of the population.

There were 2,452 households, out of which 44.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 71.3% were married couples living together, 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.9% were non-families. 16.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.91 and the average family size was 3.29.

In the borough the population was spread out, with 31.9% under the age of 18, 3.5% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 25.2% from 45 to 64, and 12.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median resident age was 39.2 years old. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.6 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $120,865, and the median income for a family was $140,668. Males had a median income of $100,000 versus $47,260 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $73,692. About 3.4% of families and 3.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.4% of those under age 18 and 0.7% of those age 65 or over.

Sports

The Seabright Lawn Tennis and Cricket Club, established in 1877, is the oldest continuously active tennis club in the United States.

Parks and recreation

Public parks consist of Meadowridge Park, Piping Rock Park, Riverside Park, Rogers Park, "Teddy's Playground" at Victory Park, and West Park. Teddy's Playground was named after Edward “Teddy” Hall Gmelich, a 1-1/2-year-old who loved going to the park, and had died from a disease that had spread to his heart. The Rumson Country Club is a consolidation of the Rumson Polo Club and the Meadow Yacht Club and the Sea Bright Yacht Club. Bingham Hall serves as a center for social gatherings, recreational activities, and fundraisers.

Government

Local government

Rumson is governed under the borough form of New Jersey municipal government, which is used in 218 municipalities (of the 564) statewide, making it the most common form of government in New Jersey. The governing body is comprised of the mayor and the borough council, with all positions elected at-large on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. A mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The borough council includes six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle. The borough form of government used by Rumson is a "weak mayor / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can veto ordinances subject to an override by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council.

As of 2023, the Mayor of Rumson is Republican Joseph K. Hemphill, whose term of office ends on December 31, 2023. Members of the Borough Council are Council President John J. Conklin III (R, 2024), Gary Casazza (R, 2023), James Clayton Kingsbery (R, 2025), Michael F. Lospinuso (R, 2025), Sarah Pomphrey (R, 2024) and Robert Swikart (R, 2023).

In January 2022, the borough council selected Michael F. Lospinuso from a list of three candidates nominated by the Republican municipal committee to fill the seat expiring in December 2022 that had been held by Laura R. Atwell until she resigned from office the previous December.

Councilmember Frank E. Shanley submitted a letter of resignation that took effect as of December 31, 2014, and was replaced in January 2015 by John J. Conklin III, who was selected by the borough council from a list of three candidates nominated by the Republican municipal committee.

In 2018, the borough had an average property tax bill of $20,602, the highest in the county, compared to an average bill of $8,767 statewide.

Federal, state, and county representation

Rumson is located in the 6th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 13th state legislative district.

For the 118th United States Congress, New Jersey's 6th congressional district is represented by Frank Pallone (D, Long Branch). New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Democrats Cory Booker (Newark, term ends 2027) and Bob Menendez (Englewood Cliffs, term ends 2025).

For the 2024-2025 session, the 13th legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the New Jersey Senate by Declan O'Scanlon (R, Little Silver) and in the General Assembly by Vicky Flynn (R, Holmdel Township) and Gerard Scharfenberger (R, Middletown Township).

Monmouth County is governed by a Board of County Commissioners composed of five members who are elected at-large to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats up for election each year as part of the November general election. At an annual reorganization meeting held in the beginning of January, the board selects one of its members to serve as director and another as deputy director. As of 2024, Monmouth County's Commissioners are:

Director Thomas A. Arnone (R, Neptune City, 2025), Susan M. Kiley (R, Hazlet Township, 2024), Erik Anderson (R, Shrewsbury, 2026), Nick DiRocco (R, Wall Township, 2025), and Deputy Director Ross F. Licitra (R, Marlboro Township, 2026).

Constitutional officers elected on a countywide basis are: Clerk Christine Giordano Hanlon (R, 2025; Ocean Township), Sheriff Shaun Golden (R, 2025; Howell Township) and Surrogate Rosemarie D. Peters (R, 2026; Middletown Township).

