Population 962,316 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Bergen County
Household size in Bergen County
| Period | Bergen County | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.70 | 2.79 | 2.77 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.76 | 2.85 | 2.82 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.76 | 2.82 | 2.78 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.77 | 2.79 | 2.76 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.07 | −0.00 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
The typical household in Bergen County holds 2.77 people, slightly more than the U.S. average of 2.65. Since 2006–10, household size has crept up from 2.70, even as the national average fell. Households are largest in the northeast and smallest in the southeast.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Bergen County
| Period | Bergen County | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.3 | 38.0 | 39.1 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 42.0 | 38.7 | 40.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 42.8 | 39.8 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 42.9 | 40.4 | 40.9 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.5 | +2.4 | +1.8 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Bergen County is 42.9 years old, older than the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 41.3, in line with the national trend.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Bergen County
| Period | Bergen County | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.3% | 13.1% | 11.6% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.6% | 12.8% | 11.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.0% | 11.4% | 10.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.9% | 11.6% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.5 pts | −1.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are less common in Bergen County than nationally: 8.9%, against 11.6%. The single-parent share is up 0.5 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Bergen County
Renters in Bergen County
| Period | Bergen County | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.5% | 47.1% | 33.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 35.2% | 48.7% | 35.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 35.2% | 48.8% | 36.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 34.7% | 48.6% | 36.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts | +3.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in Bergen County is about as common as it is nationally: 34.7% of households rent, against 34.8%. Renters make up a smaller share here than in the wider New York area (48.6%). About four in ten owners (39.3%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. The renter share is up 2.1 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Bergen County
| Period | Bergen County | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.5% | 9.1% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.6% | 9.0% | 9.3% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.2% | 9.1% | 9.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.3% | 7.9% | 6.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.1 pts | −1.2 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Empty homes are scarce in Bergen County: just 5.3% sit vacant, compared with 9.6% nationally, a sign of a tight housing market. Since 2006–10, vacancy has edged down 1.1 points, mirroring the country.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Bergen County
| Period | Bergen County | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1957 | 1957 | 1965 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1958 | 1958 | 1966 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1960 | 1959 | 1967 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1961 | 1962 | 1969 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +5 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Bergen County is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1961, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The median year built has moved up from 1957 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the northeast, while the southwest has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Bergen County
| Period | Bergen County | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,450 | $1,268 | $1,246 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,479 | $1,377 | $1,324 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,798 | $1,645 | $1,522 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,193 | $2,060 | $1,896 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$743 | +$792 | +$651 | +$606 |
Rent in Bergen County runs $2,193 a month at the median, utilities included, well above the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $743 a month from 2006–10, a 51% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 32.4% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Only one other New Jersey county has higher rents.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Bergen County
Bachelor's degrees in Bergen County
| Period | Bergen County | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 44.5% | 35.0% | 34.7% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 46.4% | 36.7% | 36.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 49.8% | 39.9% | 39.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 53.4% | 43.6% | 43.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +8.8 pts | +8.6 pts | +8.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
Bergen County is highly educated: just over half of adults 25 and older (53.4%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 8.8 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the northwest and least in the south.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Bergen County
| Period | Bergen County | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 90.9% | 83.7% | 87.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 91.6% | 84.6% | 88.1% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 92.7% | 86.2% | 89.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 92.9% | 86.9% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.0 pts | +3.3 pts | +3.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Bergen County is above the national rate: 92.9% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 2.0 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Bergen County
| Period | Bergen County | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.8% | 7.9% | 7.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.3% | 9.5% | 9.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.0% | 5.7% | 5.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.8% | 6.9% | 6.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.0 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Bergen County is close to the national rate: 5.8% of the labor force, against 5.4%. The rate is lower than in the New York area overall (6.9%). Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Bergen County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bergen County | 2.77 | 42.9 | 8.9% | 34.7% | 5.3% | 1961 | $2,193 | 53.4% | 92.9% | 5.8% |
| Passaic County | 3.01 | 39.0 | 16.8% | 46.9% | 5.1% | 1956 | $1,783 | 29.7% | 83.7% | 8.0% |
| Bronx County | 2.65 | 36.9 | 22.4% | 79.9% | 6.0% | 1958 | $1,512 | 22.3% | 75.0% | 11.7% |
| Westchester County | 2.76 | 42.3 | 10.6% | 38.2% | 6.7% | 1960 | $2,238 | 52.7% | 88.8% | 6.0% |
| Morris County | 2.71 | 43.4 | 6.0% | 25.7% | 4.3% | 1971 | $2,157 | 58.3% | 95.0% | 5.0% |
| Sussex County | 2.55 | 44.4 | 8.6% | 16.3% | 8.7% | 1972 | $1,719 | 40.7% | 95.4% | 5.2% |
| Suffolk County | 3.02 | 42.6 | 9.2% | 17.6% | 10.1% | 1970 | $2,356 | 41.3% | 87.2% | 4.5% |
| Monroe County | 2.75 | 44.1 | 10.4% | 19.8% | 19.8% | 1982 | $1,505 | 27.8% | 90.3% | 6.7% |
| Carbon County | 2.40 | 45.9 | 12.8% | 23.6% | 16.9% | 1965 | $1,079 | 19.0% | 90.7% | 7.7% |
| Columbia County | 2.36 | 42.5 | 7.4% | 30.5% | 11.7% | 1968 | $966 | 27.1% | 92.7% | 5.8% |
| Montour County | 2.26 | 42.7 | 9.8% | 31.5% | 4.0% | 1974 | $1,114 | 38.6% | 93.8% | 3.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Santa Clara County, CA · Sacramento County, CA · Travis County, TX · Pima County, AZ · Contra Costa County, CA · Alameda County, CA · Fresno County, CA · Oakland County, MI · Broward County, FL · Honolulu County, HI
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Bergen County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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