Gloucester County ( ) is a county in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 census, the county was the state's 14th-most populous countyTable1. New Jersey Counties and Most Populous Cities and Townships: 2020 and 2010 Censuses, New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development. Accessed December 1, 2022. with a population of 302,294, its highest decennial count ever and an increase of 14,006 (+4.9%) from the 288,288 counted in the 2010 census, which in turn represented an increase of 33,615 (+13.2%) from the 2000 census population of 254,673.Wu, Sen-Yuan. NJ Labor Market Views; Population Keeps Growing in the Most Densely Populated State, United States Census Bureau, March 15, 2011. Accessed December 26, 2022. The United States Census Bureau's Population Estimates Program estimated a 2025 population of 312,638, an increase of 10,344 (+3.4%) from the 2020 decennial census. Its county seat is Woodbury.New Jersey County Map, New Jersey Department of State. Accessed January 6, 2023. The county is part of the South Jersey region of the state.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.""Regions: North, Central, South, Shore - Best of NJ", Best of NJ, Accessed May 30, 2024. "South Jersey includes Burlington, Camden, Cumberland, Gloucester, and Salem County."

The county's largest municipality by population in 2020 was Washington Township, with a population of 48,677, while the largest municipality by area was Franklin Township, which covered .

The county is part of the Philadelphia metropolitan area, which is formally designated as the Philadelphia–Camden–Wilmington, PA–NJ–DE–MD Metropolitan Statistical Area.New Jersey: 2020 Core Based Statistical Areas and Counties, United States Census Bureau. Accessed July 3, 2024.Revised Delineations of Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Micropolitan Statistical Areas, and Combined Statistical Areas, and Guidance on Uses of the Delineations of These Areas, Office of Management and Budget, February 28, 2013. Accessed October 4, 2013.

Gloucester County borders Philadelphia, the nation's sixth-most populous city, to its northwest across the Delaware River. Atlantic City is to the county's southeast. Gloucester County and adjacent Salem County, also in South Jersey, have become an East Coast epicenter for logistics and warehouse construction.

History Woodbury, the county seat, was founded in 1683 and is the county's oldest municipality.History of Woodbury , accessed January 26, 2007. National Park in Gloucester County was the site of the American Revolutionary War's Battle of Red Bank, where Fort Mercer once stood. It is now the site of Red Bank Battlefield Park in National Park. The remains of the Royal Navy's were laid in Red Bank Battlefield Park until they were later moved to Gloucester City.

During the colonial era, Gloucester County's main industry sector was agriculture. Woodbury was the site of the county courthouse, the county jail, a Quaker meeting house that is still in existence, and an inn located on the current location of Woodbury Crossings. Due in part to the county's many creeks that lead to the Delaware River and Atlantic Ocean, smuggling was once common in the county.

Etymology The county is named after the city of Gloucester and county of Gloucestershire in England."Gloucester County" at Britannica, retrieved December 22, 2022

Geography and climate

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of the 2020 census, the county had a total area of , of which was land (95.6%) and was water (4.4%).2020 Census Gazetteer File for Counties in New Jersey, United States Census Bureau. Accessed April 1, 2023. Gloucester County is largely comprised of low-lying rivers and coastal plains, stretching southeastward from the Delaware River to the New Jersey Pine Barrens. The highest elevation in the county is a slight rise on County Road 654 southeast of Monroe Township that rises to approximately above sea level. The county's lowest elevation is at sea level on the Delaware River.New Jersey County High Points, Peakbagger.com. Accessed October 4, 2013.

Climate and weather Average temperatures in the county seat of Woodbury have ranged from a low of in January to a high of in July. A record low of was recorded in February 1934 and a record high of was recorded in August 1918. Average monthly precipitation ranged from in February to in July. The county has a humid subtropical climate (Cfa). Average monthly temperatures in Newfield range from 33.0 °F in January to 76.6 °F in July.Climate at "Prism," Oregon State University

Demographics

Swedesboro and Bridgeport were among the earliest European settlements in New Jersey and were both part of the 17th century New Sweden colony. Gloucester County dates back to May 26, 1686, when courts were established separate from those in Burlington County. On May 17, 1694, the county was officially formed and its boundaries defined as part of West Jersey. Portions of Gloucester County were set off on February 7, 1837, to create Atlantic County. On March 13, 1844, its boundaries were again defined as part of the creation of neighboring Camden County.Snyder, John P. The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606–1968, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 137. Accessed January 21, 2013. The county was named for the city of Gloucester and the county of Gloucestershire in the United Kingdom.Kane, Joseph Nathan; and Aiken, Charles Curry. The American Counties: Origins of County Names, Dates of Creation, and Population Data, 1950–2000, p. 112. Scarecrow Press, 2005. . Accessed January 21, 2013.

