Westville, New Jersey

Westville, New Jersey
Thomas West House, built c. 1746
Thomas West House, built c. 1746
Official seal of Westville, New Jersey
Motto: 
"The Gateway to South Jersey"[1]
Map of Westville highlighted in Gloucester County. Inset: Location of Gloucester County in New Jersey.
Map of Westville highlighted in Gloucester County. Inset: Location of Gloucester County in New Jersey.
Census Bureau map of Westville, New Jersey
Census Bureau map of Westville, New Jersey
Westville is located in Gloucester County, New Jersey
Westville
Westville
Location in Gloucester County
Westville is located in New Jersey
Westville
Westville
Location in New Jersey
Westville is located in the United States
Westville
Westville
Location in the United States
Coordinates: 39°52′14″N 75°07′48″W / 39.87069°N 75.129888°W / 39.87069; -75.129888[2][3]
Country United States
State New Jersey
County Gloucester
IncorporatedApril 28, 1914
Named forThomas West
Government
 • TypeBorough
 • BodyBorough Council
 • MayorFritz Sims (D, term ends December 31, 2026)[4][5]
 • AdministratorRyan J. Giles[6]
 • Municipal clerkRyan J. Giles[6]
Area
 • Total1.38 sq mi (3.58 km2)
 • Land1.02 sq mi (2.65 km2)
 • Water0.36 sq mi (0.93 km2)  25.94%
 • Rank463th of 565 in state
21st of 24 in county[2]
Elevation23 ft (7 m)
Population
 • Total4,264
 • Estimate 
(2023)[11]
4,317
 • Rank405th of 565 in state
18th of 24 in county[12]
 • Density4,165.2/sq mi (1,608.2/km2)
  • Rank149th of 565 in state
2nd of 24 in county[12]
Time zoneUTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT))
ZIP Code
Area code856[15]
FIPS code3401580120[2][16][17]
GNIS feature ID0885440[2][18]
Websitewestville-nj.com

Westville is a borough in Gloucester County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 4,264,[10] a decrease of 24 (−0.6%) from the 2010 census count of 4,288,[19][20] which in turn reflected a decline of 212 (−4.7%) from the 4,500 counted in the 2000 census.[21] Westville has been called "The Gateway to South Jersey!"[22][23]

Westville was formed as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 7, 1914, from portions of Deptford Township and West Deptford Township, based on the results of a referendum held on April 28, 1914. The borough was reincorporated on March 8, 1924.[24][25] Legislation had been passed in 1900 to create Westville, but it had to have a majority vote in favor of the new municipality in both Deptford and West Deptford.[26] The borough was named for Thomas West, who built a home in the area in 1775 that still stands.[27][28][29]

The borough had the 17th-highest property tax rate in New Jersey, with an equalized rate of 4.502% in 2020, compared to 3.212% in the county as a whole and a statewide average of 2.279%.[30]

  1. ^ Transportation, Westville, New Jersey. Accessed November 1, 2014. "Westville was called the Gateway to South Jersey because Delsea Drive, Broadway and Crown Point Road all lead to important spots in South Jersey."
  2. ^ a b c d 2019 Census Gazetteer Files: New Jersey Places, United States Census Bureau. Accessed July 1, 2020.
  3. ^ US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990, United States Census Bureau. Accessed September 4, 2014.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference Officials was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ 2023 New Jersey Mayors Directory, New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, updated February 8, 2023. Accessed February 10, 2023.
  6. ^ a b Borough Department Directory, Borough of Westville. Accessed April 1, 2023.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference DataBook was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
  9. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Borough of Westville, Geographic Names Information System. Accessed March 14, 2013.
  10. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference LWD2020 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference PopEst was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  12. ^ a b Population Density by County and Municipality: New Jersey, 2020 and 2021, New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development. Accessed March 1, 2023.
  13. ^ Look Up a ZIP Code for Westville, NJ, United States Postal Service. Accessed November 8, 2012.
  14. ^ Zip Codes, State of New Jersey. Accessed September 1, 2013.
  15. ^ Area Code Lookup - NPA NXX for Westville, NJ, Area-Codes.com. Accessed September 1, 2013.
  16. ^ U.S. Census website, United States Census Bureau. Accessed September 4, 2014.
  17. ^ Geographic Codes Lookup for New Jersey, Missouri Census Data Center. Accessed April 1, 2022.
  18. ^ US Board on Geographic Names, United States Geological Survey. Accessed September 4, 2014.
  19. ^ Cite error: The named reference Census2010 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  20. ^ Cite error: The named reference LWD2010 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  21. ^ 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.
  22. ^ "Business Men Organize Westville Trust Company", Courier-Post, March 27, 1926. Accessed February 27, 2023. "The opening of the Philadelphia-Camden Bridge with a direct traffic arrtery over the Crescent Boulevard and with the Camden Relief road, all leading into Westville as the gateway to South Jersey, is another indication to us of the sure growth of our town and success of the trust company."
  23. ^ Westville Borough History: Transportation, Borough of Westville. Accessed June 18, 2007.
  24. ^ Snyder, John P. The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 140. Accessed May 30, 2024.
  25. ^ Boro Incorporated, Borough of Westville. Accessed June 18, 2007.
  26. ^ 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. 314. New Jersey Law Journal Publishing Company, 1910. Accessed October 26, 2015.
  27. ^ Hutchinson, Viola L. The Origin of New Jersey Place Names, New Jersey Public Library Commission, May 1945. Accessed October 26, 2015.
  28. ^ The Thomas West Home, Gloucester County, New Jersey. Accessed October 26, 2015. "This old brick house was built ca. 1775 by Thomas West, for whom Westville is named."
  29. ^ Early History, Westville, New Jersey. Accessed October 26, 2015. "Thomas West and his wife built the old 'West' house located on River Drive and raised a family of three children."
  30. ^ "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.... 17. Westville Equalized tax rate in Westville Borough, Gloucester County, was 4.502 in 2020 Average equalized tax rate in Gloucester County: 3.212"