Population 40,502 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Kearny
Household size in Kearny
| Period | Kearny | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.89 | 2.79 | 2.77 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.98 | 2.85 | 2.82 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.97 | 2.82 | 2.78 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.66 | 2.79 | 2.76 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.23 | −0.00 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Kearny average 2.66 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). The typical household here is smaller than in the wider New York area, where it has 2.79 people. Household size has dropped from 2.89 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Kearny
| Period | Kearny | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.5 | 38.0 | 39.1 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 37.2 | 38.7 | 40.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 38.5 | 39.8 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.6 | 40.4 | 40.9 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.1 | +2.4 | +1.8 | +2.3 |
At 40.6, the median age in Kearny is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. The median age has climbed from 37.5 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. The youngest areas are in the west, the oldest in the north.
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 Kearny
| Period | Kearny | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.8% | 13.1% | 11.6% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 13.4% | 12.8% | 11.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 13.5% | 11.4% | 10.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 12.8% | 11.6% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.0 pts | −1.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are a bit more common in Kearny than nationally: 12.8%, against 11.6%. Kearny has a higher share of single-parent households than at least four in five New Jersey cities.
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 Kearny
Renters in Kearny
| Period | Kearny | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 53.7% | 47.1% | 33.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 54.3% | 48.7% | 35.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 53.2% | 48.8% | 36.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 57.0% | 48.6% | 36.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.3 pts | +1.5 pts | +3.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Kearny: 57.0% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. About half of owners (49.0%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 3.3 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Only 35 of the 415 New Jersey cities with 5,000+ people have a higher share of renters.
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 Kearny
| Period | Kearny | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.3% | 9.1% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.3% | 9.0% | 9.3% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.3% | 9.1% | 9.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 4.9% | 7.9% | 6.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.4 pts | −1.2 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 4.9% of homes in Kearny are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Since 2006–10, vacancy has edged down 1.4 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 Kearny
| Period | Kearny | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1947 | 1957 | 1965 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1949 | 1958 | 1966 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1945 | 1959 | 1967 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1953 | 1962 | 1969 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +5 | +5 | +6 |
Kearny is a place of older homes: half were built before 1953, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The median year built has moved up from 1947 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Only 37 of the 415 New Jersey cities with 5,000+ people have older homes.
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 Kearny
| Period | Kearny | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,108 | $1,268 | $1,246 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,186 | $1,377 | $1,324 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,325 | $1,645 | $1,522 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,734 | $2,060 | $1,896 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$626 | +$792 | +$651 | +$606 |
Rent in Kearny runs $1,734 a month at the median, utilities included, above the U.S. median of $1,571. Even so, rents here are lower than in the New York area as a whole ($2,060). Rent has climbed $626 a month since 2006–10, up 56%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 34.3% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
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 Kearny
Bachelor's degrees in Kearny
| Period | Kearny | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.4% | 35.0% | 34.7% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 20.8% | 36.7% | 36.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 26.2% | 39.9% | 39.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 31.3% | 43.6% | 43.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +12.9 pts | +8.6 pts | +8.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
Just over three in ten adults 25 and older in Kearny (31.3%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, a little below the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 12.9 points, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the north and least in the southwest.
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 Kearny
| Period | Kearny | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 78.7% | 83.7% | 87.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 81.3% | 84.6% | 88.1% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 82.3% | 86.2% | 89.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 85.1% | 86.9% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.4 pts | +3.3 pts | +3.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in seven adults in Kearny never finished high school, more than nationally: 85.1% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. The share with a diploma is up 6.4 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Only 29 of the 415 New Jersey cities with 5,000+ people have a lower share of high school graduates.
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 Kearny
| Period | Kearny | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.4% | 7.9% | 7.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 13.0% | 9.5% | 9.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.6% | 5.7% | 5.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.7% | 6.9% | 6.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.7 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment runs a little high in Kearny: 6.7% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment is down 3.7 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. 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).
Kearny compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kearny | 2.66 | 40.6 | 12.8% | 57.0% | 4.9% | 1953 | $1,734 | 31.3% | 85.1% | 6.7% |
| East Newark | 2.97 | 37.8 | 21.9% | 67.9% | 4.1% | 1954 | $1,767 | 24.4% | 82.7% | 8.5% |
| Harrison | 2.22 | 36.2 | 8.2% | 79.4% | 6.5% | 1985 | $2,181 | 52.4% | 89.4% | 4.7% |
| North Arlington | 2.52 | 40.4 | 10.0% | 55.6% | 5.2% | 1954 | $1,768 | 39.0% | 92.1% | 7.2% |
| Belleville | 2.73 | 42.9 | 9.6% | 45.4% | 5.7% | 1951 | $1,639 | 32.4% | 86.0% | 9.4% |
| Silver Lake | 3.31 | 29.8 | 11.8% | 50.0% | 9.0% | 1938 | $1,693 | 25.4% | 75.0% | 0.5% |
| Newark | 2.74 | 35.5 | 22.7% | 75.6% | 7.9% | 1968 | $1,447 | 20.8% | 79.2% | 11.8% |
| Bloomfield | 2.53 | 39.7 | 9.8% | 56.8% | 4.0% | 1956 | $1,934 | 45.4% | 90.5% | 5.8% |
| Lyndhurst | 2.44 | 41.6 | 11.8% | 40.4% | 7.2% | 1960 | $1,821 | 41.8% | 93.6% | 6.0% |
| East Orange | 2.57 | 40.4 | 19.4% | 69.1% | 6.5% | 1955 | $1,447 | 22.7% | 85.7% | 8.9% |
| Nutley | 2.57 | 41.0 | 8.0% | 29.7% | 4.2% | 1955 | $1,948 | 52.7% | 94.4% | 5.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Thibodaux, LA · Elmont, NY · Fairburn, GA · Fairport, NY · Fitchburg, MA · Freehold, NJ · Gillette, WY · Hallandale Beach, FL · Atwater, CA · Levittown, NY
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 Kearny. 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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