New Jersey's central location in the Northeast megalopolis helped fuel its rapid growth andsuburbanization in the second half of the 20th century. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the state's economy has become highly diversified, with major sectors includingbiotechnology,pharmaceuticals,information technology,finance, and tourism, and it has become anAtlantic seaboard epicenter forlogistics anddistribution. New Jersey remains a major destination for immigrants and is home to one of the world's mostmulticultural populations.[15][16] Echoing historical trends, the state has increasingly re-urbanized, with growth in cities outpacingsuburbs since 2008.[17]
New Jersey is one of the most educated, affluent, healthy, diverse and highly developed states in the U.S., ranking it high in several quality of life metrics.[18] As of 2022, New Jersey had the highest annualmedian household income, at $96,346, of all 50 states.[19] Almost one-tenth of all households in the state, or over 323,000, aremillionaires, the highest representation of millionaires among all states.[20] New Jersey'spublic school system consistently ranks at or among the top of all U.S. states.[21][22][23][24] In 2024, New Jersey was ranked as having the second-healthiest population overall.[25] New Jersey ranks near the top on both theAmerican Human Development Index and thestandard Human Development Index. According toclimatology research by the U.S.National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, New Jersey has been the fastest-warming state by averageair temperature over a 100-year period beginning in the early 20th century, which has been attributed to warming of theNorth Atlantic Ocean.[26]
Since the6th millennium BC,Native American people have inhabited New Jersey, beginning with theLenape tribe.Scheyichbi is theLenape name for the land that represents present-day New Jersey.[28] The Lenape were severalautonomous groups that practicedmaize agriculture in order to supplement their hunting and gathering in the region surrounding theDelaware River, the lowerHudson River, and westernLong Island Sound. The Lenape were divided intomatrilineal clans that were based upon common female ancestors. Clans were organized into three distinctphratries identified by their animal sign:Turtle,Turkey, andWolf. They first encountered theDutch in the early 17th century, and their primary relationship with the Dutch and later European settlers was throughfur trade.
TheDutch were the firstEuropeans to lay claim to geographic territory in New Jersey. The Dutch colony ofNew Netherland consisted of parts of the modernMid-Atlantic states. Although the European principle ofland ownership was not recognized by theLenape,Dutch West India Company policy required its colonists to purchase land that they settled. The first to do so wasMichiel Pauw, who established a patron ship calledPavonia in 1630 alongNorth River, that eventually becameBergen.Peter Minuit's purchase of lands along theDelaware River established the colony ofNew Sweden, that lasted until the Dutch conquered it in 1655. Then the entire region became a territory ofEngland on June 24, 1664, after an English fleet under command of ColonelRichard Nicolls sailed into what is nowNew York Harbor and took control ofFort Amsterdam, annexing the entire province.
Since its inception, New Jersey has been characterized byethnic and religious diversity. New EnglandCongregationalists settled alongsideScots Presbyterians andDutch Reformed migrants. While the majority of residents lived in towns with individuallandholdings of 100 acres (40 ha), a few rich proprietors owned vast estates. EnglishQuakers andAnglicans owned large landholdings. UnlikePlymouth Colony,Jamestown and other colonies, New Jersey was populated by a secondary wave of immigrants who came from other colonies instead of those who migrated directly from Europe. New Jersey remained agrarian and rural throughout the colonial era, andcommercial farming developed sporadically. Some townships, such asBurlington on the Delaware River andPerth Amboy, emerged as important ports for shipping to New York City and Philadelphia. The colony's fertile lands andtolerant religious policy drew more settlers, and New Jersey's population had increased to 120,000 by 1775.
Settlement for the first ten years of English rule took place along theHackensack River andArthur Kill. Settlers came primarily from New York and New England. On March 18, 1673, Berkeley sold his half of the colony toQuakers in England, who settled theDelaware Valley region as a Quaker colony, withWilliam Penn acting astrustee for the lands for a time. New Jersey was governed as two distinct provinces,East andWest Jersey, for 28 years between 1674 and 1702, which were part of theDominion of New England from 1686 to 1689.
In 1702, the two provinces were reunited under aroyal governor rather than aproprietary one.Edward Hyde, titled Lord Cornbury, became the first governor of the royal colony. Britain believed that he was an ineffective and corrupt ruler, taking bribes and speculating on land. In 1708, he was recalled to England. New Jersey was then ruled by the governors of New York, but this infuriated the settlers of New Jersey, who accused these governors of favoritism to New York.Judge Lewis Morris led the case for a separate governor, and was appointed governor byKing George II in 1738.[30]
During theAmerican Revolutionary War, British and American armies crossed New Jersey numerous times, and several pivotal battles took place in the state. Because of this, New Jersey today is sometimes referred to as "The Crossroads of the American Revolution".[31] The winter quarters of theContinental Army were established in New Jersey twice by GeneralGeorge Washington inMorristown, which has been called "The Military Capital of the American Revolution."[32]
Continental Army forces under Washington's command met British forces under GeneralHenry Clinton at theBattle of Monmouth in an indecisive engagement in June 1778. Washington's forces attempted to take the British column by surprise. When the British army attempted to flank the Americans, the Continental Army retreated in disorder. Their ranks were later reorganized and withstood British charges.[33]
On December 18, 1787, New Jersey became the third state to ratify theUnited States Constitution, which was overwhelmingly popular in New Jersey since it prevented New York and Pennsylvania from chargingtariffs on goods imported from Europe. On November 20, 1789, New Jersey became the first in the newly formed Union to ratify theBill of Rights.[34]
The 1776New Jersey State Constitution gave the vote to all inhabitants who had a certain level of wealth. This included women and Black people, but not married women because they were not legally permitted to own property separately from their husbands. Both sides, in several elections, claimed that the other side had had unqualified women vote and mocked them for use of petticoat electors, whether entitled to vote or not; on the other hand, both parties passed Voting Rights Acts. In 1807, legislature passed a bill interpreting the constitution to mean universal white malesuffrage, excluding paupers; the constitution was itself an act of the legislature and not enshrined as the modern constitution.[35]
Map of the 107-mile-long (172 km)Morris Canal, which crosses the state
On February 15, 1804, New Jersey became the last northern state toabolish newslavery and enacted legislation that slowly phased out existing slavery. This led to a gradual decrease of the slave population. By theAmerican Civil War's end, about a dozen African Americans in New Jersey were still held in bondage.[36] New Jersey voters eventually ratified the constitutional amendments banning slavery and granting rights to the United States' black population.
In 1844, the secondstate constitution was ratified and brought into effect. Counties thereby became districts for the state senate, and some realignment of boundaries (including the creation ofMercer County) immediately followed. This provision was retained in the 1947 Constitution, but was overturned by theSupreme Court of the United States in 1962, by the decisionBaker v. Carr. While the Governorship was stronger than under the 1776 constitution, the constitution of 1844 created many offices that were not responsible to him, or to the people, and it gave him a three-year term, but he could not succeed himself.