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 302,294, representing an increase of 14,006 (4.9%) from the 288,288 residents enumerated in the 2010 census. The median age was 40.1 years, 21.5% of residents were under the age of 18, and 16.5% were 65 years of age or older, while for every 100 females there were 94.7 males and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 91.9 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 76.2% White, 10.9% Black or African American, 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 3.2% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 2.7% from some other race, and 6.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 7.3% of the population.

88.7% of residents lived in urban areas, while 11.3% lived in rural areas.

There were 110,471 households in the county, of which 32.5% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 51.9% were married-couple households, 15.4% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 25.9% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 23.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 117,208 housing units, of which 5.7% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 77.3% were owner-occupied and 22.7% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.5% and the rental vacancy rate was 7.5%.

Racial and ethnic composition

+Gloucester County, New Jersey – Racial and ethnic compositionRace / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 1980Pop 1990Pop 2000Pop 2010 Pop 2020% 1980% 1990% 2000% 2010% 2020White alone (NH)178,858202,989218,262233,695225,35589.47%88.22%85.70%81.06%74.55%Black or African American alone (NH)16,76919,59122,56227,90631,5178.39%8.51%8.86%9.68%10.43%Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)3034244263613310.15%0.18%0.17%0.13%0.11%Asian alone (NH)1,0522,7983,7637,5349,4750.53%1.22%1.48%2.61%3.13%Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)x included in the Asian category in the 1980 Censusx included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census606274xx0.02%0.02%0.02%Other race alone (NH)5281492213101,1030.26%0.06%0.09%0.11%0.36%Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)x not an option in the 1980 Censusx not an option in the 1990 Census2,7964,70812,304xx1.10%1.63%4.07%Hispanic or Latino (any race)2,4074,1316,58313,71222,1351.20%1.80%2.58%4.76%7.32%Total199,917230,082254,673288,288302,294 100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%

2010 census The 2010 United States census counted 288,288 people, 104,271 households, and 75,805 families in the county. The population density was . There were 109,796 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup was 83.56% (240,890) White, 10.06% (29,006) Black or African American, 0.17% (501) Native American, 2.64% (7,609) Asian, 0.03% (95) Pacific Islander, 1.41% (4,055) from other races, and 2.13% (6,132) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.76% (13,712) of the population.

Of the 104,271 households, 33.4% had children under the age of 18; 55.6% were married couples living together; 12.4% had a female householder with no husband present and 27.3% were non-families. Of all households, 22% were made up of individuals and 8.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.72 and the average family size was 3.2.

24.4% of the population were under the age of 18, 9.4% from 18 to 24, 25.6% from 25 to 44, 28.3% from 45 to 64, and 12.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.7 years. For every 100 females, the population had 94.4 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 91.1 males.

Economy The Bureau of Economic Analysis calculated that the county's gross domestic product was $14.0 billion in 2021, which was ranked 14th in the state and was a 2.8% increase from the prior year.Gross Domestic Product by County, 2021, Bureau of Economic Analysis, released December 8, 2022. Accessed July 17, 2023.

Education Colleges and universities Rowan University in Glassboro is a public university that was founded in 1923 on a site donated by the borough."From Normal to Extraordinary: The History of Rowan University"

Rowan College of South Jersey is the county college for Gloucester County. It was established in 1966 as Gloucester County College and opened to students two years later in 1968. Its main campus is in Sewell in Gloucester County; it also operates two satellite campuses in Vineland and Millville, both in Cumberland County.Visit the Gloucester Campus, Rowan College of South Jersey. Accessed June 22, 2022.

School districts School districts in Gloucester County include:New Jersey School Directory for Gloucester County, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed August 1, 2022.Search for Public School Districts in Gloucester County, New Jersey, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed August 1, 2022.2020 Census School District Reference List for Gloucester County, NJ, United States Census Bureau. Accessed September 1, 2022.

K-12

Clayton Public Schools Deptford Township Schools Glassboro Public Schools Gloucester County Special Services School District Gloucester County Vocational-Technical School District Monroe Township Public Schools Paulsboro Public Schools Pitman School District Washington Township Public School District West Deptford Public Schools Woodbury Public Schools

Secondary Clearview Regional High School District Delsea Regional School District Gateway Regional School District Kingsway Regional School District

Elementary (K-6, except as indicated)

East Greenwich Township School District Elk Township School District Franklin Township Public Schools Greenwich Township School District (K-8) Harrison Township School District Logan Township School District (K-8) Mantua Township School District