The Rational Moderate

State profile

New Jersey

20 official measures, each beside the U.S. value, with New Jersey’s rank among the 50 states and DC and its margin of error where the source publishes one. Rank 1 is the highest value; a rank says nothing on its own about better or worse. Select a measure to see every state.

marks a rank that is not statistically different from the next higher state, by the Census Bureau’s test at the 90 percent confidence level. Margins of error are 90 percent.

Each comparison with the U.S. value uses the same test wherever the source publishes a margin of error. A difference is stated only where the test confirms it or no test is possible; untested ones are marked. For life expectancy the U.S. figure comes from a separate NCHS report without a standard error, so that test uses the state’s alone. A state is part of the nation, so the two estimates are not fully independent, which the Census Bureau’s ACS handbook warns about. The test does not adjust for it, and allowing for it changes none of the comparisons shown.

People

  • Population

    July 1, 2025

    9,548,215

    U.S.
    341,784,857; New Jersey is 2.8% of the U.S. total.
    Rank
    11 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • Population growth

    July 1, 2024 to July 1, 2025

    +0.44%

    U.S.
    +0.52%; New Jersey is 0.08 points lower than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    26 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • Median age

    July 1, 2025

    40.1 years

    U.S.
    39.4 years; New Jersey is 0.7 years higher than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    18 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

Income and output

  • Median household income

    2024

    $104,294

    plus or minus $997

    U.S.
    $81,604; New Jersey is $22,690 higher than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    3 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, Massachusetts, or from the next lower state, Maryland.
    Price-adjusted
    $95,854, plus or minus $916: income divided by New Jersey’s 2024 regional price parity (108.8, U.S. = 100). Computed by this site, not published by Census or BEA, and not ranked.

  • Per capita personal income

    2025

    $89,720

    U.S.
    $77,028; New Jersey is $12,692 higher than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    7 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • Real per capita personal income

    2024

    $63,142

    U.S.
    $59,195; New Jersey is $3,947 higher than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    12 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • GDP per capita

    2025

    $92,980

    U.S.
    $90,294; New Jersey is $2,686 higher than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    13 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • Poverty rate

    2024

    9.20%

    plus or minus 0.31%

    U.S.
    12.15%; New Jersey is 2.95 points lower than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    47 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, Minnesota, or from the next lower state, Maryland.

Prices and housing

  • Price level (RPP)

    2024

    108.8

    U.S.
    100.0; New Jersey is 8.8 points higher than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    4 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • Median home value

    2024

    $496,000

    plus or minus $2,982

    U.S.
    $360,600; New Jersey is $135,400 higher than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    9 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, Oregon.

  • Median gross rent

    2024

    $1,800

    plus or minus $15

    U.S.
    $1,487; New Jersey is $313 higher than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    8 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, Florida.

  • Rent burden

    2024

    52.23%

    plus or minus 1.18%

    U.S.
    51.77%; New Jersey is not statistically different from the U.S. value (its estimate is 0.46 points higher).
    Rank
    14 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, Oregon, or from the next lower state, North Carolina.

  • Homeownership rate

    2024

    63.91%

    plus or minus 0.40%

    U.S.
    65.27%; New Jersey is 1.36 points lower than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    40 of 51. Not statistically different from the next lower state, Rhode Island.

  • Residential electricity price

    January to July 2026

    23.98 cents

    U.S.
    18.19 cents; New Jersey is 5.79 cents higher than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    11 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.
    July 2026
    25.19 cents in that month alone (U.S. 18.31 cents)

Average residential electricity price, cents per kilowatthour, New Jersey and the United States, 1990 to 2024

Cents per kilowatthour, nominal (not adjusted for inflation), all residential customers. From EIA’s annual survey of utilities.

