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Victory Gardens, New Jersey

Victory Gardens is a Borough in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 1,546.

Victory Gardens was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on June 20, 1951, from portions of Randolph Township, subject to the results of a referendum passed on September 18, 1951.

The borough is named for the victory gardens planted at private residences during World War II. As of the 2000 Census, Victory Gardens is Morris County's smallest municipality, measured both by size and population, and its most densely populated. The origins of the borough began in 1941, when the federal government acquired 91 acres in Randolph Township as the site of a 300-unit housing project for war industry employees. The federal government paid for all infrastructure. Streets are named for United States Presidents.

Geography

Victory Gardens is located at (40.875432, -74.544473).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 0.2 square miles (0.4 km²), all of it land.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 1,546 people, 564 households, and 381 families residing in the borough. The population density was 10,582.6 people per square mile (3,979.4/km²). There were 588 housing units at an average density of 4,025.0/sq mi (1,513.5/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 51.36% White, 21.41% African American, 0.06% Native American, 5.43% Asian, 15.27% from other races, and 6.47% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 50.65% of the population.

15.27% of Victory Gardens residents identified themselves as being of Colombian ancestry in the 2000 Census, the highest percentage of the population of any municipality in the United States.

There were 564 households out of which 39.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.3% were married couples living together, 17.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.3% were non-families. 25.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 2.7% 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 3.21.

In the borough the population was spread out with 26.5% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 39.3% from 25 to 44, 19.2% from 45 to 64, and 5.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 92.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.3 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $44,375, and the median income for a family was $43,594. Males had a median income of $32,841 versus $24,875 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $20,616. About 8.9% of families and 8.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.4% of those under age 18 and 10.5% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

Victory Gardens is governed under the Borough form of New Jersey municipal government. The government consists of a Mayor and a Borough Council comprising six council members, with all positions elected at large. A Mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The Borough Council consists of six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year.

The Mayor of Victory Gardens is Betty Simmons (R, term in office ends December 31, 2008). Members of the Borough Council are Vivian Anderson (D, 2010), Vera Cheatham (D, 2010), Ondria Garcia-Montes (D, 2009), Veronica Hedgepath (D, 2009), David Holeman (D, 2008) and Kresentia Morris (R, 2008).

Federal, state and county representation

Victory Gardens is in the Eleventh Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 25th Legislative District.

Education

Victory Gardens is a non-operating school district. Public school students in grades K - 12 in Victory Gardens attend the Dover School District in Dover as part of a sending/receiving relationship.