Mantua Township ( Berkery, Sheri. "Do you know how to pronounce these S.J. town names?", Courier-Post, September 5, 2019. Accessed January 26, 2022, via Newspapers.com. "Mantua: Man-Chew-uh - This township in Gloucester County is not pronounced with a hard 'T.'") is a township within Gloucester County in the U.S. state of New Jersey, within the Philadelphia metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 15,235, its highest decennial count ever and an increase of 18 (+0.1%) from the 15,217 recorded at the 2010 census, which in turn reflected an increase of 1,000 (+7.0%) from the 14,217 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. Mantua and surrounding Gloucester County constitute part of South Jersey.

History

The area that would become Mantua Township was originally inhabited by the Lenape Native Americans. One subtribe, called the Manta or Mantes, lent their name to the Mantua Creek, the township’s namesake, forming its northeastern border.Grumet, Robert S. Beyond Manhattan: A Gazetteer of Delaware Indian History Reflected In Modern-Day Place Names, p. 70. New York State Museum, 2014. . Accessed April 13, 2026. "A stream identified as Mantoes Creek was noted following the present course of Mantua Creek on the 1696 Thornton map. The name stayed on colonial maps, noted as Manto Creek on the 1778 Faden map, and reworked into its current Italianate form as early as 1805 (J. Bloomfield 1811:333). Residents adopted the latter spelling when they spilt off from Greenwich to form their newly named Mantua Township in 1853." There is a widespread belief, including on the township's website, that the name Mantua means "frog" in the Lenape language, though the historical and linguistic evidence contradicts this claim.Roncace, Kelly. "What's in a name: Mantua", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, December 12, 2011. Accessed April 13, 2026. "Mantua Township was created in 1853 when a group of settlers in the area separated from Greenwich and named the new-found community after the creek that ran through it — Mantua Creek. Because the area was home to a tribe of Lenni Lenape Indians, many have speculated on various translations of the word Mantua from the Native Americans’ language.... Alleged meanings for the word Mantua have run the gamut from a woman’s cloak or mantle, a loose woman’s gown circa 17th or 18th century which stems from the term for a kind of rich silk exported from Mantua, Italy, and a maker of this silk, as in a 'Mantua maker.' However, according to Jim Rementer, language director for the Delaware Tribe of Indians, neither Manta nor Mantua are known Lenape words."Our History, Mantua Township. Accessed April 13, 2026. "It is situated on an elevated bluff overlooking Mantua Creek, from which the township derives its name. Mantua Creek is named from the Indian word 'Manta', meaning frog, because of the frog chorus which yearly occurred in this area." The modern spelling was possibly influenced or derived from Mantua, Italy.Gannett, Henry. The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States, p. 198. United States Government Printing Office, 1905. Accessed April 13, 2026. "Mantua; towns in Gloucester County, New Jersey, and Portage County, Ohio, named from the town in Italy."

Mantua Township was formed as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 23, 1853, from portions of Greenwich Township. Portions of the township were taken to form East Greenwich Township (February 10, 1881) and Pitman (May 24, 1905).Snyder, John P. The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 139. Accessed May 29, 2024.

Geography According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 16.09 square miles (41.67 km2), including 16.01 square miles (41.45 km2) of land and 0.09 square miles (0.22 km2) of water (0.53%).

Richwood is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within portions of both Harrison Township and Mantua Township. The CDP had a 2010 population of 3,459, of which 3,400 were in Harrison Township and 59 in Mantua Township.DP-1 - Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data for Richwood CDP, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed November 11, 2012.New Jersey: 2010 - Population and Housing Unit Counts - 2010 Census of Population and Housing (CPH-2-32), United States Census Bureau, August 2012. Accessed November 11, 2012. Other unincorporated communities, localities, and places located partially or completely within the township include Barnsboro, Boodys Mills, Carpenter's Landing,Beck, Henry Charlton. More Forgotten Towns of Southern New Jersey, p. 299. Rutgers University Press, 1963. . Accessed December 21, 2021. Centre City, Eastlack Corner, Jessups, Manunkachunk, Sewell, and West Landing.Locality Search, State of New Jersey. Accessed April 6, 2015.

