Chesilhurst is a borough in Camden County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 1,536, a decrease of 98 (−6.0%) from the 2010 census count of 1,634, which in turn reflected an increase of 114 (+7.5%) from the 1,520 counted in the 2000 census.Table 7. Population for the Counties and Municipalities in New Jersey: 1990, 2000 and 2010, New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, February 2011. Accessed May 1, 2023.
Chesilhurst was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on November 26, 1887, from portions of Waterford and Winslow townships, based on the results of a referendum held on October 18, 1887.Snyder, John P. The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. Accessed May 1, 2026.
New Jersey Monthly magazine ranked Chesilhurst the worst town in the state in its 2008 rankings of "Best Places to Live" in New Jersey (placing at # 566 of 566)."Best Places To Live - The Complete Top Towns List 501-566" , New Jersey Monthly, posted February 25, 2008. Accessed February 26, 2008.
Geography According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 1.72 square miles (4.45 km2), including 1.72 square miles (4.44 km2) of land and <0.01 square miles (<0.01 km2) of water (0.12%).
The borough borders both Waterford Township and Winslow Township.Areas touching Chesilhurst, MapIt. Accessed March 22, 2020.Municipalities within Camden County, NJ, Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission. Accessed March 22, 2020.New Jersey Municipal Boundaries, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed November 15, 2019.
Demographics
2020 census +Chesilhurst borough, New Jersey – Racial and ethnic compositionRace / ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 2000Pop 2010% 2000% 2010White alone (NH)56064363636.84%39.35%41.41%Black or African American alone (NH)84574159355.59%45.35%38.61%Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)3600.20%0.37%0.00%Asian alone (NH)514100.33%0.86%0.65%Pacific Islander alone (NH)0000.00%0.00%0.00%Other race alone (NH)5570.33%0.31%0.46%Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)4036622.63%2.20%4.04%Hispanic or Latino (any race)621892284.08%11.57%14.84%Total1,5201,6341,536100.00%100.00%100.00%
2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 1,634 people, 582 households, and 376 families in the borough. The population density was . There were 621 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup was 42.35% (692) White, 46.39% (758) Black or African American, 0.43% (7) Native American, 0.86% (14) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 6.98% (114) from other races, and 3.00% (49) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.57% (189) of the population.
Of the 582 households, 18.7% had children under the age of 18; 40.5% were married couples living together; 18.0% had a female householder with no husband present and 35.4% were non-families. Of all households, 29.2% were made up of individuals and 15.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.24.
17.8% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 23.5% from 25 to 44, 31.3% from 45 to 64, and 19.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45.7 years. For every 100 females, the population had 93.8 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 89.7 males.
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $57,969 (with a margin of error of +/− $14,321) and the median family income was $76,406 (+/− $14,069). Males had a median income of $42,232 (+/− $4,747) versus $36,908 (+/− $6,544) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $24,646 (+/− $2,686). About 3.2% of families and 8.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.8% of those under age 18 and 16.9% of those age 65 or over., United States Census Bureau. Accessed October 4, 2012.
Government Local government
Chesilhurst 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.Inventory of Municipal Forms of Government in New Jersey, Rutgers University Center for Government Studies, July 1, 2011. Accessed June 1, 2023. The governing body is comprised of a mayor and a 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.2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 33. The borough form of government used by Chesilhurst 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.Cerra, Michael F. "Forms of Government: Everything You've Always Wanted to Know, But Were Afraid to Ask", New Jersey State League of Municipalities, March 2007. Accessed January 1, 2025."Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey", p. 6. Rutgers University Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.
, the mayor of Chesilhurst is Democrat Jamila Odom Garnett, whose term of office ends December 31, 2026. Members of the Borough Council are Council President Russell S. Hirn Sr. (D, 2025), Monica Holmes (D, 2025), Cathleen Jordan (D, 2027), Pearlie C. Lee (D, 2027) and Antonia Plaza (D, 2026) and LaRhonda Pritchett (D, 2026).Mayor & Council Members, Borough of Chesilhurst. Accessed January 25, 2026.2025 Municipal Data Sheet, Borough of Chesilhurst. Accessed January 25, 2026.Official Election Results 2025 General Election November 4, 2025, Camden County, New Jersey, as of November 18, 2025. Accessed January 1, 2026.Official Election Results 2024 General Election November 5, 2024, Camden County, New Jersey, update November 19, 2024. Accessed January 1, 2025.Official Election Results 2023 General Election November 7, 2023, Camden County, New Jersey, updated November 22, 2023. Accessed January 1, 2024.Official Election Results 2022 General Election November 8, 2022, Camden County, New Jersey, as of November 21, 2022. Accessed January 1, 2023.
