Re: [Phys-l] Historical trivium

[Marty Weiss <martweiss@comcast.net>]

On Nov 21, 2010, at 2:35 PM, brian whatcott wrote:

> On 11/20/2010 9:44 PM, Marty Weiss wrote:
> > Jersey, Shmersey...   The rest of the world doesn't have 8 million people in 8000 sq. mi. with probably 10 million cars!
>
> Oh really?  This list says something rather different: I was  unable to 
> find a conurbation here with
> a population  LESS than10000/sq mile:    (it lists those > 10000/sq mile!)
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_cities_by_population_density
>
> Ketchikan, Alaska comes close: 2300 people /sq mile

Check again... 8 of the top 12 places for density are in Jersey;  that's just cities.  All of them are in North jersey in the NYC metro area.    The State itself is the most highly densely populated state beating out, of all places, *Bob at PC*'s RI by a few hundred per sq. mi.   3rd is Mass. But most of the others are far behind.  (2005 census)
As for the density of cars, I couldn't find that specific figure, but base a number on this:  there are 3,141,000 households in NJ  (Cal. has over 12 mil and is a lot more than 4x bigger) so let's say 1.5 cars per household.  That's 4.7 million cars in a state with 8000 sq. mi. or 589 cars per sq mi.  That doesn't count the commercial vehicles and 18 wheelers.  

Yet, for those of you who have never been here you have to check out north-western Sussex County and far south at Cape May, where you can still find endless forests and hills with tiny towns that still have town squares and family run businesses.  Or the Pinelands, the largest protected wild area in the East (outside of the Adirondacks): you can float the backwoods rivers all day and not see another living soul.   

Marty