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.
The Lenape once inhabited the area that is now Jersey City. 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 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.
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.
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 in the future.
Jersey City, New Jersey's estimated population is 265,549 according to the most recent United States census estimates. Jersey City, New Jersey is the 2nd largest city in New Jersey based on official 2017 estimates from the US Census Bureau.
The population density is 17948.96 people/mi² (6930.10 people/km²).
The overall median age is 33.9 years, 33.5 years for males, and 34.2 years for females. For every 100 females there are 96.9 males.
Based on data from the American Community Survey, in 2017 there were 112,169 households in the city, with an average size of 2.63 people per household. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.1%, with a median rent of $1271/month. The median house has 4 rooms, and has a value of $344,200.
The median income for households in Jersey City, New Jersey is $62,739, while the mean household income is $92,954.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Jersey City was:
| Year | Population | Growth | Annual Growth Rate |
| 2018 | 265,549 | 2,148 | 0.82% |
| 2017 | 263,401 | 2,775 | 1.06% |
| 2016 | 260,626 | 294 | 0.11% |
| 2015 | 260,332 | 1,538 | 0.59% |
| 2014 | 258,794 | 1,551 | 0.60% |
| 2013 | 257,243 | 1,095 | 0.43% |
| 2012 | 256,148 | 3,238 | 1.28% |
| 2011 | 252,910 | 4,547 | 1.83% |
| 2010 | 248,363 | 8,308 | 0.34% |
| 2000 | 240,055 | 11,518 | 0.49% |
| 1990 | 228,537 | 5,005 | 0.22% |
| 1980 | 223,532 | -36,818 | -1.51% |
| 1970 | 260,350 | -15,751 | -0.59% |
| 1960 | 276,101 | -22,916 | -0.79% |
| 1950 | 299,017 | -2,156 | -0.07% |
| 1940 | 301,173 | -15,542 | -0.50% |
| 1930 | 316,715 | 18,612 | 0.61% |
| 1920 | 298,103 | 30,324 | 1.08% |
| 1910 | 267,779 | 61,346 | 2.64% |
| 1900 | 206,433 | 43,430 | 2.39% |
| 1890 | 163,003 | 42,281 | 3.05% |
| 1880 | 120,722 | 38,176 | 3.87% |
| 1870 | 82,546 | 53,320 | 10.94% |
| 1860 | 29,226 | 22,370 | 15.60% |
| 1850 | 6,856 | 3,784 | 8.36% |
| 1840 | 3,072 | 0.00% |
| Year | Total Population | Growth | Annual Growth Rate |
| 2018 | 19,979,477 | -19,474 | -0.10% |
| 2017 | 19,998,951 | -17,965 | -0.09% |
| 2016 | 20,016,916 | 16,981 | 0.08% |
| 2015 | 19,999,935 | 42,266 | 0.21% |
| 2014 | 19,957,669 | 55,973 | 0.28% |
| 2013 | 19,901,696 | 79,011 | 0.40% |
| 2012 | 19,822,685 | 97,977 | 0.49% |
| 2011 | 19,724,708 | 129,731 | 0.66% |
| 2010 | 19,594,977 | 0.00% |
| Race | Population |
| White | 94,159 |
| Asian | 67,526 |
| Black or African American | 63,788 |
| Some Other Race | 30,764 |
| Two or More Races | 8,503 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1,039 |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander | 153 |
33.9
33.5
34.2
There are 210,419 adults, (26,830 of whom are seniors) in Jersey City.
Female
135,070
50.79%
Male
130,862
49.21%
| Type | Count | Average Size | Owned |
| All | 100,049 | 2.63 | 28.6 |
| Non Family | 39,126 | 1.44 | 21.7 |
| Married | 38,401 | 3.35 | 38.5 |
| Female | 16,638 | 3.46 | 21.9 |
| Male | 5,884 | 3.52 | 28.3 |
| Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 12,436 | 6.66% |
| 9th to 12th Grade | 12,819 | 6.86% |
| High School Graduate | 43,900 | 23.51% |
| Some College | 26,163 | 14.01% |
| Associates Degree | 8,088 | 4.33% |
| Bachelors Degree | 49,593 | 26.56% |
| Graduate Degree | 33,745 | 18.07% |
| Name | Total | High School | Bachelors |
| Asian | 51,064 | 47,475 | 37,019 |
| Hispanic | 48,152 | 35,161 | 8,841 |
| White | 45,357 | 42,220 | 26,705 |
| Black | 40,596 | 34,912 | 9,244 |
| Other Race | 18,372 | 13,108 | 2,648 |
| Multiple Races | 4,517 | 4,024 | 2,198 |
| Native American | 646 | 449 | 100 |
| Islander | 79 | 79 | 16 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among islander people with a rate of 100.00%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 72.50%.
$45,703
Average Earnings
$51,881
Average Male
$38,659
Average Female
47.03% of Jersey City residents speak only English, while 52.97% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 23.01% of the population.
| Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
| Hispanic | 75,828 | 17,809 | 23.49% |
| Black | 62,947 | 15,895 | 25.25% |
| White | 54,642 | 8,006 | 14.65% |
| Asian | 67,414 | 7,871 | 11.68% |
| Other | 30,576 | 7,554 | 24.71% |
| Multiple | 8,428 | 1,457 | 17.29% |
| Islander | 153 | 54 | 35.29% |
| Native | 1,029 | 36 | 3.50% |
18.69%
Overall Poverty Rate
16.91%
Male Poverty Rate
20.42%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Jersey City is Islander, with 35.29% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Jersey City is Native, with 3.50% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 3.03%. Among those working part-time, it was 22.66%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 33.24%.
41.8%
Overall Marriage Rate
43.7%
Male Marriage Rate
39.9%
Female Marriage Rate
The age group where males are most likely to be married is 35-44, while the female age group most likely to be married is 35-44.
| Name | Veterans | % of Total |
| White | 2,222 | 2.86% |
| Black | 1,452 | 3.01% |
| Hispanic | 1,037 | 1.85% |
| Asian | 408 | 0.72% |
| Other | 346 | 1.59% |
| 2 or More | 160 | 3.05% |
| Indian | 52 | 7.84% |
14.53%
Veteran Poverty Rate
24.46%
Veteran Disability Rate
68%
Labor Force Participation
63%
Employment Rate
7.3%
Unemployment Rate
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
58.28%
Native Born
41.72%
Foreign Born
22.59%
Non Citizen
58.28% of Jersey City residents were born in the United States, with 35.38% having been born in New Jersey. 22.59% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Asia.