Run by a five-member Township Committee, the elected serve three-year staggered terms in office. The Committee members elect the mayor at an annual meeting. Upper Township is served by the 2nd Congressional District and the state's 1st legislative district. Children residing in the district attend the Upper Township School System which consists of a primary school, elementary school, and a middle school. After eighth grade, Upper Township's students attend classes at Ocean City High School in nearby Ocean City. Certain areas of Upper Township -- namely, Strathmere, Beesley's Point, and Tuckahoe -- have beach areas. Water sports are popular in the township as people come to boat, fish, kayak, and swim. Campgrounds are in abundance here, too, as many visitors choose to vacation closer to nature nestled among the trees and wildlife rather than in a cushy beach house. An array of parks and fields dot Upper Township and include basketball courts, baseball fields, areas for picnicking, a skate park, shuffleboard courts, and playgrounds. Upper Township has its own newspaper, appropriately called The Upper Township Gazette. Published weekly and free to all, the newspaper focuses on local happenings and events, human interest stories, and news. The Gazette is the best way for the locals to discover what is happening throughout their township and which activities are nearby. The Tuckahoe Cheesecake Factory is a mainstay in the township, having operated at the same location on Route 50 for over 35 years. All of the more than 25 flavors of cheesecake (chocolate, amaretto, and orange creamsicle to name a few) and specialty cakes (chocolate cherry cordial, anyone?) are made by hand. Year-round residents can enjoy cheesecake whenever they wish as the Factory is open daily. One of the main benefits of living in Upper Township is that although it's close to the Atlantic Ocean, the majority of the township is rural. Things are quiet during the off-season but get much busier during the summer months when visitors check into the campgrounds and browse in the local stores. Still, Upper Township has remained very much like when the Native Americans fished here and that's what gives it such a rustic charm.
