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Township in Burlington County, New Jersey, US

Medford is a township in Burlington County, in the U. S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 24,497, The township, and all of Burlington County, is a part of the Philadelphia Reading Camden combined statistical area and the Delaware Valley. Medford was incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 1, 1847, from portions of Evesham Township, based on the results of a referendum held that day. Portions of the township were taken to form Shamong Township (February 19, 1852), Lumberton (March 14, 1860), and Medford Lakes (May 17, 1939). The township is part of the South Jersey region of the state.

The area now known as Medford first saw European settlement when Samuel Coles purchased 900 acres (360 ha) of land in 1670. Shortly after, the Braddock, Prickett, Stratton, Branin, and Wilkins families relocated to the area, many of whom have descendants living there today. The area, then known as Upper Evesham, gradually evolved from scattered homesteads into a small village. Numerous buildings and roads constructed between the land sale and the American Revolutionary War, including Oliphant's Mill, Christopher's Mill, and the Shamong Trail (now Stokes Road), still exist today. In 1820, the area officially became known as Medford of Upper Evesham with the opening of the post office. This name was advocated by Mark Reeve, a developer who had recently visited Medford, Massachusetts. On March 1, 1847, Medford Township was formally separated from Evesham Township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature. As early as 1825, a thriving glass making industry emerged in Medford, starting with a furnace that produced window panes. By 1850, William Porter ran a glass factory on a triangular property bordered by South Main Street, Mill Street, and Trimble Street. The factory, operating under names like Medford Glass Works and Star Glass throughout the 1880s, employed around 250 workers at its peak. It fostered a "company town" atmosphere, providing houses for owners, managers, and workers, and a company store where workers could exchange scrip for food and necessities. The glass making operations ceased around 1925, and the factory was demolished by the mid 1940s. Today, nearly 30 workers' homes are well maintained on Trimble Street and Mill Street, along with the owners' / managers' residence at 126 South Main Street and the company store at 132 South Main Street. Dr. James Still (1812–1882), a self taught African American physician known as "the Black Doctor of the Pines," resided and practiced in Medford. His home was demolished in 1932, but his office building was preserved when the State of New Jersey purchased it in 2006. It now serves as the Dr. James Still Historic Office Site and Education Center. Medford's position along the Camden and Atlantic Railroad facilitated trade, leading to rapid expansion in the post Civil War years. However, by the 1920s, the rail line was dismantled, and the mill industry was waning. Despite this, Medford's growth continued due to its proximity to Philadelphia and Camden County, attracting many families seeking a more rural lifestyle away from the city.

According to the U. S. Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 39.81 square miles (103.10 km2), including 38.80 square miles (100.49 km2) of land and 1.01 square miles (2.61 km2) of water (2.53%). The township is one of 56 South Jersey municipalities that are included within the New Jersey Pinelands National Reserve, a protected natural area of unique ecology covering , that has been classified as a United States Biosphere Reserve and established by Congress in 1978 as the nation's first National Reserve. Part of the township is included in the state designated Pinelands Area, which includes portions of Burlington County, along with areas in Atlantic, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, and Ocean counties. Medford Lakes is an independent municipality encircled within the boundaries of Medford Township, making it half one of 21 pairs of "doughnut towns" in the state, where one municipality entirely surrounds another. The township borders Evesham Township (which includes Marlton), Lumberton, Mount Laurel Township, Shamong Township, Southampton Township, Tabernacle Township in Burlington County; and Waterford Township in Camden County. The climate of Medford Township is classified as humid continental, with cold winters, hot summers, and year round humidity. Annual precipitation for the area is , and annual snowfall is .

As of the 2000 U. S. census,

There were 7,946 households, out of which 38.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.8% were married couples living together, 6.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.9% were non families. 17.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.16.

Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge is a nature preserve and wildlife rehabilitation center located on the southern border of Medford and is open to the public. Freedom Park is a public park with extensive playground equipment, basketball and volleyball courts, bike paths, large pavilions, and large multipurpose fields, including a dog run. Kirby's Mill is a grist mill (flour mill) that has been added to the National Register of Historic Places. Medford Canoe Trail is a recently cleared canoe trail connecting Medford Park to Kirby's Mill. Historic Medford Village offers shopping, historic homes and an old fashioned atmosphere, serving as the site of Medford's traditional Dickens Festival. JCC Camps at Medford is the largest Jewish day camp in North America, operating since 1942. Part of the Jewish Federation of Southern New Jersey, the camp is accredited by the American Camp Association. Catering to children aged three and up from Camden, Burlington, and Gloucester counties, it offers a leader in training program for teenagers 14 or older. Located amidst the lakes of Medford in the New Jersey Pine Barrens, the camp includes a lake for boating and fishing, four pools, playgrounds, athletic fields, a petting zoo, and a ropes course, and serves kosher lunch. Camp Ockanickon (established in 1906), Matollionequay (established in 1937), and Stockwell (established in 1990) are three neighboring YMCA summer camps and conference centers that cover over in the Pine Barrens.