New Jersey was one of the few Union states (the others beingDelaware andKentucky) to select a candidate other thanAbraham Lincoln twice in national elections, and sided withStephen A. Douglas (1860) andGeorge B. McClellan (1864) during their campaigns. McClellan, a native Philadelphian, had New Jersey ties and formally resided in New Jersey at the time; he later became Governor of New Jersey (1878–81). (In New Jersey, the factions of the Democratic party managed an effective coalition in 1860.) During theAmerican Civil War, the state was led first by Republican governorCharles Smith Olden, then by DemocratJoel Parker. During the course of the war, between 65,000 and 80,000 soldiers from the state enlisted in the Union army; unlike many states, including some Northern ones, no battle was fought there.[37]
In theIndustrial Revolution, cities likePaterson grew and prospered. Previously, the economy had been largely agrarian, which was problematically subject to crop failures and poor soil. This caused a shift to a moreindustrialized economy, one based on manufactured commodities such as textiles and silk.InventorThomas Edison also became an important figure of the Industrial Revolution, having beengranted 1,093 patents, many of which for inventions he developed while working in New Jersey. Edison's facilities, first atMenlo Park and then inWest Orange, are considered perhaps the firstresearch centers in the United States. Christie Street in Menlo Park was the first thoroughfare in the world to have electric lighting. Transportation was greatly improved aslocomotion andsteamboats were introduced to New Jersey.
Iron mining was also a leading industry during the middle to late 19th century.Bog iron pits in theNew Jersey Pine Barrens were among the first sources of iron for the new nation.[38] Mines such as Mt. Hope, Mine Hill, and the Rockaway Valley Mines created a thriving industry. Mining generated the impetus for new towns and was one of the driving forces behind the need for theMorris Canal.Zinc mines were also a major industry, especially theSterling Hill Mine.
Through bothWorld Wars, New Jersey was a center for war production, especially naval construction. TheFederal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company yards in Kearny and Newark and theNew York Shipbuilding Corporation yard in Camden producedaircraft carriers, battleships, cruisers, and destroyers.[40] New Jersey manufactured 6.8 percent of total United States military armaments produced duringWorld War II, ranking fifth among the 48 states.[41] In addition,Fort Dix (1917) (originally called "Camp Dix"),[42]Camp Merritt (1917),[43] andCamp Kilmer (1941)[citation needed] were all constructed to house and train American soldiers through both World Wars. New Jersey also became a principal location for defense in theCold War. FourteenNike missile stations were constructed for the defense of the New York City andPhiladelphia areas.PT-109, a motor torpedo boat commanded by Lt. (j.g.)John F. Kennedy in World War II, was built at the Elco Boatworks inBayonne. The aircraft carrierUSSEnterprise (CV-6) was briefly docked at the Military Ocean Terminal in Bayonne in the 1950s before she was sent to Kearney to be scrapped.[44] In 1962, the world's first nuclear-powered cargo ship, theNS Savannah, was launched at Camden.
In the 1960s,race riots erupted in many of the industrial cities ofNorth Jersey. The first race riots in New Jersey occurred in Jersey City on August 2, 1964. Several others ensued in 1967, inNewark andPlainfield.Other riots followed theassassination of Martin Luther King Jr. in April 1968, just as in the rest of the country. Ariot occurred inCamden in 1971. As a result of an order from theNew Jersey Supreme Court to fund schools equitably, the New Jersey legislature passed an income tax bill in 1976. Prior to this bill, the state had no income tax.[47]
In the early part of the 2000s, twolight rail systems were opened: theHudson–Bergen Light Rail inHudson County and theRiver Line betweenCamden andTrenton. The intent of these projects was to encouragetransit-oriented development inNorth Jersey andSouth Jersey, respectively. The HBLR was credited with a revitalization ofHudson County andJersey City.[48][49][50][51] Urban revitalization has continued in North Jersey in the 21st century. In 2014, Jersey City's Census-estimated population was 262,146,[52] with the largest population increase of any municipality in New Jersey since 2010,[53] representing an increase of 5.9% from the2010 U.S. census, when the city's population was enumerated at 247,597.[54][55] Between2000 and2010 Newark experienced its first population increase since the 1950s, and by2020 had rebounded to 311,549.
New Jersey is broadly divided into theNorth,Central, andSouth Jersey geographic regions, although some residents do not consider Central Jersey a region in its own right. Across the regions are five distinct areas divided by natural geography and population concentration. Northeastern New Jersey, often referred to as theGateway Region, lies closest toManhattan in New York City, and up to a million residents commute daily into the city for work, many via public transportation.[66] TheJersey Shore, along the Atlantic Coast in Central and South Jersey, has its own unique natural, residential, and cultural characteristics owing to its location by the ocean. South Jersey represents the southernmost geographical region of thenortheastern United States. TheDelaware Valley includes the southwestern counties of the state, which reside within theDelaware Valley surroundingPhiladelphia.
Despite its heavily urban character and a long history ofindustrialization, forests cover roughly 45 percent of New Jersey's land area, or approximately 2.1 million acres (8,500 km2), ranking 31st among the 50 U.S. states and six territories.[67] Northwestern New Jersey, often referred to as theSkylands Region, is more wooded, rural, and mountainous. The chief tree of the northern forests is theoak. TheNew Jersey Pine Barrens is situated in the southern interior of New Jersey and covered extensively by mixedpine andoak forest; its population density is lower than most of the state.
Summers are typically hot and humid, with statewide average high temperatures of 82–87 °F (28–31 °C) and lows of 60–69 °F (16–21 °C); however, temperatures exceed 90 °F (32 °C) on average 25 days each summer, exceeding 100 °F (38 °C) in some years. Winters are usually cold, with average high temperatures of 34–43 °F (1–6 °C) and lows of 16 to 28 °F (−9 to −2 °C) for most of the state, but temperatures can, for brief periods, fall below 10 °F (−12 °C) and sometimes rise above 50 °F (10 °C). Northwestern parts of the state have significantly colder winters with sub-0 °F (−18 °C) being an almost annual occurrence. Spring and autumn may feature wide temperature variations, with lower humidity than summer. TheUSDA Plant Hardiness Zone classification ranges from6 in the northwest of the state, to 7B near Cape May.[70] All-time temperature extremes recorded in New Jersey include 110 °F (43 °C) on July 10, 1936, inRunyon, Middlesex County and −34 °F (−37 °C) on January 5, 1904, inRiver Vale, Bergen County.[71]
Average annual precipitation ranges from 43 to 51 inches (1,100 to 1,300 mm), spread uniformly throughout the year. Average snowfall per winter season ranges from 10–15 inches (25–38 cm) in the south and near the seacoast, 15–30 inches (38–76 cm) in the northeast and central part of the state, to about 40–50 inches (1.0–1.3 m) in the northwestern highlands, but this often varies considerably from year to year. Precipitation falls on an average of 120 days a year, with 25 to 30 thunderstorms, most of which occur during the summer.
