Home to 15,691.5 inhabitants per square mile (6,058.5/km2) in 2020[3] and covering 46.19 square miles (119.6 km2) of land, Hudson County is New Jersey's geographically smallest and most densely populated county.[9] Hudson County shares extensivemass transit connections withManhattan, located across the Hudson River, as well as with most ofNorthern andCentral New Jersey.
The average temperature of Hudson County is 51.89 °F, which is approximately the same as the state average of 51.93 °F, and lower than the national average of 54.45 °F.[12]
The county is located on theU.S. East Coast, approximately halfway between the Equator and the North Pole, which results in climate that is influenced by wet, dry, hot, and cold airstreams, and highly variable daily weather. Of New Jersey's five distinct climate regions, Hudson County is located in the Central region, which runs fromNew York Harbor and the Lower Hudson River to the great bend of theDelaware River near the state capital ofTrenton. The high number of urban areas in this region are characterized by a high volume of industry and vehicular traffic that produce large amounts of pollutants. These substances, along with the large amounts of asphalt, brick, and concrete that compose buildings in the area, retain more atmospheric heat, which make it a regularly warmer "heat island" than surrounding suburban and rural areas. The northern border of the Central Zone is often the boundary between freezing and non-freezing precipitation in the winter, and between comfortable and comfortable sleeping conditions in the summer.[13]
Hudson County experiences precipitation an average of 116 days a year, during which it receives an annual average of 48 inches of rain, compared to the national average of 38, and 26 inches of snow, compared to the national average of 28. The summer high temperature in July is about 86 degrees, and its winter low in January is 25. On average, there are 219 sunny days per year in the county, compared with the national average of 205.[14]
Average temperatures in the county seat of Jersey City have ranged from a low of 27 °F (−3 °C) in January to a high of 84 °F (29 °C) in July, although a record low of −15 °F (−26 °C) was recorded in February 1934 and a record high of 106 °F (41 °C) was recorded in July 1936. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 3.21 inches (82 mm) in February to 4.60 inches (117 mm) in July.[15]
Satellite image showing the core of theNew York metropolitan area. Over 10 million people live in the area depicted. Much of Hudson County is located on the peninsula at left.
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, as of the 2020 Census, the county had a total area of 62.35 square miles (161.5 km2), of which 46.19 square miles (119.6 km2) was land (74.1%) and 16.15 square miles (41.8 km2) was water (25.9%).[2] Based on land area, it is the smallest of New Jersey's 21 counties, less than half the size of the next smallest (Union County)[2] and the eighth-smallest of allcounties in the United States.[16]
The topography is marked by theNew Jersey Palisades in the north with cliffs overlooking theHudson River to the east and less severecuesta, or slope, to the west. They gradually level off to the southern peninsula, which is coastal and flat. The western region, around the Hackensack and Passaic is part of theNew Jersey Meadowlands. Much of the land along the county's extensive shoreline andlittoral zone was created byland reclamation.[18]
The highest point, at 260 feet (79 m) above sea level, is in West New York;[19][20] the lowest point is at sea level.North Bergen is the city with the second most hills per square mile in the United States behindSan Francisco.[21]
Ellis Island andLiberty Island, oppositeLiberty State Park, lie entirely within Hudson County's waters, which extend to theNew York state line. Liberty Island is part of New York. Largely created through land reclamation, Ellis Island covers a land area of 27.5 acres (11.1 ha), with the 2.74-acre (1.11 ha) natural island and contiguous areas comprising a 3.3 acres (1.3 ha)exclave of New York.[22][23]Shooters Island, in theKill van Kull, is also shared with New York.Robbins Reef Light sits atop a reef which runs parallel the Bayonne and Jersey City waterfront.
Much of the county lies between the Hackensack and Hudson Rivers on a geographically long narrow peninsula, (sometimes calledBergen Neck), which is a contiguous urban area where it is often difficult to know when one's crossed a civic boundary. These boundaries and the topography-including many hills and inlets-create very distinct neighborhoods.Kennedy Boulevard runs the entire length of the peninsula.[24] Numerouscuts for rail and vehicular traffic crossBergen Hill.
A map of today's northern New Jersey and southern New York state, c. 1634 (with north oriented to the right, andLong Island at center left). Hudson County is called Oesters Eylandt, or Oyster Island.
