Census Data for Somers Point
Population ...
The most recent Census Estimate<1> was for 2019 and it gave Somers Point a population of 10,173 people.
The last Decennial Census<2> was in 2010, which gave Somers Point a population of 10,795 people.
The city of Somers Point is located in Atlantic County. The 2010 Census gave Atlantic County; a population of 274,549 people. This means that Somers Point had 3.93% of the county's total population, making it Atlantic's 4th most populous community.
At the same time, New Jersey had a population of 8,791,894 people, meaning that Somers Point had 0.12% of the total population of New Jersey - making it the state's 44th most populous community.
Area ...
The 2010 Census shows that the sampling area for Somers Point has a total area of 5.16 square miles [13.4 km²]. Of this total, 4.03 square miles [10.4 km²] is land, with the balance (21.88%) being water (1.13 square miles [2.9 km²]).
Atlantic County has a land area of 555 square miles [1,439.3 km²]. At 4.03 square miles [10.4 km²], Somers Point has 0.73% of the county's total land area.
- Continue Reading ...
- When the Census Bureau conducts a census for a city like Somers Point, they draw a boundary around the area in which they are going to conduct their count - this defines the sampling area (usually a polygon). The shape of the sampling area can be quite complex and it's important to keep in mind that the boundaries of the sampling area may or may not match the recognized boundaries of the city.
- Things like population, area and housing for Somers Point reflect the sampling area. Since the shape of the sampling area and the actual boundaries of Somers Point might be different, it's best to check with the U.S. Census Bureau to resolve any difference between the two.
- Not only does the sampling area define boundaries, it also has a GPS location (latitude & longitude) that indicates a point within the sampling area (usually the center of the polygon, known as the centroid). At the time of the 2010 Census, the sampling area was located at:
- Lat: 39° 18' 57" (or 39.32°)
- Lon: -74° 36' 24" (or -74.61°)
- More information on this topic and the changes between the 2000 Census and the 2010 Census can be found in the section for our Census-to-Census Observations ... (see below).
Housing Units ...
At the time of the 2010 Census, Somers Point had 5,556 Housing Units<3> and with its population of 10,795 people, this averages 1.94 people per Housing Unit.
- Continue Reading ...
- The 2010 Census shows Somers Point had a land area of 4.03 square miles [10.4 km²]. This translates to 1,076 Housing Units per square mile [415.8 housing units/km²].
- From the Census of 2000: Somers Point had 5,402 Housing Units, a population of 11,614 people and a land area of 4.03 square miles [10.4 km²]. This gives a density of 2.15 people per Housing Unit and 1,045 Housing Units per square mile [403.8 housing units/km²].
- Note: Repeating the caution above (under Population Density), be aware that when comparing Housing Units between the 2010 Census and the 2000 Census, there were changes in the sampling area for Somers Point and you need to be careful when comparing numbers between the censuses. More information about the changes can be found in the section called Census-to-Census Observations ... (see below).
Atlantic County ...
Somers Point<4> is located in Atlantic County<5>.
The county had a population of 274,549 people at the 2010 Census. With it's population of 10,795 people, Somers Point represented 3.93% of the county's total.
In addition, where the city of Somers Point has a population density of 2,092 people per square mile [807 people/km²], Atlantic County averages 494.1 people per square mile [190.8 people/km²].
For more information, please visit our Census Page for Atlantic County.
Census-to-Census Observations ...
Introduction ...
When the Census Bureau takes a census count (or enumeration) for Somers Point, they start by specifying the boundaries of the area to be counted. This area (or sampling area) is a polygon and its shape can be quite complex - it may or may not match the geographical boundaries of Somers Point. It's important to note that from one Census to the next, the shape and location of the polygon can change.
- Continue Reading ...
- Although we don't have specific information about the shape of the polygon for Somers Point or how it changed has over time, there is some information that can give us some hints. For example, since the shape of the sampling area is directly related to the shape of the polygon, any change to area probably indicates a new shape for the polygon.
