The township bears a shoreline fronting both the Bass River and the Great Bay.

[18] The township and all of Burlington County is a part of the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden combined statistical area and the Delaware Valley.

[20] The township's name originated from the Bass River, a 4.7-mile-long (7.6 km) tributary of the Mullica River, that was in turn named for Jeremiah Basse, who served as governor of both West Jersey and East Jersey.

[2][3] Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Allens Bridge, Bass River State Forest, Calico, Charcoal Landing, Doctors Point, Frogtown, Harrisville, High Bridge, Leektown, Martha, Merrygold, Munion Field, New Gretna, Oak Island, Oswego Lake, Sim Place, State Forest and Wading River.

[26] All of the township is included in either the state-designated Pinelands area or the Pinelands National Reserve, which includes portions of Burlington County, along with areas in Atlantic, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester and Ocean counties.

[27] The 2010 United States census counted 1,443 people, 522 households, and 407 families in the township.

[38] As of the 2000 United States census,[13] there were 1,510 people, 548 households, and 409 families residing in the township.

[36][37] Since 1972, Bass River Township has been governed under the Walsh Act by a three-member commission.

[4][43][44] In June 2024, Jane Allen was appointed to fill the seat vacated by Nicholas Capriglione when he resigned at the reorganization meeting held the previous month; Allen will serve on an interim basis until the November 2025 general election, when voters will choose a candidate to serve the remainder of the term of office.

Additionally the Fire Company provides rescue services and operates an EMS First Response vehicle for medical emergencies.

[51] For the 119th United States Congress, New Jersey's 3rd congressional district is currently represented Herb Conaway (D, Delran Township).

[53] For the 2024-2025 session, the 8th legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the New Jersey Senate by Latham Tiver (R, Southampton Township) and in the General Assembly by Andrea Katz (D, Chesterfield Township) and Michael Torrissi (R, Hammonton).

[54] Burlington County is governed by a Board of County Commissioners composed of five members who are chosen at-large in partisan elections to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats coming up for election each year; at an annual reorganization meeting, the board selects a director and deputy director from among its members to serve a one-year term.

[77] Among the township's 2010 Census population, 61.8% (vs. 61.7% in Burlington County) were registered to vote, including 77.4% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 80.3% countywide).

[92] Schools in the district (with 2021–22 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics.

[111] Students from Bass River Township, and from all of Burlington County, are eligible to attend the Burlington County Institute of Technology, a countywide public school district that serves the vocational and technical education needs of students at the high school and post-secondary level at its campuses in Medford and Westampton Township.

[113] Bass River Township is the only municipality in Burlington County that hosts U.S. Route 9[114] and the Garden State Parkway.

The township also hosts a high-speed toll plaza on the mainline northbound Garden State Parkway.

Military planes, including A-10s and F-16s from East Coast Air National Guard units, use the area for practice bombing and strafing.