Sussex County, New Jersey | |||
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Looking east from the ridge of Kittatinny Mountain in Walpack Township
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Location in the U.S. state of New Jersey |
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New Jersey's location in the U.S. |
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Founded | June 8, 1753 | ||
Named for | Sussex, England | ||
Seat | Newton | ||
Largest city | Vernon Township (population and area) | ||
Area | |||
• Total | 535.74 sq mi (1,388 km2) | ||
• Land | 519.01 sq mi (1,344 km2) | ||
• Water | 16.73 sq mi (43 km2), 3.12% | ||
Population | |||
• (2010) | 149,265 142,522 (2016 est.; 17th in state) |
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• Density | 276.8/sq mi (106.9/km²) | ||
Congressional districts | 5th, 11th | ||
Website | www |
Sussex County is the northernmost county in the State of New Jersey. Its county seat is Newton. It is part of the New York City Metropolitan Area. As of the 2016 Census estimate, the county's population was 142,522, making it the 17th-most populous of the state's 21 counties, a 4.5% decrease from the 149,265 enumerated in the 2010 United States Census, in turn an increase of 5,099 (3.5%) over the 144,166 persons enumerated in the 2000 Census, retaining its position as the 17th-most populous county among the state's 21 counties. Based on 2010 Census data, Vernon Township was the county's largest in both population and area, with a population of 23,943 and covering an area of 70.59 square miles (182.8 km2). As of 2010[update] The Bureau of Economic Analysis ranked the county as having the 131st-highest per capita income ($49,207) of the 3,113 counties in the United States (and the ninth-highest in New Jersey).
The county was established in 1753 and named after historic County Sussex, England.
Because of its topography, Sussex County has remained a relatively rural and forested area. The county is part of the Skylands Region, a term promoted by the New Jersey Commerce, Economic Growth, & Tourism Commission to encourage tourism. In the western half of the county, several state and federal parks have kept the large tracts of land undeveloped and in their natural states. The eastern half of the county has had more suburban development because of its proximity to more populated areas and commercial development zones.