5 cents10 cents15 cents20 cents1990200020102020
Data table
YearNew JerseyUnited States
199010.367.83
199110.818.04
199210.878.21
199311.418.32
199411.548.38
199511.988.40
199611.998.36
199712.088.43
199811.398.26
199911.408.16
200010.278.24
200110.218.58
200210.388.44
200310.678.72
200411.238.95
200511.749.45
200612.8410.40
200714.1410.65
200815.6611.26
200916.3111.51
201016.5711.54
201116.2311.72
201215.7811.88
201315.7312.13
201415.7812.52
201515.8112.65
201615.7212.55
201715.6512.89
201815.4112.87
201915.8513.01
202016.0313.15
202116.3513.66
202216.7415.04
202317.7016.00
202419.3416.48

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, EIA-861 historical state data (HS861). HS861 1990-2009.xlsx and HS861 2010-.xlsx, sheet Total Electric Industry, RESIDENTIAL Price · retrieved Oct. 2, 2026 · 35 rows · as of 2024 · annual. The CSV has every state since 1990. Download CSV

Work

  • Unemployment rate

    August 2026

    4.3%

    U.S.
    4.1%; New Jersey is 0.2 points higher than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    16 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • Labor force participation

    August 2026

    63.6%

    U.S.
    61.6%; New Jersey is 2.0 points higher than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    16 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

Unemployment rate, New Jersey and the United States, Sept. 2016 to Aug. 2026

Percent, seasonally adjusted. New Jersey: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (model-based). United States: the national rate from BLS’s Current Population Survey. BLS published no figure for Oct. 2025 (the 2025 lapse in appropriations); that month is shaded, the line joins the months on either side, and the table shows the gap.

0%5%10%15%20182020202220242026
  • Months with no BLS figure
Data table
MonthNew JerseyUnited States
Sept. 20164.95.0
Oct. 20164.94.9
Nov. 20164.84.7
Dec. 20164.74.7
Jan. 20174.64.7
Feb. 20174.54.6
March 20174.44.4
April 20174.44.4
May 20174.44.4
June 20174.54.3
July 20174.54.3
Aug. 20174.64.4
Sept. 20174.64.3
Oct. 20174.64.2
Nov. 20174.64.2
Dec. 20174.54.1
Jan. 20184.44.0
Feb. 20184.44.1
March 20184.34.0
April 20184.24.0
May 20184.13.8
June 20184.14.0
July 20184.03.8
Aug. 20183.93.8
Sept. 20183.83.7
Oct. 20183.73.8
Nov. 20183.73.8
Dec. 20183.63.9
Jan. 20193.54.0
Feb. 20193.43.8
March 20193.33.8
April 20193.23.7
May 20193.23.6
June 20193.23.6
July 20193.33.7
Aug. 20193.43.6
Sept. 20193.63.5
Oct. 20193.73.6
Nov. 20193.83.6
Dec. 20193.93.6
Jan. 20204.03.6
Feb. 20204.13.5
March 20204.14.4
April 202015.014.8
May 202015.413.2
June 202014.511.0
July 202014.410.2
Aug. 202013.38.4
Sept. 20207.47.8
Oct. 20207.16.9
Nov. 20207.26.7
Dec. 20207.36.7
Jan. 20217.46.4
Feb. 20217.46.2
March 20217.36.1
April 20217.36.1
May 20217.05.8
June 20217.25.9
July 20216.95.4
Aug. 20216.75.1
Sept. 20216.24.7
Oct. 20215.94.5
Nov. 20215.64.1
Dec. 20215.53.9
Jan. 20225.24.0
Feb. 20224.73.9
March 20224.33.7
April 20224.13.7
May 20223.83.6
June 20223.63.6
July 20223.33.5
Aug. 20223.13.6
Sept. 20223.33.5
Oct. 20223.53.6
Nov. 20223.73.6
Dec. 20223.83.5
Jan. 20233.93.5
Feb. 20234.03.6
March 20234.13.5
April 20234.23.4
May 20234.23.6
June 20234.33.6
July 20234.43.5
Aug. 20234.53.7
Sept. 20234.53.7
Oct. 20234.53.9
Nov. 20234.53.7
Dec. 20234.53.8
Jan. 20244.53.7
Feb. 20244.53.9
March 20244.53.9
April 20244.63.9
May 20244.63.9
June 20244.64.1
July 20244.74.2
Aug. 20244.74.2
Sept. 20244.74.1
Oct. 20244.74.1
Nov. 20244.84.2
Dec. 20244.84.1
Jan. 20254.94.0
Feb. 20255.04.2
March 20255.14.2
April 20255.14.2
May 20255.24.3
June 20255.44.1
July 20255.54.3
Aug. 20255.54.3
Sept. 20255.54.4
Oct. 2025no datano data
Nov. 20255.44.5
Dec. 20255.44.4
Jan. 20265.24.3
Feb. 20265.14.4
March 20264.94.3
April 20264.84.3
May 20264.74.3
June 20264.54.2
July 20264.44.1
Aug. 20264.34.1

