The area of New Jersey was part of the original territory of the United States. It was originally chartered in 1664. West Jersey was split from New Jersey in 1676, but they reunited in 1702. New Jersey ratified the U.S. Constitution on December 18, 1787; it was the third of the original 13 states to join the Union, with generally the same boundary as the present state.

Census data for New Jersey are available beginning with the 1790 census.

American Indian Areas

New Jersey has two state designated tribal statistical areas (SDTSAs).

Metropolitan And Micropolitan Statistical Areas And Related Statistical Areas

New Jersey has seven metropolitan statistical areas, five metropolitan divisions, and two combined statistical areas.

Counties

There are 21 counties in New Jersey.  All of the counties are functioning governmental entities, each governed by a board of chosen freeholders.

County Subdivisions

New Jersey has 571 county subdivisions which are known as minor civil divisions (MCDs).  There are 242 townships with functioning, but not necessarily active, governments.  The 324 incorporated places in New Jersey are independent of any MCD and serve as county subdivisions.  There are also five undefined MCDs representing water area.  All areas of the state have a township government except areas within an incorporated place.  Each town is governed by a mayor and township committee.

Places

New Jersey has 545 places; 324 incorporated places and 221 census designated places (CDPs). The incorporated places consist of 254 boroughs, 52 cities, 15 towns, and 3 villages.  The incorporated places are independent of county subdivisions.

Census Tracts/Block Groups/Blocks

New Jersey has 2,010 census tracts, 6,320 block groups, and 169,588 census blocks.

Congressional Districts

For the 111^th Congress (January 2009 – January 2011), New Jersey had 13 congressional districts.  For the 113^th Congress (January 2013-January 2015), New Jersey has 12 congressional districts as a result of reapportionment based on the 2010 Census.

School Districts

New Jersey has 282 elementary school districts, 47 secondary school districts, and 233 unified school districts.

State Legislative Districts

There are 40 state senate districts and 40 general assembly districts in New Jersey. There is one state house district and one state senate district not defined which are comprised solely of water area.

Urban Areas

New Jersey has 26 urban areas; 10 urbanized areas and 16 urban clusters.

Zip Code Tabulation Areas

There are 595 ZIP Code tabulation areas (ZCTAs) in New Jersey.

Other Information Of General Geographic Interest

Much of New Jersey’s population is concentrated in the New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-PA and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metropolitan statistical areas.  New Jersey is highly urbanized and the average population density is the highest of any other state.

¹  Source:  U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Fourteenth Census of the United States, 1923
²  Source:  U.S. Census Bureau, recomputation for historical county level data which relied upon aggregate county level population data with an estimated county centroid resulting in a possible error of up to one mile.
³  Source:  U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Centers of Population for States and Counties, 1974
⁴  Source:  U.S. Census Bureau, Geography Division, recomputation from archived national block group/enumeration area data resulting in a possible error of up to 1,000 feet.
⁵  Source:  U.S. Census Bureau, Geography Division, recomputation from archived national block group data resulting in a possible error of up to 1,000 feet.
⁶  Source:  U.S. Census Bureau, computation from national block-level data