Medford Township operates within the Faulkner Act (formally known as the Optional Municipal Charter Law) under the Council Manager (Plan E) form of municipal government, implemented based on the recommendations of a Charter Study Commission as of January 1, 1980. The township is one of 42 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this form of government. The governing body is composed of the five member Council, whose members are elected at large in partisan elections to staggered four year terms of office as part of the November general election, with either two or three seats up for election in odd numbered years. At a reorganization meeting held each January, the Council selects a Mayor and a Deputy Mayor from among its members. Mayor Chris Myers resigned from the Township Council in December 2011, after it was disclosed that he had hired a male escort. He was replaced in January 2012 by Chuck Watson. The township council selected Brad Denn in October 2014 from three candidates nominated by the Republican municipal committee to fill the vacant seat of James "Randy" Pace, who resigned from office after he moved out of state. Denn was elected to serve the remaining two years of office in November 2015. In March 2019, Lauren Kochan was selected from three candidates nominated by the Republican municipal committee to fill the unexpired term of office ending in December 2019 that had been vacated the previous month by Chris Buoni, who announced that he was moving out of the township. as of 2023, members of the Medford Township Council are Mayor Charles "Chuck" J. Watson (R, term on council ends December 31, 2025; term as mayor ends 2023), Deputy Mayor Lauren Kochan (R, term on council and as deputy mayor ends 2023), Frank P. Czekay (R, 2023), Erik J. Rebstock (R, 2025) and Donna Symons (R, 2025).

Medford Township is located in the 3rd Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 8th state legislative district.

As of March 2011, there were a total of 16,632 registered voters in Medford Township, of which 3,893 (23.4% vs. 33.3% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 5,406 (32.5% vs. 23.9%) were registered as Republicans and 7,320 (44.0% vs. 42.8%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 13 voters registered as Libertarians or Greens. Among the township's 2010 Census population, 72.2% (vs. 61.7% in Burlington County) were registered to vote, including 97.7% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 80.3% countywide). In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 7,499 votes here (55.8% vs. 40.2% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 5,747 votes (42.7% vs. 58.1%) and other candidates with 130 votes (1.0% vs. 1.0%), among the 13,451 ballots cast by the township's 17,574 registered voters, for a turnout of 76.5% (vs. 74.5% in Burlington County). In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 7,049 votes here (52.3% vs. 39.9% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 6,214 votes (46.1% vs. 58.4%) and other candidates with 135 votes (1.0% vs. 1.0%), among the 13,466 ballots cast by the township's 16,535 registered voters, for a turnout of 81.4% (vs. 80.0% in Burlington County). In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 7,615 votes here (57.4% vs. 46.0% countywide), ahead of Democrat John Kerry with 5,551 votes (41.8% vs. 52.9%) and other candidates with 78 votes (0.6% vs. 0.8%), among the 13,266 ballots cast by the township's 16,086 registered voters, for a turnout of 82.5% (vs. 78.8% in the whole county). In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 5,628 votes here (71.0% vs. 61.4% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 2,067 votes (26.1% vs. 35.8%) and other candidates with 107 votes (1.3% vs. 1.2%), among the 7,929 ballots cast by the township's 17,464 registered voters, yielding a 45.4% turnout (vs. 44.5% in the county). In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 5,371 votes here (60.1% vs. 47.7% countywide), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 2,987 votes (33.4% vs. 44.5%), Independent Chris Daggett with 438 votes (4.9% vs. 4.8%) and other candidates with 83 votes (0.9% vs. 1.2%), among the 8,931 ballots cast by the township's 16,733 registered voters, yielding a 53.4% turnout (vs. 44.9% in the county).

as of 2010, the township had a total of 179.25 mile (288 km) of roadways, of which 153.27 mile (247 km) were maintained by the municipality, 21.85 mile (35 km) by Burlington County and 4.13 mile (7 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation. Major roads in Medford include Route 70, County Road 532, County Road 541, and County Road 544.

NJ Transit used to provide bus service to and from Philadelphia on the 406 bus route which ended in Evesham Township but has been discontinued. Greyhound Lines provides nationwide service from nearby Mount Laurel. The Flying W Airport, a public use airport, is located in Medford near the border with Lumberton Township.