Data / Rankings / Poverty rate (US official measure) / Counties in New Jersey

Counties in New Jersey by poverty rate

Passaic County had the highest poverty rate of 21 counties in 2020, at 16.9%. Hunterdon County had the lowest, at 4.1%. The median was 9.2% and the figure for New Jersey was 9.4%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest16.9Passaic County
Lowest4.1Hunterdon County
Median9.221 counties
New Jersey9.4History

All counties, 2020

CSVChart (SVG)

Passaic CountyPassaic County: 16.9 %16.9Essex CountyEssex County: 14.3 %14.3Atlantic CountyAtlantic County: 13.8 %13.8Cumberland CountyCumberland County: 13.1 %13.1Hudson CountyHudson County: 13.1 %13.1Camden CountyCamden County: 12.4 %12.4Salem CountySalem County: 12.2 %12.2Ocean CountyOcean County: 10.5 %10.5Cape May CountyCape May County: 9.6 %9.6Mercer CountyMercer County: 9.5 %9.5Union CountyUnion County: 9.2 %9.2Middlesex CountyMiddlesex County: 7.4 %7.4Warren CountyWarren County: 7.3 %7.3Gloucester CountyGloucester County: 7 %7Bergen CountyBergen County: 6.4 %6.4Burlington CountyBurlington County: 6 %6Monmouth CountyMonmouth County: 5.9 %5.9Sussex CountySussex County: 5.4 %5.4Somerset CountySomerset County: 4.8 %4.8Morris CountyMorris County: 4.7 %4.7Hunterdon CountyHunterdon County: 4.1 %4.1
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankCounties2020 (%)Change on 2019
1Passaic County16.9+3.6 pts
2Essex County14.3+0.5 pts
3Atlantic County13.8+2.5 pts
4Cumberland County13.1-0.7 pts
4Hudson County13.1-0.6 pts
6Camden County12.4+1.7 pts
7Salem County12.2+0.8 pts
8Ocean County10.5+1.5 pts
9Cape May County9.6-0.2 pts
10Mercer County9.5-2.4 pts
11Union County9.2+0.1 pts
12Middlesex County7.4-1.1 pts
13Warren County7.3+0.2 pts
14Gloucester County7-0.5 pts
15Bergen County6.4+0.7 pts
16Burlington County6+0.3 pts
17Monmouth County5.9-0.3 pts
18Sussex County5.4+0.2 pts
19Somerset County4.8-0.6 pts
20Morris County4.7-0.6 pts
21Hunterdon County4.1+0.1 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

People living in families or alone with income below the official US poverty thresholds, as a percentage of people whose poverty status can be determined. United States: Census Bureau Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE), all ages.

Absolute thresholds set by the US government, so not comparable with the EU at_risk_of_poverty_rate.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people of all ages in poverty, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2020/2020-state-and-county/est20all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

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Rank Counties in New Jersey by poverty rate using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which county has the highest poverty rate?

Passaic County, with 16.9% in 2020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest poverty rate?

Hunterdon County, with 4.1% in 2020.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people of all ages in poverty, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Poverty rate (US official measure): other rankings

Counties in New Jersey: more rankings