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New Jersey Data Hub

Explore official New Jersey data on jobs, living costs, government, schools, health and climate, with reporting periods, useful comparisons and source links.

Featured finding · Jobs & income

A higher minimum wage is coming in January

The announced rate for most New Jersey workers is $16.48 an hour starting Jan. 1, 2027 — 56 cents above the 2026 rate. Different rules apply to tipped workers and several other groups.

Current rate · most workers: $15.92Jan. 1–Dec. 31, 2026
Announced · not yet in effect: $16.48Effective Jan. 1, 2027

The complete source figure and historical values are listed below.

Official data source: NJ Department of Labor and Workforce Development
Source released Sept. 29, 2026 · Figures checked Oct. 14, 2026.

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Latest findings

More findings from recent source releases in this snapshot.

Source released Oct. 15, 2026
September payrolls grew by 14,900 jobs
Education and health services led the gains; 10 industry sectors include both gains and losses.
Data: September 2026 · seasonally adjusted monthly change
Source released Oct. 14, 2026
Metro prices rose 4.5% over 12 months
The U.S. increase was 3.7% over the same period. This measure covers the NY–NJ–PA metro area.
Data: 12 months ending September 2026
Source released Oct. 23, 2026
NJ electricity prices remained above the U.S. average
The August price per kilowatt-hour declined slightly in New Jersey while rising nationally. This is not an average bill.
Data: August 2026

New Jersey in context

Each figure has an explicit comparison and reporting period.

Unemployment rateShare of the New Jersey labor force unemployed in September 2026, seasonally adjusted.Unemployment rate

Value

Reporting period

Source

4.2%

September 2026

NJ Department of Labor and Workforce Development

September 2026 New Jersey seasonally adjusted unemployment, BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via NJ Department of Labor, released October 15: 4.2%. Revised August: 4.3%. Same-month U.S. 4.2% from BLS national household Current Population Survey. Both are unemployment rates, but national and state sampling and estimation procedures differ. State monthly results are preliminary and subject to revisions; October 2025 is missing in the historical FRED NJUR series, not zero. Historical observations were reconciled to BLS LAUS series LASST340000000000003 on October 20, 2026; comparisons use that complete source snapshot.Source published: 2026-10-15. Checked: 2026-10-20.

Jobs gained and lost by industryNet nonfarm payroll jobs added in New Jersey, with the complete September gains and losses across major industries.Jobs gained and lost by industry

Value

Reporting period

Source

+14,900 jobs

September 2026 · seasonally adjusted monthly change

New Jersey Department of Labor & Workforce Development / BLS CES

Preliminary seasonally adjusted September 2026 New Jersey nonfarm payroll employment, Current Employment Statistics (CES) employer establishment survey. Industry gains and losses are month-to-month changes in the number of payroll jobs—not occupational counts, job postings, hires, or unique workers. Reported NJ payroll level in September was 4,377,400 jobs (+14,900 net). August monthly change was revised from −1,700 to +1,200 jobs. Year-over-year September payrolls gained 3,600 jobs. September and prior figures may be revised. No comparable monthly job gains by occupation can be inferred from this release.Source published: 2026-10-15. Checked: 2026-10-16.

Minimum hourly wageCurrent legal minimum for most New Jersey workers, not an average wage.Minimum hourly wage

Value

Reporting period

Source

$15.92

Effective Jan. 1–Dec. 31, 2026

NJ Department of Labor and Workforce Development

State minimum hourly wage for most employees. Actual January 1 rates, 2020–2026, collected from NJDOL rules and annual announcements. Different rules apply to tipped, small/seasonal, agricultural and some care workers. The announced January 1, 2027 rate of $16.48 is not yet in effect as of October 14, 2026.Source published: 2026-09-29. Checked: 2026-10-14.