During winter and early spring, New Jersey can experiencenor'easters, which are capable of causingblizzards or flooding throughout the northeastern United States.Hurricanes andtropical storms,tornadoes, and earthquakes are rare; the state was impacted by a hurricane in1903, Tropical StormFloyd in1999,[72] andHurricane Sandy in2012, which made landfall in the state with top winds of 90 mph (145 km/h).
For its overall population and nation-leading population density, New Jersey has a relative paucity of classic large cities. Thisparadox is most pronounced inBergen County, the state's most populous county, whose 955,732 residents at the 2020 census inhabited 70 municipalities, of which the most populous isHackensack, with 46,030 residents. Many urban areas extend far beyond the limits of a single large city, as New Jersey municipalities tend to be geographically small; three of the four largest cities in New Jersey by population have under 20 square miles (52 km2) of land area, and eight of the top ten, including all the top five, have a land area under 30 square miles (78 km2). As of the2010 United States census[update], only four municipalities had over 100,000 residents (although Edison and Woodbridge Township came very close); this number increased to seven by the 2020 census.
Residents of New Jersey are most commonly referred to as New Jerseyans or, less commonly, as New Jerseyites. According to the2020 U.S. census, the state had a population of 9,288,994, a 5.7% increase since the2010 U.S. census, which counted 8,791,894 residents.[5] The state ranked eleventh in the country by total population and first in population density, with 1,185 residents per square mile (458 per km2). Historically, New Jersey has experienced one of the fastest growth rates in the country, with its population increasing by double digits almost every decade until 1980; growth has since slowed but remained relatively robust until recently. In 2022, the Census Bureau estimated there were 6,262 fewer residents than in 2020, a decline of 0.3% from 2020, related to theCOVID-19 pandemic.[76]
New Jersey is one of the most ethnically diverse states in the United States: as of 2022, over one-fifth (21.5%) of its residents are Hispanic or Latino, 15.3% are Black, and one-tenth are Asian. One in four New Jerseyans were born abroad and more than one million (12.1%) are not fully fluent in English. Compared to the U.S. as a whole, the state is more racially and ethnically diverse and has a higher proportion of immigrants.[89]
New Jersey is home to roughly half a millionundocumented immigrants,[96][97] comprising an estimated 6.2% of the population, which in 2018 was the fifth-highest percentage of any U.S. state.[98] The municipalities of Camden, Jersey City, and Newark are consideredsanctuary cities for illegal immigrants.[99]
For further information on various ethnoracial groups and neighborhoods prominently featured within New Jersey, see the following articles:
New Jersey is one of the most ethnically and religiouslydiverse states in the United States. Nearly one-fourth of New Jerseyans (22.7%) wereforeign born, compared to the national average of 13.5%.[82] As of 2011, 56.4% of New Jersey's children under the age of one belonged to racial or ethnic minority groups, meaning that they had at least one parent who was not non-Hispanic white.[100] The 2019 Vintage Year Census estimated that the state's ethnic makeup was as follows: 71.9% White alone, 15.1% Black or African American alone, 10.0% Asian alone, 0.6% American Indian and Alaska Native alone, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, and 2.3% Two or more races. Hispanic or Latino accounted for 20.9%, while White alone (non-Hispanic or Latino) accounted for 54.6% of the population.[101] Many of the municipalities inBergen County, New Jersey, the state's largest county, have a sizeable minority population of Hispanics and Asians.[102] There are also threestate-recognized tribes, and in 2020, 51,186 identified as being Native American alone, while 96,691 did in combination with one or more other races.[103]
New Jersey hosts some of the nation's largest communities of religious and ethnic minorities in proportional or absolute terms. It has the second-largestJewish population by percentage (after New York);[104] the largestMuslim population by percentage;[105] the largest population ofPeruvians in the U.S.; the largest population ofCubans outside Florida; the third-highestAsian population by percentage; and the second highestItalian population,[106] according to the2000 Census. African Americans,Hispanics (Puerto Ricans andDominicans),West Indians,Arabs, andBrazilian andPortuguese Americans are also high in number. New Jersey also has the fourth-largestFilipino population, and fourth-largestChinese population, per the 2010 U.S. Census.
As of 2010, 71.31% (5,830,812) of New Jersey residents age5 and older spoke English at home as aprimary language, while 14.59% (1,193,261) spoke Spanish, 1.23% (100,217) Chinese (which includesCantonese andMandarin), 1.06% (86,849) Italian, 1.06% (86,486)Portuguese, 0.96% (78,627)Tagalog, andKorean was spoken as amain language by 0.89% (73,057) of the population over the age of five. In total, 28.69% (2,345,644) of New Jersey's population age5 and older spoke amother language other than English.[138]
A diverse collection of languages has since evolved amongst the state's population, given that New Jersey has becomecosmopolitan and is home toethnic enclaves of non-English-speaking communities:[139][140][141][142]
High-rise residential complexes in the borough ofFort Lee
Paterson, sometimes known as Silk City,[145] has become a prime destination for an internationally diverse pool of immigrants,[146][147] with at least 52 distinct ethnic groups.[148]
As of the 2020–2021 school year, there were 686 operatingdistricts in the state. Of these, 599 weretraditional public school districts and 87 werecharter school districts.[170][171] TheNJDOE reported a total district enrollment of 1,362,400 students, the lowest total enrollment since the early 2000s, though these figures do not considerhomeschooled students or those attendingout-of-state schools.[172] New Jersey public schools emphasizeSTEM subjects, and New Jersey is home to more scientists and engineers per square mile than anywhere else in the world.[83][173]
Educational standards
New Jersey is known for the high quality of its education. In 2024, New Jersey spent the second-most per public school student among all states, behindNew York, amounting to $26,600 spent per pupil;[174] Over 50% of the expenditure is allocated to student instruction.[175]
In 2014, New Jersey's school systems were ranked at the top of all fifty U.S. states by financial websiteWalletHub.[180] In 2018, New Jersey's overall educational system was ranked second among all states toMassachusetts byU.S. News & World Report.[24] In 2019, 2020, and 2021,Education Week also ranked New Jersey public schools the best of all U.S. states.[181][21]
In 2016, nine New Jersey-basedhigh schools were ranked among the top 25 in the nation, more than any other state, in "America's Top High Schools 2016", published byNewsweek.[182]
In November 2023, New Jersey GovernorPhil Murphy signed into law legislation eliminating testing for prospective teachers in reading, writing, and math, replacing it with an alternative certification process.[183]
A heat map showing median income distribution in New Jersey by county
New Jersey'sper capita gross state product routinely ranks among the highest in the nation. In 2020, New Jersey had moremillionaires both per capita and per square mile, representing roughly 9.76% of all New Jersey household, than any state in the nation.[20]
The state is ranked second in the nation by the number of places with per capita incomes exceeding the national average with 76.4%. Three of New Jersey's counties are among the 20 highest income U.S. counties in the nation as of 2023.[185]
Fiscal policy
New Jersey has seventax brackets that determinestate income tax rates, which range from 1.4% (for income below $20,000) to 8.97% (for income above $500,000).[186]
