States / New Jersey

New Jersey

80%

Population of State Living in Coastal Areas

$188 Billion

Coastal Employment
Annual Wages

17

Climate and Weather Disasters
(Affecting New Jersey 2010 to 2018)*

Coastal Demographics

Of the total population of approximately 8.9 million in New Jersey, 7.15 million people live in coastal portions of the state.

Coastal Economy

Coastal New Jersey employs almost 3 million people annually, earning a total of over $188 billion. This equates to over $461 billion in gross domestic product.

Natural Hazards

Four billion-dollar weather disasters affected New Jersey in 2018—and a total of 17 affected the state between 2010 and 2018. In 2018 alone, multiple severe storms, dozens of tornadoes, and two powerful Nor’easters caused several billion dollars’ worth of damage to states along the east coast. In October 2012, Hurricane Sandy caused a total of over $72 billion in damages to affected states, with New York and New Jersey seeing the largest extent of damages.*

New Jersey graphic
Graphic is presentation-ready: copy and paste for use in a handout or presentation.

Sources:

American Community Survey Five-Year Estimates (NOAA Data)

*Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters (NOAA Website)

(All economic and demographic facts represent the latest data available [2015] and are regularly updated as new data become available)

Making a Difference
in New Jersey

City Planning Includes Updated Resilience Strategies

The Takeaway: A $425,000 NOAA award provided the resources needed to identify vulnerabilities and develop evacuation plans, revise stormwater management plans, and implement living shorelines. Also created—a vulnerability index map for all 239 coastal municipalities.

Learn More

Tool Reduces Ocean Conflicts

The Takeaway: Offering a cohesive approach to offshore management, the Mid-Atlantic Regional Ocean Action Plan aids industries connected to offshore energy, tourism, undersea cables, and marine traffic.

Learn More
View More Stories