Henry Hudson, for whom the county and river on which it sits are named, established a claim for the area in 1609 when anchoring his ship theHalve Maen (Half Moon) atHarsimus Cove andWeehawken Cove.[28]The west bank of theNorth River (as it was called) and the cliffs, hills, and marshlands abutting and beyond it, were settled by Europeans (Dutch, Flemish, Walloon, Huguenot) from theLowlands around the same time asNew Amsterdam. In 1630,Michiel Pauw received a land patent, orpatroonship and purchased the land between the Hudson and Hackensack Rivers, giving it the Latinized form of his name,Pavonia.[29] He failed to settle the area and was forced to return his holdings to theDutch West India Company. Homesteads were established atCommunipaw (1633),Harsimus (1634),Paulus Hook (1638), and Hoebuck (1643). Relations were tenuous with the Lenape, and eventually led toKieft's War, which began as a slaughter by the Dutch atCommunipaw and is considered to be one of the first genocides of Native Americans by Europeans. A series of raids and reprisals across the province lasted two years and ended in an uneasy truce. Other homesteads were established atConstable Hook (1646),Awiehaken (1647), and other lands atAchter Col onBergen Neck. In 1658,Director-GeneralPeter Stuyvesant ofNew Netherland negotiated a deal with the Lenape to re-purchase the area namedBergen, "by the great rock above Wiehacken," including the whole peninsula fromSikakes south toBergen Point/Constable Hook.[30] In 1661, a charter was granted the new village/garrison at the site of present-dayBergen Square, establishing what is considered to be the oldest self-governingmunicipality in New Jersey. The British gained control of the area in 1664, and the Dutch finally ceded formal control of the province to the English in 1674.[citation needed]
Alexander Hamilton fights his fatalduel withAaron Burr. Illustration after painting "Ein Ehrenhandel" by Joseph Munsch (Austrian, 1832-1896)[31]
By 1675, theTreaty of Westminster finalized the transfer and the area became part of the British colony ofEast Jersey, in the administrative district ofBergen Township. The county's seat was transferred toHackensack in 1709, afterBergen County was expanded west. Small villages and farms supplied the burgeoningcity of New York, across the river, notably with oysters from the vast beds in the Upper New York Bay, and fresh produce, sold atWeehawken Street, in Manhattan. During the American Revolutionary War, the area was under British control which included garrisons atBulls Ferry and the fort atBergen Neck. Colonialist troops used the heights to observe enemy movements. TheBattle of Paulus Hook, a surprise raid on a British fortification in 1779, was seen as a victory and morale booster for revolutionary forces. Many downtown Jersey City streets bear the name of military figuresMercer,Greene,Wayne, andVarick among them.Weehawken became notorious for duels, including the nation's most famous betweenAlexander Hamilton andAaron Burr in 1804. Border conflicts for control of the waterfront with New York (which claimed jurisdiction to the high water line[32] and the granting of ferry concessions) restricted development though some urbanization took place in atPaulus Hook andHoboken, which became a vacation spot for well-off New Yorkers. TheMorris Canal, early steam railroads, and the development ofNew York Harbor stimulated further growth. In September 1840, Hudson County was created by separation fromBergen County and annexation of someEssex County lands, namelyNew Barbadoes Neck. During the 19th century, Hudson played an integral role in theUnderground Railroad, with four routes converging in Jersey City.[33]
Most of Hudson County, apart fromWest Hudson, was part ofBergen Township, which dates back to 1661 and was formally created by an act of theNew Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798, as one of the first group of 104 townships formed in New Jersey, while the area was still a part ofBergen County.[34] As originally constituted, Bergen Township included the area between theHudson River on the east, theHackensack River to the west, south toConstable Hook/Bergen Point and north to the present-day Hudson-Bergen border. For the next 127 years civic borders within the county took many forms, until they were finalized with the creation of Union City in 1925.
The City of Jersey was incorporated by an act of theNew Jersey Legislature on January 28, 1820, from portions of Bergen Township. The city was reincorporated on January 23, 1829, and again on February 22, 1838, at which time it became completely independent of Bergen Township and was given its present name. On February 22, 1840, it became part of the newly created Hudson County.[34] As Jersey City grew, several neighboring communities were annexed:Van Vorst Township (March 18, 1851),Bergen City andHudson City (both on May 2, 1870), andGreenville Township (February 4, 1873).[34]
North Bergen was incorporated as a township on April 10, 1843, by an act of theNew Jersey Legislature, fromBergen Township. Portions of the township have been taken to form Hoboken Township (April 9, 1849, now the City ofHoboken), Hudson Town (April 12, 1852, later part of Hudson City),Hudson City (April 11, 1855, later annexed byJersey City),Guttenberg (formed within the township on March 9, 1859, and set off as an independent municipality on April 1, 1878),Weehawken (March 15, 1859),Union Township andWest Hoboken Township (both created on February 28, 1861),Union Hill town (March 29, 1864), andSecaucus (March 12, 1900).[34]
Hoboken was established in 1804, and formed as atownship on April 9, 1849, from portions ofNorth Bergen Township and incorporated as a full-fledged city, and in a referendum held on March 29, 1855, ratified an Act of theNew Jersey Legislature signed the previous day, and the City of Hoboken was born.[34][35]
Weehawken was formed as a township by an act of theNew Jersey Legislature on March 15, 1859, from portions ofHoboken andNorth Bergen. A portion of the township was ceded to Hoboken in 1874. Additional territory was annexed in 1879 fromWest Hoboken.[34]
