Newark is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey and the seat of Essex County and part of the New York metropolitan area. As one of the nation's major air, shipping, and rail hubs, the city had a population of 311,549 in 2020, making it the nation's 62nd-most populous municipality, after being ranked 73rd in the nation in 2010.Settled in 1666 by Puritans from New Haven Colony, Newark is one of the oldest cities in the United States.