Since the last Census, the Hispanic population of New Jersey has grown by 39.2 percent, making the 1.6 million Hispanics the second largest population group in the state, after Caucasians. One in five New Jerseyans is now Hispanic.
Union City and West New York, which combined house over 6 percent of the state’s Hispanics, have long offered programs for their bilingual constituents, and may serve as a model for the state in expanding services to meet the needs of that population.
The large Hispanic population in these two towns may have local implications, as well. As legislative districts are redrawn in the next few months, state Sen. and Union City Brian Stack may receive favorable redistricting, in part due to his popularity with Hispanic voters.
The Census numbers are important to local mayors, as they help determine how much government aid the towns receive.
The Hispanic influence
Hispanics account for 42 percent of the Hudson County’s overall population of 634,266 residents, and almost 36 percent of the county’s Hispanics reside in Union City and West New York.
Union City has the highest percentage of people of Hispanic decent – 84.7 percent
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Union City and West New York are among the top 10 New Jersey cities with the largest share of New Jersey’s Hispanic population, at 3.6 percent and 2.5 percent respectively. The only other city in Hudson County in this list is Jersey City, the second most populated city in the state, which contains 4.4 percent of the state’s Hispanic population.
Other ethnic groups
The percentage of African-Americans went up, albeit very minutely. African-Americans now comprise 5 percent of the population in Union City and 4 percent in West New York, up from both towns’ 3.6 percent in 2000.
The number of Asians essentially stayed the same in Union City at 2 percent, but doubled in percentage points in West New York, from 2.9 percent to 6 percent.
Native Americans in the towns register at less than 1 percent of Union City and West New York’s populations. Both towns, however, have seen their Native American populations approximately double in the last 10 years. Also, the towns combined have 38 percent of the county’s Native Americans, with Jersey City housing 31 percent and the other municipalities posting considerably smaller numbers.
Compared with other county towns, Union City and West New York combined have the second highest number of mixed-race residents in the county at 23 percent, trailing Jersey City at 13 percent.
Losing residents
Growth, it seemed, was the trend for Hudson County, with population increases in most municipalities and a countywide increase of 21,675 new residents over the past 10 years, bringing the county’s total to 634,266.
Census results for Hudson County only registered losses in population in three towns – Weehawken (7 percent), Harrison (6 percent), and Union City (1 percent).
In 2000, Union City was the second most populated town in the county after Jersey City, with a population of 67,088. In the last 10 years, the city has lost 1 percent of its population – or 633 people – bringing its population to 66,455.
Union City is densely populated and thus has little room for new development, as some of the other towns do.
West New York was one of only two cities to see a shift in rank in the last 10 years, from No. 5 to No. 6 in terms of population.
The shift is not attributed to population loss, as the town actually saw a 9 percent rise – almost 4,000 additional residents –from 45,768 in 2000 to 49,708 in 2010. Instead, it was hedged out due to Hoboken’s staggering growth of 30 percent – about 11,500 additional residents – bringing its population to 50,005.
Housing unit vacancy rates
Hudson County has 270,335 units of housing. Almost 9 percent of those units are vacant, with a similar rate afflicting both Union City and West New York, according to the Census.
Of Union City’s 24,931 available housing units, 2,117 – or 8 percent – are vacant. Ten years ago, the city had 1,190 fewer units and half the vacancy rate.
Of West New York’s 20,018 available housing units, 1, 166 – or 6 percent – are vacant. Ten years ago, the town had 2,658 less units and almost half the vacancy rate.
The Census and redistricting
One impact that the Census data will have is that the 33rd District, represented by Stack, will be redrawn. Redistricting is a once-every-decade process in which the state legislature uses Census figures to determine districts for electoral offices, including the U.S. Congress, state Assembly, and state Senate.
State Senator Brian Stack presides over the 33rd District, which currently includes Union City, West New York, Weehawken, Guttenberg, Hoboken, and portions of Jersey City. To determine the new districts, members of a 10-member commission will each submit a map for the proposed changes this coming week, and deliberation will occur over the next two months.
There are several ways that Stack’s district may be redrawn. It may also change the lines of the district represented by one of Stack’s political rivals, neighboring state Sen. and North Bergen Mayor Nicholas Sacco. Political observers have been speculating about which senator will get more influence and who will get a more favorable redistricting.
Deanna Cullen can be reached at dcullen@hudsonreporter.com.