Median household incomeMedian income across New Jersey households, from the 2025 American Community Survey one-year estimate; half of households have more and half have less.Median household income

Value

Reporting period

Source

$107,797

2025 ACS 1-year estimate (2025 dollars)

U.S. Census Bureau, Household Income in States and Metropolitan Areas: 2025, Appendix Table 1

The Census Bureau's ACSBR-028 Appendix Table 1 provides 2025 median household income and 90% margins of error for NJ ($107,797 ±$1,374), the United States ($84,780 ±$215), NY ($89,210 ±$934) and PA ($81,473 ±$603). Its inflation-adjusted 2024 NJ comparison is $107,112 ±$1,023 in 2025 dollars; the 0.6% change is not statistically significant. This is median income for households, not individual salary or mean income. The ACS asks about income over 12 months before the interview, not strictly calendar-year earnings. Different household compositions and local costs of living are not adjusted in the geographical comparisons. Do not mix ACS with CPS/ASEC estimates or 5-year ACS results.Source published: 2026-10-29. Checked: 2026-11-09.

Average property tax billStatewide average annual residential property tax bill — not a statewide tax rate.Average property tax bill

Value

Reporting period

Source

$10,570

Calendar year 2025

NJ Department of Community Affairs, Division of Local Government Services

Statewide average residential property tax bill, rounded to the nearest dollar; not a tax rate and not the bill for a typical individual home. Annual tax bills vary widely by municipality. The chart intentionally shows only documented benchmark years. Nominal dollars (not inflation-adjusted). Values from DCA property tax tables, corroborated by NJ Office of Legislative Services and contemporaneous reporting.Source published: . Checked: 2026-10-14.

Residential electricity priceAverage New Jersey residential electricity price per kilowatt-hour in August 2026, not a household's monthly electricity bill.Residential electricity price

Value

Reporting period

Source

24.61¢/kWh

August 2026

U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A

U.S. EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A, residential sector, October 23, 2026 release. August 2026: New Jersey 24.61¢/kWh and U.S. 18.16¢/kWh; August 2025: New Jersey 24.70¢/kWh and U.S. 17.57¢/kWh. The NJ year-over-year change calculated from published rounded prices is −0.4%; the U.S. change is +3.4%. The NJ rate was 6.45¢/kWh (35.5%) above the U.S. in August 2026. Average price is residential revenue divided by kilowatt-hours sold; not a tariff or monthly bill. Every figure comes from the same table, source revision and residential sector.Source published: 2026-10-23. Checked: 2026-11-09.

Median gross monthly rentMedian gross monthly rent of renter-occupied housing units paying cash rent in New Jersey, 2025 ACS 1-year survey; includes contract rent and certain utility costs.Median gross monthly rent

Value

Reporting period

Source

$1,885/mo

2025 ACS 1-year estimate

U.S. Census Bureau, 2025 ACS 1-Year Detailed Table B25064, Median Gross Rent

2025 Census American Community Survey (ACS) 1-year Detailed Table B25064, released Oct. 29, 2026, universe renter-occupied housing units paying cash rent. New Jersey median gross monthly rent $1,885 ±$19; United States $1,557 ±$4; New York $1,704 ±$14; Pennsylvania $1,329 ±$13. These are 90% survey margins of error and are not the range of rents paid. Gross rent includes contract rent and utility costs paid separately if applicable, not advertised asking rents. NJ−US difference $328 (+21.1%) is calculated from rounded estimates and not asserted statistically significant without testing. All four values use one survey table and reference year; no ACS 5-year data or different housing definitions are mixed.Source published: 2026-10-29. Checked: 2026-11-09.

New housing units permitted in 2026New private housing units authorized by building permits in New Jersey, January through September 2026, according to the unadjusted monthly Census series.New housing units permitted in 2026

Value

Reporting period

Source

22,517

January–September 2026 (year to date; monthly series)

U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey, via FRED (NJBPPRIV)

Source: U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey state monthly series NJBPPRIV, via FRED (October 27, 2026 vintage). Preliminary, not seasonally adjusted. January–September 2026 includes 22,517 privately owned housing units authorized; the same nine months of 2025 include 23,695. Difference −1,178 units (−4.97%). Data are units authorized, not permit documents, starts, completions or individual dwellings occupied. Both totals add only the monthly readings of this single series. Official annual and separately published county year-to-date aggregates have different vintages and must not be combined with these totals.Source published: 2026-10-27. Checked: 2026-11-09.