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS); national column from the CPS via FRED. LASST<FIPS>0000000000003 for each state (column = USPS code); US = FRED UNRATE · retrieved Oct. 2, 2026 · 608 rows · as of August 2026 · monthly. The CSV has every state since January 1976. Download CSV

Labor force participation rate, New Jersey and the United States, Sept. 2016 to Aug. 2026

Percent, seasonally adjusted. New Jersey: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (model-based). United States: the national rate from BLS’s Current Population Survey. BLS published no figure for Oct. 2025 (the 2025 lapse in appropriations); that month is shaded, the line joins the months on either side, and the table shows the gap.

60%61%62%63%64%65%20182020202220242026
  • Months with no BLS figure
Data table
MonthNew JerseyUnited States
Sept. 201663.862.9
Oct. 201663.862.8
Nov. 201663.762.7
Dec. 201663.662.7
Jan. 201763.662.8
Feb. 201763.662.9
March 201763.662.9
April 201763.663.0
May 201763.662.8
June 201763.662.8
July 201763.662.9
Aug. 201763.562.9
Sept. 201763.463.1
Oct. 201763.262.7
Nov. 201763.162.7
Dec. 201763.062.7
Jan. 201862.962.7
Feb. 201862.963.0
March 201863.062.9
April 201863.162.9
May 201863.162.9
June 201863.163.0
July 201863.163.0
Aug. 201863.062.6
Sept. 201862.962.8
Oct. 201862.962.9
Nov. 201863.062.9
Dec. 201863.163.0
Jan. 201963.163.1
Feb. 201963.263.1
March 201963.363.0
April 201963.462.8
May 201963.562.9
June 201963.763.0
July 201963.963.1
Aug. 201964.163.1
Sept. 201964.363.2
Oct. 201964.463.3
Nov. 201964.563.3
Dec. 201964.663.3
Jan. 202064.663.3
Feb. 202064.563.3
March 202064.262.6
April 202060.760.1
May 202061.960.8
June 202062.761.5
July 202064.261.5
Aug. 202064.561.7
Sept. 202061.361.4
Oct. 202061.761.7
Nov. 202062.261.5
Dec. 202062.561.5
Jan. 202162.661.4
Feb. 202162.861.4
March 202162.961.5
April 202163.061.6
May 202163.061.6
June 202163.261.7
July 202163.061.8
Aug. 202163.061.7
Sept. 202162.761.7
Oct. 202162.761.8
Nov. 202162.661.9
Dec. 202162.762.0
Jan. 202263.062.2
Feb. 202263.262.3
March 202263.362.4
April 202263.662.2
May 202263.762.3
June 202263.962.2
July 202264.062.1
Aug. 202264.162.3
Sept. 202264.262.2
Oct. 202264.262.2
Nov. 202264.462.1
Dec. 202264.562.3
Jan. 202364.562.4
Feb. 202364.662.5
March 202364.762.6
April 202364.762.6
May 202364.762.6
June 202364.762.6
July 202364.662.6
Aug. 202364.562.8
Sept. 202364.562.7
Oct. 202364.462.6
Nov. 202364.362.8
Dec. 202364.262.5
Jan. 202464.262.5
Feb. 202464.262.6
March 202464.262.7
April 202464.162.6
May 202464.162.6
June 202464.162.6
July 202464.062.7
Aug. 202464.062.7
Sept. 202463.962.7
Oct. 202463.862.5
Nov. 202463.762.4
Dec. 202463.762.5
Jan. 202563.762.6
Feb. 202563.662.5
March 202563.662.5
April 202563.662.6
May 202563.662.4
June 202563.562.3
July 202563.662.2
Aug. 202563.662.3
Sept. 202563.762.5
Oct. 2025no datano data
Nov. 202563.762.5
Dec. 202563.762.4
Jan. 202663.662.1
Feb. 202663.662.0
March 202663.561.9
April 202663.461.8
May 202663.561.8
June 202663.561.5
July 202663.561.4
Aug. 202663.661.6