The standardsales tax rate as of January 1, 2018, is 6.625%, applicable to all retail sales unless specifically exempt by law. This rate, which is comparably lower than that of New York City, often attracts numerous shoppers from New York City, often to suburbanParamus, New Jersey, which has five malls, one of which (theGarden State Plaza) has over 2 million square feet (200,000 m2) of retail space.Tax exemptions include most food items for at-home preparation, medications, most clothing, footwear and disposable paper products for use in the home.[187] There are 27Urban Enterprise Zone statewide, including sections ofPaterson,Elizabeth, andJersey City. In addition to other benefits to encourage employment within the zone, shoppers can take advantage of a reduced 3.3125%sales tax rate (half the rate charged statewide) at eligible merchants.[188][189][190]
New Jersey has the highest cumulative tax rate of all 50 states with residents paying a total of $68 billion in state and local taxes annually with a per capita burden of $7,816 at a rate of 12.9% of income.[191] Allreal property located in the state is subject toproperty tax unless specifically exempted by statute. New Jersey does not assess an intangible personal property tax or anestate tax, but it does impose aninheritance tax (which is levied only on heirs who are not direct descendants).[192] In 2023, GovernorPhil Murphy signed into law a new tax-relief program known as StayNJ that will provide for an annual property-tax cut of 50% for those aged 65 and over with incomes below $500,000; the cut will go into effect in January 2026 and be capped at $6,500, but with this cap rising as indexed to the increase in New Jersey's overall property taxes.[193][194]
Federal taxation disparity
New Jersey consistently ranks as having one of the highest proportional levels of disparity of any state in the U.S., based upon what it receives from thefederal government relative to what it pays. In 2015, WalletHub ranked New Jersey the state that was least dependent on federal government aid overall and the state with the fourth-lowest return on taxpayer investment from the federal government, at 48 cents per dollar.[195]
New Jersey has one of the highest tax burdens of any state the nation.[196] Factors for this include the large federal tax liability, which is not adjusted for New Jersey's higher cost of living andMedicaid funding formulas.
New Jersey has a strongscientific economy and is home to major pharmaceutical and telecommunications firms, drawing on the state's large and well-educated labor pool, including one of the highest concentrations ofengineers and other scientists in the world. There is also a robust service economy in retail sales, education, and real estate, serving residents who work in New York City or Philadelphia.Thomas Edison invented the firstelectric light bulb at his home inMenlo Park, Edison in 1879. New Jersey is also a key participant in therenewable wind industry. New Jersey has more scientists and engineers per square mile than anywhere in the world,[201] and is a global leader inpharmaceuticals,biotechnology,life sciences, andtechnology.[202][203]
Shipping is a key industry in New Jersey because of the state's strategic geographic location, thePort of New York and New Jersey being the busiest port on the East Coast. ThePort Newark-Elizabeth Marine Terminal was the world's firstcontainer port and today is one of the world's largest. New Jersey's location at the center of theEastern North American population belt has made the state a prime hub for the logistics, warehousing, andsupply chain management industries. Themanufacturing economy in New Jersey had declined for several decades in the post-Industrial Revolution era but has since resumed growth.
New Jersey's location at the center of theNortheast megalopolis and its extensive transportation system have put over one-third of all United States residents and many Canadian residents within overnight distance by land. This accessibility to consumer revenue has enabledseaside resorts such asAtlantic City and the remainder of theJersey Shore, as well as the state's other natural and cultural attractions, to contribute significantly to the record 111 million tourist visits to New Jersey in 2018, providing US$44.7 billion in tourism revenue, directly supporting 333,860 jobs, sustaining more than 531,000 jobs overall including peripheral impacts, and generating US$5 billion in state and local tax revenue.[206]
In 1976, areferendum by Jersey voters approvedcasino gambling in Atlantic City, where the first legalized casino opened in 1978.[207] At that time,Las Vegas was the only other casino resort in the country.[208] Today, several casinos lie along the Atlantic CityBoardwalk, the oldest and longest boardwalk in the world, at5+1⁄2 miles (8.9 km) in length.[209] Atlantic City experienced a dramatic contraction in its stature as a gambling destination after 2010, including the closure of multiple casinos since 2014, spurred by competition from the advent of legalized gambling in other northeastern U.S. states.[210][211]
On February 26, 2013, Governor Chris Christie signedonline gambling into law.[212]Sports betting has become a growing source of gambling revenue in New Jersey, with sportsbooks bringing in almost $12 billion in bets, making over $1 billion in revenue in 2023.[213] Since being legalized across the nation by theU.S. Supreme Court on May 14, 2018, New Jersey led all states in sports betting handle until New York passed them.[214][215] In September 2022, the lifetime revenue fromonline casinos operating in New Jersey for the nine years since the industry's launch had surpassed $5 billion.[216]
A number of television shows and films have been filmed in New Jersey. Since 1978, the state has maintained a Motion Picture and Television Commission to encourage filming in-state.[220] New Jersey has long offered tax credits to television producers. Governor Chris Christie suspended the credits in 2010, but theNew Jersey State Legislature in 2011 approved the restoration and expansion of the tax credit program. Under bills passed by both the state Senate and Assembly, the program offers 20 percent tax credits (22% inurban enterprise zones) to television and film productions that shoot in the state and meet set standards for hiring and local spending.[221] When Governor Phil Murphy took office, he instated the New Jersey Film & Digital Media Tax Credit Program in 2018 and expanded it in 2020. The benefits include a 30% tax credit on film projects and a 40% subsidy for studio developments.[222]
There are no standard commercialnetwork affiliates in the state.WMGM-TV (Wildwood) lost its affiliation withNBC in 2014. Viewers in northern New Jersey receiveNew York City market stations over cable or over the air; southern New Jersey viewers receivePhiladelphia market stations over cable or over the air.
WMGM now affiliates with theTrue Crime Network.WJLP (Middletown) affiliates with the retro networkMeTV. There areTelemundo affiliates in Fort Lee, Linden and Mount Laurel, andUnivision affiliates in Paterson and Vineland.
Although New Jersey is home to many energy-intensive industries, its energy consumption is only 2.7% of the U.S. total, and itscarbon dioxide emissions are 0.8% of the U.S. total. New Jersey's electricity comes primarily from natural gas and nuclear power.[233] New Jersey is seventh in the nation insolar power installations,[234] enabled by one of the country's most favorablenet metering policies andrenewable portfolio standard. The state has more than 140,000 solar installations.[235]
Environment
Due to past industrial activity, New Jersey has moreSuperfund toxic waste sites than any other state in the union despite its small geographic size. By 2024, only 35 of New Jersey's Superfund sites (out of about 150 that have been on the EPA's list since the Superfund law was passed in 1980) have been cleaned up.[236]
In late 2023, a concern became public aboutPFAs (so-called "forever chemicals") existing in the state's water supplies.[237]
New Jersey's population density and location at the geographic center of theNortheast Megalopolis have rendered it a vital transportation for hub for both passengers and industry.