Inflation in the New York–Newark metro areaTwelve-month CPI-U all-items percentage change in the New York–Newark–Jersey City, NY–NJ–PA multi-state metropolitan area, not an NJ statewide measure.Inflation in the New York–Newark metro area

Value

Reporting period

Source

4.5%

12 months ending September 2026

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, New York–Newark area CPI-U report, September 2026

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U all-items 12-month percent changes, not seasonally adjusted. NY–Newark–Jersey City, NY–NJ–PA multi-state metropolitan area: 4.5% in September 2026; United States city average 3.7% in September 2026, from matched BLS CPI-U releases October 14, 2026. The 0.8 percentage-point comparison is the arithmetic difference, not an estimate of cost-of-living level. The metro history uses nine January–September 2026 annual-change observations from the same September metro regional BLS publication. The national comparator comes from the national BLS release for exactly the same index definition and reporting period; do not treat either series as a standalone NJ CPI. September 2026 is the latest comparable 12-month period; BLS cannot report the October 2026 annual change because October 2025 index data are unavailable.Source published: 2026-10-14. Checked: 2026-11-09.

Precipitation in 2026New Jersey statewide precipitation from January through October 2026, including rain and water-equivalent snowfall, from the Rutgers/NOAA nClimDiv statewide monthly series.Precipitation in 2026

Value

Reporting period

Source

36.98 in.

January–October 2026 (year to date)

Rutgers Office of the New Jersey State Climatologist (NOAA NClimDiv)

Rutgers Office of the New Jersey State Climatologist, NOAA nClimDiv statewide monthly precipitation table, checked November 9, 2026. All January–October 2026 values, same months in 2025 and matching 1991–2020 normal values are taken from the same revised table. 2026: 36.98 in.; 2025 same months: 33.81 in.; normal for the same ten months: 39.93 in. Difference from 2025: +3.17 in. (+9.4%); difference from normal: −2.95 in. (−7.4%). October 2026: 2.69 in. vs. October 2025 3.45 in. and October normal 4.19 in. Full-year 2026 has not been observed; no Jan–Oct to full-year comparison. Monthly values may be revised by NOAA and Rutgers.Source published: . Checked: 2026-11-09.

Statewide average temperatureNew Jersey's statewide monthly mean temperature in October 2026, from the current Rutgers/NOAA nClimDiv statewide series.Statewide average temperature

Value

Reporting period

Source

57.3°F

October 2026 statewide monthly mean

Rutgers Office of the New Jersey State Climatologist / NOAA nClimDiv

Rutgers Office of the New Jersey State Climatologist, NOAA nClimDiv statewide monthly mean temperature table, checked November 9, 2026. October 2026 57.3°F; matching 1991–2020 October normal 55.4°F, departure +1.9°F; October 2025 from the same statewide table is 56.1°F. Monthly observations January–October 2026 and matching monthly normals all use this one table, which may be revised. This is area-wide monthly mean temperature, not a station extreme or statewide annual average. Never infer a completed 2026 annual value from these ten months.Source published: . Checked: 2026-11-09.

Registered votersActive registered voters statewide as of October 1, 2026, compared with the same date in 2025 and September 2026.Registered voters

Value

Reporting period

Source

6,725,177

October 1, 2026 snapshot

New Jersey Division of Elections, statewide registration archive

Total voter registrations as reported in the county summaries dated October 1, 2025; September 1, 2026; October 1, 2026. This is not turnout, eligible population, or ballots cast. Party affiliations are enumerated in the agency report. Every county is included for each comparison period; cumulative statewide totals were independently reconciled to the PDFs. Changes are reported as percentages of the prior registration count, not percentage points. No election-to-election comparison is implied, because these are monthly snapshots rather than matched election-day rosters.Source published: . Checked: 2026-10-14.