West New York was incorporated as a town by an act of theNew Jersey Legislature on July 8, 1898, replacingUnion Township, based on the results of a referendum held three days earlier.[34]
Kearny was originally formed as atownship by an act of theNew Jersey Legislature on April 8, 1867, from portions ofHarrison Township. Portions of the township were taken on July 3, 1895, to formEast Newark. Kearny was incorporated as a town on January 19, 1899, based on the results of a referendum held two days earlier.[34]
Bayonne was originally formed as atownship on April 1, 1861, from portions ofBergen Township. Bayonne was reincorporated as a city by an act of theNew Jersey Legislature on March 10, 1869, replacing Bayonne Township, subject to the results of a referendum held nine days later.[34]
Soon after the Civil War the idea of uniting all of the towns of Hudson County in one municipality of Jersey City began to gain favor. In 1868 a bill for submitting the question of consolidation of all of Hudson County to the voters was presented to the Board of Chosen Freeholders (now known as the Board of County Commissioners). The bill did not include the western towns of Harrison and Kearny but included all towns east of the Hackensack River.[36]
The bill was approved by the State legislature on April 2, 1869, and the special election was scheduled for October 5, 1869. An element of the bill provided that only contiguous towns could be consolidated. The results of the election were as follows:
While a majority of the voters approved the merger, only Jersey City, Hudson and Bergen could be consolidated since they were the only contiguous approving towns. Both the Town of Union and Union Township could not be included due to the dissenting vote of West Hoboken which lay between them and Hudson City. On March 17, 1870, Jersey City, Hudson City, and Bergen merged into Jersey City. Only three years later the present outline of Jersey City was completed when Greenville agreed to merge into the Greater Jersey City.
During the latter half of the 19th and early part of the 20th centuries, Hudson experienced intense industrial, commercial and residential growth.[29][37] Construction, first of ports, and later railroad terminals, inJersey City,Bayonne,Hoboken, andWeehawken (which significantly altered the shoreline withlandfill) fueled much of the development. European immigration, notably German-language speakers and Irish (many fleeing famine) initiated a population boom that would last for several decades.
Neighborhoods grew as farms, estates, and other holdings were sub-divided for housing, civic and religious architecture. Streets (some with trolley lines) were laid out.Stevens Institute of Technology andSaint Peter's University were established.
Central Railroad of New Jersey's Communipaw Terminal, across a small strait fromEllis Island and theStatue of Liberty, played a crucial role in the massive immigration of the period, with many newly arrived departing the station to embark on their lives in America. Many, though, decided to stay, taking jobs on the docks, the railroads, the factories, the refineries, and in thesweatshops andskyscrapers of Manhattan. Many manufacturers, whose names read as a "Who's Who" in American industry established a presence, includingColgate,Dixon Ticonderoga,Maxwell House,Standard Oil, andBethlehem Steel.
Bergenline Avenue inUnion City, then and now: Facing south toward 32nd Street, circa 1900 (left), and in 2010 (right)
North Hudson, particularly Union City, became theschiffli "embroidery capital of America". The industry included businesses that provided embroidery machines and parts, fabrics, thread, embroidery designs, dying, chemical lace etching, and bleaching. There were hundreds of small shops, each with one or a few machines, producing a wide array of products. Finished embroidery supplied the garment and home goods industries.
Secaucus boasted numerous pig farms and rendering plants.It was during this period that much of the housing stock, namely one and two family homes and low-rise apartment buildings, was built; municipal boundaries finalized, neighborhoods established. Commercial corridors such asBergenline, Central, Newark and Ocean Avenues came into prominence.Journal Square became a business, shopping, and entertainment mecca, home toThe Jersey Journal, after which it is named, and movie palaces such asLoew's Jersey Theater andThe Stanley.
Upon entry intoWorld War I, the U.S. government took over control of theHamburg-American Line piers in Hoboken undereminent domain, and Hudson became the major point of embarkation for more than three million soldiers, known as "doughboys". In 1916, an act of sabotage literally and figuratively shook the region whenGerman agents set off bombs at the munitions depot in New York Bay atBlack Tom. The forerunner ofPort Authority of New York and New Jersey was established on April 30, 1921. Huge transportation projects opened between the wars: TheHolland Tunnel in 1927, TheBayonne Bridge in 1931, and TheLincoln Tunnel in 1937, allowing vehicular travel between New Jersey and New York City to bypass the waterfront. Hackensack River crossings, notably thePulaski Skyway, were also built. What was to becomeNew Jersey City University opened. MajorWorks Progress Administration projects included the construction of stadiums in Jersey City and Union City. Both were named for PresidentFranklin D. Roosevelt, who attended the opening of the largest project of them all, TheJersey City Medical Center, a massive complex built in theArt Deco Style. During this era, the "Hudson County Democratic Machine", known for its cronyism and corruption, with Jersey City mayorFrank Hague at its head was at its most powerful. Industries in Hudson were crucial to the war effort during WWII, including the manufacturePT boats byElco in Bayonne.Military Ocean Terminal at Bayonne (MOTBY) was opened in 1942 as a U.S. military base and remained in operation until 1999.