- If you need precision or details about the methodology of the Census, you should visit the U.S. Census Bureau for a definitive answer.
Location ...
While generally coinciding with the GPS location (latitude/longitude) of Somers Point, the latitude and longitude given by the Census Bureau actually indicates the GPS location of the polygon for Somers Point.
- Continue Reading ...
- For the 2010 Census, the location was given as:
- Lat: 39.316080° (or 39°18'57" N)
- Lon: -74.606770° (or -74°36'24" W)
- For the 2000 Census, the location given was:
- Lat: 39.319165° (or 39°19'8" N)
- Lon: -74.600300° (or -74°36'1" W)
- The difference indicates that the U.S. Census Bureau moved the location of the polygon for the 2010 Census 2,143 feet to the southwest<6> of the location that was used in the 2000 Census.
- The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN) have assigned a unique GNIS identifier (#885397) to Somers Point. This identifier also marks a GPS point on the map, and that point lies within the boundaries of Somers Point. The GNIS point has been mapped to the latitude/longitude:
- Lat: 39.317338° (or 39°19'2" N)
- Lon: -74.606546° (or -74°36'23" W)
- The GPS location given for the 2010 Census lies 463 feet to the south<7> of the point given by the GNIS for Somers Point. For more information about this and the relationship of the various Federal Codes, please visit our Misc Page for Somers Point.
Miscellaneous Information for Somers Point ...
The Federal government has assigned various identifying codes to each community, county and state. At one time or another, the US Census Bureau has used one (or more) of the following identifiers when referring to either Atlantic County or the city of Somers Point:
- The GNIS Codes ...
- The FIPS Codes ...
- An earlier (and largely obsolete) identification method was called the Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS):
- State Code: 34 (New Jersey)
- County Code: 001 (Atlantic County)
- Place Code: 68430 (Somers Point)
- State & County Code: 34/001 (New Jersey / Atlantic County)
- State & Place Code: 34/68430 (New Jersey / Somers Point)
- Misc. Census Codes ...
- Somers Point is located in Census Region #1 (the Northeast Region) and Division #2 (the Middle Atlantic Division).
For more information about the various Federal identification codes, please visit our Misc Page for Somers Point.
Off-the-Road Links ...
Unfortunately, we don't know of a website for Somers Point. If you can help, please contact us through our Feedback Page.
The official website for Atlantic County: www.aclink.org/
The official website for State of New Jersey: https://www.state.nj.us/
The official website of the U.S. Census Bureau
The official website of the U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN)
The official website of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
Footnotes ...
| <1> | Every year, the US Census Bureau creates a population estimate for the preceeding year. Keep in mind that this value is an estimate and not an actual count. The most recent Census estimate is for the year 2019. |
| <2> | Every 10 years (eg- 1990, 2000, 2010), the US Census Bureau conducts a Constitutionally-mandated count (or enumeration) of people living within the United States. This count is called a Decennial Census. The last Decennial Census was the 2010 Census, with the next one planned for 2020. |
| <3> | A Housing Unit is a broad term for those places where people live (whether occupied or temporarily vacant), such as a house, an apartment, a mobile home, or an area that is considered as a separate living quarter. Separate living quarters (consisting of one or more rooms) are considered to be those places where people live, sleep and eat separately from others and that have access to the outside (either directly or by a shared hallway). |
| <4> | It's a common practice for mapmakers to remove the apostrophe from possessive names. So Somers Point may originally have been Somer's Point. Sometimes the trailing 's' might be dropped altogether, in which case Somers Point might be written as Somer Point. For more information, please visit our Genealogy Helper Page for Somers Point. |
| <5> | If you're interested in how the shape of New Jersey's counties, including Atlantic, have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. |
| <6> | The calculated bearing (or angle) to the 2010 Census location is 121 degrees and a distance of 2,143 feet. |
| <7> | The calculated bearing (or angle) to the GNIS point is 172 degrees and a distance of 463 feet. |