Jersey City

About Jersey City

Jersey City is the second-most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey, after Newark. It is the county seat of Hudson County, the county's most populous city and its largest by area. As of the 2020 United States census, the city's population was 292,449, an increase of 44,852 (+18.1%) from the 2010 census count of 247,597. (The Population Estimates Program calculated a population of 302,013 for 2025.) As of 2020, more than 40 languages are spoken in over 52% of households, and 42.5% of residents were born outside the United States making the city the most ethnically diverse in the United States.

The third most-populous city in the New York metropolitan area, Jersey City is bounded on the east by the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay and on the west by the Hackensack River and Newark Bay. A port of entry, with 30.7 miles (49.4 km) of waterfront and extensive rail infrastructure and connectivity, the city is an important transportation terminus and distribution and manufacturing center for the Port of New York and New Jersey with Port Jersey as the city's intermodal freight transport facility and container shipping terminal. The Holland Tunnel, PATH rapid transit system, NJ Transit bus and NY Waterway ferry service connect across the Hudson River with Manhattan.

The area was settled by the Dutch in the 17th century as Pavonia and later established as Bergen, the first permanent settlement, local civil government and oldest municipality in what became the state of New Jersey. The area came under English control in 1664. Jersey City was incorporated in 1838 and annexed Van Vorst Township in 1851. On May 3, 1870, following a special election in 1869 with a majority of county support, Jersey City annexed Bergen City and Hudson City to form "Greater Jersey City" with Greenville Township joining in 1873. Jersey City grew into a busy port city on New York Harbor by the late 19th and early 20th century. Jersey City's official motto, displayed on the city seal and flag, is "Let Jersey Prosper" referencing its 19th-century border dispute with New York City.

Jersey City is home to several institutions of higher education such as Kean Jersey City, Saint Peter's University and Hudson County Community College. As the county seat, Jersey City is home to the Hudson County Courthouse and Frank J. Guarini Justice Complex. Cultural venues throughout the city include the Loew's Jersey Theatre, White Eagle Hall, the Liberty Science Center, Ellis Island, Mana Contemporary and the Museum of Jersey City History. Large parks in Jersey City are Liberty State Park, Lincoln Park and Berry Lane Park. Redevelopment of the Jersey City waterfront has made the city one of the largest hubs for banking and finance in the United States and has led to the district and city being nicknamed Wall Street West. Since the 1990s, Jersey City has been a destination for artists and hipsters. With the city's proximity and connections to Manhattan, its growing arts, culture, culinary and nightlife scene and its own finance and tech based economy, apartment rents in the city have grown to become some of the highest in the United States. In response, Jersey City has instituted zoning and legislation to require developers to include affordable housing units in their developments. In 2023 and 2025, Travel + Leisure ranked Jersey City as the best place to live in New Jersey.

Text: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Jersey City weather: 7-day forecast

Source: National Weather Service (NOAA).

Live webcams in Jersey City

Webcams: Windy.com

Living in Jersey City

Median household income

$97,710

Median home value

$566,900

Median rent

$2,007/mo

Median age

34.7

Map of Jersey City

Tap any street on the map to see it in Street View below. Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Jersey City Street View

Drag the image to look around and tap the arrows on the ground to move. If it says there is no imagery, tap a nearby street on the map above.

Jersey City, NJ population

Jersey City had 292,449 residents in the 2020 Census.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Decennial Census.

Jersey City at a glance

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Gazetteer, ZCTA), USGS GNIS, Wikidata.

Towns near Jersey City

• Hoboken3.0 mi NE
• Bayonne4.2 mi SW
• Kearny4.2 mi NW
• Union City4.2 mi NE
• Weehawken4.7 mi NE
• Secaucus4.9 mi N
• Harrison5.1 mi NW
• Newark5.7 mi W
• East Newark5.8 mi NW
• West New York5.9 mi NE
• North Bergen6.1 mi N
• North Arlington6.1 mi NW

Straight-line distance between town centers.

Frequently asked questions about Jersey City