State government budgetNew Jersey's enacted FY2027 state-funded appropriations, distributed by spending type and by department/account; not actual expenditures or federally funded appropriations.State government budget

Value

Reporting period

Source

$60.74 billion

Enacted FY2027 budget (July 2026–June 2027) · state-funded appropriations

NJ Office of Legislative Services, FY2027 Appropriations Act Scoresheet, Sections D and E, P.L.2026, c.27

Official New Jersey Office of Legislative Services FY2027 Appropriations Act Scoresheet, P.L.2026, c.27 with line-item veto and revenue certification, report dated July 1, 2026, final enacted Act column (3). Section D gives five mutually exclusive appropriations by category; Section E gives 22 department/account totals. Both reconcile to $60,743,569 thousands. A grouped 'Other departments and accounts' rectangle is derived as the sum of 16 named smaller entries in Section E; all are itemized in the complete table. Enacted appropriations are authorization to spend state funds, not actual expenditures, federal grants, or amounts paid directly to taxpayers. Do not add the department and spending type views together.Source published: 2026-07-01. Checked: 2026-11-09.

NJ FamilyCare enrollmentPeople enrolled in NJ FamilyCare and related state public medical assistance programs, reported by the New Jersey Division of Medical Assistance and Health Services in its monthly enrollment summaries.NJ FamilyCare enrollment

Value

Reporting period

Source

1,786,101

October 2026

NJ Department of Human Services, Division of Medical Assistance and Health Services, 2026 monthly NJ FamilyCare enrollment summaries

The ten 2026 NJ FamilyCare enrollment reports published by the NJ Division of Medical Assistance and Health Services, checked November 9, 2026, show 1,809,464 enrolled in January and 1,786,101 in October (−23,363 or −1.3%). October's five published eligibility categories sum to that statewide total; the mutually exclusive optional groups are non-ABD children 812,517, non-ABD adults 669,673, aged/blind/disabled 303,911. 'Non-ABD children' and 'Non-ABD adults' are eligibility categories, not exact age-only populations. Total includes public medical assistance, Medicaid, CHIP and certain other state programs. Does not measure uninsured residents, eligible population, patient visits or causation of change. Comparisons are enrolled individuals at specific reporting dates, not people gaining or losing insurance in a longitudinal cohort.Source published: . Checked: 2026-11-09.

Residents without health insuranceShare of New Jersey's civilian noninstitutionalized population without comprehensive health insurance in 2025; 2025 American Community Survey 1-year estimates.Residents without health insurance

Value

Reporting period

Source

7.7%

2025 ACS 1-year estimate

U.S. Census Bureau, Health Insurance Coverage by State: 2025 (ACSBR-027), Appendix Table A-2

Census Bureau ACSBR-027, Appendix Table A-2, October 2026, 2025 American Community Survey (ACS) 1-year. Universe: civilian noninstitutionalized population. Uninsured means no comprehensive health insurance at time of interview, including people whose only coverage was through Indian Health Service. Survey estimates describe the annual average of coverage status at the time of interview, not Medicaid/NJ FamilyCare administrative enrollments. All chart values from one source table and estimate year. Margins of error (± percentage points) represent 90% confidence intervals. The NJ−U.S. difference of −0.7 percentage point is the arithmetic difference of two rounded rates, not a confidence interval for the difference; no unsupported significance claim. Age rates have age-specific denominators and do not represent shares of all uninsured people. The 2025 ACS changed questions and processing, and the Census cautions that comparisons with 2024 and earlier estimates may be misleading.Source published: 2026-10-29. Checked: 2026-11-09.

