Franklin Township, Somerset County, New Jersey
Franklin Township is a township in Somerset County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is centrally located in the Raritan Valley region, within the New York Metropolitan Area. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 68,364, an increase of 6,064 (+9.7%) from the 2010 census count of 62,300, which in turn reflected an increase of 11,397 (+22.4%) from the 50,903 counted in the 2000 census. The township was the state's 19th most-populous municipality in 2020, after being ranked 22nd in 2010.
Franklin Township, New Jersey | |
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Township | |
Van Wickle House on Easton Avenue | |
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Seal | |
Location of Franklin Township in Somerset County highlighted in yellow (right). Inset map: Location of Somerset County in New Jersey highlighted in black (left). | |
Census Bureau map of Franklin Township, Somerset County, New Jersey | |
Franklin Township Location in Somerset County Franklin Township Location in New Jersey Franklin Township Location in the United States | |
| Coordinates: 40.476872°N 74.550447°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | New Jersey |
| County | Somerset |
| Formed as Eastern precinct | c. 1745 |
| Incorporated | February 21, 1798 |
| Named for | Benjamin Franklin |
| Government | |
| • Type | Faulkner Act (council–manager) |
| • Body | Township Council |
| • Mayor | Phillip Kramer (D, term ends December 31, 2023) |
| • Manager | Robert G. Vornlocker Jr. |
| • Municipal clerk | Ann McCarthy |
| Area | |
| • Total | 46.88 sq mi (121.43 km2) |
| • Land | 46.17 sq mi (119.58 km2) |
| • Water | 0.71 sq mi (1.85 km2) 1.52% |
| • Rank | 37th of 565 in state 2nd of 21 in county |
| Elevation | 62 ft (19 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 68,364 |
| • Estimate (2022) | 68,578 |
| • Rank | 19th of 565 in state 1st of 21 in county |
| • Density | 1,480.7/sq mi (571.7/km2) |
| • Rank | 337th of 565 in state 8th of 21 in county |
| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT)) |
| ZIP Codes | 08873, 08875 – Somerset (also used as East Millstone) 08528 – Kingston 08823 – Franklin Park 08540 – Princeton 08890 – Zarephath |
| Area code(s) | 732, 908 and 609 |
| FIPS code | 3403524900 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0882170 |
| Website | www |
Traditionally a farming community, it has become a fast-growing suburb with massive development in the later 20th and 21st centuries as a diverse blend of races, religions, and cultures. In 2008, Franklin Township ranked #5 on Money magazine's list of America's Top 100 Best Places to Live.
What is now Franklin Township was originally formed circa 1745 as Eastern precinct. Franklin Township was incorporated on February 21, 1798, as one of New Jersey's initial group of 104 townships by an act of the New Jersey Legislature. Portions of the township were taken to form South Bound Brook (formed within Township, became independent municipality as of April 11, 1907) and East Millstone (February 18, 1873, returned to Franklin Township on December 31, 1949).