Skip to main content

Newark: Demographics & People

About 310,178 people live in Newark, in 113,384 households. Population grew 1.0% from 307,188 (2022) to 310,178 (2024). Median age 34.7 years. (3.0y younger than Essex County; 4.9y younger than New Jersey). Children under 18 are 25% of the population. Population is 45% Black and 38% Hispanic or Latino. The community is highly diverse (Simpson index 0.63). 61% of households are family-led. County is losing 21,072 residents per year (2022-2023). County health: 29% adult obesity, 12% smoke.

Population & Trend

Population grew 1.0% from 307,188 (2022) to 310,178 (2024) — about 1.6× the recent U.S. annual rate of ~0.6%/yr. Estimated 2026 population: ~313,194 (extrapolated at 0.5%/yr trend). Census Bureau Vintage estimate: 317,233.

Census data vintage2024
Population863,728 people
Annual growth rate · Population change1.0%
Annual growth rate · Population (2022)307,188
Annual growth rate · Population (2024)310,178
Annual growth rate · Population growingYes
Annual growth rate · Trend categorystable
Population310,178 people (vs New Jersey 19,628) population: 3 observations from 2026-04-23 to 2026-04-28
Population Estimate317,233

Sources: Census ACS 5-Year 2023, Table B01003  ·  Refreshed 2026-04-12

Age Distribution

Median age 34.7y is 4.2 years younger than the U.S. median (38.9y). Children under 18 make up 25% — above the U.S. share of ~22%.

Age Summary · Median age34.7 years (vs New Jersey 39.6y)
Age Summary · Children Pct24.8%
Age Summary · Characteryoung professional
Age Summary · Total Pop310,178
Age Summary · Under 1876,883
Age Summary · 18 To 3479,598.0×
Age Summary · 35 To 64120,190.0×
Age Summary · 65 Plus33,507
Population under 1876,883
Median age34.7 years (vs New Jersey 39.6y)

Sources: Census ACS 5-Year 2024 — place-level B01001 query · Census ACS 5-Year 2023  ·  Refreshed 2026-04-29

Race, Ethnicity & Diversity

Of 310,178 residents, race / ethnicity breaks down by Census ACS counts (a person can identify with one or more groups). The Simpson diversity index is 0.63 (0 = single group, 1 = perfectly even distribution); this is read as highly diverse.

White residents50,749
Black residents143,359
Asian residents5,731
Hispanic or Latino residents114,280
Diversity Index · Diversity index (Simpson)63.3%
Diversity Index · Diversity labelhighly diverse
Diversity Index · Groups counted4
Diversity Index · Largest group share45.6%
Asian population2.0% (vs New Jersey 4.4%)
Black population44.8% (vs New Jersey 6.0%)
Hispanic or Latino population37.6% (vs New Jersey 21.1%)
White (non-Hispanic) population8.9% (vs New Jersey 48.3%)

Sources: Census ACS 5-Year 2023  ·  Refreshed 2026-04-12

Ancestry

Self-reported ancestry from Census ACS — what residents report as their ethnic origin, separate from race. Counts can exceed population because people can list multiple ancestries.

Top (8)

(unnamed)
Black
(unnamed)
Hispanic Total
(unnamed)
American
(unnamed)
Asian
(unnamed)
Italian
(unnamed)
Puerto Rican
(unnamed)
Irish
(unnamed)
German

Citizenship & Origin

Where residents were born and their citizenship status (Census ACS). 5.4% are foreign-born — below the U.S. average of 13.9%. 36% have naturalized to U.S. citizenship.

Residents born in this state143,411
Residents born in another state37,885
Share born in this state46.2%
Share born in another state53.8%
Native-born U.S. citizens12.2%
Foreign-born residents5.4%
Naturalized citizens36.1%
Total foreign-born residents106,674
From Europe9,630
From Asia1,568
From Africa4,965
From Latin America438
Census Foreign Born · South America99

Households & Family Composition

113,384 households. Averaging 2.6 people each — matches the U.S. average of 2.5. 61% are family households — below the U.S. share of ~65%. Of 68,670 families, 21% are married couples with children.

Children under 1875,417
Total families68,670
Married couples with children14,647
Single-parent households4,755
Average household size2.59
Women who gave birth (past year)9.9%
Grandparents living with grandchildren6,374
Grandparents responsible for grandchildren2,608
Family households69,452 households (vs New Jersey 4,906)
Households that are families61.3% (vs New Jersey 67.7%)
Total households113,384 households (vs New Jersey 7,481) total_households: 2 observations from 2026-04-23 to 2026-04-23

Sources: Census ACS 5-Year 2023  ·  Refreshed 2026-04-12

Residential Stability & Migration

How long residents have lived here and where they came from. 10.3% moved within the county in the past year — the U.S. baseline is roughly 8–10%. The surrounding county is losing 21,072 residents per year on net (IRS migration data).

Moved within the county (past year)10.3%
Migration · People moving in (annual)703,463
Migration · People moving out (annual)724,535
Migration · Net migration (in − out)-21,072
Migration · Year2022-2023

Sources: IRS SOI Migration 2021-2022  ·  Refreshed 2026-04-12

Disability

Census ACS measures self-reported functional limitations — vision, hearing, mobility, cognitive, self-care, or independent-living. The U.S. baseline disability rate is about 12–13%; rates trend higher with median age.

Residents with a disability22,344
Disability rate7.4%

Group Quarters

Group quarters are non-household living arrangements counted by the Census — college dormitories, nursing homes, military barracks, group homes, correctional facilities, and similar institutional or shared housing. 12,785 residents live in group quarters (4.1% of population).

Living in group quarters12,785

Other

Congressional District · District10
Congressional District · Congress118th
Cdc Birth Rate · Fips34013
Cdc Birth Rate · State Fips34
Cdc Birth Rate · County Fips013
Cdc Birth Rate · CountyEssex
Cdc Birth Rate · Birth Rate15.4%
Cdc Birth Rate · Lower Ci14.50
Cdc Birth Rate · Upper Ci16.20
Cdc Mortality · Fips34013
Cdc Mortality · CountyEssex County
Cdc Mortality · Urban RuralLarge central metro
Cdc Mortality · Total Deaths 2020 202326,948
Cdc Vaccination · Fips34013
Cdc Vaccination · CountyEssex County
Cdc Vaccination · Dose1 Pop Pct95.0%
Cdc Vaccination · Series Complete Pct76.9%
Cdc Vaccination · Booster Pct50.6%
Cdc Vaccination · Population 2019798,975
Cdc Vaccination · Metro StatusMetro
Family Score · Score10
Family Score · Schools89
Family Score · Childcare Centers98
Family Score · Youth Sports Orgs1
Family Score · Children Pct24.8%
Family Score · Ratingexcellent
Town Summary · Key Factspopulation 310,178, stable, young professional, middle-class, mixed
Town Summary · Population310,178 people (vs New Jersey 19,628)
Town Summary · CountyEssex County

Sources: NCES school congressional district assignment · federal dataset cascade