Newark, New Jersey Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Newark, NJ Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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C
Health Below average
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F
Income Well below average
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F
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | Newark | New Jersey Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 309,652 | 9,334,304 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 11962.8 | 1071.4 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 1.31% | 0.59% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 33.6 | 40.2 | 37.3 |
| Households | 113,176 | 3,503,323 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Newark grew by 11.8% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 309,652 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Newark is Millennials, aged 29–44, at 24.8% of residents. That is 3.1 points above New Jersey as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 72,977 23.6% +3.4 pts
- Millennials 29–44 76,930 24.8% +3.1 pts
- Gen X 45–60 61,342 19.8% -1.6 pts
- Boomers 61–79 36,016 11.6% -5.2 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below New Jersey, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 50.7% of the people living in Newark and men 49.3%.
- Women 50.7% New Jersey 50.9%
- Men 49.3% New Jersey 49.1%
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100% of everyone living in Newark
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Economy
Newark has a the economy index of F, which means it scores poorly in the economy.
| Metric | Newark | New Jersey Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $52,688 | $103,817 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 5.92% | 4.37% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 11.6% | 6.3% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Newark is about 49% lower than in New Jersey.
Housing
| Metric | Newark | New Jersey Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $190,352 | $352,792 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,392 | $1,719 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 24.4% | 63.8% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Newark is about 11.4 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,392 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Newark spend about 60 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 251 hours, about 10.5 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Newark | New Jersey Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 30.2 | 26.2 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 60.3 | 52.4 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 251 | 218 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $7,790 | $6,764 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 7.3% | 16.8% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 22,115 | 14,317 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 4,048 | 2,109 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in Newark is 30 minutes, longer than the 26 minutes in New Jersey.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Newark has a education index of F, which means it scores poorly in education.
| Metric | Newark | New Jersey Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.1% | 39.6% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.62 | 2.61 | 2.53 |
Health
Newark has a health index of C, which means it is somewhat healthy.
| Metric | Newark | New Jersey Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 75.7 | 79.4 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 21.6% | 12.9% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 21.1% | 14.2% | 19.0% |
Newark, NJ Compared With Nearby Cities
How Newark, NJ compares with the 2 cities closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newark, NJ | 309,652 | $52,688 #3/3 | $190,352 #2/3 | 30.2 min #1/3 |
| Harrison, NJ | 20,334 | $93,692 | $187,524 | 36.8 min |
| East Orange, NJ | 69,597 | $60,925 | $200,674 | 30.6 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Newark, New Jersey.
How big is Newark, New Jersey by population?
About 309,652 people live in Newark, New Jersey, in 113,176 households of 2.6 people on average. The median age is 33.6, so residents are younger than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 4 years.
Is Newark, New Jersey urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Newark, New Jersey has 11,963 people per square mile, a density typical of a city. That is about 138 times the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Newark, New Jersey?
The median home costs 3.6 times the median household income ($190,352 against $52,688), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $1,392 a month takes about 32% of the median household's income, above the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How strong is the job market in Newark, New Jersey?
Unemployment in Newark, New Jersey is 11.6%, well above the U.S. rate of 5.2%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
How common is a college degree in Newark, New Jersey?
16.1% of adults in Newark, New Jersey hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 6), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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