| County | Rank | Change (2020) ↓ | 2026 Pop. | 2020 Pop. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Union County | 1 | 7.78% | 618,320 | 573,680 |
| Somerset County | 2 | 6.79% | 368,211 | 344,788 |
| Middlesex County | 3 | 6.58% | 918,119 | 861,460 |
| Essex County | 4 | 6.5% | 915,961 | 860,020 |
| Ocean County | 5 | 6.24% | 678,412 | 638,554 |
| Hudson County | 6 | 6.1% | 765,915 | 721,909 |
| Bergen County | 7 | 5.16% | 1,002,955 | 953,711 |
| Burlington County | 8 | 5.14% | 485,423 | 461,694 |
| Gloucester County | 9 | 4.99% | 317,669 | 302,575 |
| Morris County | 10 | 4.96% | 533,683 | 508,472 |
| Mercer County | 11 | 4.48% | 403,822 | 386,492 |
| Cumberland County | 12 | 4.32% | 160,358 | 153,724 |
| Sussex County | 13 | 4.05% | 149,744 | 143,919 |
| Hunterdon County | 14 | 3.93% | 133,858 | 128,793 |
| Camden County | 15 | 3.76% | 542,812 | 523,151 |
| Warren County | 16 | 3.55% | 113,405 | 109,520 |
| Atlantic County | 17 | 3.38% | 283,468 | 274,196 |
| Passaic County | 18 | 3.04% | 539,353 | 523,464 |
| Salem County | 19 | 2.96% | 66,764 | 64,843 |
| Monmouth County | 20 | 1.54% | 652,678 | 642,778 |
| Cape May County | 21 | -2.85% | 92,339 | 95,051 |
New Jersey's counties show varied growth patterns from 2020 to 2026. Union County leads with 1.26% annualized growth, followed by Somerset County (1.1%) and Middlesex County (1.07%). The largest counties are Bergen County (1,002,955), Middlesex County (918,119), and Essex County (915,961). Of the 21 counties in New Jersey, 20 are growing while just 1 has experienced population decline. Overall, counties averaged 0.72% annualized growth, with total population growing by 0.83% annually.
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