Jersey City, New Jersey Population 2023

305,904

Jersey City is a city located in Hudson County New Jersey. It is also the county seat of Hudson County. With a 2023 population of 305,904, it is the 2nd largest city in New Jersey and the 69th largest city in the United States.Jersey City is currently growing at a rate of 1.49% annually and its population has increased by 4.6% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 292,449 in 2020. Spanning over 21 miles, Jersey City has a population density of 20,748 people per square mile.

The average household income in Jersey City is $105,122 with a poverty rate of 18.98%. The median rental costs in recent years comes to - per month, and the median house value is -. The median age in Jersey City is 34.2 years, 33.8 years for males, and 34.7 years for females.

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. 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 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 in the future.

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 Demographics

According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Jersey City was:

  • White: 33.62%
  • Asian: 26.06%
  • Black or African American: 23.14%
  • Other race: 9.8%
  • Two or more races: 6.77%
  • Native American: 0.58%
  • Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 0.02%
The current population of Jersey City, New Jersey is 305,904 based on our projections of the latest US Census estimates.The last official US Census in 2020 recorded the population at 292,449.

Jersey City, New Jersey Population 2023

Jersey City Metro Area Population by Year

Population by Race

White

Asian

Black or African American

Other race

Two or more races

Native American

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

Jersey City Population by Race

Jersey City Population Pyramid 2023

Jersey City Median Age

34.2

Total

33.8

Male

34.7

Female

Jersey City Adults

There are 208,263 adults, (29,050 of whom are seniors) in Jersey City.

Jersey City Age Dependency

46.6

Age Dependency Ratio

16.2

Old Age Dependency Ratio

30.3

Child Dependency Ratio

Jersey City Sex Ratio

Female131,45750.05%
Male131,19549.95%

Jersey City Population by Age

Jersey City Renter vs Owner Occupied by Household Type

3.18

Average Family Size

2.5

Average Household Size

29.6%

Rate of Home Ownership

Married

Male

Female

NonFamily

owner

renter

Jersey City Households and Families

Male

Female

Less Than 9th Grade

9th to 12th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Associates Degree

Bachelors Degree

Graduate Degree

Jersey City Educational Attainment by Sex (over 25)

Jersey City Educational Attainment by Race

High School Graduation Rate

Bachelors Rate

The highest rate of high school graduation is among white people with a rate of 88.05%.

The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 66.29%.

Jersey City Educational Attainment by Race

All

Male

Female

$54,473

Average Earnings

$60,566

Average Male

$47,391

Average Female

Jersey City Earnings by Educational Attainment

Jersey City Language by Age

Only English

Spanish

Other Indo-European Languages

Asian and Pacific Island Languages

Other Languages

Jersey City Language

47.44% of Jersey City residents speak only English, while 52.56% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Asian and Pacific Island languages, which is spoken by 23.93% of the population.

Jersey City Language

Jersey City Poverty by Race

rate

18.98%

Overall Poverty Rate

13.85%

Male Poverty Rate

17.57%

Female Poverty Rate

Poverty in Jersey City

The race most likely to be in poverty in Jersey City is Other, with 28.85% below the poverty level.

The race least likely to be in poverty in Jersey City is Asian, with 12.02% below the poverty level.

The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 2.71%. Among those working part-time, it was 18.51%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 31.44%.

Jersey City Poverty

Jersey City Poverty Rate by Education

Jersey City Poverty Rate by Employment Status and Sex

Jersey City Income by Household Type

Households

Families

MarriedFamilies

NonFamilies

mean

median

Income by Household Type

Jersey City Marital Status

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Marriage Rates

43.3%

Overall Marriage Rate

45.2%

Male Marriage Rate

41.4%

Female Marriage Rate

Jersey City Married by Age and Sex

male

female

Jersey City Marriage

The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 35-44.

Jersey City Marital Status by Race

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Jersey City Marital Status

Second Gulf War

First Gulf War

Vietnam

Korea

World War II

3,768

Number of Veterans

3,354

Male Veterans

414

Female Veterans

Jersey City Veterans by War

Jersey City Veterans by Age

count

Jersey City Veterans by Race

Jersey City Veterans by Education

Less Than 9th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Bachelors or Greater

12.14%

Veteran Poverty Rate

24.45%

Veteran Disability Rate

Jersey City Veterans by Education

LaborForceParticipation

69.5%

Labor Force Participation

65.8%

Employment Rate

5.3%

Unemployment Rate

Jersey City Employment by Age

LaborForceParticipation

Jersey City Employment by Race

LaborForceParticipation

Jersey City Employment by Education

Origin of Non-Citizens

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.

Origin of Naturalized Citizens

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

30.79%

Born in Jersey City

51.63%

Native Born

38.18%

Foreign Born

20.23%

Non Citizen

17.95%

Naturalized

Place of Birth

51.63% of Jersey City residents were born in the United States, with 30.79% having been born in New Jersey. 20.23% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Asia.

Jersey City Place of Birth

Note: data after 2020 is projected based on recent growth

Jersey City Population by Year