TheNew Jersey Turnpike is one of the most prominent and heavily trafficked roadways in the United States. Thistoll road, which overlaps withInterstate 95 for much of its length, carries traffic betweenDelaware and New York, and up and down theEast Coast in general. Commonly referred to as simply "the Turnpike", it is known for its numerousrest areas named after prominent New Jerseyans.
TheGarden State Parkway, or simply "the Parkway", carries relatively more in-state traffic than interstate traffic and runs from New Jersey's northern border to its southernmost tip atCape May. It is the main route that connects theNew York metropolitan area to theJersey Shore. With a total of fifteen travel and six shoulder lanes, theDriscoll Bridge on the Parkway, spanning theRaritan River inMiddlesex County, is the widest motor vehicle bridge in the world by number of lanes as well as one of the busiest.[240]
It is unlawful for a customer to serve themselves gasoline in New Jersey. It became the last remaining U.S. state where allgas stations are required to sell full-service gasoline to customers at all times in 2016, afterOregon's introduction of restricted self-service gasoline availability took effect.[241]
NJ Transit operates extensive rail and bus service throughout the state. A state-run corporation, it began with the consolidation of several private bus companies inNorth Jersey in 1979. In the early 1980s, it acquiredConrail's commuter train operations that connected suburban towns to New York City. NJ Transit has12 rail lines that run through different parts of the state and 165 stations statewide.[242] Most of the lines end at eitherPenn Station in New York City orHoboken Terminal inHoboken, although some lines serve service to both terminal stations. One line provides service betweenAtlantic City andPhiladelphia.
Amtrak operates numerous long-distance passenger trains in New Jersey, both to and from neighboring states and around the country. In addition to the Newark Airport connection, other major Amtrak railway stations includeTrenton Transit Center,Metropark, and the historicNewark Penn Station.
AirTrain Newark is amonorail connecting the Amtrak/NJ Transit station on the Northeast Corridor to the airport's terminals and parking lots.
Some private bus carriers still remain in New Jersey. Most of these carriers operate with state funding to offset losses and state owned buses are provided to these carriers, of whichCoach USA companies make up the bulk. Other carriers include private charter and tour bus operators that take gamblers from other parts of New Jersey, New York City, Philadelphia, andDelaware to the casino resorts of Atlantic City.
New Brunswick, nicknamed theHub city and theHealthcare City, is a focus city for academia,healthcare, and culture in New Jersey.A 1950s-stylediner inOrange
General
New Jersey has continued to play a prominent role as a U.S. cultural nexus. Like every state, New Jersey has its owncuisine, religious communities,museums, andhalls of fame.
Diners are iconic to New Jersey. The state is home to many diner manufacturers and has over 600 diners, more than any other place in the world.[245]
New Jersey is the only state to have never had astate song;[246] as of 2021, it is one of only two states (the other beingMaryland[247]) that are currently without a state song. "I'm From New Jersey" is incorrectly listed on many websites as being the New Jersey state song, but it was not even a contender when the New Jersey Arts Council submitted state song suggestions to theNew Jersey Legislature in 1996.[248]
New Jersey is frequently the target of jokes in American culture,[249] especially from New York City-based television shows, such asSaturday Night Live.[250] AcademicMichael Aaron Rockland attributes this to New Yorkers' view that New Jersey is the beginning ofMiddle America. TheNew Jersey Turnpike, which runs between two major East Coast cities, New York City and Philadelphia, is also cited as a reason, as people who traverse through the state may only see its industrial zones.[251] Reality television shows likeJersey Shore andThe Real Housewives of New Jersey have reinforced stereotypical views of New Jersey culture,[252] but Rockland citedThe Sopranos and the music ofBruce Springsteen as exporting a more positive image.[251]
The "New" in "New Jersey" is often omitted in casual conversation.[253]
New Jersey has long been an important origin for bothrock andrap music. Prominent musicians from or with significant connections to New Jersey include:
SingerFrank Sinatra was born inHoboken. He sang with a neighborhood vocal group, the Hoboken Four, and appeared in neighborhood theater amateur shows before he became anAcademy Award-winning actor.
Irvington'sQueen Latifah was one of the first female rappers to succeed in music, film, and television.[259]
Southside Johnny, eponymous leader of Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes was raised inOcean Grove. He is considered the "Grandfather of the New Jersey Sound"[260] and is cited by Jersey-bornJon Bon Jovi as his reason for singing.[261]
Jon Bon Jovi, fromSayreville, reached fame in the 1980s with hard rock outfitBon Jovi. The band has also written many songs about life in New Jersey, including "Livin' On A Prayer",[262] and namedone of their albums after the state.
Grammy-winning jazz vocalistSarah Vaughn was born and raised inNewark. After singing in her church's choir as a child, she was sneaking into Newark nightclubs to sing and play piano by the time she was a teenager.[263]
TheNational Hockey League'sNew Jersey Devils, based inNewark at thePrudential Center, is the only major leaguesports franchise to bear the state's name. Founded in 1974 inKansas City, Missouri, as theKansas City Scouts, the team played inDenver, Colorado, as theColorado Rockies from 1976 until the spring of 1982 when naval architect, businessman, andJersey City nativeJohn J. McMullen purchased, renamed, and moved the franchise toBrendan Byrne Arena inEast Rutherford'sMeadowlands Sports Complex. While the team was poor to mediocre in Kansas City, Denver, and its first years in New Jersey, qualifying for the playoffs once in the 13 seasons from 1974 to 1987, the Devils ultimately established themselves in late 1980s and early 1990s during the tenure of Hall of Fame president and general managerLou Lamoriello. As of 2023, the Devils have appeared in 23 postseasons in 40 seasons in New Jersey, reaching fiveStanley Cup Finals (most recently in2012) and winning it in1995,2000, and2003. The organization is the youngest of the nine "Big Four" major league teams based in New York metropolitan area, ultimately establishing its core following throughout the northern and central portions of the state and carving a place in a media market once dominated by theNew York Rangers andIslanders which has the distinction of being the only metropolitan area in the country with three major league professional sports teams participating in the same sport.
In 2018, thePhiladelphia Flyers renovated and expanded their training facility, the Virtua Center Flyers Skate Zone, inVoorhees Township in the southern portion of the state.[266]
The Meadowlands Sports Complex is home to theMeadowlands Racetrack, one of three majorharness racing tracks in the state. The Meadowlands Racetrack andFreehold Raceway in Freehold are two of the major harness racing tracks in North America.Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport is a popular spot forthoroughbred racing in New Jersey and the northeast. It hosted theBreeders' Cup in 2007, and its turf course was renovated in preparation.
The intense rivalry between Rutgers and Princeton athletics began with thefirst intercollegiate football game in 1869. The schools have not met on the football field since 1980, but they continue to play each other annually in all other sports offered by the two universities.
