Ship Bottom is a Borough in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 1,384. The borough is located on Long Beach Island and borders the Atlantic Ocean.

Ship Bottom was incorporated as the borough of Ship Bottom-Beach Arlington by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 3, 1925, from portions of Long Beach Township, based on the results of a referendum held on May 23, 1925. The borough name was shortened to Ship Bottom in 1947.

Ship Bottom is known as the "gateway to Long Beach Island", as Route 72 provides the sole road access from Manahawkin in Stafford Township, ending in Ship Bottom as it crosses Manahawkin Bay via the Manahawkin Bay Bridge (formally known as the Donald J. Henderson Memorial Bridge).

Geography

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Ship Bottom is located at (39.647060, -74.181322).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 2.6 km² (1.0 mi²). 1.8 km² (0.7 mi²) of it is land and 0.8 km² (0.3 mi²) of it (30.30%) is water.

Demographics

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As of the census of 2000, there were 1,384 people, 664 households, and 395 families residing in the borough. The population density was 763.4/km² (1,991.1/mi²). There were 2,218 housing units at an average density of 1,223.4/km² (3,191.0/mi²). The racial makeup of the borough was 96.32% White, 0.29% African American, 0.72% Native American, 0.87% Asian, 1.08% from other races, and 0.72% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.78% of the population.

There were 664 households out of which 14.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.3% were married couples living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.4% were non-families. 35.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.08 and the average family size was 2.65.

In the borough the population was spread out with 14.8% under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 22.7% from 25 to 44, 29.7% from 45 to 64, and 26.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 50 years. For every 100 females there were 92.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.2 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $42,098, and the median income for a family was $60,417. Males had a median income of $36,382 versus $28,958 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $27,870. About 4.1% of families and 8.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.0% of those under age 18 and 2.8% of those age 65 or over.

Government

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Local government
Ship Bottom is incorporated under the Borough form of New Jersey municipal government. The Governing Body consists of the Mayor and a six-member Council. The Mayor is elected for a term of four years. Borough Council members serve...