1. Introduction to Newark
Professor Barr
Honor Seminar: Topics in Urban Economics

2. Newark’s Neighborhoods Map

3. Newark’s Wards Map

4. Political Structure 5 wards: North, South, East, West and Central.
9 council members are elected on a nonpartisan basis for terms of 4 years:
one council member from each of 5 wards
and 4 council members on an at-large basis.
The mayor is also elected for a term of 4 years.
Next Mayoral election 2006.

5. Time Line:
1666: Newark is founded 1666 by Connecticut Puritans led by Robert Treat.
1815: Seth Boyden moves to Newark.
1831: Construction of Morris Canal.
1836: Incorporated as City.
Mid-late 18th c: Newark becomes industrial powerhouse and home to many European Immigrants.

6. Time Line: 20th Century
1902: John Cotton Dana becomes head of Newark Public Library.
1910 – 1950s: Large Black migration from South.
1928: Newark Airport begins operation.
1930s: Population peaks at more than 440,000.
1960s: Newark becomes ‘majority minority’ city.
1967: Riots.
1970: Ken Gibson elected Newark’s first black Mayor.
1986: Sharpe James first elected Mayor.
1997: NJPAC.
1990s: Newark’s economic and business climate begins to rebound (The ‘Newark Renaissance’).
2000: Population bottoms out at about 273,000.

7. Newark’s Population Growth

8. Newark’s Growth vs. Other Cities in Area

9. Job Growth

10. Job Growth (Loss),
Source: 1997 Development…

11. More job growth

12. Population Ranking: Selected Cities Note: 239 Cities with >=100,000 people
City
State
2000 Pop.
Rank
New York NY
8,008,278 1
Los Angeles CA
3,694,820 2
Chicago IL
2,896,016 3
Houston TX
1,953,631 4
Philadelphia PA
1,517,550 5
Detroit MI
951,270 10
Boston MA
589,141 20
Newark NJ
273,546 63
Jersey City
240,055 72
Paterson
149,222
138
Elizabeth
120,568
182
Source: U.S. Census Bureau

13. Density Rankings: Selected Cities
City
Persons per Sq. Mile
Rank
New York, NY
26,404 1
Paterson, NJ
17,765 2
San Francisco, CA
16,632 3
Jersey City, NJ
16,111 4
Cambridge, MA
15,837 5
Boston, MA
12,172 10
Newark, NJ
11,494 13
Elizabeth, NJ
9,883 18

14. Percent Black or African American
City
% Black
Rank
Gary, IN
84.0 1
Detroit, MI
81.6 2
Birmingham, AL
73.5 3
Jackson y, MS
70.6 4
New Orleans, LA
67.3 5
Newark, NJ
53.5 12
Paterson, NJ
32.9 47
New York, NY
26.6 64
Jersey City, NJ
28.3 58
Elizabeth, NJ
20.0 85

15. Rank of City % Renters, 2000 City % Renters Rank Newark, NJ 76.2 1
Hartford, CT
75.4 2
Jersey City, NJ
71.8 3
New Haven, CT
70.4 4
Elizabeth, NJ
70.3 5
New York, NY
69.8 6
Paterson, NJ
68.5 7

16. 2000 Unemployment City % Unemployed Rank Fresno, CA 12.9 1 Salinas, CA
12.6 2
Stockton, CA
10.4 3
Brownsville, TX
10.1 4
McAllen city, TX
9.7 5
Newark city, NJ
8.1 11
Jersey City, NJ
7.1 21
Elizabeth city, NJ
6.5 31
New York city, NY
5.7 44

17. Retail Sales per Capita, 1997
City
1997 Sales
Rank
Bellevue, WA
26,682 1
Clearwater, FL
25,606 2
Knoxville, TN
23,349 3
Costa Mesa, CA
23,014 4
Torrance, CA
22,224 5
Jersey City, NJ
6,662
195
New York, NY
5,677
213
Newark, NJ
3,419
236
Paterson, NJ
2,752
239

18. Comparison of Newark and New Jersey

19. Newark vs. New Jersey (2000 unless noted)
Variable
Newark
N.J.
Population
273,546
8,414,350
% White
26.5%
72.6%
% Black or African American
53.5%
13.6%
% Hispanic
29.5%
13.3%
% Asian
1.2%
5.7%
% Pop. Change from 1990 to 2000
-0.6%
8.6%
% Living in same house from 1995 to 2000', age 5+
54.4%
59.8%
% Foreign born
24.1%
17.5%
% Speak Lang. other than Eng. at home, age 5+
42.6%
25.5%
Source:

20. Newark vs. N.J. cont. (2000 unless noted)
Variable
Newark
N.J.
% High school graduates, age 25+
57.9%
82.1%
% Bachelor's degree or higher, age 25+
9.0%
29.8%
Homeownership rate
23.8%
65.6%
Median value of owner-occupied housing units
$119,000
$170,800
Median household income, 1999
$26,913
$55,146
Per capita income, 1999
$13,009
$27,006
% Below poverty, 1999
28.40%
8.50%
Source:

21. Newark vs. New Jersey (2000 unless noted)
Retail sales per capita, 1997
$3,419
$9,922
Total number of firms, 1997
10,514
654,227
Firms Per 1,000 Persons
38.4
77.8
% Minority-owned firms, 1997
37.8%
15.6%
% Women-owned firms, 1997
19.6%
23.7%
Persons per square mile (density)
11,495
1,134
Source:

22. Newark Census Tract Maps

23. Population

24. % Black

25. % White

26. % Hispanic

27. Median Household Income

28. % Unemployed

29. % Vacant Units

30. % of Residents 25+ with Bachelor’s Degree

31. % of HHs w/ Female Head in Pov.

32. Crime Rate: # Crimes per 100,000 residents

33. Newark’s Crime vs. U.S

34. Housing Permits