Hanover Township is a township in Morris County, New Jersey, incorporating the unincorporated neighborhoods of Whippany and Cedar Knolls. Its 2020 population was 14,677, the highest decennial count in its history. The township is one of Morris County's older municipalities, with an incorporation date tracing to 1740, and its long history is reflected in its place names and its layered landscape of older neighborhoods, newer subdivisions, and corporate campuses. Hanover's early economy centered on the Whippany River and the mills and industries that grew along it, a heritage still echoed in the Whippany name. Over the twentieth century, the township evolved into a suburban community within the New York metropolitan orbit, with corporate and office development along its major highways joining established residential areas. The township is organized around two principal communities: Whippany, the larger and more historically rooted area, and Cedar Knolls, a residential and commercial district to the west. Each has its own post office and identity, but they share township government, schools, and services. The mix of single-family neighborhoods, townhome and apartment developments, and business parks gives Hanover a character that is both suburban and economically substantial. Education is a point of local pride. The Hanover Township Public Schools serve students from kindergarten through eighth grade, while high school students attend the Hanover Park Regional High School District. Parks, athletic fields, and community programs round out the township's suburban amenities. Hanover's location along Route 10 and near Interstates 287 and 80 places it within convenient reach of Morristown, the county seat, and the broader northern New Jersey employment market. Its combination of history, schools, and highway access sustains its appeal as a place to live and work.