NJ Towns With the Biggest Gains and Losses of Non-citizens

A third court on Friday ruled against the Trump administration's plan to include a citizenship question on the 2020 Census.

If the U.S. Supreme Court holds up the lower court's rulings, that would be welcome news for municipalities and states with high concentrations of immigrants. That's because the decennial Census population count would be used to allocate $600 billion in federal funds and advocates fear that including a citizenship question on the Census might discourage people — even those here legally — from participating.

For decades, the U.S. Census had asked the citizenship question only of households that received what is known as the "long form" questionnaire. Households that received the shorter questionnaire were not asked the question. In 2010, the Census got rid of the long-form version. The Trump administration now wants to ask the citizenship question of all households.

The government, however, does continue to ask citizenship status in the American Community Survey, which comes out with demographic data every year between the 10-year-Census. It's from that Survey that we know that an estimated 6.9% of New Jersey's residents are not citizens.

It's important to note that not being a citizen is not the same as not being in the country legally. Non-citizens can be in the country legally if they have visas or a Green Card. The Census has not asked people whether they're here legally and the Trump administration has not proposed asking that, either.

It's also noteworthy that the share of New Jersey's non-citizen population has declined since 2009, when the five-year American Community Survey estimated they accounted for 9.8% of the population. The estimate for the entire country has remained at 7%.

While the non-citizen population increased in nearly 280 municipalities in New Jersey, the population decreased considerably in places known for vibrant immigrant neighborhoods. You can see the lists in the story below.

Is the reason for the drop because more immigrants are moving to other cities? Or is it because more people in these communities are staying in the shadows and not being counted?

This week, a U.S. District Court judge in Maryland ruled that the citizenship question would pose a a "substantial risk" of undercounting Hispanics and non-citizens and that the decision to add the question was "arbitrary and capricious" and unlawful.

Federal judges in New York and California previously ruled against the question.

Biggest increases in non-citizens

These municipalities showed the biggest rise in non-citizen residents between the five-year American Community Survey of 2009 and the same survey in 2017. Natural-born means residents born in the United States or its territories, or residents born abroad to U.S. citizens. Naturalized means immigrants who became citizens.

Jersey City
Natural-born: 154,988
Naturalized: 50,877
Non-citizens: 60,067 — Change: 14,361 (31%)

Plainfield
Natural-born: 31,251
Naturalized: 5,120
Non-citizens: 14,726 — Change: 5,304 (56%)

Paterson
Natural-born: 93,567
Naturalized: 26,259
Non-citizens: 28,064 — Change: 4,367 (18%)

Edison
Natural-born: 54,274
Naturalized: 24,736
Non-citizens: 23,294 — Change: 3,785 (19%)

North Bergen
Natural-born: 30,291
Naturalized: 18,843
Non-citizens: 14,304 — Change: 3,176 (29%)

Bayonne
Natural-born: 47,054
Naturalized: 10,237
Non-citizens: 9,428 — Change: 3,031 (47%)

Lakewood
Natural-born: 86,463
Naturalized: 3,587
Non-citizens: 9,417 — Change: 2,815 (43%)

Plainsboro
Natural-born: 11,873
Naturalized: 4,753
Non-citizens: 6,861 — Change: 2,051 (43%)

Perth Amboy
Natural-born: 30,595
Naturalized: 8,716
Non-citizens: 13,252 — Change: 1,916 (17%)

Hoboken
Natural-born: 45,198
Naturalized: 3,933
Non-citizens: 4,986 — Change: 1,804 (57%)

Union City
Natural-born: 28,602
Naturalized: 16,994
Non-citizens: 24,219 — Change: 1,800 (8%)

Trenton
Natural-born: 64,054
Naturalized: 5,101
Non-citizens: 15,712 — Change: 1,742 (12%)

West Windsor
Natural-born: 17,102
Naturalized: 6,875
Non-citizens: 4,312 — Change: 1,717 (66%)

