Hudson County, New Jersey

Hudson County
View north on Hudson Waterfront
Location within the U.S. state of New Jersey
New Jersey's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 40°44′N 74°05′W / 40.73°N 74.08°W / 40.73; -74.08
Country United States
State New Jersey
Founded1840
Named afterHenry Hudson
SeatJersey City
Largest cityJersey City (population and area)
Government
  County executiveCraig Guy (D, term ends December 31, 2027)
Area
  Total
62.35 sq mi (161.5 km2)
  Land46.19 sq mi (119.6 km2)
  Water16.15 sq mi (41.8 km2)  25.9%
Population
 (2020)
  Total
724,854
  Estimate 
(2024)
736,185
  Density15,691.5/sq mi (6,058.5/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
  Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional districts8th, 9th, 10th
Websitewww.hcnj.us

Hudson County is a county in the U.S. state of New Jersey, its smallest and most densely populated. Lying in the northeast of the state and on the west bank of the Hudson River, the North Jersey county is part of the state's Gateway Region and the New York metropolitan area. Its county seat is Jersey City, the county's largest city in terms of both population and area. Established in 1840, it is named for Henry Hudson, the sea captain who explored the area in 1609.

As of the 2020 United States census, the county was the state's fourth-most-populous and fastest-growing county in the previous decade, with a population of 724,854, its highest decennial count ever and an increase of 90,588 (+14.3%) from the 2010 census count of 634,266, which in turn reflected an increase of 25,291 (+4.2%) from the 2000 census population of 608,975. The United States Census Bureau's Population Estimates Program estimated a 2024 population of 736,185, an increase of 11,331 (+1.6%) from the 2020 decennial census.

Home to 15,691.5 inhabitants per square mile (6,058.5/km2) in 2020 and covering 46.19 square miles (119.6 km2) of land, Hudson County is New Jersey's geographically smallest and most densely populated county. Hudson County shares extensive mass transit connections with Manhattan, located across the Hudson River, as well as with most of Northern and Central New Jersey.