Rutgers, which fields 24 teams in various sports, is nationally known for its football program, with a 6–4 all-timebowl record; and its women's basketball programs, which appeared in aNational Final in 2007. In 2008 and 2009, Rutgers expanded their football home,Rutgers Stadium, now called SHI Stadium, on theBusch Campus. The basketball teams play at theRutgers Athletic Center onLivingston Campus. Both venues and campuses are inPiscataway, across theRaritan River fromNew Brunswick. The university also fields men's basketball and baseball programs. Rutgers' fans live mostly in the western parts of the state andMiddlesex County; its alumni base is the largest in the state.
Seton Hall fields no football team, but its men's basketball team is one of theBig East's storied programs. No New Jersey team has won more games in theNCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, and it is the state's only men's basketball program to reach a modernNational Final. The Pirates play their home games atPrudential Center in downtownNewark, about 4 miles (6 km) from the university'sSouth Orange campus. Their fans hail largely from the predominantly Roman Catholic areas of the northern part of the state and theJersey Shore. The annual inter-conference rivalry game between Seton Hall and Rutgers, whose venue alternates between Newark and Piscataway, the Garden State Hardwood Classic, is planned through 2026.[275]
Fairleigh Dickinson University competes in both Division I and Division III. It has two campuses, each with its own sports teams. The teams at the Metropolitan Campus are known as the FDU Knights, and compete in theNortheast Conference and NCAA Division I. The college at Florham (FDU-Florham) teams are known as the FDU-Florham Devils and compete in theMiddle Atlantic Conferences' Freedom Conference and NCAA Division III.
Among the various Division III schools in the state, theStevens Institute of Technology Ducks have fielded the longest continuously running collegiate men's lacrosse program in the country. 2009 marked the 125th season.
The position of Governor of New Jersey is one of the most powerful in the nation. The governor is elected on a ticket with their lieutenant governor as the only statewide elected executive officials in the state; the governor appoints the entire executive cabinet and judges of the Supreme and Superior Courts.Phil Murphy (D) is thegovernor. The governor's mansion isDrumthwacket, located inPrinceton,Mercer County.
The current version of theNew Jersey State Constitution was adopted in 1947. It provides for abicameralNew Jersey Legislature, consisting of anupper houseSenate of 40 members and alower houseGeneral Assembly of 80 members. Each of the 40 legislative districts elects one state senator and two Assembly members. Assembly members are elected for a two-year term in all odd-numbered years; state senators are elected in years ending in 1, 3, and7 and thus serve either four- or two-year terms.
New Jersey is one of only five states that elects its state officials in odd-numbered years (the others areKentucky,Louisiana,Mississippi, andVirginia). New Jersey holds elections for these offices every four years, in the year following each federal Presidential election year.
TheNew Jersey Supreme Court[278] consists of a chief justice and six associate justices. All are appointed by the governor with theadvice and consent of a majority of the membership of the state senate. Justices serve an initial seven-year term, after which they can be reappointed to serve until age 70.
Most of the day-to-day work in the New Jersey courts is carried out in the Municipal Court, where simple traffic tickets, minor criminal offenses, and small civil matters are heard.
More serious criminal and civil cases are handled by theSuperior Court for each county. All Superior Court judges are appointed by the governor with theadvice and consent of a majority of the membership of the state senate. Each judge serves an initial seven-year term and can be reappointed to serve until age 70. New Jersey's judiciary is unusual in that it still has separate courts of law andequity, like its neighborDelaware but unlike most other U.S. states. TheNew Jersey Superior Court is divided into Law and Chancery Divisions at the trial level; the Law Division hears both criminal cases and civil lawsuits where the plaintiff's primary remedy isdamages, while the Chancery Division hears family cases, civil suits where the plaintiff's primary remedy is equitable relief, and probate trials.
The Superior Court also has anAppellate Division, which functions as the state's intermediateappellate court. Superior Court judges are assigned to the Appellate Division by the Chief Justice.
There is also a Tax Court, which is a court of limited jurisdiction. Tax Court judges hear appeals of tax decisions made by County Boards of Taxation. They also hear appeals on decisions made by the director of the Division of Taxation on such matters as state income, sales and business taxes, and homestead rebates. Appeals from Tax Court decisions are heard in the Appellate Division of Superior Court. Tax Court judges are appointed by the governor for initial terms of seven years, and upon reappointment are granted tenure until they reach the mandatory retirement age of 70. There are 12 Tax Court judgeships.
New Jersey is divided into 21 counties; 13 date from the colonial era. New Jersey was completely divided into counties by 1692; the present counties were created by dividing the existing ones; most recentlyUnion County in 1857.[279] New Jersey was formerly the only state in the nation where elected county officials were called freeholders. Elected county officials are now called county commissioners as of bill S855 signed by Governor Murphy on August 8, 2020. The county commissioners govern each county as part of its ownBoard of Chosen County Commissioners[280] The number of county commissioners in each county is determined by referendum, and must consist of three, five, seven or nine members.
Depending on the county, the executive andlegislative functions may be performed by theBoard of County Commissioners or split into separate branches of government. In 16 counties, the County Commissioners perform both legislative and executive functions on a commission basis, with each commissioner assigned responsibility for a department or group of departments. In the other five counties (Atlantic,Bergen,Essex,Hudson andMercer), there is a directly electedCounty Executive who performs the executive functions while the commissioners retain a legislative and oversight role. In counties without an Executive, a County Administrator (or County Manager) may be hired to perform day-to-day administration of county functions.[281]
New Jersey currently has 564 municipalities; the most recent dissolution of a municipality was whenPine Valley merged intoPine Hill on January 1, 2022. Unlike other states, all New Jersey land is part of a municipality. In 2008, GovernorJon Corzine proposed cutting state aid to all towns under 10,000 people, to encourage mergers to reduce administrative costs.[282] In May 2009, the Local Unit Alignment Reorganization and Consolidation Commission began a study of about 40 small communities in South Jersey to decide which ones might be good candidates for consolidation.[283]
Starting in the 20th century, largely driven by reform-minded goals, a series of six modern forms of government was implemented. This began with theWalsh Act, enacted in 1911 by theNew Jersey Legislature, which provided for a three- or five-member commission elected on a non-partisan basis. This was followed by the1923 Municipal Manager Law, which offered a non-partisan council, provided for a weak mayor elected by and from the members of the council, and introduced aCouncil-manager government structure with an appointed manager responsible for the day-to-day administration of municipal affairs.
