On January 2, 1871, Woodbury was reincorporated as a city based on the results of a referendum held that day.

[28] Woodbury was founded in 1683 by Henry Wood, a Quaker from North West England who left Great Britain due to religious persecution.

[29][30][31] In 2000, Bury, England, and Woodbury were twinned as part of millennium celebrations in both countries.

[32] In 1787, a fossil bone recovered in Woodbury from local Cretaceous strata was discussed by the American Philosophical Society in Philadelphia.

[33] The remains were only retrospectively identified as dinosaurian,[33] as dinosaurs would not be scientifically recognized as a distinct group of reptiles until August 1841.

This effort was led by then-councilman and later mayor Donald P. Sanderson in the 1970s, and an ordinance was finally passed in December 1980.

Sanderson was asked to speak in municipalities throughout the country and other towns and cities soon followed suit.

The 2010 United States census counted 10,174 people, 4,088 households, and 2,420 families in the city.

[50] As of the 2000 United States census,[16] there were 10,307 people, 4,051 households, and 2,588 families residing in the city.

A mayor is elected at-large directly by the voters for a two-year term of office.

[6][52][53][54] As of 2025[update], the mayor of Woodbury is Democrat Kyle Miller, whose term ends December 31, 2026.

[3][55][56][57][58][59] In April 2017, the city council selected Karlene O'Connor from a list of three candidates nominated by the Democratic municipal committee to fill the Second Ward seat expiring in December 2019 that had been held by David Trovato until he resigned from office earlier in the month.

[60] At the January 2017 reorganization meeting, the city council chose Kenneth McIlvaine from three candidates nominated by the Democratic municipal committee to fill the Third Ward seat expiring in December 2017 that was vacated by Jessica Floyd when she took office as mayor.

[64][65][66] For the 119th United States Congress, New Jersey's 1st congressional district is represented by Donald Norcross (D, Camden).

[99] Woodbury Public Schools serve students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade.

[106][107][108][109] Students from across Gloucester County are eligible to apply to attend Gloucester County Institute of Technology, a four-year high school in Deptford Township that provides technical and vocational education.

[111][112] It was established in 2017 by the Bishop of Camden as the successor to Holy Trinity Regional School, which was created as part of the 2007 merger of the parish catholic schools of St. Patrick's, St. Matthew's of National Park and Most Holy Redeemer of Westville Grove.

[118] NJ Transit bus service between the city and Philadelphia is available on the 401 (from Salem), 402 (from Pennsville Township), 410 (from Bridgeton), and 412 (from Sewell) routes, and local service is offered on the 455 (Cherry Hill to Paulsboro) and 463 (between Woodbury and the Avandale Park/Ride in Winslow Township) routes.

[121] Two stops, at Red Bank Avenue and Woodbury station, on the proposed Glassboro–Camden Line, an 18 mi (28.97 km) diesel multiple unit (DMU) light rail system, are planned.