By Stephen Stirling | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

New Jersey is in the midst of a dramatic population shift, the inverse of the outward sprawl that has dominated the state for the last several decades.

The large population swings mean parts of the state are seeing dramatic growth not seen in more than 20 years. Today, we take a look at what towns are seeing the starkest positive gains.

While there are some familiar cameos from towns on our list last year, the new data show significant population movement in other parts of the state, some that have upended municipal demographics entirely.

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A regional shift toward New York City

With each passing year since the Great Recession, the population trend in New Jersey becomes more clear. During the last decade, counties like Sussex and Warren — once the fastest growing in New Jersey — are now shrinking. Conversely, the suburbs surrounding New York City are booming.

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N.J.'s inner suburbs get crowded

A closer look shows that growth along the I-95 corridor has been particularly significant. Here is where the young immigrant communities driving New Jersey's growth have settled in recent years, supplanting baby-boomers that are leaving the state in droves.

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How we did it

For our top 20, we looked at population growth in two ways — raw change and percent change.

Each tells a different story. Growth in competing New Jersey cities can better be measured in raw totals while population booms in smaller communities is best measured using percent change.

Towns with a margin of error of more than 15% were excluded from analysis.

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10. Franklin (Somerset)

Like neighboring New Brunswick, Franklin has been posting gains for many years, aided by settling university residents and a burgeoning immigrant community.

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9. New Brunswick

New Brunswick's growth is powered by two groups — settling college students from Rutgers University and a substantial Hispanic community.

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8. Union City

Union City was already New Jersey's most densely populated municipality, and they keep packing them in.

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Stephen Stirling | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

7. Monroe (Middlesex)

Many years ago Monroe positioned itself as a retirement enclave. As the Baby Boomers age into retirement, the Middlesex County town is growing faster than most.

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6. North Bergen

Buoyed by a largely Hispanic immigrant population, North Bergen is one of several Hudson County towns to make our list.

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5. Bayonne

While Jersey City and Hoboken have gotten the lion's share of headlines, Bayonne has quietly been growing at a rapid pace.

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4. Clifton

Clifton, one of northern New Jersey's largest communities, lands 4th on our list. The median commute time of 27 minutes for its residents is about 8 minutes less than the New York City metro region.

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3. Hoboken

Despite being one of the most crowded and expensive communities in New Jersey, Hoboken continues to thrive. Ferry and PATH service to Manhattan continue to make it an attractive home for city commuters.

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Stephen Stirling | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

2. Jersey City

Jersey City is continuing its trend of aggressive growth. Its fast commute to New York City and bustling, unique downtown community has made it one of the most popular locations in the Garden State for years.

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1. Lakewood

Lakewood stands head and shoulders above all others on our list of raw population growth. It is home to the largest yeshiva in North America and has become home to one of the largest Orthodox Jewish communities on the east coast.

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10. Buena

Buena's growth can be primarily linked to the community's growing Hispanic population, which now accounts for nearly one third of the town's residents.

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Stephen Stirling | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

9. Little Falls

Little Falls has most frequently been in the news as one of New Jersey's most flood-prone communities. But it also boasts one of the shorter median commutes in the state at 26 minutes.

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8. Edgewater

Like other Hudson River communities, Edgewater's proximity to Manhattan has made it an attractive location for city commuters.

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7. Mannington

Mannington remains a relatively sleepy community for its geographic size, but that may change before long. It's median 22 minute commute time is nearly 10 minutes shorter than the rest of the state.

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Stephen Stirling | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

6. Hoboken

Hoboken seems determined to pack as many people into its minuscule borders as possible. It has added more than 10,000 residents since the recession, good for a 31 percent growth rate.

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5. Woolwich

Woolwich has become popular with younger people seeking the suburban life in South Jersey. It's median age of 36 is about 3 years younger than the state's.

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4. Lakewood

It's fairly remarkable to see one of New Jersey's largest communities on the percent change list, but Lakewood really is growing that fast. Before long, what was once a sleepy retirement community could find itself as one of the state's five largest towns.

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3. East Greenwich

Gloucester County has been a mixed bag in terms of growth. While towns like Washington are in rapid decline, communities closer to Philadelphia, like East Greenwich, have seen significant growth in recent years.

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2. Riverdale

While Morristown is often cited as the jewel of Morris County's real estate market, the small community of Riverdale has quietly seen dramatic growth since the recession.

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1. Lebanon

Lebanon has bucked the trend in Hunterdon County, where most towns are seeing stagnant growth or population declines. It may still be small, but 45 percent growth can dramatically alter the look of a community like this.

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More about New Jersey:

New Census data paints ugly picture of NJ recovery

The 44 NJ towns where English is not the dominant language

15 towns where taxes would be highest on the average NJ home

The 10 least-diverse towns in New Jersey