In February 2023, the borough council appointed Antonia Plaza to fill the seat expiring in December 2023 that had been held by Maria C. Littles.Borough Council Meeting Minutes for February 2, 2023, Borough of Chesilhurst. Accessed June 7, 2023. "Senator Nilsa Cruz administered the oath of office to Antonia Plaza who then took her respective seat."
Federal, state, and county representation Chesilhurst is located in the 1st Congressional DistrictPlan Components Report, New Jersey Redistricting Commission, December 23, 2011. Accessed February 1, 2020. and is part of New Jersey's 4th state legislative district.Municipalities Sorted by 2011-2020 Legislative District, New Jersey Department of State. Accessed February 1, 2020.2019 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, New Jersey League of Women Voters. Accessed October 30, 2019.Districts by Number for 2011-2020, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 6, 2013.
Politics As of March 2011, there were a total of 1,156 registered voters in Chesilhurst, of which 673 (58.2%) were registered as Democrats, 79 (6.8%) were registered as Republicans and 404 (34.9%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were no voters registered to other parties.Voter Registration Summary - Camden, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed October 15, 2012.
In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 82.8% of the vote (629 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 16.2% (123 votes), and other candidates with 1.1% (8 votes), among the 767 ballots cast by the borough's 1,250 registered voters (7 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 61.4%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 82.8% of the vote (657 cast), ahead of Republican John McCain, who received around 14.2% (113 votes), with 793 ballots cast among the borough's 1,241 registered voters, for a turnout of 63.9%.2008 Presidential General Election Results: Camden County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 23, 2008. Accessed October 15, 2012. In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 77.4% of the vote (518 ballots cast), outpolling Republican George W. Bush, who received around 19.4% (130 votes), with 669 ballots cast among the borough's 1,038 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 64.5.2004 Presidential Election: Camden County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 13, 2004. Accessed October 15, 2012.
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Democrat Barbara Buono received 64.2% of the vote (249 cast), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 34.8% (135 votes), and other candidates with 1.0% (4 votes), among the 400 ballots cast by the borough's 1,240 registered voters (12 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 32.3%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 71.4% of the vote (314 ballots cast), ahead of both Republican Chris Christie with 23.2% (102 votes) and Independent Chris Daggett with 2.7% (12 votes), with 440 ballots cast among the borough's 1,161 registered voters, yielding a 37.9% turnout.2009 Governor: Camden County , New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 31, 2009. Accessed October 15, 2012.
Education The Chesilhurst Borough School District had served public school students in kindergarten through sixth grade at Shirley B. Foster Elementary School. After the completion of the 2008–2009 school year, the district was no longer operating any schools and began sending all of its students to the Winslow Township School District as part of a sending/receiving relationship that commenced in the 2009–10 school year.Osborne, James. "N.J. to investigate Chesilhurst school district", The Philadelphia Inquirer, June 12, 2010. Accessed July 17, 2011. "Up until last year, Chesilhurst functioned as a traditional school district and maintained a single elementary school. In the spring of 2009, the school board voted to close that school and bus its students to Winslow, leaving Chesilhurst to operate in an administrative capacity with a skeleton staff. Chesilhurst, a small district on the edge of the Pinelands, subsequently was declared a non-operating district by the state and set for closure at the end of June 2010."Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 2010, Chesilhurst Board of Education. Accessed July 17, 2011. "Up through the 2008-2009 fiscal year, the District provided a full range of educational services appropriate to grade levels Pre-K through 6.... Beginning in the 2009-2010 fiscal year, the District entered into a sending/receiving tuition arrangement with Winslow Township Board of Education which included all students."