After the war maritime and manufacturing industries still dominated the local economy,and union membership provided guarantees of good pay packages. Though some returning servicemen took advantage of GI housing bills and moved to close by suburbs, many with strong ethnic and familial ties chose to stay. Baseball legendJackie Robinson made his minor league debut at Roosevelt Stadium and "broke" the baseball color line. Much of Hudson County experienced the phenomenon of ethnic/economic groups leaving and being replaced by others, as was typical of most urban communities of the New York Bay region. When the big businesses decided to follow them or vice versa, Hudson County's socioeconomic differences became more profound. Old economic underpinnings disintegrated. Attempts were made to stabilize the population by demolishing so-called slums and build subsidized middle-income housing and the pockets of so-called "good neighborhoods" came in conflict with those that went into decline. Riots occurred in Jersey City in 1964.
Lower property values allowed the next wave of immigrants, many from Latin America, to rent or buy in the county.North Hudson, particularly Union City, saw manyémigrés fleeing the Cuban revolution take up residence. Unlike other urban industrial areas of comparable size, age and density,North Hudson did not experience markedurban decay or a crime wave during the late 20th century, its population and economic base remaining basically stable, in part, because of its good housing stock, tightly knit neighborhoods and satisfactory schools systems.
The county since the mid-1990s has seen much real estate speculation and development and a population increase, as many new residents purchase existing housing stock as well as condominiums in high- and mid-rise developments, many along the waterfront. What had started as agentrification in the 1980s became a full-blown "redevelopment" of the area as many suburbanites, transplanted Americans, internationals, and immigrants (most focused on opportunities in NY/NJ region and proximity to Manhattan) began to make the "Jersey" side of the Hudson their home, and the "real-estate boom" of the era encouraged many to seek investment opportunities. The exploitation of certain parts of the waterfront and otherbrownfields led to commercial development as well, especially along former rail yards. Hudson felt the short- and long-term impact of the destruction of theWorld Trade Center intensely: its proximity to lower Manhattan made it a place to evacuate to, many residents who worked there lost their jobs (or their lives), and many companies sought office space across the river. Re-zoning, the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail, and New Jersey State land-use policy oftransit villages have further spurred construction. Though very urban and with some of the highest residential densities in the United States, the Hudson communities have remained fragmented, due in part to New Jersey's long history of home rule in local government; geographical factors such as Hudson River inlets/canals, the cliffs of theNew Jersey Palisades and rail lines; and ethnic/demographic differences in the population. As the county sees more development this traditional perception is challenged.[citation needed]
Hudson County is the most densely populated county in New Jersey and thesixth-most densely populated county in the United States,[44] with 15,691.5 inhabitants per square mile (6,058.5/km2) as of the 2020 census.[3] The only city in Hudson County among the 100 most populous cities in the United States wasJersey City, which was ranked 77th in theUnited States Census Bureau's rankings based on the 2016population estimate.[45]
North Hudson has the second-largest Cuban American population in the United States behindMiami.[46]Jersey City is the 21st-most ethnically diverse city in the United States and the most ethnically diverse on theEast Coast of the United States.[49] Hudson has three communities on the list of the 100 cities (population 5,000 and up) with the highest percent of foreign-born residents:West New York (65.2%),Union City (58.7%), andGuttenberg (48.7%)[50] Hudson County has the smallest proportion of persons over age 65 in New Jersey.[51]
Hudson County, New Jersey – Racial and ethnic composition Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
As of the2020 census, the county had 724,854 people, 266,664 households, and 160,697 families. Thepopulation density was 15,691.5 inhabitants per square mile (6,058.5/km2). There were 312,706 housing units at an average density of 6,770 per square mile (2,613.9/km2). The county's racial makeup was 28.49%White, 9.84%African American, 0.14%Native American, 17.02%Asian, and 2.75% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino people of any race were 40.4% of the population.[3]
Of the 266,664 households, of which 29.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.7% weremarried couples living together, 30.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 21.3% had a male householder with no wife present and 39.73% were non-families. 68.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.11.
About 20.3% of the county's population was under age 18, 7.7% was from age 18 to 24, 47.6% was from age 15 to 44, and 12.2% was age 65 or older. The median age was 35.5 years. The gender makeup of the city was 49.76% male and 50.23% female. For every 100 females, there were 99.1 males.
