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Population
Cumberland County’s population declined 0.7 percent from 2010 to 2015, dropping from 156,898 to 155,854.
Race and Ethnicity
• White: 65.8%
• Black: 23.0%
• Asian: 1.8%
• Hispanic: 28.6%
• Two or more races: 2.8%
• Other: 11.5%
Registered Voters and Turnout
Close to a third (31 percent) of Cumberland County’s registered voters are Democrats, 18 percent are Republicans and 51 percent are Unaffiliated. In both 2012 and 2016, 60% of registered voters casted ballots, which is lower than the voter turnout in the region (67 and 68 percent), and New Jersey (67 and 69 percent)
Highest Level of Educational Attainment (people 25 years or older)
• Non High School Graduated: 21.4%
• High School Graduate: 43.8%
• Some College, No Degree: 14.7%
• Associate’s Degree: 6.6%
• Bachelor’s Degree: 10.1%
• Graduated or Professional Degree: 3.4%
Projected Employment Change by Sector, 2014-2024 (percent change)
Highest Increases:
• Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation: 22.9%
• Construction: 20.7%
• Transportation and Warehousing: 20.3%
• Management of Companies and Enterprises: 18.7%
• Administration and Waste Services: 16.8%
Largest Decreases:
• Information: -20.1%
• Government: -11.5%
• Manufacturing: -6.6%
• Education Services: -5.1%
Unemployment Rate
Cumberland County’s unemployment rate has seen a steady decline between 2014 and 2016, dropping from 9.9 percent to 6.2 percent. Comparably, the downward trend in unemployment rates matches that of the region (8.0 to 4.9 percent), New Jersey (6.7 to 4.1 percent), and the nation (6.2 to 4.9 percent). Cumberland County’s unemployment rate was notably higher than the region and New Jersey’s from 2014 to 2016.
Poverty Rate
The poverty rate in Cumberland County has dropped from 20.6 percent in 2013 to 16.9 percent in 2015. Despite the improvement, it has remained in the double digits over the aforementioned time period, and has far outpaced the region and state’s poverty rates. The region (12.1 to 11.0 percent), and the state (11.4 to 10.8 percent) both had decreases in their poverty rate from 2013 to 2015.
Median Household Income (in current dollars)
The median household income in Cumberland County has increased between 2013 and 2015. The median household income in 2013 was $45,978 and slightly decreased to $45,339 in 2014 before a substantial increase to $51,315 in 2015. Cumberland County’s median household income was lower than New Jersey and the region from 2013 to 2015. New Jersey’s median household income from 2013 to 2015 was $70,165, $71.919, and $72,222. The average median household income in South Jersey counties from 2013 to 2015 was $60,949, $62,689 in 2014, and $64,059.
Crime
Nonviolent crime rates in Cumberland County increased from 39.1 to 44.2 from 2010 to 2014. There was also an increase in the total crime rate from 38.8 to 44.2. The 5.1 violent crime rate was the same in both 2010 and 2014. Cumberland County’s crime rates far outpaced the New Jersey’s in 2014. New Jersey’s crime rates in 2014 were: nonviolent, 17.0; violent, 3.0; and total crime rate of 20.0.
Land Use
Cumberland County (25.2 percent) had a much higher percentage of non-residential parcel value as a percent of the total land value than the average New Jersey county (4.2 percent). Commercial represented a higher percentage of total parcel value in Cumberland County (17.3 percent) than the average New Jersey county (13.5 percent).
Housing Affordability (paying 30% or more of income on housing cost)
In 2015, Cumberland County had a greater proportion of residents, both home-owners (45.4 percent) and renters (60.8 percent), living in housing that was unaffordable than the region (40.1 and 55.8 percentage) and New Jersey (43.6 and 53.9 percentage).
Foreclosure Rates
As of April 2016, the foreclosure rate in Cumberland County was 3.3 percent, higher than both the region (2.7 percent) and the state (2.5 percent).
Median Housing Value
The median housing value in Cumberland County was $158,800 in 2013, and increased to $166,000 the next year before decreasing to $157,300 in 2015. In 2013 the average median housing value in South Jersey counties was $221,313 and dropped to $220,463 the next year before increasing to $225,725 in 2015. The median housing value in New Jersey increased every year between 2013 and 2015 ($307,700, $313,200, and $322,600) and is much higher than both Cumberland County and the region.
Property Tax
The average property tax paid in Cumberland County was $3,705.98 in 2013, and increased to $3,796.86 in 2014 and $3,920.99 in 2015. The average property tax paid in the South Jersey region increased every year between 2013 and 2015 ($5,373.66, $5,534.44, and $5,662.40). The amount paid on average in New Jersey in 2013 was $7,408.36, and increased to $7,592.25 in 2014 and $8,353.45 in 2015.
Housing Occupancy
Cumberland County has a 90 percent occupancy rate with 66 percent of its units owner-occupied and 34 percent renter-occupied.
Kids Count Rankings
From 2015 to 2016, Cumberland County dropped from 19th among New Jersey counties to 21st in child poverty rate and dropped from 18th to 19th in juvenile arrest rate. In terms of infant mortality rate, the county jumped 8 spots from 21st in 2015 to 13th in 2016 but ranked 21st in 2015 and 2016 in percentage of births to girls 10-19 rates. Cumberland County’s overall Kids Count ranking was 20th in 2013 and 21st from 2014 to 2016.
County Health Rankings
Health Outcomes Rankings
In the category of Health Outcomes (based on variables used to determine length and quality of life), Cumberland County was ranked 21st from 2014 to 2016.
Health Factors Rankings
In the category of Health Factors (based on variables used to determine health behaviors, clinical care, social and economic factors, and physical environment), Cumberland County was ranked 21st from 2014 to 2016.
Social and Economic Factors Rankings
In the category of Social and Economic Factors (based on high school graduation, some college, unemployment, children in poverty, income inequality, children in single-parent households, social association, violent crime, and injury deaths), Cumberland County was ranked 21st from 2014 to 2016.