The Ironbound is a neighborhood in the city of Newark in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. It is a large working-class, close-knit, multi-ethnic community & suburb, covering approximately 4 square miles (10 km2) of well maintained streets and homes. Historically, the area was called "Dutch Neck," "Down Neck," or simply "the Neck," due to the appearance of the curve of the Passaic River.