The county's median household income was $78,808, and the median family income was $76,019. About 13.9% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 22.2% of those under age 18 and 17.4% of those age 65 or over.[61]
The2010 United States census counted 634,266 people, 246,437 households, and 148,355 families in the county. Thepopulation density was 13,731.4 per square mile (5,301.7/km2). There were 270,335 housing units at an average density of 5,852.5 per square mile (2,259.7/km2). The racial makeup was 54.05% (342,792)White, 13.23% (83,925)Black or African American, 0.64% (4,081)Native American, 13.39% (84,924)Asian, 0.05% (344)Pacific Islander, 14.25% (90,373) fromother races, and 4.39% (27,827) from two or more races.Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 42.23% (267,853) of the population.[9]
Of the 246,437 households, 27.6% had children under the age of 18; 37.8% were married couples living together; 16.4% had a female householder with no husband present and 39.8% were non-families. Of all households, 29.9% were made up of individuals and 8.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.2.[9]
20.7% of the population were under the age of 18, 10% from 18 to 24, 36% from 25 to 44, 22.9% from 45 to 64, and 10.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34.2 years. For every 100 females, the population had 97.9 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 95.9 males.[9]
There were an estimated 58,197Puerto Rican Americans in Hudson County, according to the 2013 American Community Survey,[65] representing a 3.1% increase from 56,436 Puerto Rican Americans enumerated in the 2010 United States Census.[66]
There were an estimated 28,900Cuban Americans in Hudson County, according to the 2013 American Community Survey,[65] representing a 0.9% increase from 28,652 Cuban Americans enumerated in the 2010 United States Census.[66] The Cuban Day Parade of New Jersey, since its inception at the millennium, has run alongBergenline Avenue and grown to be the centerpiece of large festivities which have taken place atScheutzen Park or Celia Cruz Park.[68][69]
There were an estimated 194,192non-Hispanic whites in Hudson County, according to the 2013 American Community Survey,[65] representing a 0.7% decrease from 195,501 non-Hispanic whites enumerated in the 2010 United States Census.[66]
Ever since the settling ofNew Netherland in the 1600s, comprising what is now the Gateway Region of northeastern New Jersey as well as portions ofDownstate New York in the New York City metropolitan area, theDutch andBritish, along withGerman andIrish Americans, have established an integral role in the subsequent long-term development of Hudson County over the centuries.
Irish Americans, specificallyIrish Catholics played a significant role in the politics of Jersey City. Many of the city's mayors were of Irish descent. TheGreenville, Jersey City neighborhood was the center of the city's Irish community until the 1950s and early 1960s.[citation needed]
There were an estimated 89,164Asian Americans in Hudson County, according to the 2013 American Community Survey,[65] representing a 5.0% increase from 84,924 Asian Americans enumerated in the 2010 United States Census.[66]
India Square, also known as "Little India" or "LittleBombay",[38] home to the highest concentration ofAsian Indians in theWestern Hemisphere,[39] is a rapidly growingIndian Americanethnic enclave in Jersey City. This area has been home to the largest outdoorNavratri festivities in New Jersey as well as severalHindu temples;[70] while an annual, color-filled springHolifestival has taken place in Jersey City since 1992, centered upon India Square and attracting significant participation and international media attention.[71][72] There were an estimated 39,477 Indian Americans in Hudson County, according to the 2013 American Community Survey,[65] representing a 6.0% increase from 37,236 Indian Americans enumerated in the 2010 United States Census.[66]
7% of Jersey City's population isFilipino.[73] TheFive Corners district is home to a thriving Filipino community and Jersey City'sLittle Manila, which is the second largest Asian American subgroup in the city. A variety of Filipino restaurants, shippers and freighters, doctors' officers, bakeries, stores, and an office ofThe Filipino Channel have made Newark Avenue their home. The largest Filipino-owned grocery store on theEast Coast of the United States, Phil-Am Food, has been there since 1973. An array of Filipino-owned businesses can also be found at the section ofWest Side of Jersey City, where many of its residents are of Filipino descent. In 2006, aRed Ribbon pastry shop, one of the Philippines' most famous food chains, opened its first branch on the East Coast in the Garden State.[2]Manila Avenue inDowntown Jersey City was named for the Philippine capital city because of the many Filipinos who built their homes on this street during the 1970s. A memorial, dedicated to the Filipino American veterans of theVietnam War, was built in a small square on Manila Avenue. A park and statue dedicated toJose P. Rizal, a national hero of the Philippines, exists in downtown Jersey City.[74] Jersey City is the host of the annualPhilippine-American Friendship Day Parade, an event that occurs yearly in June, on its last Sunday. The City Hall of Jersey City raises the Philippine flag in correlation to this event and as a tribute to the contributions of the Filipino community. The Santakrusan Procession along Manila Avenue has taken place since 1977.[75] There were an estimated 21,622Filipino Americans in Hudson County, according to the 2013 American Community Survey,[65] representing a 4.8% increase from 20,638 Filipino Americans enumerated in the 2010 United States Census.[66]
