Burlington County
County
Breidenhart in Moorestown was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.
Flag Seal
Location within the U.S. state of New Jersey
New Jersey's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 39°53′N 74°40′W / 39.88°N 74.67°W / 39.88; -74.67
Country	United States
State	New Jersey
Founded	May 17, 1694
Named for	Bridlington, England
Seat	Mount Holly[1]
Largest municipality	Evesham Township (population) Washington Township (area)
Government
• Commissioner Director	Felicia Hopson (D, term ends December 31, 2023)
Area [2]
• Total	820.19 sq mi (2,124.3 km2)
• Land	799.29 sq mi (2,070.2 km2)
• Water	20.89 sq mi (54.1 km2)  2.5%
Population  (2020)[3][4]
• Total	461,860
• Estimate  (2023)[3][5]	469,167
• Density	560/sq mi (220/km2)
Congressional districts	1st, 3rd
Website	www.co.burlington.nj.us

Interactive map of Burlington County, New Jersey

Burlington County is a county in the South Jersey region of the U.S. state of New Jersey. The county is the largest by land area in New Jersey and ranks second behind neighboring Ocean County in total area.^[2] Its county seat is Mount Holly.^[1] As of the 2020 census, the county was the state's 11th-most-populous county,^[6] with a population of 461,860,^[3][4] its highest decennial count ever and an increase of 13,126 (+2.9%) from the 448,734 recorded at the 2010 census,^[7] which in turn had reflected an increase of 25,340 (6.0%) from the 423,394 enumerated at the 2000 census.^[8] The most populous place in the county was Evesham Township with 46,826 residents as of the 2020 census.^[4] Washington Township covered 102.71 square miles (266.0 km²), the largest area of any municipality in the county.^[9] The county is part of the South Jersey region of the state.^[10]

Burlington County is located east of the Delaware River and borders Philadelphia, the nation's sixth-largest city. It is part of the Philadelphia-Camden-Vineland, PA-NJ-DE-MD combined statistical area, also known as the Delaware Valley.^[11] However, the county stretches across the state, and its southeast corner reaches tidal estuaries leading to New Jersey's Great Bay, which separates the county from the Atlantic Ocean.

Etymology

Anglo-European records of Burlington County date to 1681, when its court was established in the Province of West Jersey. The county was formed on May 17, 1694, "by the union of the first and second Tenths."^[12] The county was named for Bridlington, a town in England.^[13][14][15]

History

Burlington County, originally the seat of government for the Province of West Jersey, merged with East Jersey in 1702 to form the Province of New Jersey. At its inception, Burlington County was considerably larger but was subsequently partitioned to form additional counties in response to population growth. Specifically, in 1714, a partition to the north led to the creation of Hunterdon County. Hunterdon County itself was further divided over time, resulting in the formation of three additional counties: Morris, Sussex and Warren.

Initially, the county seat was in Burlington. However, as the population began to increase and spread toward the interior of the province, away from the Delaware River, a more central location became necessary. Consequently, the seat of government was relocated to Mount Holly in 1793.^[16]

The period of industrialization saw significant improvements in transportation within Burlington County, which in turn enhanced the profitability of its agricultural sector. Concurrently, a population surge in the coastal communities, fueled by flourishing international trade and ship repair industries, necessitated extensive road improvements throughout the county.^{[citation needed]}

Geography and climate

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of the 2020 Census, the county had a total area of 820.19 square miles (2,124.3 km²), of which 799.29 square miles (2,070.2 km²) was land (97.5%) and 20.89 square miles (54.1 km²) was water (2.5%).^[2]

Most of the county's land is coastal and alluvial plain, with little topographic relief. There are a few anomalous hills, such as Apple Pie Hill and Arney's Mount, the highest of the county and among the highest in South Jersey at approximately 240 feet (73 m) above sea level.^[17] The low point is sea level along the Delaware and Mullica rivers.

Most of the land is dotted with rivers, streams, and wetlands. Some of the largest and most important rivers in Burlington County include Rancocas Creek, Assiscunk Creek, Pennsauken Creek, Mullica River, Batsto River, and Wading River.

Average temperatures in the county seat of Mount Holly have ranged from a low of 22 °F (−6 °C) in January to a high of 87 °F (31 °C) in July, although a record low of −25 °F (−32 °C) was recorded in February 1934 and a record high of 104 °F (40 °C) was recorded in July 1936. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 2.92 inches (74 mm) in February to 4.87 inches (124 mm) in August. According to the Köppen climate classification, Burlington County has a humid subtropical climate (Cfa), with relatively cool to cold winters and hot summers.

Severe weather is common in the warm months. Hurricanes have struck Burlington County on occasion, but tornadoes are uncommon. Severe thunderstorms, however, are common during the warm season. Snowfall is typical in the winter, with the snowfall averages in the county ranging from about 18 to 22 inches. The nearby Atlantic Ocean moderates Burlington County's climate, and rain is common year-round. The county seat receives about 41 inches of rain per year.

Another weather phenomenon that occurs in Burlington County is radiative cooling in the Pine Barrens, a large pine forest and reserve that takes up a good portion of Southern and Eastern Burlington County. Due to sandy soil, on clear and dry nights these areas might be 10 to 15 °F (−12 to −9 °C) colder than the surrounding areas, and there is a shorter frost-free season in these places. The sandy soil of the Pinelands loses heat much faster than the other soils or urban surfaces (concrete, asphalt) in the region, and so achieves a much lower temperature at night than the rest of the county. This effect is far less pronounced on moist, cloudy, or windy nights, as these three factors greatly reduce the radiative cooling of the sandy soil.^[18]