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Is being in an area that's growing quickly a good thing or a bad thing?
Depends on who you ask. Some want bigger, more exciting cities like Newark and Jersey City, while others want peace and quiet like in Wildwood and Englewood Cliffs, thank you very much.
But today we're going to put opinions aside and just look at the cold hard facts -- over the past five years, which cities in New Jersey have the grown the fastest.
After getting knee deep in the Census's American Community Survey, we emerged with this set of cities in the Garden State that have people climbing over each other to get in.
These are the 10 fastest growing cities in New Jersey for 2021 according to the most recent census data:
The 10 Fastest Growing Cities In New Jersey For 2021
What's the fastest growing city in New Jersey for 2021? Based on the most recent ACS data, Harrison ranks as the fastest growing city in New Jersey. If you happen to be a resident of Harrison, you're probably not too surprised to find it on our list.
If you're surprised--and you're wondering why these places are kind of a big deal--keep reading. We'll tell you what makes each of these 10 places in New Jersey are growing like weeds.
And if you already knew these places were happening, check out the best places to live in New Jersey or the Fastest Growing States In America.
For more New Jersey state reading:
- Best Places To Live In New Jersey
- Cheapest Places To Live In New Jersey
- Most Dangerous Cities In New Jersey
The 10 Fastest Growing Cities In New Jersey For 2021
1. Harrison
/10
Population: 17,213
Rank Last Year: 2 (Up 1)
Population 2010: 13,569
Percent Growth 26.9%
Absolute Growth: 3,644
More on Harrison: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
2. Secaucus
/10
Population: 20,125
Rank Last Year: 1 (Down 1)
Population 2010: 16,008
Percent Growth 25.7%
Absolute Growth: 4,117
More on Secaucus: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
3. Wood-Ridge
/10
Population: 8,769
Rank Last Year: 5 (Up 2)
Population 2010: 7,572
Percent Growth 15.8%
Absolute Growth: 1,197
More on Wood-Ridge: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
4. Raritan
/10
Population: 7,865
Rank Last Year: 3 (Down 1)
Population 2010: 6,814
Percent Growth 15.4%
Absolute Growth: 1,051
More on Raritan: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
5. Edgewater
/10
Population: 12,403
Rank Last Year: 4 (Down 1)
Population 2010: 10,766
Percent Growth 15.2%
Absolute Growth: 1,637
More on Edgewater: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
6. Mount Arlington
/10
Population: 5,637
Rank Last Year: 7 (Up 1)
Population 2010: 4,992
Percent Growth 12.9%
Absolute Growth: 645
More on Mount Arlington: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
7. Hoboken
/10
Population: 53,193
Rank Last Year: 6 (Down 1)
Population 2010: 47,384
Percent Growth 12.3%
Absolute Growth: 5,809
More on Hoboken: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
8. Montvale
/10
Population: 8,489
Rank Last Year: 8 (No Change)
Population 2010: 7,663
Percent Growth 10.8%
Absolute Growth: 826
More on Montvale: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
9. Rahway
/10
Population: 29,543
Rank Last Year: 9 (No Change)
Population 2010: 26,968
Percent Growth 9.5%
Absolute Growth: 2,575
More on Rahway: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
10. West New York
/10
Population: 52,662
Rank Last Year: 10 (No Change)
Population 2010: 48,401
Percent Growth 8.8%
Absolute Growth: 4,261
More on West New York: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
How We Measured The Fastest Growing Cities In the Garden State for 2021
To figure out which cities are growing the most, we simply had to look at the growth rates for cities sine the beginning of the decade, according to the American Community Survey put out by the census every year. Specifically:
- Current Population
- Population in 2010
- Growth rate from 2010 to Current (The latest available data which came out in Dec 2018)
We ranked all 187 New Jersey cities with a population over 5,000 people from highest growth rate to lowest.
The city with the highest growth rate during this time was crowned the fastest growing city in the Garden State.
And for those of you who are a little rusty with their statistics, you can calculate the growth rate by the following formula:
[Current Population - Population 2010] / [Population 2010]
Here's a graph of the cities in New Jersey with the largest percent increase in population:
These Places Grew Up So Fast In New Jersey, You Know?
So there you have it, the fastest growing cities in New Jersey are led by Harrison which has been growing at a blistering pace this decade relative to other cities and towns around the state.
It'll be interesting to see if these places can keep growing at the same rate over the next couple of years. We'll be here to let you know!
These places have been growing (or shrinking) the slowest (fastest):
- Union Beach
- Brigantine
- Margate City
For more New Jersey reading, check out:
- Best Places To Raise A Family In New Jersey
- Safest Places In New Jersey
- Worst Places To Live In New Jersey
Detailed List Of Fastest Growing Places In New Jersey For 2021
| Rank | City | Growth |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harrison | 26.9% |
| 2 | Secaucus | 25.7% |
| 3 | Wood-Ridge | 15.8% |
| 4 | Raritan | 15.4% |
| 5 | Edgewater | 15.2% |
| 6 | Mount Arlington | 12.9% |
| 7 | Hoboken | 12.3% |
| 8 | Montvale | 10.8% |
| 9 | Rahway | 9.5% |
| 10 | West New York | 8.8% |