West New York
Natural-born: 21,346
Naturalized: 13,807
Non-citizens: 18,192 — Change: 1,575 (9%)

Secaucus
Natural-born: 12,404
Naturalized: 3,972
Non-citizens: 2,903 — Change: 1,535 (112%)

East Brunswick
Natural-born: 32,593
Naturalized: 10,234
Non-citizens: 5,846 — Change: 1,472 (34%)

Woodbridge
Natural-born: 69,582
Naturalized: 17,896
Non-citizens: 14,161 — Change: 1,323 (10%)

Monroe (Middlesex)
Natural-born: 34,469
Naturalized: 6,911
Non-citizens: 2,416 — Change: 1,258 (109%)

Vineland
Natural-born: 53,208
Naturalized: 3,103
Non-citizens: 4,513 — Change: 1,249 (38%)

Atlantic City
Natural-born: 26,161
Naturalized: 5,780
Non-citizens: 7,134 — Change: 1,209 (20%)

South Brunswick
Natural-born: 28,010
Naturalized: 10,872
Non-citizens: 6,720 — Change: 1,195 (22%)

Kearny
Natural-born: 24,175
Naturalized: 9,171
Non-citizens: 9,141 — Change: 1,111 (14%)

Bridgeton
Natural-born: 19,069
Naturalized: 645
Non-citizens: 5,234 — Change: 1,086 (26%)

Hamilton (Mercer)
Natural-born: 74,627
Naturalized: 7,641
Non-citizens: 6,938 — Change: 966 (16%)

Parsippany-Troy Hills
Natural-born: 33,611
Naturalized: 11,621
Non-citizens: 8,212 — Change: 910 (12%)

New Brunswick
Natural-born: 36,850
Naturalized: 4,639
Non-citizens: 15,303 — Change: 895 (6%)

Bernards
Natural-born: 21,164
Naturalized: 3,461
Non-citizens: 2,407 — Change: 877 (57%)

Bridgewater
Natural-born: 34,041
Naturalized: 7,138
Non-citizens: 4,157 — Change: 866 (26%)

Cliffside Park
Natural-born: 13,043
Naturalized: 7,527
Non-citizens: 4,291 — Change: 745 (21%)

East Windsor
Natural-born: 18,310
Naturalized: 4,673
Non-citizens: 4,692 — Change: 717 (18%)

Rutherford
Natural-born: 13,647
Naturalized: 2,815
Non-citizens: 2,160 — Change: 714 (49%)

North Brunswick
Natural-born: 28,119
Naturalized: 7,658
Non-citizens: 6,814 — Change: 686 (11%)

Englewood
Natural-born: 18,834
Naturalized: 5,562
Non-citizens: 4,113 — Change: 672 (20%)

Rahway
Natural-born: 22,050
Naturalized: 4,035
Non-citizens: 3,358 — Change: 656 (24%)

Lawrence (Mercer)
Natural-born: 25,096
Naturalized: 3,972
Non-citizens: 4,220 — Change: 626 (17%)

Warren Township
Natural-born: 12,452
Naturalized: 2,463
Non-citizens: 1,083 — Change: 617 (132%)

Springfield (Union)
Natural-born: 13,521
Naturalized: 2,111
Non-citizens: 1,896 — Change: 592 (45%)

Montclair
Natural-born: 33,363
Naturalized: 3,122
Non-citizens: 2,087 — Change: 578 (38%)

Phillipsburg
Natural-born: 13,023
Naturalized: 636
Non-citizens: 881 — Change: 556 (171%)

South Plainfield
Natural-born: 18,060
Naturalized: 4,066
Non-citizens: 2,028 — Change: 549 (37%)

Montgomery
Natural-born: 16,302
Naturalized: 3,930
Non-citizens: 2,827 — Change: 527 (23%)

Edgewater
Natural-born: 6,670
Naturalized: 2,717
Non-citizens: 2,778 — Change: 525 (23%)

South River
Natural-born: 11,212
Naturalized: 2,187
Non-citizens: 2,946 — Change: 523 (22%)

