Oaklyn 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 3,930, a decrease of 108 (−2.7%) from the 2010 census count of 4,038, which in turn reflected a decline of 150 (−3.6%) from the 4,188 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.

The borough had the 28th-highest property tax rate in New Jersey, with an equalized rate of 4.134% in 2020, compared to 3.470% in the county as a whole and a statewide average of 2.279%."Here are the 30 N.J. towns with the highest property tax rates", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, March 15, 2021. Accessed January 19, 2022. "The average equalized tax rate in New Jersey was 2.279 in 2020, according to data from the Department of Community Affairs. Here is the list of 30 New Jersey towns with the highest property tax rates.... 28. Oaklyn Equalized tax rate in Oaklyn Borough, Camden County, was 4.134 in 2020 Average equalized tax rate in Camden County: 3.470"

History Before European settlement began, Oaklyn was dense forest land which was inhabited by Lenape Native Americans. In 1681, a group of Quakers seeking religious freedom sailed from Ireland to Fenwick's Colony at Salem, New Jersey, where they spent the winter.Clement, John (1877). Sketches of the first emigrant settlers of Newton Township. pp. 53-54 In 1682, they sailed up the Delaware River and settled on Newton Creek. William Bates, their leader, purchased on the south side of Newton Creek from the local Native Americans. The original Quaker settlement, known as Newton Colony, was located in The Manor section of today's Oaklyn.Tulini, Bob. "Oaklyn: Small town reflects American image", Courier-Post, October 18, 2006. Accessed November 22, 2011.

The Colony began to grow rapidly and the land was cleared for farming. Eventually two highways were laid out. One, from the Delaware River to Egg Harbor, followed an old Native American trail, which is today the Black Horse Pike. The other was known as the Long-a-coming trail, which extended from Atlantic City to Berlin and then from Berlin to Camden. This trail is now known as the White Horse Pike.

After the American Revolutionary War, a group of Virginia sportsmen built a racetrack on the east side of the White Horse Pike. Future president Ulysses S. Grant visited this track as a young man before it closed in 1846. Samuel Bettle bought the land which was formerly the racetrack and eventually, the land was deeded to Haddon Township.

As the years passed, the farms along Newton Creek were divided into lots and the development called "Oakland the Beautiful", for the many trees in the area. The name was changed to Oaklyn in 1894 to avoid confusion with another Oakland in North Jersey.Margulis, Marlyn. "A Close-knit Community With A Sense Of Its History Its Two Creeks Give Oaklyn A Feeling Of Security - And A Place To Fish.", The Philadelphia Inquirer, March 3, 1996. Accessed September 12, 2015. "In the 1890s, land adjoining the track became the site of a new development known as 'Oakland the beautiful' for its many trees. The development, by then part of Haddon Township, was renamed Oaklyn in 1894 because a town in North Jersey had already claimed the Oakland name."

Oaklyn was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 13, 1905, from portions of Haddon Township.Snyder, John P. The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 108. Accessed May 30, 2024.Honeyman, Abraham Van Doren. Index-analysis of the Statutes of New Jersey, 1896-1909: Together with References to All Acts, and Parts of Acts, in the 'General Statutes' and Pamphlet Laws Expressly Repealed: and the Statutory Crimes of New Jersey During the Same Period, p. 209. New Jersey Law Journal Publishing Company, 1910. Accessed September 12, 2015.

Geography According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 0.69 square miles (1.78 km2), including 0.63 square miles (1.62 km2) of land and 0.06 square miles (0.15 km2) of water (8.70%).

Oaklyn borders the Camden County municipalities of Audubon, Audubon Park, Camden, Collingswood, and Haddon Township.Areas touching Oaklyn, MapIt. Accessed March 1, 2020.Municipalities within Camden County, NJ, Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission. Accessed March 1, 2020.New Jersey Municipal Boundaries, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed November 15, 2019.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Oaklyn had a population of 3,930. The median age was 40.6 years. 18.5% of residents were under the age of 18 and 15.6% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 95.2 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 91.7 males age 18 and over.

100.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.0% lived in rural areas.

There were 1,759 households in Oaklyn, of which 24.6% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 42.4% were married-couple households, 20.3% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 29.1% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 32.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 1,852 housing units, of which 5.0% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.2% and the rental vacancy rate was 4.5%.

+ Racial composition as of the 2020 census Race Number Percent White 3,214 81.8% Black or African American 188 4.8% American Indian and Alaska Native 6 0.2% Asian 94 2.4% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 1 0.0% Some other race 117 3.0% Two or more races 310 7.9% Hispanic or Latino (of any race) 361 9.2%

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 4,038 people, 1,725 households, and 1,007 families in the borough. The population density was . There were 1,847 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup was 92.40% (3,731) White, 2.48% (100) Black or African American, 0.22% (9) Native American, 1.81% (73) Asian, 0.02% (1) Pacific Islander, 1.49% (60) from other races, and 1.58% (64) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.37% (217) of the population.

Of the 1,725 households, 25.2% had children under the age of 18; 43.3% were married couples living together; 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present and 41.6% were non-families. Of all households, 33.4% were made up of individuals and 8.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 3.03.

20.5% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 30.6% from 45 to 64, and 11.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.4 years. For every 100 females, the population had 96.3 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 96.0 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006−2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $55,690 (with a margin of error of +/− $6,370) and the median family income was $86,019 (+/− $13,045). Males had a median income of $52,963 (+/− $6,041) versus $44,653 (+/− $12,251) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $31,168 (+/− $2,965). About 1.6% of families and 4.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.4% of those under age 18 and 1.6% of those age 65 or over.DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics from the 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates for Oaklyn borough, Camden County, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed October 11, 2012.

2000 census As of the 2000 United States census, there were 4,188 people, 1,791 households, and 1,067 families residing in the borough. The population density was . There were 1,893 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the borough was 95.92% White, 1.15% African American, 0.21% Native American, 0.96% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.84% from other races, and 0.91% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.32% of the population.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Oaklyn borough, New Jersey, United States Census Bureau. Accessed October 11, 2012.DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Oaklyn borough, Camden County, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed October 11, 2012.

There were 1,791 households, out of which 27.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.9% were married couples living together, 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.4% were non-families. 34.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 3.07.

In the borough the population was spread out, with 22.8% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 16.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.3 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $44,364, and the median income for a family was $55,434. Males had a median income of $37,474 versus $30,243 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $24,157. About 5.2% of families and 6.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.5% of those under age 18 and 8.2% of those age 65 or over. Government

Local government

Oaklyn 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 the mayor and the borough council, with all positions elected at-large on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. The 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 Oaklyn 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. Accessed November 30, 2014."Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey" , p. 6. Rutgers University Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.