Hudson County, highly accessible toLower Manhattan in New York City and itsChinatown byrapid transit, was home to an estimated 13,381Chinese Americans, according to the 2013 American Community Survey,[65] representing a notably rapid growth of 19.1% from the 11,239 Chinese Americans enumerated in the 2010 United States Census.[66]
There were an estimated 83,576African Americans in Hudson County, according to the 2013 American Community Survey,[65] representing a 0.4% decrease from 83,925 African Americans enumerated in the 2010 United States Census.[66] However, modest growth in theAfrican immigrant population, most notably the growingNigerian American population in Jersey City, is partially offsetting the decline in Hudson County's American-born black population, which as a whole has been experiencing an exodus from northern New Jersey to theSouthern United States.[76]
Arab Americans numbered an estimated 14,518 individuals in Hudson County in the 2012 American Community Survey, representing 2.3% of the county's total population,[77] the second highest percentage in New Jersey afterPassaic County.[78] Arab Americans are most concentrated in Jersey City and Bayonne, led byEgyptian Americans, including the largest population ofCoptic Christians in the United States.[63][64]
Hudson County'sMuslim American population includes a significantLatino contingent comprising adherents converting from other religious affiliations.[79]
A growingJewish American population has been noted in Hudson County, particularly in Jersey City. A significant Jewish presence has also been established inBayonne.[80]
There were 2,726same-sex couples in Hudson County in 2010, second in New Jersey only to Essex County,[81] prior to the commencement of same-sex marriages in New Jersey on October 21, 2013.[82]
TheBureau of Economic Analysis calculated that the county'sgross domestic product was $41.7 billion (~$47.5 billion in 2024) in 2021, which was ranked fifth in the state and was a 5.7% increase from the prior year.[83]
Television producers had long held an attraction for New Jersey, and Hudson County in particular, due to the tax credits afforded such various productions. TheHBO prison dramaOz was filmed in an old warehouse inBayonne, with much of the series filmed around the now-defunctMilitary Ocean Terminal Base.[105] The NBC dramaLaw and Order: Special Victims Unit filmed police station and courtroom scenes at NBC's Central Archives building in North Bergen,[106][107] and filmed other scenes throughout the county, such as a 2010 episode filmed at the Meadowlands Parkway in Secaucus.[105] The short-lived hospital dramaMercy filmed at a warehouse in Secaucus, a private residence in Weehawken and a public school in Jersey City.[108] TheLaw and Order andMercy productions left New Jersey for New York in 2010 after New Jersey GovernorChris Christie suspended the tax credits for film and television production for the fiscal year 2011 to close budget gaps.[105]
Hudson County is governed by the Hudson County Executive and a nine-memberBoard of County Commissioners as a legislative body, who administers all county business. Hudson joinsAtlantic,Bergen,Essex andMercer counties as one of the 5 of 21 New Jersey counties with an elected executive.[109] The County Executive is elected directly by the voters. The members of the Board of County Commissioners are elected concurrently to serve three-year terms as Commissioner, each representing a specifieddistrict which are equally proportioned based on population. Each year, in January, the Commissioners select one of their nine to serve as chair and one as Vice Chair for a period of one year. In 2016, commissioners were paid $43,714, the Commissioner Vice Chair received $45,754 and the Commissioner Chair was paid an annual salary of $46,774; the commissioner salaries in the county were the highest in the state.[110] That year, the county executive was paid $151,299.[111]
As of 2025[update], Hudson County'sHudson County Executive is Craig Guy (D, Jersey City), whose term of office expires December 31, 2027.[112] Hudson County's Commissioners are (with terms for commissioners, chair and vice-chair ending every December 31):[113][114][115]
Republicans have not won a countywide office since 1956, and have not won a commissioner seat since 1984.[134] Pursuant to Article VII Section II of theNew Jersey State Constitution, each county in New Jersey is required to have three elected administrative officials known as "constitutional officers." These officers are theCounty Clerk andCounty Surrogate (both elected for five-year terms of office) and theCounty Sheriff (elected for a three-year term).[135] Hudson County is one of two counties statewide that has an elected Register of Deeds.[136] Hudson County's constitutional officers and register are:[137]
Title
Officer
County Clerk
E. Junior Maldonado (D, Jersey City, 2027)[138][139]
Sheriff
Frank X. Schillari (R, Jersey City, 2025)[140][141]
Thecounty seat of Hudson County is located nearFive Corners on Newark Avenue inJersey City, northeast ofJournal Square. TheHudson County Courthouse, and the adjacentHudson County Administration Building, at 595 Newark Avenue, are home to various courts, agencies and departments. Hudson County constitutes Vicinage 6 of theNew Jersey Superior Court and is seated at the Administration Building, with additional facilities at the Hudson County Courthouse; the Assignment Judge for Vicinage 6 is the Honorable Peter F. Bariso Jr.[152] The Hudson County court system consists of several municipal courts, including the busy Jersey City Court in addition to the Superior Court.
Hudson County is a Democratic stronghold. It has only supported a Republican for president six times since 1896, all in large victories for Republicans nationwide.
