Bordering states
Delaware vs New Jersey
Short answer
- DE
- 1,051,917
- NJ
- 9,500,851
The two states, county by county
Both maps share one density scale, so the same shade means the same number of people per square mile on either side of the border. Darker counties are denser. Select a county to open its page.
Delaware
New Jersey
- < 314
- < 595
- < 1,184
- < 2,829
- ≥ 2,829
Residents, 2024
- 01Delaware1,051,917
- 02New Jersey9,500,851
Land, square miles
- 01Delaware1,949
- 02New Jersey7,355
People per square mile
- 01Delaware539.8
- 02New Jersey1,291.8
Median county household income
- 01Delaware$78,092
- 02New Jersey$96,965
Side by side
| Measure | Delaware | New Jersey |
|---|---|---|
| Residents, 2024 | 1,051,917 | 9,500,851 |
| Rank by population | 45th | 11th |
| Land, sq mi | 1,949 | 7,355 |
| People per sq mi | 539.8 | 1,291.8 |
| County-equivalents | 3 | 21 |
| Median county residents | 271,134 | 475,515 |
| Median county income | $78,092 | $96,965 |
| Most populous county | New Castle County | Bergen County |
| Largest county by land | Sussex County | Burlington County |
| Capital | Dover | Trenton |
| Daylight at capital, June 21 | 14 h 56 min | 15 h 02 min |
| Census division | South Atlantic | Middle Atlantic |
Population and density
New Jersey has 9,500,851 residents, 9.0 times Delaware's 1,051,917. Delaware ranks 45th and New Jersey 11th of the 50 states and DC. New Jersey is the more crowded, with 1,291.8 people per square mile against 539.8, 2.4 times.
Land area
New Jersey has 7,355 square miles of land, 3.8 times Delaware's 1,949. The largest county-equivalent in Delaware is Sussex County at 936 square miles; in New Jersey it is Burlington County at 799.
Counties
New Jersey is divided into 21 county-equivalents and Delaware into 3, so an average New Jersey county covers 350 square miles against 650. The typical county in Delaware has 271,134 residents, against 475,515 in New Jersey. The most populous are New Castle County (588,093) and Bergen County (978,641).
1 county name appears on both sides of the border: Sussex. Use the FIPS code, not the name, when joining data across the two states.
Household income
The median county in New Jersey has a household income of $96,965, 24% above Delaware's $78,092. The highest county incomes are New Castle County ($86,798) in Delaware and Somerset County ($140,242) in New Jersey, from SAIPE 2023.
Capitals and daylight
Dover and Trenton are 84 miles apart in a straight line; from Dover the initial bearing is 29°, NNE. On June 21, 2026, Dover gets 14 h 56 min of daylight and Trenton 15 h 02 min; on December 21 the figures are 9 h 25 min and 9 h 18 min. Month by month tables are on the Dover and Trenton daylight pages.
Where they sit
The border between them is also a Census region boundary: Delaware is in the South and New Jersey in the Northeast. By county internal points, Delaware spans 1 UTM zone and New Jersey 1.
Questions people ask
Which is bigger, Delaware or New Jersey?
New Jersey, with 7,355 square miles of land against 1,949, 3.77 times as large.
Which has more people, Delaware or New Jersey?
New Jersey has 9,500,851 residents, 9.0 times Delaware's 1,051,917.
How far is Dover from Trenton?
84 miles in a straight line, heading NNE (29°) from Dover.
Do Delaware and New Jersey have counties with the same name?
Yes, 1: Sussex.
Sources and data as of
Data as of: Census Vintage 2024 population estimates, 2024 Gazetteer land area and internal points, SAIPE 2023 median household income.
- 01Census Vintage 2024 county population estimates
- 02Census 2024 Gazetteer, counties
- 03Census SAIPE 2023 state and county estimates
- 04Census Bureau regions and divisions of the United States (last verified 2026-09-30)
How every number is computed: methodology. Spotted a wrong figure? Report an error.