TheFaulkner Act, originally enacted in 1950 and substantially amended in 1981, offers four basic plans:Mayor-Council,Council-Manager,Small Municipality, andMayor-Council-Administrator. The act provides many choices for communities with a preference for a strong executive and professional management of municipal affairs and offers great flexibility in allowing municipalities to select the characteristics of its government: the number of seats on the council; seats selected at-large, by wards, or through a combination of both; staggered or concurrent terms of office; and a mayor chosen by the council or elected directly by voters. Most large municipalities and a majority of New Jersey's residents are governed by municipalities with Faulkner Act charters. Municipalities can also formulate their own unique form of government and operate under aSpecial Charter with the approval of theNew Jersey Legislature.[284]
While municipalities retain their names derived from types of government, they may have changed to one of the modern forms of government, or further in the past to one of the other traditional forms, leading to municipalities with formal names quite baffling to the general public. For example, though there are four municipalities that are officially of the village type, none use the village form of government.Loch Arbour andRidgefield Park (now with a Walsh Act form),Ridgewood (now with a Faulkner Act Council-Manager charter) andSouth Orange (now operates under aSpecial Charter) all migrated to other non-village forms.[285][286]
Socially, New Jersey is considered one of the more liberal states in the nation. Polls indicate that 60% of the population are self-described aspro-choice, although a majority are opposed to late trimester andintact dilation and extraction and public funding of abortion.[287][288] As of 2022, all aspects of reproductive choice (including abortion) are protected by law.[289]
In a 2009Quinnipiac University Polling Institute poll, a plurality supportedsame-sex marriage 49% to 43% opposed.[290] On October 18, 2013, theNew Jersey Supreme Court rendered a provisional, unanimous (7–0) order authorizing same-sex marriage in the state, pending a legal appeal by Governor Chris Christie,[291] who then withdrew this appeal hours after the inaugural same-sex marriages took place on October 21, 2013.[292]
New Jersey also has some of the most stringentgun control laws in the U.S. These include bans onassault firearms, hollow-nose bullets and slingshots. No gun offense in New Jersey is graded less than a felony.BB guns and black-powder guns are all treated as modern firearms. New Jersey does not recognize out-of-state gun licenses and aggressively enforces its own gun laws.[293]
In 2020, the state's voting population passed a public question[294] that amended the state constitution to legalizemarijuana and erase past legal convictions for possession. The measure passed by a two-thirds vote. At the time the measure was enacted, about a dozen other U.S. states had also legalized the sale and possession of marijuana. As of 2024, local governments and municipalities are still in the process of regulating marijuana-related businesses within their jurisdictions.
In federal elections, the state leans heavily towards theDemocratic Party, having last voted for a Republican for president in 1988. New Jersey was a crucialswing state in the elections of1960,1968, and1992. The last elected Republican to hold a Senate seat from New Jersey wasClifford P. Case in 1979. Newark MayorCory Booker was elected in October 2013 to joinRobert Menendez to make New Jersey the first state with concurrently serving black and Latino U.S. senators.[295]
The northwestern and southeastern counties of the state are reliably Republican: Republicans have support along the coast inOcean County andCape May County as well as in the mountainous northwestern part of the state, especially inHunterdon County,Sussex County, andWarren County.
To be eligible to vote in a U.S. election, all New Jerseyans are required to start their residency in the state 30 days prior to an election and register 21 days prior to election day.[297]
On December 17, 2007, Governor Jon Corzine signed into law a bill that would eliminate the death penalty in New Jersey. New Jersey was the first state to pass such legislation sinceIowa andWest Virginia eliminated executions in 1965.[298] Corzine also signed a bill that would downgrade the Death Row prisoners' sentences from "Death" to "Life in Prison with No Parole".[299]
Points of interest
Boardwalks
TheAtlantic City boardwalk seen fromCaesars Atlantic City, which opened in 1870 as the world's firstboardwalk[300] At5+1⁄2 miles (8.9 km) long, it is also the world's longest and busiest boardwalk.[301] New Jersey is home to the world's highest concentration of boardwalks.
Many communities along theJersey Shore have a boardwalk with various attractions, entertainment, shopping, dining, arcades, water parks, and amusement parks. TheAtlantic City boardwalk, opened in 1870, as the world's firstboardwalk.[300] At5+1⁄2 miles (8.9 km) long, it is also the world's longest and busiest boardwalk.[209][301]
Visitors and residents take advantage of and contribute to performances at the numerous music, theater, and dance companies and venues located throughout the state, including:
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^Battle of Monmouth: The Longest Battle of the American RevolutionArchived January 27, 2023, at theWayback Machine,Library of Congress. Retrieved July 15, 2022. "Visitors to the Monmouth Battlefield State Park in Freehold, New Jersey, can witness a battle reenactment that recalls the hot summer day of June 28, 1778, when American and British forces clashed under the direction of Continental Army General George Washington and British General Sir Henry Clinton."
^United States ConstitutionArchived July 5, 2022, at theWayback Machine,New Jersey Department of State. Retrieved July 15, 2022. "On December 18, 1787, New Jersey become the third state to ratify the United States Constitution. The minutes of the ratification convention document the quick work of the delegates. The delegates required only six days to establish rules, review the document, and complete their deliberations.... On November 20, 1789, New Jersey became the first state to ratify the Bill of Rights."
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^James Gigantino, The Ragged Road to Abolition: Slavery and Freedom in New Jersey, 1775–1865
^Stirling, Stephen."What are N.J.'s fastest growing and shrinking towns?"Archived January 13, 2016, at theWayback Machine, NJ Advance Media forNJ.com, May 21, 2015. Retrieved June 1, 2015. "Jersey City has gained nearly 15,000 residents since 2010, making it the fastest growing municipality in the state and a symbol of the Garden State's reinvigorated urban core."
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^Mitchell L. Moss & Carson Qing (March 2012)."The Dynamic Population of Manhattan"(PDF). Rudin Center for Transportation Policy and Management, Wagner School of Public Service, New York University.Archived(PDF) from the original on March 14, 2016. RetrievedApril 16, 2016.
^"Trends in New Jersey Forests"(PDF). Department of Environmental Protection, N.J. Forestry Services and United States Department of Agriculture.Archived(PDF) from the original on May 11, 2017. RetrievedMarch 13, 2015.
^Sweilem, Amira."N.J.'s population center still tilts north. This town considers it a badge of honor.", NJ Advance Media forNJ.com, November 27, 2022. Retrieved March 10, 2024. "Answer time: East Brunswick has held the statistical center of population title since the 2010 Census.... The U.S. Census runs the calculation every 10 years and it has wobbled around Middlesex County since 1880, straying just once since that time into Somerset County (Warren Township) in 1890. East Brunswick just barely held onto the population center in the 2020 Census calculations.... The new spot is on Hawk Court just off Milltown Road between the NJ Turnpike and Ryders Lane."
^Stirling, Stephen."U.S. Census shows East Brunswick as statistical center of N.J."Archived June 12, 2018, at theWayback Machine,The Star-Ledger, March 31, 2011. Retrieved March 10, 2024. "For any of you who have ever lain awake at night asking: Where, oh where is the statistical center of New Jersey, there really is an answer. Nenninger Lane, East Brunswick. A few hundred feet into the woods along tiny Nenninger, a dead-end road beside the New Jersey Turnpike, sits the heart of the Garden State in terms of population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau."
