Town guide · Burlington County
Living in Washington Township, NJ
Washington Township in Burlington County covers about 105 square miles of the Pine Barrens, with fewer than 700 residents. The Mullica River forms most of its southwestern edge, and its river villages, Green Bank and Lower Bank, sit near historic Batsto Village.
- County
- Burlington
- Population
- About 700 (2020 census)
- Size
- About 105 square miles
- Setting
- Pine forest, rivers and small river villages, all inside the Pinelands Area
- Main roads
- County Routes 542 and 563, with the Garden State Parkway and Atlantic City Expressway in neighboring towns
First things first
This is Washington Township in Burlington County
New Jersey has several towns named Washington Township, including larger ones in Gloucester and Morris counties. This guide covers the one in Burlington County, in the Pine Barrens along the Mullica River.
It is a separate municipality with its own government and its own tax rate. It shares a municipal court with neighboring Bass River Township, which sits in New Gretna.
Villages and place names
River villages and forest crossroads
Washington Township was formed in 1802. Most of it is forest, and its homes gather in a few small villages along the rivers and county roads. The township hall is in Green Bank, in a 1919 building listed on the New Jersey Register of Historic Places.
- Green Bank: A village on the Mullica River that was once a sawmill town, a port for shipping lumber and a shipbuilding center.
- Lower Bank: Another village on the Mullica River, along the township's border with Atlantic County.
- Batsto and Pleasant Mills: The historic iron and glass village of Batsto, now inside Wharton State Forest, and Pleasant Mills, another old place name nearby.
- Jenkins and Jenkins Neck: Forest communities in the township, with Penn State Forest at Jenkins Neck.
- Other place names: Bear Swamp Hill, Bridgeport, Bulltown, Crowleytown, Friendship Bogs, Hermon, Quaker Bridge and Tylertown.
Homes
What you will find
- River village homes in Green Bank and Lower Bank, close to the Mullica River.
- Homes on large wooded lots along County Routes 542 and 563.
- Farm and bog land including 2 preserved farms covering about 1,243 acres, according to state figures through 2020.
Worth knowing: All of Washington Township is in the state designated Pinelands Area, so new homes, additions and land clearing must meet Pinelands rules. For a new single family home, a conventional septic system generally needs a lot of at least 3.2 acres under Pinelands water quality standards. Smaller lots generally need an advanced treatment system with a lifetime maintenance contract. Homes near the Mullica, Wading and Oswego rivers can also sit in a mapped flood zone, so we check the flood map and the septic before anything else.
Property taxes
What taxes look like in Washington Township
- 1.591%2025 effective tax rate, as a share of market value
- $4,8192025 average residential tax bill
A home worth $300,000 on today's market would pay roughly $4,773 a year at Washington Township's 2025 effective rate. Your actual bill depends on your assessment, so we pull the real tax record for any home you are considering.
Source: New Jersey Division of Taxation, 2025 general and effective tax rates. Rates are set each year.
Getting around
Roads and commuting
Only two major roads cross the township. County Route 542 runs past Batsto Village, and County Route 563 runs north through the township toward Chatsworth. The nearest limited access highways are in neighboring towns: the Atlantic City Expressway in Hammonton, and the Garden State Parkway in Galloway, Port Republic and Bass River. There is no passenger rail in the township.
Places worth knowing
Parks, landmarks and open space
- Batsto Village: A historic iron and glass village on County Route 542, with a restored mansion, a sawmill, a gristmill, a visitor center and a working post office.
- Wharton State Forest: About 122,880 acres of state forest in the Mullica River watershed, with Batsto Village, campgrounds and rivers for canoeing.
- Penn State Forest: A 3,366 acre state forest near Jenkins Neck with Oswego Lake, a 90 acre lake for boating and fishing, and Bear Swamp Hill.
- Mullica River: The river that forms most of the township's southwestern border and once carried lumber and ships out of Green Bank.
Common questions
Questions people ask us about Washington Township
What are property taxes in Washington Township, NJ?
Washington Township's 2025 effective tax rate is 1.591 percent of market value, and the average residential tax bill is $4,819, according to the New Jersey Division of Taxation. Actual bills depend on each home's assessment.
Is Batsto Village in Washington Township?
Yes. Batsto Village is on County Route 542 in Washington Township, Burlington County, inside Wharton State Forest. The state's Division of Parks and Forestry runs it, and its post office still operates.
How many people live in Washington Township, Burlington County?
About 700. The 2020 census counted 693 residents across about 105 square miles, most of it forest.
Is Washington Township in the Pinelands?
Yes, entirely. All of the township is in the state designated Pinelands Area, inside the Pinelands National Reserve. Pinelands rules apply to building, additions and septic systems.
Where is the Washington Township municipal building?
In Green Bank. The township uses a historic 1919 building in the village, listed on the New Jersey Register of Historic Places, as its town hall.
Nearby towns
Towns that border Washington Township
Buying or selling in Washington Township?
River lots and Pinelands rules
A home on the Mullica in Green Bank and a house on a wooded lot off Route 563 face different flood and septic questions. We sort those out first, then talk about value.
Call or text either of us directly.