The township borders Deptford Township, East Greenwich Township, Glassboro, Harrison Township, Pitman, Washington Township, Wenonah, and West Deptford Township.Municipalities within Gloucester County, NJ, Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission. Accessed November 7, 2019.New Jersey Municipal Boundaries, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed November 7, 2019.

Demographics

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 15,217 people, 5,719 households, and 4,169 families in the township. The population density was . There were 5,980 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup was 94.24% (14,340) White, 2.50% (380) Black or African American, 0.20% (31) Native American, 1.10% (168) Asian, 0.01% (1) Pacific Islander, 0.66% (100) from other races, and 1.29% (197) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.95% (449) of the population.

Of the 5,719 households, 33.4% had children under the age of 18; 57.3% were married couples living together; 11.1% had a female householder with no husband present and 27.1% were non-families. Of all households, 22.2% 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 2.66 and the average family size was 3.13.

24.1% of the population were under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 25.4% from 25 to 44, 29.5% from 45 to 64, and 12.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.3 years. For every 100 females, the population had 92.9 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 88.8 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $80,743 (with a margin of error of +/− $4,473) and the median family income was $88,586 (+/− $5,058). Males had a median income of $66,993 (+/− $4,279) versus $49,500 (+/− $7,015) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $35,073 (+/− $2,942). About 2.7% of families and 4.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.1% of those under age 18 and 3.6% of those age 65 or over.DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics from the 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates for Mantua township, Gloucester County, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed November 7, 2012.

2000 census As of the 2000 census, there were 14,217 people, 5,265 households, and 3,948 families residing in the township. The population density was . There were 5,411 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the township was 95.81% White, 2.07% African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.86% Asian, 0.28% from other races, and 0.78% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.26% of the population.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Mantua township, Gloucester County, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed November 7, 2012.DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Mantua township, Gloucester County, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed November 7, 2012.

There were 5,265 households, out of which 36.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.1% were married couples living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.0% were non-families. 21.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.3% 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 3.14.

In the township, the population was spread out, with 26.7% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 33.6% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 11.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.5 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $58,256, and the median income for a family was $63,391. Males had a median income of $46,984 versus $32,495 for females. The per capita income for the township was $24,147. About 2.8% of families and 3.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.3% of those under age 18 and 2.1% of those age 65 or over.

Arts and culture Musical groups from the township include pop punk band Major League.Roncace, Kelly. "Warped Tour: 4 bands from N.J. and 2 from Philly to check out", NJ.com, July 9, 2015. Accessed August 30, 2015. "Major League, a punk rock quartet from Mantua will perform on the Hard Rock Kevin Says Stage."

Parks and recreation Tall Pines State Preserve is a nature preserve that opened in November 2015 as Gloucester County's first state park and is located along the border of Deptford Township and Mantua Township. Originally a forest that was turned into an asparagus field and then a golf course, the land was preserved through efforts of South Jersey Land and Water Trust, the Friends of Tall Pines, Gloucester County Nature Club, and the New Jersey Green Acres Program."Tall Pines State Preserve; Gloucester County's First State Park" , Natural Awakenings: South Jersey Edition. Accessed May 19, 2016. "This 111-acre parcel of land that straddles Mantua and Deptford townships was originally forested woodlands, then an asparagus field before it became a golf course named Tall Pines in the early 1950s."

Government Local government Mantua Township is governed under the Township form of New Jersey municipal government, one of 141 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this form, the second-most commonly used form of government in the state.Inventory of Municipal Forms of Government in New Jersey , Rutgers University Center for Government Studies, July 1, 2011. Accessed June 1, 2023. The Township Committee is comprised of five members, who are elected directly by the voters at-large in partisan elections to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats coming up for election each year as part of the November general election 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. 19."Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey" , p. 7. Rutgers University Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.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. At an annual reorganization meeting, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor and another as Deputy Mayor.