Population 31,457 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Journal Square
Household size in Journal Square
| Period | Journal Square | Jersey City | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.57 | 2.60 | 2.79 | 2.77 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.68 | 2.63 | 2.85 | 2.82 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.53 | 2.54 | 2.82 | 2.78 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.36 | 2.39 | 2.79 | 2.76 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.20 | −0.21 | −0.00 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Journal Square is a place of small households, averaging 2.36 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has dropped from 2.57 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the northwest.
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 Journal Square
| Period | Journal Square | Jersey City | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.6 | 34.1 | 38.0 | 39.1 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 34.0 | 34.2 | 38.7 | 40.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 34.9 | 35.2 | 39.8 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 35.1 | 35.6 | 40.4 | 40.9 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.4 | +1.5 | +2.4 | +1.8 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 35.1, Journal Square is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. Since 2006–10, the median age has crept up from 34.6, a smaller shift than nationally. Residents skew youngest in the northwest and oldest in the northeast.
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 Journal Square
| Period | Journal Square | Jersey City | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.8% | 16.9% | 13.1% | 11.6% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.4% | 14.5% | 12.8% | 11.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.0% | 12.5% | 11.4% | 10.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.1% | 11.2% | 11.6% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.7 pts | −5.7 pts | −1.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are less common in Journal Square than nationally: 9.1%, against 11.6%. The single-parent share has fallen 2.7 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Journal Square
Renters in Journal Square
| Period | Journal Square | Jersey City | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 78.7% | 67.8% | 47.1% | 33.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 79.8% | 70.1% | 48.7% | 35.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 80.0% | 70.9% | 48.8% | 36.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 78.3% | 72.1% | 48.6% | 36.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.4 pts | +4.3 pts | +1.5 pts | +3.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Journal Square: 78.3% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. Just over half of owners (52.9%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the south and least common in the northeast.
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 Journal Square
| Period | Journal Square | Jersey City | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.5% | 13.9% | 9.1% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.1% | 12.3% | 9.0% | 9.3% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.0% | 9.7% | 9.1% | 9.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.2% | 7.9% | 7.9% | 6.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | −5.4 pts | −6.0 pts | −1.2 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Journal Square is close to the national rate: 8.2% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 5.4 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 Journal Square
| Period | Journal Square | Jersey City | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1942 | 1954 | 1957 | 1965 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1944 | 1958 | 1958 | 1966 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1948 | 1960 | 1959 | 1967 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1970 | 1971 | 1962 | 1969 | 1980 |
| Change | +28 | +17 | +5 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Journal Square is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1970, 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 1942 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the center, 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 Journal Square
| Period | Journal Square | Jersey City | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $939 | $1,195 | $1,268 | $1,246 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,051 | $1,280 | $1,377 | $1,324 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,259 | $1,591 | $1,645 | $1,522 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,766 | $2,146 | $2,060 | $1,896 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$827 | +$951 | +$792 | +$651 | +$606 |
The median renter in Journal Square pays $1,766 a month for rent and utilities, above the national median of $1,571. Locally, though, rents here are lower than in Jersey City as a whole ($2,146). Rent has climbed $827 a month since 2006–10, up 88%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 29.3% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
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 Journal Square
Bachelor's degrees in Journal Square
| Period | Journal Square | Jersey City | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.0% | 41.7% | 35.0% | 34.7% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 46.3% | 44.0% | 36.7% | 36.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 53.1% | 48.3% | 39.9% | 39.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 56.9% | 54.8% | 43.6% | 43.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +18.9 pts | +13.1 pts | +8.6 pts | +8.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
Journal Square is highly educated: nearly six in ten adults 25 and older (56.9%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 18.9 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the north and least in the east.
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 Journal Square
| Period | Journal Square | Jersey City | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 81.2% | 83.8% | 83.7% | 87.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 85.5% | 85.5% | 84.6% | 88.1% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 87.0% | 87.8% | 86.2% | 89.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 91.3% | 90.6% | 86.9% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +10.1 pts | +6.8 pts | +3.3 pts | +3.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Journal Square have finished high school (91.3%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. The picture is much the same across Jersey City. The share with a diploma is up 10.1 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Journal Square
| Period | Journal Square | Jersey City | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.9% | 9.7% | 7.9% | 7.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.4% | 10.6% | 9.5% | 9.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.7% | 5.7% | 5.7% | 5.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.2% | 5.9% | 6.9% | 6.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.7 pts | −3.8 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little harder to find in Journal Square than nationally: unemployment was 6.2%, against 5.4%. Unemployment is down 3.7 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's 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).
Journal Square compared with nearby neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Journal Square | 2.36 | 35.1 | 9.1% | 78.3% | 8.2% | 1970 | $1,766 | 56.9% | 91.3% | 6.2% |
| McGinley Square | 2.21 | 38.2 | 11.6% | 79.0% | 7.8% | 1949 | $1,572 | 45.8% | 88.5% | 7.1% |
| The Heights | 2.40 | 37.2 | 9.1% | 65.9% | 9.2% | 1955 | $1,895 | 49.3% | 87.6% | 5.4% |
| Downtown Jersey City | 1.97 | 34.4 | 4.0% | 77.1% | 6.7% | 1989 | $3,043 | 82.6% | 97.1% | 2.9% |
| Bergen-Lafayette | 2.70 | 33.7 | 18.6% | 77.0% | 8.2% | 1970 | $1,664 | 35.4% | 89.2% | 9.6% |
| The Waterfront | 1.97 | 30.9 | 8.2% | 86.2% | 10.0% | 2003 | $3,357 | 93.3% | 99.7% | 1.9% |
| Greenville | 2.84 | 37.5 | 18.6% | 65.0% | 8.1% | 1962 | $1,661 | 28.7% | 85.4% | 8.9% |
| Hackensack Riverfront | 1.95 | 41.4 | 6.5% | 20.8% | 2.3% | 1996 | $2,699 | 67.4% | 98.1% | 0.1% |
| Battery Park | 2.29 | 39.8 | 9.0% | 70.5% | 15.5% | 1991 | $3,501 | 84.9% | 99.4% | 3.3% |
| West Village | 1.71 | 41.5 | 2.1% | 68.9% | 19.6% | 1947 | $2,942 | 85.2% | 98.6% | 7.9% |
| Tribeca | 2.20 | 40.1 | 6.9% | 55.4% | 21.8% | 1960 | $3,238 | 84.3% | 97.6% | 3.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Ashburn, Chicago, IL · Active Bethel, Eugene, OR · East Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV · Westwood, Cincinnati, OH · The Lakes, Las Vegas, NV · The Colony, Anaheim, CA · Southwest, Reno, NV · Southwest Arlington, Arlington, TX · South Dallas Fair Park, Dallas, TX · Somerton, Philadelphia, PA
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 Journal Square. 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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