Most rural counties in New Jersey
A surprising number of U.S. counties have 100% rural land-702, in fact. compiled a list of the most rural counties in New Jersey using data from the . Counties are ranked by the percent of land area that is rural, as of the 2010 Census, with ties broken by residents per square mile, according to 2020 5-year population estimates.
According to the Census Bureau, rural land encompasses any land that isn't an urban area. To be considered an urban area, a place has to have a densely settled core of census tracts or blocks and count at least 2,500 people, at least 1,500 of whom must be residents of non-institutional buildings. Areas with 50,000 people or more are considered urbanized areas, while areas with between 2,500 and 50,000 people are considered urban clusters.
You may also like: Highest-rated things to do in New Jersey, according to Tripadvisor
#21. Hudson County
- Rural area: 0.0% (0 square miles)
- Urban area: 100.0% (46 square miles)
- Total land area: 46 square miles
--- #21 largest county in state, #3,106 nationwide
- Population density: 14,546.6 people / square mile (671,923 residents)
--- #21 lowest density county in state, #3,137 nationwide
#20. Union County
- Rural area: 0.0% (0 square miles)
- Urban area: 100.0% (103 square miles)
- Total land area: 103 square miles
--- #20 largest county in state, #3,085 nationwide
- Population density: 5,398.0 people / square mile (555,208 residents)
--- #19 lowest density county in state, #3,123 nationwide
#19. Essex County
- Rural area: 2.9% (4 square miles)
- Urban area: 97.1% (123 square miles)
- Total land area: 126 square miles
--- #19 largest county in state, #3,077 nationwide
- Population density: 6,328.2 people / square mile (798,698 residents)
--- #20 lowest density county in state, #3,125 nationwide
#18. Bergen County
- Rural area: 6.3% (15 square miles)
- Urban area: 93.8% (218 square miles)
- Total land area: 233 square miles
--- #15 largest county in state, #2,944 nationwide
- Population density: 3,996.7 people / square mile (931,275 residents)
--- #18 lowest density county in state, #3,116 nationwide
#17. Middlesex County
- Rural area: 18.4% (57 square miles)
- Urban area: 81.6% (252 square miles)
- Total land area: 309 square miles
--- #12 largest county in state, #2,788 nationwide
- Population density: 2,670.7 people / square mile (825,015 residents)
--- #16 lowest density county in state, #3,098 nationwide
You may also like: Best public high schools in New Jersey
#16. Camden County
- Rural area: 30.7% (68 square miles)
- Urban area: 69.3% (153 square miles)
- Total land area: 221 square miles
--- #17 largest county in state, #2,968 nationwide
- Population density: 2,290.1 people / square mile (506,721 residents)
--- #15 lowest density county in state, #3,089 nationwide
#15. Monmouth County
- Rural area: 35.0% (164 square miles)
- Urban area: 65.1% (305 square miles)
- Total land area: 469 square miles
--- #6 largest county in state, #2,198 nationwide
- Population density: 1,324.3 people / square mile (620,821 residents)
--- #13 lowest density county in state, #3,030 nationwide
#14. Mercer County
- Rural area: 40.7% (91 square miles)
- Urban area: 59.4% (133 square miles)
- Total land area: 225 square miles
--- #16 largest county in state, #2,960 nationwide
- Population density: 1,639.2 people / square mile (368,085 residents)
--- #14 lowest density county in state, #3,057 nationwide
#13. Somerset County
- Rural area: 41.3% (125 square miles)
- Urban area: 58.7% (177 square miles)
- Total land area: 302 square miles
--- #13 largest county in state, #2,806 nationwide
- Population density: 1,093.9 people / square mile (330,151 residents)
--- #12 lowest density county in state, #3,006 nationwide
#12. Morris County
- Rural area: 43.5% (200 square miles)
- Urban area: 56.5% (260 square miles)
