New Jersey is a state situated in both the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. Found at the geographical hub of the heavily urbanized Northeast megalopolis, it is surrounded to the northwest, north, and northeast by New York State; on its eastern, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Sea; on its west by the Delaware River and Pennsylvania; and on its southwest by Delaware Bay and Delaware. At 7,354 square miles (19,050 km2), New Jersey is the fifth-smallest state in acreage. According to a 2024 U. S. Demographics Bureau price quote, it is the 11th-most populous state, with over 9. 5 million homeowners, its highest approximated count ever. The state resources is Trenton, and the state's most populated city is Newark. New Jersey is the only U. S. state in which every region is regarded metropolitan by the U. S. Census Bureau. It is one of the most densely populated U. S. state. New Jacket was first inhabited by Paleo-Indians as early as 13,000 BC. The Lenape were the leading Indigenous team when Europeans got here in the early 17th century, and they were partitioned into dialectal groups such as the Munsee, in the north, and the Unami and the Unalachtigo, elsewhere. Dutch and Swedish colonists started the initial European negotiations in the state, with the British later taking control of the region and developing the District of New Jacket, named after the Network Island of Jersey. The nest's fertile lands and loved one spiritual resistance drew a huge and diverse population. New Jersey was amongst the Thirteen Nests that sustained the American Change, holding a number of essential fights and army commands in the American Revolutionary War making the title, "Crossroads of the American Change." New Jersey remained in the Union during the American Civil War and offered troops, sources, and armed forces leaders in support of the Union Army. After the battle, the state emerged as a significant manufacturing facility and a leading location for immigrants, aiding drive the Industrial Change in the U. S. New Jacket was the site of many commercial, technical, and business advancements. Numerous popular Americans associated with New Jacket have proven significant across the country and globally, consisting of in academic community, advocacy, company, entertainment, federal government, armed forces, non-profit management, and other areas. New Jersey's main area in the Northeast megalopolis aided fuel its quick development and suburbanization in the 2nd fifty percent of the 20th century. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the state's economy has actually ended up being very expanded, with significant markets, consisting of New Jersey's function as the globe's biggest pharmaceutical market hub—-- as well as biotechnology, infotech, money, electronic media, filmmaking, and tourist, and it has actually come to be an Atlantic seaboard center for logistics and distribution. New Jacket is a major destination for immigrants and is home to one of the world's most multicultural populations. Resembling historic fads, the state has increasingly re-urbanized, with growth in cities exceeding residential areas given that 2008. New Jacket is one of the most wealthy, educated, diverse, healthy and balanced, and very established states in the U. S., ranking high among states in numerous lifestyle metrics. New Jacket had an average house income of $99,781 as of 2023, the second-highest of any kind of U. S. state behind Massachusetts.Nearly one-tenth of all houses in the state, or over 323,000, are millionaires, the greatest representation of millionaires amongst all states. New Jacket's public school system constantly rates at or among the top of all U. S. states. As of 2024, a quarter of the state population is foreign birthed, the second most after California. In 2025, New Jacket was rated as having the healthiest state population in general. The state places near the top on both the American Person Advancement Index and the basic Person Development Index. Consequently, New Jacket is generally rated as one of the very best U. S. states, as well as one of one of the most pricey states for residents to stay in. According to meteorology research study by the U. S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, New Jersey has actually been the fastest-warming state by typical air temperature over a 100-year period beginning in the early 20th century, which has been attributed to warming of the North Atlantic Sea.