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Atlantic City, New Jersey
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<p>Atlantic City, sometimes referred to by its initials A.C., is a <a href="/facts/Jersey_Shore/UeJ4FbcD">Jersey Shore</a> <a href="/facts/Seaside_resort/0zsU3svD">seaside resort</a> <a href="/facts/City_(New_Jersey)/txdaHlm5">city</a> in <a href="/facts/Atlantic_County%2c_New_Jersey/13CrRTFe">Atlantic County</a>, in the <a href="/facts/U.S._state/PFwcRIYQ">U.S. state</a> of <a href="/facts/New_Jersey/pI5k19S7">New Jersey</a>. </p><p>Atlantic City comprises the second half of the Atlantic City-<a href="/facts/Hammonton%2c_New_Jersey/faLKooqR">Hammonton</a> <a href="/facts/Metropolitan_statistical_area/Y2yX0KJg">metropolitan statistical area</a>, which encompasses those cities and all of Atlantic County for statistical purposes. Both Atlantic City and Hammonton, as well as the surrounding Atlantic County, are culturally tied to <a href="/facts/Philadelphia/2bFFCCTU">Philadelphia</a> and constitute part of the larger <a href="/facts/Philadelphia_metropolitan_area/PsFAeSzu">Philadelphia metropolitan area</a> or <a href="/facts/Delaware_Valley/PsFAeSzu">Delaware Valley</a>, the nation's <a href="/facts/Metropolitan_statistical_area/Y2yX0KJg">seventh-largest metropolitan area</a> as of 2020. </p><p>Located in <a href="/facts/South_Jersey/zlE8TbWS">South Jersey</a> on <a href="/facts/Absecon_Island/4cIES0dk">Absecon Island</a> and known for its <a href="/facts/Taxi/BfFU6MIY">taxis</a>, <a href="/facts/Casino/m65BabkE">casinos</a>, <a href="/facts/Nightlife/hSWbTMjx">nightlife</a>, <a href="/facts/Boardwalk_(entertainment_district)/vQCBJVye">boardwalk</a>, and <a href="/facts/Atlantic_Ocean/EI4uChIb">Atlantic Ocean</a> beaches and <a href="/facts/Coastline/RBD0wxn3">coastline</a>, the city is prominently known as the "Las Vegas of the East Coast" and inspired the U.S. version of the board game <i><a href="/facts/Monopoly_(game)/7r2PLNJY">Monopoly</a></i>, which uses various Atlantic City street names and destinations in the game. New Jersey voters legalized casino gambling in Atlantic City in 1976, and the first casino opened two years later. From 1921 to 2004, Atlantic City hosted the <a href="/facts/Miss_America/GG5AMBju">Miss America</a> pageant, which later returned to the city from 2013 to 2018. </p><p>As of the <a href="/facts/2020_United_States_census/dTEm5TRr">2020 census</a>, the city had a population of 38,497, a decline of 1,061 (−2.7%) from the <a href="/facts/2010_United_States_census/RoYVI17A">2010 census</a> count of 39,558, which in turn reflected a decrease of 959 (−2.4%) from the 40,517 counted in the <a href="/facts/2000_United_States_census/oFBpAEqK">2000 census</a>. </p><p>The city was incorporated on May 1, 1854, from portions of <a href="/facts/Egg_Harbor_Township%2c_New_Jersey/WpuxD6Yb">Egg Harbor Township</a> and <a href="/facts/Galloway_Township%2c_New_Jersey/4oop2YAD">Galloway Township</a>. It is located on Absecon Island and borders <a href="/facts/Absecon%2c_New_Jersey/xlUuB4rC">Absecon</a>, <a href="/facts/Brigantine%2c_New_Jersey/qrvJR1Qw">Brigantine</a>, Egg Harbor Township, Galloway Township, <a href="/facts/Pleasantville%2c_New_Jersey/wMQEYLCn">Pleasantville</a>, <a href="/facts/Ventnor_City%2c_New_Jersey/owz5Adxv">Ventnor City</a>, and the <a href="/facts/Atlantic_Ocean/EI4uChIb">Atlantic Ocean</a>. </p>