^"East Brunswick, N.J., Represents State's Population Center.",The Star-Ledger, March 27, 2001. Retrieved March 10, 2024. "And the center of New Jersey, according to 2000 census data, is a litter-strewn patch of woods on Milltown Road in East Brunswick. Demographers call it the 'center of population,' the place that would require the least amount of travel if all the state's 8.4 million residents were to converge on one spot.
^Koloff, Abbott; and Sheingold, Dave."Census data show growing diversity in North Jersey"Archived October 4, 2023, at theWayback Machine,The Record, December 8, 2016. Retrieved October 4, 2023. "North Jersey continues to grow more racially and ethnically diverse with a rise in residents of Asian and Hispanic heritage, bringing the region closer to a point where whites may no longer be a majority of the population. A dozen municipalities in Bergen County saw their Hispanic populations more than double in the first half of this decade while Asian populations in several other towns grew similarly, according to U.S. Census Bureau survey information made public Thursday."
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^"Gurbir S. Grewal Confirmed as 61st New Jersey Attorney General". State of New Jersey. January 16, 2018.Archived from the original on September 15, 2018. RetrievedSeptember 15, 2018.Gurbir S. Grewal became the 61st Attorney General of the State of New Jersey following the inauguration of Governor Phil Murphy today, January 16, 2018.
^Olivia Rizzo (May 21, 2019)."First female Muslim mayor in the U.S. calls this N.J. town home". New Jersey On-Line LLC. Archived fromthe original on May 24, 2019. RetrievedMay 21, 2019.She is now the first female South Asian mayor of a New Jersey municipality and the first female Muslim mayor in the state. She is also believed to be the first female Muslim mayor, female Pakistani-American mayor and first female South Asian-American mayor first in the nation, according to Religionnews.com.
^Steve Strunsky (April 16, 2019)."Lakewood yeshiva looks to use old golf course for new campus". New Jersey On-Line LLC.Archived from the original on April 16, 2019. RetrievedFebruary 24, 2023.Beth Medrash Gohova is said to be the world's largest Jewish-affiliated university outside of Israel.
^Stephen Stirling (August 3, 2017)."10 ways Lakewood is unlike anywhere else in N.J." NJ Advance Media.Archived from the original on April 16, 2019. RetrievedFebruary 24, 2023.The sea change can be pinned to one event: The founding of the Beth Medrash Govoha yeshiva in the mid-20th century. The Orthodox Jewish community has set down roots en masse around the religious school, which is now the largest yeshiva in North America.
^KRISTY BLEIZEFFER (September 5, 2024)."Wall Street Journal's 2025 Best Colleges In America". Poets&Quants. RetrievedSeptember 20, 2024.Another U.S. college ranking, another first forPrinceton University. Princeton topped Wall Street Journal/College Pulse's 2025 Best Colleges in the U.S ranking, released today (September 5). It's the second straight year Princeton has been WSJ's top school — and it continues an impressive winning streak for the private Ivy in New Jersey.
^Watrobski, Kristina (November 29, 2023)."New Jersey drops basic skills requirement for new teachers: 'Caved to ... union demands'".WHAM-TV.Archived from the original on December 3, 2023. RetrievedDecember 3, 2023.Gov. Phil Murphy signed into law Monday the elimination of the state's basic skills test requirement. Passing the exam was previously required for teachers to become certified if they did not score in the top one-third percentile of the SAT, ACT or GRE. Under the new law, teachers can now skip the exam and instead receive an alternate teaching certificate.
^"Governor Murphy Signs Fiscal Year 2024 Budget into Law". State of New Jersey. June 30, 2023.Archived from the original on July 4, 2023. RetrievedJuly 4, 2023.The StayNJ senior property tax credit affordability program expands income limits and modifies ownership requirements with the aim of cutting property taxes in half for many eligible New Jersey seniors by providing a direct credit of up to $6,500 on property tax bills when fully implemented.
^Han, Daniel."New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy signs $54B budget along with 'StayNJ'",Politico, July 1, 2023. Retrieved July 7, 2023. "Key to the budget negotiations was the creation of the new property tax relief program for seniors, dubbed StayNJ. The plan will provide tax credits worth half a senior's property tax bill up to $6,500 for incomes up to $500,000. Benefits for the program do not go out until January 2026."Archived July 7, 2023, at theWayback Machine.
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^Jon Hurdle (May 13, 2021)."Report details surge in warehouse construction..." NJ Spotlight News. Archived fromthe original on July 9, 2023. RetrievedJanuary 3, 2023.In South Jersey, the area has become the "epicenter" of warehouse construction in the greater Philadelphia region.
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^Hill, Michael."The structure and role of county government in New Jersey", NJ Spotlight News, February 25, 2019. Retrieved July 15, 2022. "Atlantic, Bergen, Essex, Hudson and Mercer Counties have the freeholder-executive form. Union County's freeholders select a manager who can veto some of their actions. The other 15 counties have freeholders — 3 to 9 members depending on population. They appoint a chair or president, and the freeholders themselves take on the executive branch duties, such as running different departments."Archived July 15, 2023, at theWayback Machine.
^Shields, Nancy."Loch Arbour to change government; staying village for now; Will switch from five-member board of trustees to three-member board of commissioners"Archived February 8, 2023, at theWayback Machine,Asbury Park Press, December 21, 2011. Retrieved February 7, 2023, viaNewspapers.com. "Village residents Tuesday voted 51–35 to change its form of government from a five-member board of trustees to a three-member board of commissioners. The vote in the special election means that Loch Arbour is still a village, at least for now, but the town will have three commissioners elected at the same time every four years.... The special election to change the form of government under the Walsh Act is part of a number of steps being taken in search of an answer to a very high school-tax bill, which residents were forced to take on after the state in 2008 ended a special financial deal the village worked out with Ocean Township a decade ago to keep school taxes low."
New Jersey State Databases—annotated list of searchable databases produced by New Jersey state agencies and compiled by the Government Documents Roundtable of the American Library Association
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![Paterson, sometimes known as Silk City,[145] has become a prime destination for an internationally diverse pool of immigrants,[146][147] with at least 52 distinct ethnic groups.[148]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aDowntown-paterson-nj2.jpg)
![Skyscrapers in Jersey City, one of the most ethnically diverse cities in the world[149][150]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aJersey_City_Skyline_2023_150_cropped.jpg)
![Beth Medrash Govoha (Hebrew: בית מדרש גבוה), in Lakewood, Ocean County, the world's largest Jewish yeshiva outside Israel. New Jersey is home to the second-highest Jewish American population per capita, after New York, and the fastest-growing Orthodox Jewish population.[167][168]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aThe_old_Beis_Madrash_Building_of_BMG.jpg)
![Islamic Center of Passaic County, Paterson, Passaic County, was founded in 1990. New Jersey is home to one of the highest Muslim population concentrations in the Western hemisphere (3.5%), and Paterson, which houses the Islamic Center of Passaic County, is the epicenter of New Jersey's Muslim community, leading South Paterson to be nicknamed Little Istanbul and Little Ramallah.[169]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aICPCNJ.png)
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