- Total land area: 460 square miles
--- #7 largest county in state, #2,228 nationwide
- Population density: 1,070.7 people / square mile (492,715 residents)
--- #11 lowest density county in state, #3,004 nationwide
You may also like: Counties with the most college graduates in New Jersey
#11. Passaic County
- Rural area: 49.0% (90 square miles)
- Urban area: 51.0% (94 square miles)
- Total land area: 185 square miles
--- #18 largest county in state, #3,021 nationwide
- Population density: 2,723.6 people / square mile (502,763 residents)
--- #17 lowest density county in state, #3,100 nationwide
#10. Gloucester County
- Rural area: 50.8% (164 square miles)
- Urban area: 49.2% (158 square miles)
- Total land area: 322 square miles
--- #11 largest county in state, #2,755 nationwide
- Population density: 906.0 people / square mile (291,745 residents)
--- #9 lowest density county in state, #2,981 nationwide
#9. Ocean County
- Rural area: 59.9% (376 square miles)
- Urban area: 40.2% (252 square miles)
- Total land area: 629 square miles
--- #2 largest county in state, #1,529 nationwide
- Population density: 957.4 people / square mile (602,018 residents)
--- #10 lowest density county in state, #2,987 nationwide
#8. Burlington County
- Rural area: 72.5% (579 square miles)
- Urban area: 27.5% (220 square miles)
- Total land area: 799 square miles
--- #1 largest county in state, #1,070 nationwide
- Population density: 558.9 people / square mile (446,301 residents)
--- #8 lowest density county in state, #2,908 nationwide
#7. Cape May County
- Rural area: 76.9% (193 square miles)
- Urban area: 23.1% (58 square miles)
- Total land area: 251 square miles
--- #14 largest county in state, #2,908 nationwide
- Population density: 368.7 people / square mile (92,701 residents)
--- #6 lowest density county in state, #2,791 nationwide
You may also like: Counties with the highest rate of food insecurity in New Jersey
#6. Atlantic County
- Rural area: 79.3% (441 square miles)
- Urban area: 20.7% (115 square miles)
- Total land area: 556 square miles
--- #3 largest county in state, #1,870 nationwide
- Population density: 476.2 people / square mile (264,650 residents)
--- #7 lowest density county in state, #2,869 nationwide
#5. Cumberland County
- Rural area: 86.1% (417 square miles)
- Urban area: 13.9% (67 square miles)
- Total land area: 484 square miles
--- #5 largest county in state, #2,142 nationwide
- Population density: 310.3 people / square mile (150,085 residents)
--- #5 lowest density county in state, #2,743 nationwide
#4. Hunterdon County
- Rural area: 86.2% (369 square miles)
- Urban area: 13.8% (59 square miles)
- Total land area: 428 square miles
--- #8 largest county in state, #2,374 nationwide
- Population density: 292.3 people / square mile (125,063 residents)
--- #3 lowest density county in state, #2,725 nationwide
#3. Sussex County
- Rural area: 86.9% (451 square miles)
- Urban area: 13.1% (68 square miles)
- Total land area: 519 square miles
--- #4 largest county in state, #2,009 nationwide
- Population density: 271.7 people / square mile (140,996 residents)
--- #2 lowest density county in state, #2,698 nationwide
#2. Warren County
- Rural area: 90.2% (322 square miles)
- Urban area: 9.8% (35 square miles)
- Total land area: 357 square miles
--- #9 largest county in state, #2,666 nationwide
- Population density: 296.2 people / square mile (105,730 residents)
--- #4 lowest density county in state, #2,731 nationwide
You may also like: Most popular girl names in the 70s in New Jersey
#1. Salem County
- Rural area: 93.4% (310 square miles)
- Urban area: 6.6% (22 square miles)
- Total land area: 332 square miles
--- #10 largest county in state, #2,734 nationwide
- Population density: 189.1 people / square mile (62,754 residents)
--- #1 lowest density county in state, #2,572 nationwide
