Anadromous river herring populations, collectively alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) and blueback herring (Alosa aestivalis), have experienced a multi-century decline in abundance and distribution. These declines have been attributed in part to anthropogenic threats in freshwater ecosystems (e.g., habitat fragmentation, overharvest, water pollution, watershed development). An understanding of variability in juvenile productivity and growth is critical to developing restoration approaches. We characterized variability in juvenile river herring growth among 11 freshwater lakes in the northeastern USA. We used age estimates from otoliths and length measurements to calculate growth rates of juvenile river herring (n = 1452). We tested the effects of juvenile river herring densities, zooplankton (biomass and size), habitat area (based on thermocline depth), and water quality (temperature, nutrients, chlorophyll a) on juvenile growth. Mean monthly growth rates ranged from 0.56 to 1.41 mm/d and typically increased throughout the summer. Increased juvenile growth was best predicted by lower juvenile density (β =  − 0.104, P < 0.001) and higher zooplankton biomass (β = 0.032, P < 0.05). Combined with information about juvenile densities and mortality, these results broaden the understanding of anadromous juvenile river herring productivity, provide information that can contribute to refining stock assessment and life cycle models, and help to better understand the potential impacts of habitat conservation and restoration decisions.