Atlantic County, NJ

Settlement & growth (pre-1960)

Before European contact, the area now known as Atlantic County was home to the Lenape people, specifically the Unalachtigo band, who lived along the rivers and coastal bays, fishing and farming. Dutch and Swedish traders visited in the 1600s, but permanent European settlement began in earnest under English control after 1664, when the region became part of West Jersey. The first English settlers, largely Quakers and other dissenting Protestants, established small farming communities in what are now Egg Harbor City and Mays Landing (the county seat) in the early 1700s. These early colonists were primarily of English and Dutch stock, drawn by fertile soil and access to the Great Egg Harbor River for transport.

The 19th century brought transformative waves. The construction of the Camden and Atlantic Railroad in 1854 turned Atlantic City from a sleepy fishing village into a seaside resort, attracting tourists and workers alike. Irish immigrants arrived in large numbers during the 1840s and 1850s, many laboring on the railroad and in the new hotels. They settled in Atlantic City’s “Ducktown” neighborhood and in Brigantine, where they worked as fishermen and dockhands. Germans followed in the 1850s and 1860s, founding Egg Harbor City as a planned German agricultural colony; by 1870, the town was overwhelmingly German-speaking, with its own newspapers and breweries. Italian immigrants began arriving in the 1880s, drawn by work in the railroad yards, construction, and the burgeoning tourism industry. They concentrated in Atlantic City’s “Little Italy” (around the present-day Chelsea neighborhood) and in Hammonton, where they took up farming, especially in the blueberry and cranberry bogs that still define the area.

The early 20th century saw the Great Migration of Black Americans from the South, who came to Atlantic City for jobs in hotels, restaurants, and domestic service. By 1930, Atlantic City’s Black population had grown to over 10,000, concentrated in the Northside neighborhood and in Pleasantville, which became a hub for Black-owned businesses and churches. Eastern European Jews arrived in the 1910s and 1920s, many working as shopkeepers and hoteliers in Atlantic City and Ventnor City. The post-World War II era brought a wave of Puerto Rican migrants, who settled in Atlantic City and Absecon, working in the casinos and hospitality sector. Suburbanization accelerated in the 1950s and 1960s, with white families moving to Linwood and Northfield, creating bedroom communities for workers commuting to Atlantic City and Philadelphia.

Modern era (post-1965)

The 1965 Hart-Cellar Act reshaped Atlantic County’s demographics by opening immigration from Asia and Latin America. The most significant post-1965 wave has been Hispanic, primarily from Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and Mexico. By 2024, Hispanics made up 19.9% of the county’s population, with large concentrations in Atlantic City (where they are nearly 40% of residents) and Pleasantville. These communities are anchored by Catholic parishes, Spanish-language media, and a growing number of Hispanic-owned businesses, particularly in construction, landscaping, and food service. The Black population, at 13.2%, has become more suburban, with significant communities in Egg Harbor Township and Hamilton Township, reflecting a broader trend of Black middle-class flight from Atlantic City’s urban core.

East/Southeast Asian communities (4.5%) are a newer presence, with Filipinos and Vietnamese arriving in the 1980s and 1990s, many working in healthcare and casino hospitality. They have established small enclaves in Egg Harbor Township and Galloway Township, where Asian grocery stores and churches have appeared. The Indian-subcontinent population (3.2%) is even more recent, growing rapidly since 2000, driven by professionals in healthcare, IT, and casino management. They concentrate in Egg Harbor Township and Linwood, where newer subdivisions have attracted families seeking good schools and safe neighborhoods. Domestic migration has also reshaped the county: the decline of Atlantic City’s casino industry after 2014 triggered an outflow of workers, but the county has seen an influx of retirees from northern New Jersey and New York, drawn by lower property taxes and coastal living. Suburbanization continues, with Hammonton and Mullica Township absorbing growth as exurban commuter towns for Philadelphia and Atlantic City.