1. Cities of the United States
  2. The Northeast
  3. New Jersey

NEW JERSEY

Atlantic City . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229

Jersey City . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241

Newark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255

New Brunswick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269

Paterson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281

Trenton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295

New Jersey

The State in Brief

Nickname: Garden State

Motto: Liberty and Prosperity

Flower: Purple violet

Bird: Eastern goldfinch

Area: 8,721 square miles (2000; U.S. rank: 47th)

Elevation: Ranges from sea level to 1,803 feet

Climate: Moderate with marked differences between the northwest and southeast extremities

Admitted to Union: December 18, 1787

Capital: Trenton

Head Official: Governor Richard Codey (D) (until 2006)

Population

1980: 7,365,000

1990: 7,730,188

2000: 8,414,350

2004 estimate: 8,698,879

Percent change, 1990–2000: 8.9%

U.S. rank in 2004: 10th

Percent of residents born in state: 53.4% (2000)

Density: 1,134.4 people per square mile (2000)

2002 FBI Crime Index Total: 259,789

Racial and Ethnic Characteristics (2000)

White: 6,104,705

Black or African American: 1,141,821

American Indian and Alaska Native: 19,492

Asian: 480,276

Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander: 3,329

Hispanic or Latino (may be of any race): 1,117,191

Other: 450,972

Age Characteristics (2000)

Population under 5 years old: 563,785

Population 5 to 19 years old: 1,720,322

Percent of population 65 years and over: 13.2%

Median age: 36.7 years (2000)

Vital Statistics

Total number of births (2003): 117,127

Total number of deaths (2003): 73,589 (infant deaths, 660)

AIDS cases reported through 2003: 17,089

Economy

Major industries: Manufacturing, tourism, agriculture, services, trade, mining, fishing

Unemployment rate: 4.2% (April 2005)

Per capita income: $40,002 (2003; U.S. rank: 3rd)

Median household income: $55,221 (3-year average, 2001-2003)

Percentage of persons below poverty level: 8.2% (3-year average, 2001-2003)

Income tax rate: 1.4% on first $20,000; 1.75% on next

$30,000; 2.45% on next $20,000, 3.5% on next $10,000, 5.525% on $70,000, 6.37% over $150,000

Sales tax rate: 6%