People receiving NJ SNAPNew Jersey residents who received SNAP benefits during July 2026, with January–July 2026 compared with the same 2025 months from one DFD administrative issuance series.People receiving NJ SNAP

Value

Reporting period

Source

737,447

July 2026

New Jersey Department of Human Services, Division of Family Development, Current Program Statistics, July 2026, Table 5

The New Jersey Division of Family Development's July 2026 Current Program Statistics, Table 5, supplies all 14 2025 and 2026 monthly person-participation observations used here. DFD defines them as households and persons receiving SNAP issuances during each month, derived from NJ MMIS Shared Data Warehouse issuance files. January–July 2026 is compared only with the matching months in 2025. July 2025: 793,116 people; July 2026: 737,447; difference −55,669 (−7.0% of July 2025). This metric excludes SNAP households, eligibility estimates, applications, food insecurity and benefits paid. Separate federal policy milestones are sourced to the NJ DFD Federal Changes to SNAP page and are not causal claims; administrative time series alone cannot attribute the decline to specific laws or implementation dates. Do not mix federal USDA program data with state DFD participation counts.Source published: . Checked: 2026-11-09.

Students chronically absentShare of eligible NJ public-school students absent for at least 10% of counted membership days. Locally excused and unexcused absences count; State-excused absences are excluded.Students chronically absent

Value

Reporting period

Source

14.4%

2024–25 school year

NJ Department of Education, May 7, 2026 School Performance Data release

Chronic absenteeism means absence for at least 10% of counted membership days. Locally excused and unexcused absences count; State-excused absences do not. Starting in 2024–25, students need at least 90 days present or absent for inclusion, previously 45, and qualifying student records are included regardless of end-of-year active status. These inclusion changes prevent a like-for-like comparison with the published 14.9% for 2023–24 and 10.6% for 2018–19. No percentage-point change or national benchmark is presented.Source published: 2026-05-07. Checked: 2026-10-20.

Four-year high school graduation rateNew Jersey state-calculated four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate for the class of 2025, and comparable class-of-2022 through class-of-2025 results.Four-year high school graduation rate

Value

Reporting period

Source

91.8%

Class of 2025 · state four-year adjusted cohort

NJ Department of Education, state-calculated four-year adjusted cohort graduation data, classes of 2022–2025

Authoritative NJDOE 2025 four-year adjusted cohort archive includes the 2022–2025 state version rates in the same multi-cohort workbook, and class of 2025 student-group rates from the corresponding year cohort workbook. State calculation counts all students earning state-endorsed diplomas; the federal calculation excludes certain graduates under ESSA criteria. Cohorts have different graduating populations; these are cohort rates, not a panel of students followed across cohorts. In the four-year state-version series, 2022 90.9%, 2023 91.1%, 2024 91.3%, 2025 91.8%; gain +0.9 percentage point since 2022 and +0.5 from 2024. The 2021 state four-year rate was 90.6% according to NJDOE's 2024 State Board chart and 2021 cohort table; the May 7, 2026 summary's attribution of 90.9% to four years prior conflicts with those records. The 2025 student-group rates 88.9% economically disadvantaged and 82.4% disabilities use the 2025 state cohort methodology and do not sum to or partition the statewide rate. Do not mix 4-year and 5-year rates, state and federal calculations, or treat any delta as a percentage change.Source published: 2026-05-21. Checked: 2026-11-09.

Reading the numbers

A statewide figure does not describe every county or town. Local comparisons appear only when we can account for every place in that geographic level; unavailable values remain visible, not quietly omitted. Check the “Definition and notes” link under any measure.

Comparisons always use matching definitions and reporting periods. Property tax bills are not rates; permits are not completed homes; survey estimates include uncertainty. Source changes enter editorial review rather than automatically replacing published data. NJ TRANSIT performance is held until reuse rights are cleared.

New Jersey by the Numbers

Explore official New Jersey data on jobs, living costs, government, schools, health and climate, with reporting periods, useful comparisons and source links.

