At 110.90 square miles (287.2 km2), Hamilton Township has the largest land area of any municipality in New Jersey.

[1][23] Geographically, the township, and all of Atlantic County, is part of the South Jersey region of the state and of the Atlantic City-Hammonton metropolitan statistical area, which in turn is included in the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden combined statistical area and the Delaware Valley.

[24] Hamilton Township's origins are directly tied to the Great Egg Harbor River and its tributaries which run through it.

From 1830 to 1880, more than 200 vessels were built along the Great Egg Harbor River with lumber from native forests and iron from Weymouth foundries.

But by the end of the century, wood shipbuilding began to disappear due to the lack of suitable timber.

[28] Other unincorporated communities, localities, and places located partially or completely within the township include Mays Landing, the county seat of Atlantic County, and Bears Head, Carmantown, Catawba, Clarktown, Cologne, Dacosta, Emmelsville, Gravelly Run, Lake Lenape, Laureldale, McKee City, Mizpah, Reega, Thompsontown, Weymouth, and Wilsons Landing.

[34] Part of the township is included in the state-designated Pinelands Area, which includes portions of Atlantic County, along with areas in Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester and Ocean counties.

[35] The western three-quarters of the township is governed by regulation by the New Jersey Pinelands Commission, which places major limitations on development in that portion of the township, which remains as pine forest with a distinctly rural character, with other portions designated as a Rural Development Area.

[36] Significant portions of the eastern quarter of the township are designated by the Pinelands Commission as part of the Regional Growth Area (RGA), in which development is "allowed and encouraged" in the area surrounding Atlantic City, New Jersey.

[37] The majority of the township's residents live in the area covered by the RGA, which has been developed in suburban fashion and includes shopping areas such as the Hamilton Mall, part of the township's 3,000,000 square feet (280,000 m2) of first class commercial retail properties.

[53] The Great Egg Harbor River and Lake Lenape are recreational resources used by local residents and visitors alike.

[3][57][5][58][59][60] In January 2023, former mayor Art Schanker was appointed to fill the seat expiring in December 2024 that had been held by Susan K. Hopkins until she resigned from office earlier that month.

[63][64][65] For the 119th United States Congress, New Jersey's 2nd congressional district is represented by Jeff Van Drew (R, Dennis Township).

[67] For the 2024-2025 session, the 2nd legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the New Jersey Senate by Vincent J. Polistina (R, Egg Harbor Township) and in the General Assembly by Don Guardian (R, Atlantic City) and Claire Swift (R, Margate City).

[69][70] As of 2025[update], Atlantic County's Executive is Dennis Levinson (R, Northfield), whose term of office ends December 31, 2027.

[89] Among the township's 2010 Census population, 58.4% (vs. 58.8% in Atlantic County) were registered to vote, including 76.9% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 76.6% countywide).

[117] Township students can also attend the Charter-Tech High School for the Performing Arts, located in Somers Point.

[119][120] Atlantic Cape Community College was the second community college to be established in New Jersey, and moved to its campus in Mays Landing in February 1968 where it now serves students from both Atlantic County and Cape May County.

Hamilton hosts a 14-mile (23 km) stretch of the Atlantic City Expressway with three interchanges and the Egg Harbor Tolls.

NJ Transit provides bus service in the township between Cape May and Philadelphia on the 315 route and to Atlantic City on routes 502 from Atlantic Cape Community College and 553 from Upper Deerfield Township.