New Jersey Almanac: State Facts and Figures

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New Jersey Almanac

Official Name

New Jersey

Capital

Trenton

Nick Name

The Garden State

Motto

Liberty and Prosperity

Location & Region

40.22340 N, 074.76422 W

Middle Atlantic

Constitution Ratified

1947

Statehood

December 18, 1787

3rd state

Population

8,414,350

1,134.16 sq mi.

9th

Largest City
(by population)

Newark, Jersey City, Paterson, Elizabeth, Edison, Woodbridge, Dover, Hamilton, Trenton

Bordering States

Delaware - New York - Pennsylvania Coastline: 130 mi.

Number of Counties

21 Counties in New Jersey

Largest County
(by population)

Bergen County

884,118

234 sq mi.

Time Zone

Eastern Standard Time

New Jersey Climate and Weather

New Jersey has relatively warm summers and cold winters, with moderate temperatures in the fall and spring. From June through August, it's common for temperatures to reach the 90s F/32+ C during the day in all parts of the state, though cool sea breezes keep the coast comfortable in a state with fairly high humidity (68% average on the coast, 57% inland). At the shore, when the moist breeze can make it seem chilly despite the mid 60s F/17 C temperatures. Expect rain to be evenly distributed throughout the summer. In the cold winter months New Jersey gets its share of snowstorms, particularly in the higher elevations of the northwestern part of the state, close to the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. Trenton and Newark range from 24 to 41 F/-3 to 5 C in January, while it's 24 to 42 F/-3 to 6 C in Atlantic City.

Highest Temperature

110 degrees
July 10, 1936 - Runyon

Lowest Temperature

-34 degrees
January 5, 1904 - River Vale

Avg Temp: High - Low

85.6 degrees

24.2 degrees

New Jersey Highest, Lowest, and Mean Elevations (Feet)

Mean Elevation

250

Highest Point

High Point

1,803

Lowest Point

Atlantic Ocean

Sea level

New Jersey Land Area (Square Miles)

Geographic Center

Total Area

8,721.30

47th

Land Area¹

7,417.34

71.97%

Water Area²

1,303.96

18.03%

Forested Land Area³

41.9%

Dimensions
(Length - Width)

150 miles

70 miles

Source: (U.S. Census, April 1, 2000)
1. Dry land and land temporarily or partially covered by water, such as marshland, swamps, etc.; streams and canals under one-eighth statute mile wide; and lakes, reservoirs, and ponds under 40 acres.
2. Permanent inland water surface, such as lakes, reservoirs, and ponds having an area of 40 acres or more; streams, sloughs, estuaries, and canals one-eighth statute mile or more in width; deeply indented embayments and sounds, and other coastal waters behind or sheltered by headlands or islands separated by less than 1 nautical mile of water, and islands under 40 acres in area. Excludes areas of oceans, bays, sounds, etc. lying within U.S. jurisdiction but not defined as inland water.
3. 1997

Almanac Provided by SHG Resources