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS); national column from the CPS via FRED. LASST<FIPS>0000000000008 for each state (column = USPS code); US = FRED CIVPART · retrieved Oct. 2, 2026 · 608 rows · as of August 2026 · monthly. The CSV has every state since January 1976. Download CSV

Health and education

  • Life expectancy

    2022

    79.6 years

    plus or minus 0.07 years

    U.S.
    77.5 years; New Jersey is 2.1 years higher than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    3 of 51. Not statistically different from the next lower state, New York.

  • Uninsured rate

    2024

    7.73%

    plus or minus 0.18%

    U.S.
    8.20%; New Jersey is 0.47 points lower than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    22 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, Missouri, or from the next lower state, Indiana.

  • Bachelor's degree or higher

    2024

    44.55%

    plus or minus 0.43%

    U.S.
    36.85%; New Jersey is 7.70 points higher than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    6 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, Maryland.

Civic participation

  • Voter turnout (self-reported)

    Nov. 5, 2024 general election

    72.5%

    plus or minus 2.8%

    U.S.
    65.3%; New Jersey is 7.2 points higher than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    5 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, Virginia, or from the next lower state, Michigan.

Sources and data

Every figure on this page, with its source, period and the CSV behind it (all 50 states and DC, with ranks and the test). Retrieved Oct. 2, 2026.

  1. Population, July 1, 2025: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2025. CSV
  2. Population growth, July 1, 2024 to July 1, 2025: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2025. CSV
  3. Median age, July 1, 2025: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2025 (SC-EST2025-AGESEX). CSV
  4. Median household income, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  5. Median home value, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  6. Median gross rent, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  7. Poverty rate, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  8. Rent burden, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  9. Homeownership rate, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  10. Uninsured rate, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  11. Bachelor's degree or higher, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  12. Price level (RPP), 2024: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by State (SARPP). CSV
  13. Real per capita personal income, 2024: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Real Personal Income by State (SARPI). CSV
  14. Per capita personal income, 2025: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, State Annual Personal Income (SAINC1). CSV
  15. GDP per capita, 2025: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, GDP by State (SAGDP1), and U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 population. CSV
  16. Unemployment rate, August 2026: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS). CSV
  17. Labor force participation, August 2026: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS). CSV
  18. Life expectancy, 2022: National Center for Health Statistics, U.S. State Life Tables, 2022 (National Vital Statistics Reports Vol. 74, No. 12). CSV
  19. Residential electricity price, January to July 2026: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly, Tables 5.6.B and 5.6.A. CSV
  20. Voter turnout (self-reported), Nov. 5, 2024 general election: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, November 2024 Voting and Registration Supplement, Table 4a. CSV
  21. Unemployment rate by state, monthly, January 1976 to August 2026: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS); national column from the CPS via FRED. CSV
  22. Labor force participation rate by state, monthly, January 1976 to August 2026: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS); national column from the CPS via FRED. CSV
  23. Average residential electricity price by state, annual, 1990 to 2024: U.S. Energy Information Administration, EIA-861 historical state data (HS861). CSV