New Jersey Population 2024

The coastal state of New Jersey is situated on the northeastern edge of the United States and is bordered to the south by the Atlantic Ocean.

The last nationwide census was completed in 2010 and at the time, it was revealed that there were 8,791,894 people living in New Jersey, which equated to a rise of 4.5% on the numbers declared in the 2000 survey.

The most current estimates from July 2015 show a New Jersey population of 8,958,013, which makes it the 11th most populous state in the country, despite being ranked 47th in terms of size.

New Jersey Population Density and Area

Statistics relating to density show that New Jersey makes great use of every inch of territory. Its total land mass equates to 8,721 square miles (22,608 square kilometers), making it only the 47th biggest state in the US. The only US states that are smaller than New Jersey are Connecticut, Delaware and Rhode Island. It has played a prime role in the history of the country, and in terms of the New Jersey population, the state packs a lot of people into a relatively small area.

Despite its lack of size, however, for every square mile of NJ territory, there is an average of 1,195.5 people, which makes it the most densely populated state in the US. New Jersey is the only state to have every single county considered "urban" by the Census Bureau.

Largest Cities in New Jersey

For such a densely populated state, there are only four cities in New Jersey with a population of more than 100,000 people. Newark is the state’s largest city, with a population of 281,944 (based on 2015 estimates), closely followed by Jersey City, home to 264,290 people. The other cities with more than 100,000 people are Paterson (147,754 people) and Elizabeth (129,007).

Most of New Jersey's population lives in the counties surrounding New York City, Philadelphia and the eastern Jersey Shore. The northwestern and very southern counties have a much lower density. The most populated county in New Jersey is Bergen County with 948,406 individuals residing within its boundaries.

New Jersey Gender and Religion Statistics

Interestingly, New Jersey is home to more scientists and engineers per square mile than any other area of the world. It's also one of the most religiously and ethnically diverse states in the US, with the second largest Jewish population (after New York state), the second largest Muslim population (after the state of Michigan), the largest population of Peruvians in the country, and the largest population of Cubans outside of the state of Florida. It also boasts very high numbers of Portuguese and Brazilian Americans, Hispanics, Arabs, African-Americans, Asians, Chinese and Italian Americans.

The median age in New Jersey is approximately 39.5 years of age. The ratio of females to males is approximately 51.2% females and 48.8% males.

In terms of religious preferences across the state, New Jersey comes in with 67% Christian based faiths, 14% non-Christian based faiths, and 18% are non-affiliated with any religion.

New Jersey Boundary, Census, and Statehood History

New Jersey was one of the 13 original States, and has had essentially its current boundaries since Colonial times. Census coverage included all parts of the State from 1790 on.

19.7% of New Jersey's diverse population is Hispanic or Latino of any race, and is the 8th highest Hispanic population in the United States based on percentage when compared to total population. The overall population of Hispanics, estimated to be over 1.5 million, is the 7th highest in the nation.

According to data from the 2010 Census, New Jersey's population of Asians was 9.0%, which is tied for the 3rd highest percentage of Asians in the United States. Almost three-quarters of all Asian Americans reside in New Jersey and a handful of other states, including california, New York, and Texas.

It's estimated that about 6.2% of New Jersey's population is made up of illegal immigrants, and New Jersey has the 6th highest illegal immigrant population in the US. There were an estimated 550,000 illegal immigrants in New Jersey as of 2010. New Jersey is also ranked 15th among all states with its total African American population.