Reporting periods vary by figure; see individual sources and checks

Related NJ PBS and NJ Spotlight News reporting refreshes from staff-selected topics.

Featured finding · Jobs & income

A higher minimum wage is coming in January

The announced rate for most New Jersey workers is $16.48 an hour starting Jan. 1, 2027 — 56 cents above the 2026 rate. Different rules apply to tipped workers and several other groups.

Current rate · most workers: $15.92Jan. 1–Dec. 31, 2026
Announced · not yet in effect: $16.48Effective Jan. 1, 2027

The complete source figure and historical values are listed below.

Official data source: NJ Department of Labor and Workforce Development
Source released Sept. 29, 2026 · Figures checked Oct. 14, 2026.

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Measure	Value	Reporting period	Official source
Unemployment rate	4.2%	September 2026	NJ Department of Labor and Workforce Development
Jobs gained and lost by industry	+14,900 jobs	September 2026 · seasonally adjusted monthly change	New Jersey Department of Labor & Workforce Development / BLS CES
Average property tax bill	$10,570	Calendar year 2025	NJ Department of Community Affairs, Division of Local Government Services
Precipitation in 2026	36.98 in.	January–October 2026 (year to date)	Rutgers Office of the New Jersey State Climatologist (NOAA NClimDiv)
Minimum hourly wage	$15.92	Effective Jan. 1–Dec. 31, 2026	NJ Department of Labor and Workforce Development
Residential electricity price	24.61¢/kWh	August 2026	U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A
Median gross monthly rent	$1,885/mo	2025 ACS 1-year estimate	U.S. Census Bureau, 2025 ACS 1-Year Detailed Table B25064, Median Gross Rent
Median household income	$107,797	2025 ACS 1-year estimate (2025 dollars)	U.S. Census Bureau, Household Income in States and Metropolitan Areas: 2025, Appendix Table 1
New housing units permitted in 2026	22,517	January–September 2026 (year to date; monthly series)	U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey, via FRED (NJBPPRIV)
Registered voters	6,725,177	October 1, 2026 snapshot	New Jersey Division of Elections, statewide registration archive
State government budget	$60.74 billion	Enacted FY2027 budget (July 2026–June 2027) · state-funded appropriations	NJ Office of Legislative Services, FY2027 Appropriations Act Scoresheet, Sections D and E, P.L.2026, c.27
Statewide average temperature	57.3°F	October 2026 statewide monthly mean	Rutgers Office of the New Jersey State Climatologist / NOAA nClimDiv
NJ FamilyCare enrollment	1,786,101	October 2026	NJ Department of Human Services, Division of Medical Assistance and Health Services, 2026 monthly NJ FamilyCare enrollment summaries
Residents without health insurance	7.7%	2025 ACS 1-year estimate	U.S. Census Bureau, Health Insurance Coverage by State: 2025 (ACSBR-027), Appendix Table A-2
Inflation in the New York–Newark metro area	4.5%	12 months ending September 2026	U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, New York–Newark area CPI-U report, September 2026
Students chronically absent	14.4%	2024–25 school year	NJ Department of Education, May 7, 2026 School Performance Data release
Four-year high school graduation rate	91.8%	Class of 2025 · state four-year adjusted cohort	NJ Department of Education, state-calculated four-year adjusted cohort graduation data, classes of 2022–2025
People receiving NJ SNAP	737,447	July 2026	New Jersey Department of Human Services, Division of Family Development, Current Program Statistics, July 2026, Table 5

Reading the numbers

A statewide figure does not describe every county or town. Local comparisons appear only when we can account for every place in that geographic level; unavailable values remain visible, not quietly omitted. Check the “Definition and notes” link under any measure.

Comparisons always use matching definitions and reporting periods. Property tax bills are not rates; permits are not completed homes; survey estimates include uncertainty. Source changes enter editorial review rather than automatically replacing published data. NJ TRANSIT performance is held until reuse rights are cleared.