However, Democratic vote share and margins have been shrinking since 2016. In 2024, the Democratic margin was the smallest since 1992 and Democrats' 62.34% was the lowest for the party since 1992 as well. As of October 1, 2021, there were a total of 418,233 registered voters in Hudson County, of whom 230,912 (55.2%) were registered asDemocrats, 44,736 (10.7%) were registered asRepublicans and 136,327 (32.6%) were registered asunaffiliated. There were 6,258 voters (1.5%) registered to other parties.[161]
United States Senate election results for Hudson County, New Jersey1[162]
Interactive map of municipalities in Hudson County
There are 12 municipalities in Hudson County, listed with area in square miles and 2010 Census data for population and housing.[165]North Hudson andWest Hudson each comprise municipalities in their distinct areas.
The confluence of roads and railways of theNortheastern U.S. megalopolis andNortheast Corridor passing through Hudson County make it one of theNortheast's major transportation crossroads and provide access to an extensive network of interstate highways, state freeways and toll roads, and vehicular water crossings. Many long-distance trains and buses pass through the county, thoughAmtrak and the major national bus companies –Greyhound Lines andTrailways – do not provide service within it. There are many local, intrastate, and Manhattan-bound bus routes, an expanding light rail system, ferries traversing the Hudson, and commuter trains toNorth Jersey, theJersey Shore, andTrenton. Much of the rail, surface transit, and ferry system is oriented to commuters traveling toNewark, lower and midtownManhattan, and the Hudson Waterfront. Public transportation is operated by a variety of public and private corporations, notablyNJ Transit, thePort Authority of New York and New Jersey, andNY Waterway, each of which charge customers separately for their service. Hudson is the only county in New Jersey where more residents (127,708) used public transportation than drove (124,772).[175]
In 2013, two main thoroughfares in Hudson County,Kennedy Boulevard andU.S. Route 1/9, were included among the Tri-State Transportation Campaign's list of the top ten most dangerous roads for pedestrians in New Jersey, New York and Connecticut. Kennedy Boulevard was ranked #6 for the six pedestrian fatalities that occurred on it from 2009 to 2011, while Route 1/9 was tied for the #10 place on the list for the five pedestrian deaths during the same period. Route 1/9 is monitored bystate police, while Kennedy Boulevard is patrolled by the Hudson County Sheriff's Office and the respective municipalities through which that road runs. In total, 37 pedestrians – 12 in 2009, 14 in 2010 and 11 in 2011 – were killed on Hudson County roads. According to state police statistics there were nine pedestrian fatalities in the county in 2012, which was not included in the study. From 2010 through 2012, 25 people were killed each year in Hudson County motor vehicle accidents.[185]
Jersey City Reservoir No. 3 and Pershing Field constitute one of the largest "green spaces" in the county. The reservoir, no longer in use, is site of a passive recreation area/nature preserve. Hackensack Number Two, the other remaining reservoir in Weehawken Heights, is not accessible to the public. Extensive athletic fields opened in 2009 in Weehawken and Union City, the latter on the site of the formerRoosevelt Stadium.
Hudson County is home to Skyway Golf Course, the 8th ranked 9 hole golf course in the country (Golf Advisor 2019), Bayonne Golf Club andLiberty National Golf Club, ball located onUpper New York Bay.[190]
There are several museums and other exhibitions spaces throughout the county, some of which maintain permanent collections. Other are focused on local culture, history, or the environment. There are events throughout the year where architecture, local artists or ethnic culture are highlighted. There are also private galleries. The venues include:
^Willis, David P."'This is how wars start': Does Central Jersey include both Ocean and Union counties?",Asbury Park Press, February 20, 2023. Accessed March 31, 2024. "North Jersey is defined as Sussex, Warren, Morris, Passaic, Bergen, Essex and Hudson counties; South Jersey would be Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, Atlantic, Salem, Cumberland and Cape May counties. But for Central, things get a little tricky. It would include Hunterdon, Somerset, Union, Middlesex, Mercer, Monmouth, and Ocean counties."
^Richard G. Castagna; Lawrence L. Thornton; John M. Tyrawski."GIS and Coastal Boundary Disputes: Where is Ellis Island?". ESRI.Archived from the original on October 18, 2014. RetrievedSeptember 10, 2014.The New York portion of Ellis Island is landlocked, enclaved within New Jersey's territory.
^Holusha, John."Commercial Property / The Jersey Riverfront; On the Hudson's West Bank, Optimistic Developers",The New York Times, October 11, 1998. Accessed September 30, 2013. "'That simply is out of the question in midtown,' he said, adding that some formerly fringe areas in Midtown South that had previously been available were filled up as well. Given that the buildings on the New Jersey waterfront are new and equipped with the latest technology and just a few stops on the PATH trains from Manhattan, they become an attractive alternative. 'It's the sixth borough,' he said."
^Hoboken's earliest days: Before becoming a city, 'Hobuck' went through several incarnationsArchived September 27, 2007, at theWayback Machine,The Hudson Reporter, January 16, 2005. "On October 2, 1609, Henry Hudson anchored his ship, the Half Moon, in what is now Weehawken Cove. Robert Juet, Hudson's first mate, wrote in the ship's log, "[W]e saw a good piece of ground ... that looked of the color of white green." The rock of which Juet wrote makes up Castle Point in Hoboken; nowhere else along the Hudson River exists a white-green rock formation."
