Lakewood is officially one of the youngest communities in the United States, with new census data underscoring a dramatic demographic shift driven by high birth rates and sustained population growth.
The township’s median age stood at just 18.1 in 2024, making it the youngest municipality in New Jersey and the second youngest in the country.
The numbers reflect a striking reality: half of Lakewood’s roughly 142,000 residents are under the age of 18. Even more notably, 16.5 percent of Lakewood’s population is under 5 years old, according to the latest U.S. Census estimates.
That youth-driven growth is being fueled by one of the highest birth rates in the state. In 2023, Lakewood recorded 36.1 births per 1,000 residents — more than three times the rate in New Jersey and the nation. Between 2020 and 2023 alone, nearly 20,500 babies were born in the township, according to the New Jersey Department of Health.
Nationally, only Palm Tree, NY — a predominantly Chasidic enclave — reported a younger median age, at 15.7.