Bergen County, NJ

County

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2023 Population

954,717

0.155% 1-year growth

US Senator

Cory Booker

Democratic Party

US Senator

Andy Kim

Democratic Party

2023 Median Age

42.1

0.238% 1-year increase

2023 Poverty Rate

6.72%

0.757% 1-year decrease

2023 Median Household Income

$123,715

4.21% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$593,200

5.65% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

494,921

0.52% 1-year growth

About

In 2023, Bergen County, NJ had a population of 955k people with a median age of 42.1 and a median household income of $123,715. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Bergen County, NJ grew from 953,243 to 954,717, a 0.155% increase and its median household income grew from $118,714 to $123,715, a 4.21% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Bergen County, NJ are White (Non-Hispanic) (52.5%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (16.6%), Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) (7.65%), Other (Hispanic) (6.45%), and White (Hispanic) (6.31%).

None of the households in Bergen County, NJ reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

89.4% of the residents in Bergen County, NJ are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Bergen County, NJ are Bergen Community College (1,658 degrees awarded in 2023), Ramapo College of New Jersey (1,461 degrees), and Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus (1,357 degrees).

In 2023, the median property value in Bergen County, NJ was $593,200, and the homeownership rate was 65.4%.

Most people in Bergen County, NJ drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 31.3 minutes. The average car ownership in Bergen County, NJ was 2 cars per household.

Bergen County, NJ borders Essex County, NJ, Hudson County, NJ, Passaic County, NJ, Bronx County, NY, New York County, NY, Rockland County, NY, and Westchester County, NY.

Photo by Mace Ojala

United States New Jersey New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA

Population & Diversity

Bergen County, NJ is home to a population of 955k people, from which 89.4% are citizens. As of 2023, 31.3% of Bergen County, NJ residents were born outside of the country (299k people).

In 2023, there were 3.16 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (501k people) in Bergen County, NJ than any other race or ethnicity. There were 158k Asian (Non-Hispanic) and 73.1k Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

89.4%

2023 Citizenship

89.3%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 89.4% of Bergen County, NJ residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Bergen County, NJ was 89.3%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Bergen County, NJ compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Bergen County, NJ

White (Non-Hispanic)
501k ± 1.42k
Asian (Non-Hispanic)
158k ± 1.33k
Two Races Including Other (Hispanic)
73.1k ± 3.67k

22.1%

Hispanic Population

211k people

22.1% of the people in Bergen County, NJ are hispanic (211k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Bergen County, NJ as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for New Jersey.

Most Common Origin

India
273,706 ± 12,653 people
Dominican Republic
205,965 ± 11,018 people
Mexico
107,667 ± 8,009 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of New Jersey was India, the natal country of 273,706 New Jersey residents, followed by Dominican Republic with 205,965 and Mexico with 107,667.

Foreign-Born Population

31.3%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

299k people

31.3%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

298k people

As of 2023, 31.3% of Bergen County, NJ residents (299k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Bergen County, NJ was 31.3%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Bergen County, NJ compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
8,466 ± 751
Gulf War (2001-)
4,774 ± 636
Korea
2,370 ± 420

Bergen County, NJ has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.77 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Bergen County, NJ employs 495k people. In 2023, the largest industries in Bergen County, NJ were Health Care & Social Assistance (72,848 people), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (58,354 people), and Educational Services (51,490 people), and the highest paying industries were Finance & Insurance ($131,195), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($117,270), and Utilities ($114,375).

Employment

Occupations

495k

2023 Value

± 5,786

0.52%

1 Year growth

± 1.66%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Bergen County, NJ grew at a rate of 0.52%, from 492k employees to 495k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Bergen County, NJ, are Management Occupations (73,083 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (52,098 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (49,087 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Bergen County, NJ.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for New Jersey.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in New Jersey (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

Industries

Employment by Industries

495k

2023 Value

± 5,786

0.52%

1 Year growth

± 1.66%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Bergen County, NJ grew at a rate of 0.52%, from 492k employees to 495k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Bergen County, NJ, are Health Care & Social Assistance (72,848 people), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (58,354 people), and Educational Services (51,490 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Bergen County, NJ, though some of these residents may live in Bergen County, NJ and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$80,480

Median earning men ± $1,169

$58,209

Median earning women ± $1,111

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($144,391), Information ($118,652), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($104,647).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($89,421), Information ($78,740), and Manufacturing ($74,037).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for New Jersey.

Y-Axis

2.27%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 4.24M people employed in New Jersey. This represents a 2.27% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 16.5%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in New Jersey.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

2,865
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
2,205
Other Services (except Public Administration)
2,118
Health Care and Social Assistance

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$5.07M
Health Care and Social Assistance
$4.55M
Wholesale Trade
$3.26M
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Education

In 2023, universities in Bergen County, NJ awarded 8,369 degrees. The student population of Bergen County, NJ in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 13,770 male students and 22,089 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Bergen County, NJ are White (3,112 and 38.3%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (2,349 and 28.9%), Black or African American (1,481 and 18.2%), and Asian (527 and 6.49%).

The largest universities in Bergen County, NJ by number of degrees awarded are Bergen Community College (1,658 and 19.8%), Ramapo College of New Jersey (1,461 and 17.5%), and Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus (1,357 and 16.2%).

The most popular majors in Bergen County, NJ are Liberal Arts & Sciences (1,322 and 15.8%), Registered Nursing (1,240 and 14.8%), and Other Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing, & Nursing Assistants (336 and 4.01%).

