Newark is a city located in Essex County New Jersey. Newark has a 2023 population of 301,055. It is also the county seat of Essex County.Newark is currently declining at a rate of -1.01% annually and its population has decreased by -3% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 310,350 in 2020.
The average household income in Newark is $57,400 with a poverty rate of 25.78%. The median rental costs in recent years comes to - per month, and the median house value is -. The median age in Newark is 34.7 years, 33.6 years for males, and 36 years for females.
Newark is notable for many reasons, beginning with its history dating back to the 1600s. Newark is one of the oldest cities in the US. The city is also home to one of the busiest airports in the US and has a significant number of company headquarters and higher educations institutions that are known nationwide.
Despite revitalization, poverty remains a problem and has led to residents moving to other areas, resulting in population losses.
Newark saw population growth through the 1800s into the 1930s. However, losses in the population were recorded during the 1940 census. Racial tensions contributed to further losses throughout the years, with the population dropping from over 442,000 in 1930 to over 281,000 today. Population losses have slowed in recent years, and growth was recorded between the 2000 and 2010 census, although it was just 1.3%. Since the last poll was taken, the numbers have increased by 1.7%, suggesting that perhaps the population is on an upswing again.
Newark is one of the oldest cities in the United States. It was first settled by Puritans in 1666. In 1693, it was designated as a township. It was not incorporated as a city until 1836.
It is believed that the name was derived from “New Ark” or “New Work,” although others believe that the name was derived from the English city of Newark-on-Trent due to the influence of the pastor Abraham Pierson. During the 19th and 20th centuries, the city saw explosive population growth. However, in the latter part of the 20th century, the Newark riots led to a decline in population. However, the city has since rebounded following its revitalization efforts that began during the 1990s.
The city is divided into five different political wards: East, West, North South and Central. There are multiple neighborhoods throughout each district showcasing the diversity of this city, which is home to the oldest county park in the nation and is also the location of headquarters of international corporations including Panasonic, Audible.com, IDT, and Prudential. The city is also known for its colleges and universities, including Rutgers and the New Jersey Institute of Technology.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Newark was:
Black or African American
White
Other race
Two or more races
Asian
Native American
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 109,737 | 2.66 | 23.2 | 76.8 |
| Non Family | 42,930 | 1.17 | 16.7 | 83.3 |
| Married | 30,544 | 3.69 | 39.4 | 60.6 |
| Female | 27,737 | 3.61 | 16.4 | 83.6 |
| Male | 8,526 | 3.43 | 19.9 | 80.1 |
3.47
Average Family Size
2.66
Average Household Size
23.2%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
49.11% of Newark residents speak only English, while 50.89% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 33.12% of the population.
rate
25.78%
Overall Poverty Rate
23.28%
Male Poverty Rate
28.08%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Newark is Islander, with 51.07% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Newark is White, with 19.25% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 4.3%. Among those working part-time, it was 24.96%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 41.5%.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
30.7%
Overall Marriage Rate
33.1%
Male Marriage Rate
28.4%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
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.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
17.74%
Veteran Poverty Rate
31.55%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
61.7%
Labor Force Participation
54.8%
Employment Rate
11.2%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
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.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
50.26%
Born in Newark
68.89%
Native Born
35.41%
Foreign Born
20.31%
Non Citizen
15.1%
Naturalized
68.89% of Newark residents were born in the United States, with 50.26% having been born in New Jersey. 20.31% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.
Year | Population | Growth | Growth Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1830 | 10,953 | -272,338 | 1.65% |
| 1840 | 17,290 | 6,337 | 4.67% |
| 1850 | 38,894 | 21,604 | 8.44% |
| 1860 | 71,941 | 33,047 | 6.34% |
| 1870 | 105,059 | 33,118 | 3.86% |
| 1880 | 136,508 | 31,449 | 2.65% |
| 1890 | 181,830 | 45,322 | 2.91% |
| 1900 | 246,070 | 64,240 | 3.07% |
| 1910 | 347,469 | 101,399 | 3.51% |
| 1920 | 414,524 | 67,055 | 1.78% |
| 1930 | 442,337 | 27,813 | 0.65% |
| 1940 | 429,760 | -12,577 | -0.29% |
| 1950 | 438,776 | 9,016 | 0.21% |
| 1960 | 405,220 | -33,556 | -0.79% |
| 1970 | 381,930 | -23,290 | -0.59% |
| 1980 | 329,248 | -52,682 | -1.47% |
| 1990 | 275,221 | -54,027 | -1.78% |
| 2000 | 273,546 | -1,675 | -0.06% |
| 2010 | 277,140 | ||
| 2011 | 280,581 | 3,441 | 1.24% |
| 2012 | 284,022 | 3,441 | 1.23% |
| 2013 | 287,463 | 3,441 | 1.21% |
| 2014 | 290,904 | 3,441 | 1.2% |
| 2015 | 294,345 | 3,441 | 1.18% |
| 2016 | 297,786 | 3,441 | 1.17% |
| 2017 | 301,227 | 3,441 | 1.16% |
| 2018 | 304,668 | 3,441 | 1.14% |
| 2019 | 308,109 | 3,441 | 1.13% |
| 2020 | 310,350 | 2,241 | 0.73% |
| 2021 | 307,220 | -3,130 | -1.01% |
| 2022 | 304,122 | -3,098 | -1.01% |
| 2023 | 301,055 | -3,067 | -1.01% |
| 2024 | 298,019 | -3,036 | -1.01% |
| 2025 | 295,013 | -3,006 | -1.01% |
| 2026 | 292,038 | -2,975 | -1.01% |
| 2027 | 289,093 | -2,945 | -1.01% |
| 2028 | 286,177 | -2,916 | -1.01% |
| 2029 | 283,291 | -2,886 | -1.01% |