Jersey City is located in the state of New Jersey. It is the county seat of Hudson County, and it is the largest city by population within that county. It is also the second largest by population in the entire state, with an estimated population of 264,152. Jersey City is part of the New York metro area and serves as a transportation, distribution, and manufacturing center for the Port of New York and New Jersey.

Jersey City History

The area that is now Jersey City was once inhabited by the Lenape. Henry Hudson arrived in the region in 1609. A land grant to Michael Reyniersz Pauw was used to purchase the land from the Lenape in 1630.

In the late 1700s, Alexander Hamilton and other prominent people in New York and New Jersey went to work to develop what is now historic downtown Jersey City. An interesting fact about Jersey City is that during the 19th century, former slaves used the Underground Railroad to reach this city. Jersey City was not incorporated as a city until 1820. It was reincorporated in 1829, then again in 1838. Two years later, it was made part of Hudson County.

The 1850s through the 1880s saw the introduction of the railroad, which through the 20th century was one of the biggest employers in the city. During the 19th and 20th centuries, the city was a dock and manufacturing town. It was also a city that attracted many immigrants from Germany, Italy and Ireland.

The 1970s saw a decline in urban population as more people moved to the suburbs following high crime rates, political corruption and hardships. Through the 1970s and early 1980s, Jersey City lost 9% of its workforce, while the 30-year period from 1950 to 1980 saw a loss of 75,000 residents. However, later in the 1980s, revitalization efforts began to bring in more residents. This included the construction of high-rise buildings, the development of the financial district, and a thriving downtown area.

Jersey City Demographics

Jersey City has a population of 264,152. The last census taken in 2010 shows that the city had a population of 247,597. The city is over 21 square miles and has a density of over 16,736 residents per square mile. Jersey City is very ethnically diverse. In fact, it is one of the most ethnically diverse cities in the world. Over 32% of the population is white, while over one-quarter is black or African American. Over 23% of residents are Asian, while 27.6% are Hispanic or Latino. The median age for the city is relatively young at 33.2 years. The 25 to 44 age group comprises most of the population, making up over 37% of the total population. Over 21% of the population is under the age of 18, while 9% are 65 or older. There are 96 males for every 100 females. Approximately 17.5% of the population lives below the federal poverty line.

Jersey City Population Growth

In its earliest years, Jersey City experienced substantial population growth, reaching over 100,000 residents by 1880 and more than 200,000 by 1900. However, the period between the 1930s and 1990s saw a decline in population. As mentioned, this was due to rising crime rates, political corruption, and other problems within the city. However, efforts in the late 1980s were successful in bringing more residents into Jersey City, posting a 2.2% increase between 1980 and 1990. Since the last census taken in 2010, the population has risen by over 6%, showing that this once thriving city is back on track to see continued growth into the future.