"Absecon" redirects here. For the lighthouse in Absecon, see Absecon Lighthouse

Absecon is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the city population was 7,638.

What is now the City of Absecon was originally incorporated as a town by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 29, 1872, from portions of Egg Harbor Township and Galloway Township. The City of Absecon was incorporated on March 24, 1902, replacing Absecon town.

Geography

Absecon is located at (39.430416, -74.503911).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 6.9 square miles (17.9 km²), of which, 5.7 square miles (14.8 km²) of it is land and 1.2 square miles (3.1 km²) of it (17.46%) is water.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 7,638 people, 2,773 households, and 2,085 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,336.0 people per square mile (515.6/km²). There were 2,902 housing units at an average density of 507.6/sq mi (195.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 83.31% White, 6.01% African American, 0.17% Native American, 7.46% Asian, 1.51% from other races, and 1.54% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.77% of the population.

There were 2,773 households out of which 32.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.6% were married couples living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.8% were non-families. 19.2% 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 2.69 and the average family size was 3.08.

In the city the population was spread out with 23.5% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 29.6% from 25 to 44, 25.1% from 45 to 64, and 16.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 92.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $55,745, and the median income for a family was $61,563. Males had a median income of $47,984 versus $31,663 for females. The per capita income for the city was $23,615. About 3.2% of families and 4.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.9% of those under age 18 and 4.3% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

Absecon operates under the City form of New Jersey municipal government, led by a Mayor and a seven-member City Council. The City Council consists of two members elected from wards to three-year terms, and five members elected at-large to four-year terms in office, all of whom are elected in partisan elections on a staggered basis.

Peter C. Elco (Democrat) has been the Mayor of Absecon since 1988. Members of the Absecon City Council are Evelyn Caterson, Gerald Falivene, Barbara "Bobbie" Gorman, Fred Green, Jr., Joseph Marczyk, Charles Norris, William Wilson.

Federal, state and county representation

Absecon is in the Second Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 2nd Legislative District.

Education

The Absecon Public School District serve students in kindergarten through eighth grade. Schools in the district (with 2005-06 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics.) are H. Ashton Marsh Elementary School for grades K-4 (498 students) and Emma C. Attales Middle School for grades 5-8 (391 students).

For grades 9-12, public school students from Absecon attend Pleasantville High School in Pleasantville as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Pleasantville Public Schools.

Holy Spirit High School is a Roman Catholic high school, operated under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Camden.

Transportation

Absecon Station is served by New Jersey Transit's Atlantic City Line trains, with east-west service between Philadelphia and Atlantic City.

Highways and roads in Absecon include U.S. Route 9, U.S. Route 30, Route 157 and County Route 585. The now-defunct Route 43 also passed through the city.

Notable residents

Notable current and former residents of Absecon include:

• Francis J. Blee (born 1958), member of the General Assembly who represents the 2nd legislative district. Blee served on the Absecon City Council from 1991-1995, serving as Absecon's youngest ever Council President from 1992-1993.
• Robert Irvine (born 1965), celebrity chef and television personality.
• Phil Ivey (born 1976), professional poker player.
• Brian Joo (born 1981), U.S-born South Korean pop singer/entertainer of Fly to the Sky.
• Michelle Malkin (born 1970), columnist and political commentator.
• Carol Plum-Ucci (born 1957), young adult novelist and essayist.
• Milo Turk (born 1969), singer-songwriter and 2008 American Idol contestant.
• Neil Spencer, Seminarian for the Diocese of Camden

References

External links

• Absecon City web site
• Absecon Public School District
• Data for the Absecon Public School District, National Center for Education Statistics
• Absecon Public Library
• The Current of Absecon Local community newspaper