These 15 NJ towns have lost the most residents since 2020, Census data shows

New Jersey's overall population rose slightly from 2020 to 2023, according to recently released U.S. Census data, and Ocean County led the way. But some towns saw steady declines during the period .

Eight towns saw more than a 5% decrease between July 2020 and July 2023, the latest estimate to be released by the U.S. Census Bureau.

Maurice River in Cumberland County had the biggest decrease, losing 17.4% of the 6,196 residents it had in 2020. And the declining pattern is not new for this South Jersey township, which has lost over a third of its population since 2010, according to the Census.

After Maurice River, Highlands Borough in Monmouth County and Ewing Township in Mercer County are next on the list, with population decreases of 6.7% and 6.2%, respectively.

Hudson County saw the most residents leaving, with a population decrease of 2.3%. Eight out of the top 15 dwindling towns, including Union City, North Bergen, Kearny and Hoboken, are part of Hudson County. It's not clear if the pandemic had a role in the decline of towns or cities.

Ocean County saw the largest increase, growing 3.2% between 2020 and 2023. Overall, the Garden State's population increased 0.2% from 2020 and 2023.

NJ towns that have lost the most residents since 2020

NJ towns that have lost the most residents since 2010

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: These 15 NJ towns have lost the most residents since 2020, Census data shows