Immigrants and their children are growing shares of New Jersey’s population and electorate.
- The foreign-born share of New Jersey’s population rose from 12.5% in 1990, to 17.5% in 2000, to 21% in 2010, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. New Jersey was home to 1,844,581 immigrants in 2010, which is more than the population of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
- 49.9% of immigrants (or 919,882 people) in New Jersey were naturalized U.S. citizens in 2010meaning that they are eligible to vote.
- 18.8% (or 756,168) of registered voters in New Jersey were New Americans naturalized citizens or the U.S.-born children of immigrants who were raised during the current era of immigration from Latin America and Asia which began in 1965according to an analysis of 2008 Census Bureau data by Rob Paral & Associates.
More than 1 in 4 New Jerseyians are Latino or Asian.
- The Latino share of New Jersey’s population grew from 9.6% in 1990, to 13.3% in 2000, to 17.8% (or 1,566,689 people) in 2010. The Asian share of the population grew from 3.5% in 1990, to 5.7% in 2000, to 8.2% (or 721,733 people) in 2010, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
- Latinos comprised 9.3% (or 337,000) of New Jersey voters in the 2008 elections, and Asians 5.9% (or 215,000), according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
- In New Jersey, 87.5% of children with immigrant parents were U.S. citizens in 2009, according to data from the Urban Institute.
In 2009, 84.9% of children in Asian families in New Jersey were U.S. citizens, as were 91.5% of children in Latino families.