Rockaway Borough
Natural-born: 5,113
Naturalized: 473
Non-citizens: 887 — Change: 518 (140%)

Stafford
Natural-born: 25,408
Naturalized: 856
Non-citizens: 748 — Change: 515 (221%)

Wayne
Natural-born: 44,644
Naturalized: 7,400
Non-citizens: 3,110 — Change: 498 (19%)

Howell
Natural-born: 46,276
Naturalized: 3,980
Non-citizens: 1,820 — Change: 494 (37%)

North Arlington
Natural-born: 10,583
Naturalized: 3,294
Non-citizens: 2,000 — Change: 492 (33%)

West Orange
Natural-born: 33,670
Naturalized: 9,327
Non-citizens: 4,612 — Change: 490 (12%)

Raritan Borough
Natural-born: 5,416
Naturalized: 1,220
Non-citizens: 1,122 — Change: 435 (63%)

Biggest decreases in non-citizens (reverse order)

These municipalities showed the biggest drops in non-citizen residents between the five-year American Community Survey of 2009 and the same survey in 2017. Natural-born means residents born in the United States or its territories, or residents born abroad to U.S. citizens. Naturalized means immigrants who became citizens.

Bradley Beach
Natural-born: 3,816
Naturalized: 169
Non-citizens: 277 — Change: -362 (-57%)

Brigantine
Natural-born: 8,277
Naturalized: 544
Non-citizens: 343 — Change: -368 (-52%)

Newark
Natural-born: 199,654
Naturalized: 34,169
Non-citizens: 48,980 — Change: -369 (-1%)

Lindenwold
Natural-born: 14,394
Naturalized: 1,105
Non-citizens: 1,982 — Change: -381 (-16%)

Long Hill
Natural-born: 7,731
Naturalized: 761
Non-citizens: 271 — Change: -395 (-59%)

Asbury Park
Natural-born: 12,182
Naturalized: 1,002
Non-citizens: 2,646 — Change: -396 (-13%)

Galloway
Natural-born: 31,773
Naturalized: 3,745
Non-citizens: 1,511 — Change: -396 (-21%)

Montville
Natural-born: 17,387
Naturalized: 3,063
Non-citizens: 1,289 — Change: -422 (-25%)

Hopewell Township (Mercer)
Natural-born: 16,518
Naturalized: 1,510
Non-citizens: 475 — Change: -424 (-47%)

Dunellen
Natural-born: 5,873
Naturalized: 813
Non-citizens: 706 — Change: -431 (-38%)

Burlington Township
Natural-born: 19,578
Naturalized: 2,227
Non-citizens: 908 — Change: -432 (-32%)

Freehold Township
Natural-born: 31,329
Naturalized: 2,885
Non-citizens: 1,215 — Change: -436 (-26%)

Little Ferry
Natural-born: 6,093
Naturalized: 2,771
Non-citizens: 2,078 — Change: -449 (-18%)

East Rutherford
Natural-born: 6,534
Naturalized: 1,597
Non-citizens: 1,302 — Change: -458 (-26%)

Toms River
Natural-born: 83,436
Naturalized: 5,389
Non-citizens: 2,590 — Change: -470 (-15%)

Delran
Natural-born: 14,850
Naturalized: 1,010
Non-citizens: 887 — Change: -477 (-35%)

South Harrison
Natural-born: 3,098
Naturalized: 50
Non-citizens: 42 — Change: -484 (-92%)

Matawan
Natural-born: 7,609
Naturalized: 860
Non-citizens: 429 — Change: -545 (-56%)

Roselle Park
Natural-born: 9,898
Naturalized: 2,662
Non-citizens: 1,149 — Change: -558 (-33%)

Union Township (Union)
Natural-born: 40,805
Naturalized: 12,445
Non-citizens: 5,249 — Change: -589 (-10%)

Manalapan
Natural-born: 34,594
Naturalized: 4,560
Non-citizens: 942 — Change: -589 (-38%)