The median tuition costs in Bergen County, NJ are $35,853 for private four year colleges, and $15,978 and $26,388 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2023 in Bergen County, NJ, the percentage of applicants admitted was 82.8%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 18.4%. The number of students enrolled in 2023 was 35,859 (38.4% men and 61.6% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2023 there were 35,859 students enrolled in Bergen County, NJ, 38.4% men and 61.6% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 12,110 records, of which 58.2% were women and 41.8% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Liberal Arts & Sciences
1,312 degrees awarded
Registered Nursing
861 degrees awarded
General Business Administration & Management
130 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Bergen County, NJ was Liberal Arts & Sciences with 1,312 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Associates Degree from schools in Bergen County, NJ according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Bergen Community College
1,658 degrees awarded
Ramapo College of New Jersey
1,461 degrees awarded
Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus
1,357 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Bergen Community College with 1,658 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2023, 3,060 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Bergen County, NJ, which is 0.576 times less than the 5,309 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2023, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 3,112 degrees mean that there were 1.32 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 2,349 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($35,853) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Private not-for-profit, 2-year ($7,865) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2023.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,594) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for New Jersey.

Measure

In 2023, 1.22% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 1.18% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for New Jersey.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2023 were High School or Equivalent (1.91M), Bachelors Degree (1.8M), and Some college (1.26M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Bergen County, NJ was $593,200 in 2023, which is 1.96 times larger than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $561,500 to $593,200, a 5.65% increase. The homeownership rate in Bergen County, NJ is 65.4%, which is higher than the national average of 65%.

People in Bergen County, NJ have an average commute time of 31.3 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Bergen County, NJ is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Bergen County, NJ is $123,715. In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Bergen County, NJ was Census Tract 21, Bergen County, NJ with a value of $250,001, followed by Census Tract 202, Bergen County, NJ and Census Tract 270, Bergen County, NJ, with respective values of $250,001 and $250,001.

In 2024, 19.9% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Bergen County, NJ. From 2014 to 2024, the indicator declined 2.49%.

Housing

Property

$593,200

Median Property Value 2023

±$4,951

$230,923

Median Property Taxes

±$3,106

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Bergen County, NJ the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Bergen County, NJ compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

65.4%

Homeownership

2023

60.7%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 65.4% of the housing units in Bergen County, NJ were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 65.1%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Bergen County, NJ compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 21, Bergen County, NJ
Census Tract 202, Bergen County, NJ
Census Tract 270, Bergen County, NJ

In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Bergen County, NJ was Census Tract 21, Bergen County, NJ with a value of $250,001, followed by Census Tract 202, Bergen County, NJ and Census Tract 270, Bergen County, NJ, with respective values of $250,001 and $250,001.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Bergen County, NJ colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$123,715

Median Household Income

± $2,159

353k

Number of Households

± 4,534

In 2023, the median household income of the 353k households in Bergen County, NJ grew to $123,715 from the previous year's value of $118,714.

The following chart displays the households in Bergen County, NJ distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $200k+ range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Bergen County, NJ is from New Jersey.

0.486

2023 Wage GINI in New Jersey

0.489

2022 Wage GINI in New Jersey

In 2023, the income inequality in New Jersey was 0.486 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.709% decline from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for New Jersey was higher than than the national average of 0.476. In other words, wages are distributed less evenly in New Jersey in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in New Jersey across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023

Drove Alone (60.6%)
Worked At Home (16.3%)
Public Transit (11.2%)

In 2023, 60.6% of workers in Bergen County, NJ drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (16.3%) and those who used public transit to get to work (11.2%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

31.3 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Bergen County, NJ have a longer commute time (31.3 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 4.32% of the workforce in Bergen County, NJ have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Bergen County, NJ compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Bergen County, NJ distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Bergen County, NJ have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2024, 19.9% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Bergen County, NJ. From 2014 to 2024, the indicator declined 2.49%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

6.72% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Bergen County, NJ (63.4k out of 944k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 75+, followed by Females 35 - 44 and then Females 55 - 64.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Bergen County, NJ is White, followed by Hispanic and Two Or More.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2024, 8.1% of the children was living in poverty in Bergen County, NJ. From 2014 to 2024, the indicator declined 1.6%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 84.3 in Bergen County, NJ. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 17.7 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

Health

93.8% of the population of Bergen County, NJ has health coverage, with 59% on employee plans, 10.1% on Medicaid, 13.5% on Medicare, 10.8% on non-group plans, and 0.376% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Bergen County, NJ see 882 patients per year on average, which represents a 5.25% increase from the previous year (838 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 750 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 326 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49% were men and 51% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

882 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Bergen County, NJ

Primary care physicians in Bergen County, NJ see an average of 882 patients per year. This represents a 5.25% increase from the previous year (838 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Bergen County, NJ in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 22.4% under 18 years, 18.1% between 18 and 34 years, 41.9% between 35 and 64 years, and 17.6% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49% were men and 51% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

6.22%

Uninsured

59%

Employer Coverage

10.1%

Medicaid

13.5%

Medicare

10.8%

Non-Group

0.376%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Bergen County, NJ declined by 6.47% from 6.65% to 6.22%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Bergen County, NJ changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2024, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 23.5 in Bergen County, NJ.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Bergen County, NJ.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2024, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 25.2% in Bergen County, NJ.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Bergen County, NJ.