Politics

As of March 2011, there were a total of 5,166 registered voters in Rumson, of which 953 (18.4%) were registered as Democrats, 1,827 (35.4%) were registered as Republicans and 2,383 (46.1%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were three voters registered as Libertarians or Greens.

In the 2016 Presidential election in Rumson, Republican Donald J. Trump received 54.9% (2,131 votes cast) in contrast with Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton's 41.0% (1,592 votes cast). Other candidates received 4.0% (158 votes cast). In the previous 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 68.2% of the vote (2,446 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 31.0% (1,111 votes), and other candidates with 0.8% (29 votes), among the 3,610 ballots cast by the borough's 5,384 registered voters (24 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 67.1%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 59.7% of the vote (2,470 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 37.3% (1,543 votes) and other candidates with 1.3% (52 votes), among the 4,136 ballots cast by the borough's 5,303 registered voters, for a turnout of 78.0%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 63.8% of the vote (2,590 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry with 34.9% (1,418 votes) and other candidates with 0.8% (40 votes), among the 4,060 ballots cast by the borough's 5,084 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 79.9.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 80.2% of the vote (1,925 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 18.1% (435 votes), and other candidates with 1.6% (39 votes), among the 2,438 ballots cast by the borough's 5,330 registered voters (39 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 45.7%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 71.6% of the vote (2,019 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 22.8% (644 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 4.9% (138 votes) and other candidates with 0.4% (11 votes), among the 2,819 ballots cast by the borough's 5,139 registered voters, yielding a 54.9% turnout.

Education

The Rumson School District serves public school students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. As of the 2021–22 school year, the district, comprised of two schools, had an enrollment of 916 students and 95.9 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 9.6:1. Schools in the district (with 2021–22 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Deane-Porter Elementary School with 363 students in grades PreK-3 and Forrestdale Middle School with 551 students in grade 4-8.

Public school students in ninth through twelfth grades attend Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School, a regional, four-year comprehensive public high school serving students from both Fair Haven and Rumson, where the school is located. As of the 2021–22 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 930 students and 82.4 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.3:1. In 2016, Newsweek ranked RFH the 144th best high school in the United States. Seats on the high school district's nine-member board of education are allocated based on the population of the constituent municipalities, with five seats assigned to Rumson.

Private schools in Rumson include Holy Cross School for grades K–8, which operates under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Trenton. In 2015, Holy Cross School was one of 15 schools in New Jersey, and one of six private schools, recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School in the exemplary high performing category by the United States Department of Education.

Founded in 1926 and developed under the principles of its organizer B. Lord Buckley, Rumson Country Day School serves students in preschool through eighth grade and was recognized in 1998-99 by the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program.

Transportation

Roads and highways

As of May 2010, the borough had a total of 49.56 miles (79.76 km) of roadways, of which 40.15 miles (64.62 km) were maintained by the municipality and 9.41 miles (15.14 km) by Monmouth County.

No Interstate, U.S. or state highways directly serve Rumson. The most prominent road through the town is County Route 520 (Rumson Road).

Public transportation

Transportation to New York is available via NJ Transit's train service from stations at Little Silver or Red Bank. Commuter service is provided on the North Jersey Coast Line, offering express and local service. Diesel service operates from Hoboken Terminal to Bay Head, New Jersey. Electric service operates from Penn Station to Long Branch, New Jersey, where the electrified portion of the line ends. Mid-line stations include Newark Penn Station, Newark Liberty International Airport Station, and Secaucus Junction.

Many of Rumson's residents work in the financial services industry and commute to Wall Street on the high-speed SeaStreak ferry that leaves from nearby Atlantic Highlands. The ferry ride is 40 minutes to the foot of Wall Street or an hour to Midtown Manhattan.

NJ Transit offers local bus service on the 835 route.

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Rumson include:

Gallery

References

External links

• Borough of Rumson