Tenafly
Natural-born: 9,732
Naturalized: 2,928
Non-citizens: 2,222 — Change: -611 (-22%)

Morristown
Natural-born: 12,727
Naturalized: 2,448
Non-citizens: 3,658 — Change: -617 (-14%)

Somerville
Natural-born: 9,470
Naturalized: 1,018
Non-citizens: 1,746 — Change: -620 (-26%)

North Plainfield
Natural-born: 14,801
Naturalized: 3,215
Non-citizens: 4,076 — Change: -693 (-15%)

Cherry Hill
Natural-born: 59,607
Naturalized: 8,295
Non-citizens: 3,302 — Change: -710 (-18%)

Hillside
Natural-born: 15,670
Naturalized: 4,284
Non-citizens: 2,115 — Change: -712 (-25%)

Hamilton (Atlantic)
Natural-born: 23,684
Naturalized: 2,172
Non-citizens: 807 — Change: -715 (-47%)

Hackensack
Natural-born: 27,331
Naturalized: 8,610
Non-citizens: 8,732 — Change: -726 (-8%)

Linden
Natural-born: 28,087
Naturalized: 9,062
Non-citizens: 5,081 — Change: -767 (-13%)

East Orange
Natural-born: 48,286
Naturalized: 9,306
Non-citizens: 7,559 — Change: -769 (-9%)

Rockaway Township
Natural-born: 21,135
Naturalized: 2,643
Non-citizens: 980 — Change: -783 (-44%)

Fair Lawn
Natural-born: 23,571
Naturalized: 7,712
Non-citizens: 2,164 — Change: -787 (-27%)

Elmwood Park
Natural-born: 13,894
Naturalized: 4,800
Non-citizens: 1,599 — Change: -798 (-33%)

Dumont
Natural-born: 12,980
Naturalized: 3,684
Non-citizens: 1,218 — Change: -876 (-42%)

Ventnor City
Natural-born: 8,039
Naturalized: 1,392
Non-citizens: 998 — Change: -888 (-47%)

Bound Brook
Natural-born: 7,323
Naturalized: 1,282
Non-citizens: 1,905 — Change: -953 (-33%)

Camden
Natural-born: 64,775
Naturalized: 3,624
Non-citizens: 7,151 — Change: -960 (-12%)

City of Orange
Natural-born: 19,450
Naturalized: 5,333
Non-citizens: 5,948 — Change: -1,020 (-15%)

Fairview
Natural-born: 7,064
Naturalized: 3,886
Non-citizens: 3,472 — Change: -1,048 (-23%)

Old Bridge
Natural-born: 52,057
Naturalized: 10,369
Non-citizens: 4,454 — Change: -1,079 (-20%)

Franklin (Somerset)
Natural-born: 45,993
Naturalized: 12,421
Non-citizens: 7,585 — Change: -1,115 (-13%)

Lodi
Natural-born: 15,771
Naturalized: 6,249
Non-citizens: 2,785 — Change: -1,121 (-29%)

Washington (Burlington)
Natural-born: 716
Naturalized: 17
Non-citizens: 3 — Change: -1,141 (-100%)

Roselle
Natural-born: 15,618
Naturalized: 3,938
Non-citizens: 2,190 — Change: -1,176 (-35%)

Wallington
Natural-born: 6,743
Naturalized: 3,283
Non-citizens: 1,675 — Change: -1,449 (-46%)

Belleville
Natural-born: 25,364
Naturalized: 6,887
Non-citizens: 4,132 — Change: -1,526 (-27%)

Long Branch
Natural-born: 21,337
Naturalized: 3,184
Non-citizens: 6,230 — Change: -1,556 (-20%)

Elizabeth
Natural-born: 68,686
Naturalized: 25,620
Non-citizens: 35,057 — Change: -1,991 (-5%)

Passaic
Natural-born: 43,019
Naturalized: 11,998
Non-citizens: 16,040 — Change: -5,888 (-27%)