^"Diversity, density and change in Hoboken and other Hudson County municipalities", Fund for a Better Waterfront. Accessed August 21, 2023. "Hudson is the most densely populated county in New Jersey, which is the most densely populated state in the country. Hudson County also contains the four most densely populated cities in the nation: Guttenberg, Union City, West New York and Hoboken."
^Matthew Speiser (September 23, 2014)."With growing Jewish community, Hudson County synagogues prepare for Rosh Hashanah".The Jersey Journal. RetrievedMay 14, 2015.'We are so excited because of the influx of people,' said Rabbi Deborah Hachen of Temple Beth-El in Jersey City. 'We have 20-plus new households joining us for our service this year.'
^Union City 2000 Calendar, 2000, culled fromHistory of West Hoboken and Union Hill by Ella-Mary Ryman; 1965 and "The Historical Background of Union City" by Daniel A. Primont, William G. Fiedler and Fred Zuccaro, 1964
^Rinde, Meir."Explainer: What's a Freeholder? NJ's Unusual County Government System", NJ Spotlight, October 27, 2015. Accessed October 26, 2017. "Five counties -- Atlantic, Bergen, Essex, Hudson, and Mercer -- opted for popularly elected county executives in addition to freeholder boards."
^Strunsky, Steve."Hudson County's top 10 public salaries: a clean sweep for men", NJ Advance media forNJ.com, September 9, 2017. Accessed October 26, 2017. "Hudson County Executive Tom DeGise, arguably the county government's highest-ranking official, didn't even break the $200,000 mark, with a salary of $151,299."
^History of Registers, Constitutional Officers Association of New Jersey. Accessed October 13, 2024. "A Register of Deeds is an elected County Statutory Officer who is responsible for recording, filing, and preserving all property transactions within the municipalities of the County in which they serve.... There are presently 2 out of 21 Counties in the State of New Jersey where the Office of Register of Deeds exists (Essex and Hudson Counties). In the other 19 Counties, the functions of the Register are under the jurisdiction of the County Clerk."
^Directory, Hudson County, New Jersey. Accessed January 31, 2025
^Biography, Hudson County Clerk. Accessed January 31, 2025.
^Members List: Clerks, Constitutional Officers Association of New Jersey. Accessed January 31, 2025.
^abHome, Hudson County Sheriff. Accessed January 31, 2025
^Members List: Sheriffs, Constitutional Officers Association of New Jersey. Accessed January 31, 2025.
^Members List: Surrogates, Constitutional Officers Association of New Jersey. Accessed January 31, 2025.
^Register Dublin's Bio, Hudson County Register of Deeds and Mortgages. Accessed October 13, 2024.
^About Us, Hudson County Register of Deeds & Mortgages. Accessed January 31, 2025. "The Hudson County Register is elected by the people of Hudson County for a five-year term. The Office of the Register is responsible for the recording of all formal written documents which affect real property throughout the 12 municipalities that make up the County."
^Members List: Registers, Constitutional Officers Association of New Jersey. Accessed January 31, 2025.
^About, Hudson County Prosecutor's Office. Accessed January 31, 2025.
^Duger, Rose."East Newark Harrison merging dispatch service"Archived October 15, 2012, at theWayback Machine,The Jersey Journal, December 30, 2010. Accessed December 13, 2014. "Kearny handles all health-related functions through its Board of Health, while East Newark high school children attend Harrison High School and the borough contracts with Harrison to provide street cleaning, snow removal, ambulance and library services."
^Shortell, Tom."3 candidates on ballot to be Guttenberg's mayor",The Jersey Journal, November 2, 2008. Accessed December 13, 2014. "Scoullos said in the late 1990s, North Bergen overcharged the town for services at North Bergen High School, which takes Guttenberg students as part of a sending/receiving network."
^"Bayonne museum eyes opening".NJ.com. October 22, 2009. Archived fromthe original on June 5, 2011. RetrievedOctober 20, 2010.City officials plan to open the new Bayonne Community Museum in the former Fleet Bank building at 231 Broadway by early spring next year, said Henry Sanchez, president of the Board of Trustees for Bayonne Community Museum.
^Shaman, Diana."Developer Transforms A Factory in Jersey City",The New York Times, December 29, 1989. Accessed August 3, 2016. "Two 150-foot-high smokestacks that tower over the Van Vorst historic district in Jersey City mark the site of the former Joseph Dixon Crucible Company factory at Wayne and Varick Streets, a maze of cavernous buildings where crucibles, pencils, crayons, stove polish, lubricants and other products were once made. The four- and five-story red brick buildings, some almost a century and a half old, are being turned into a 470-unit rental apartment complex named Dixon Mills."
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