Camden County, New Jersey

WHERE IT IS

Strategically located on a large bend of the Delaware River and opposite the City of Philadelphia, Camden County is the focal point of southern New Jersey's industry and trade.

ITS PROFILE

Camden County, the most populace of the southern tier of New Jersey counties, is the commercial, industrial and residential hub of a key market area. It has a population of 502,824 based on the 1990 census. The county's 227 square miles and 14.3 miles of navigable waterfront have brought it a continuing pattern of expansion during the past 25 years. Commercial and residential development in the county have set the pace for southern New Jersey, and it industrial growth is among the top five of New Jersey's 21 counties. A semi-rural county less than 30 years ago, the county now boasts a diversified economic base. Its expansion potential is unlimited because approximately 25% of its land, principally in the southeastern section of the county, is undeveloped. The county is also home to South Jersey's largest port and is experiencing an economic renaissance in the City of Camden with the construction of a $42 million State Aquarium, a new State Office Building, and the new headquarters on the waterfront of the Campbell Soup Company.
 

TRANSPORTATION

Some 400 miles of county roads cross Camden, which is also served by the principal state highways such as I-295, the New Jersey Turnpike, and the Atlantic City Expressway. Three bridges connect the county to Philadelphia as does the Lindenwold High Speed Line, which is one of the nation's most modern rail lines. The Lindenwold High Speed Line provides rail links from suburban Camden County to Camden City and Philadelphia. Conrail serves most of the county, and airport facilities are within a few minutes drive.
 

EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES

Camden County's educational facilities, from elementary school to college, are numerous and considered to be among the best in the nation. Rutgers University's South Jersey Campus and the Camden County College provide graduate and undergraduate courses. County residents also can earn a degree at one of 64 schools located within driving distance of their homes. Two county vocational and technical high schools have a daytime enrollment of 2,000 and 8,800 students registered for evening courses. A $6.9 million joint educational campus to be occupied by Camden County College and Glassboro State College is currently under construction in Camden City. The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey - School of Osteopathic Medicine plans to expand its campus in Stratford.
 

POPULATION

Camden County is composed of 37 Municipalities. The largest, the County seat of Camden, has 87,492 inhabitants according to the 1990 census. Cherry Hill, scene of the county's broadest retail and residential expansion during the past decade, has a population of 69,348. Next in size are Gloucester Township with 63,797 and Pennsauken Township with 34,738.
 

HEALTH CARE

Camden County is served by seven medical facilities. Cooper Hospital University Medical Center, located in Camden, is also the clinical campus for the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital has two divisions - one in Cherry Hill and the other in Stratford. Also located in Stratford is The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey's School of Osteopathic Medicine - Clinical Practice. Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center, in Camden, is a regional center for kidney dialysis and transplantation, a perinatel center and rehabilitation center as well as a cardiac diagnostic and surgical center. Three hospitals form the West Jersey Health System, located respectively in Camden, Berlin and Voorhees. These hospital facilities alone have a bed capacity of 2,022. Camden County is also home to the Institute for Medical Research in Camden as well as the Center for addictive Diseases which is located in Collingswood.
 

RECREATION

Recreational facilities throughout the county include more than 4,000 acres of park lands and waterways, nationally renowned restaurants, and a rich cultural life.
 

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Economic Development statistics mirror the growth pattern in Camden County. During the past 20 years, over 1,500 new firms have either moved to or expanded their facilities in Camden County. This growth has produced over 50,000 new jobs and added more than $575 million annually in new personal income.
 

INDUSTRY

A varied industrial and technical base exists in Camden County. Campbell Soup, GE Aerospace, Lehigh Press, Marsam Pharmaceutical, and J & J Snack Food Corp., among others, exemplify this varied base. Mediq, Inc., Coriell Institute and Stone & Webster Engineering and 25 industrial parks are a key reason why more than $6.0 billion in estimated personal income flow into more than 175,000 households. The estimated household income is in excess of $32,000.
 

COUNTY SERVICES

Regional county services are among New Jersey's best and innovative. Ranging from agriculture aid to vocational school training, county services not only brighten the quality of life, but they offer support to the commercial and industrial community. Specialized assistance for home and business is the rule rather than the exception in Camden County.
 

RETAIL SALES

The retail vigor of the county has kept pace with its industrial growth. South Jersey's two largest shopping mall are located in the county and together with more than a dozen smaller shopping centers, they share a total of over $2.5 billion in annual retail sales.