Americans on the whole were doing well financially heading into 2020, with major markers like unemployment reaching 50-year lows. The pandemic changed all that: During the second quarter of the 2020 fiscal year, our nation's real GDP fell by a whopping 31.4%, a number that hasn't been seen since the Great Depression. Since then the GDP has recovered, the first quarter of 2022 was 11% above the fourth quarter of 2019.
While GDP has recovered since the height of the pandemic, wage growth has not kept pace with inflation. In 2021 average hourly wages increased 4.7% while there was 7% inflation, meaning the worker's purchasing power dropped by 2.4%.
Where you live can make a big impact on your financial situation. The highest earning county in the U.S. earns $147,111, while the lowest earns $22,292. Stacker compiled a list of the lowest-earning counties in New Jersey using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Counties are ranked by the Census' 2020 5-year estimate median household income.
You may also like: Countries from which New Jersey imports the most goods
1 / 21
#21. Hunterdon County
- Median household income: $117,858
--- 38.3% above state average, 81.3% above national average
- Households earning over $100k: 59.2%
--- #9 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 3.5%
--- #3,130 highest among all counties nationwide
2 / 21
#20. Morris County
- Median household income: $117,298
--- 37.6% above state average, 80.5% above national average
- Households earning over $100k: 57.2%
--- #13 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 4.6%
--- #3,129 highest among all counties nationwide
3 / 21
#19. Somerset County
- Median household income: $116,510
--- 36.7% above state average, 79.3% above national average
- Households earning over $100k: 56.8%
--- #16 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 4.7%
--- #3,128 highest among all counties nationwide
4 / 21
#18. Bergen County
- Median household income: $104,623
--- 22.7% above state average, 61.0% above national average
- Households earning over $100k: 52.2%
--- #32 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 6.0%
--- #3,110 highest among all counties nationwide
5 / 21
#17. Monmouth County
- Median household income: $103,523
--- 21.4% above state average, 59.3% above national average
- Households earning over $100k: 51.7%
--- #40 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 6.0%
--- #3,103 highest among all counties nationwide
You may also like: Most expensive homes for sale in New Jersey
6 / 21
#16. Sussex County
- Median household income: $96,222
--- 12.9% above state average, 48.0% above national average
- Households earning over $100k: 48.0%
--- #63 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 4.5%
--- #3,081 highest among all counties nationwide
7 / 21
#15. Middlesex County
- Median household income: $91,731
--- 7.6% above state average, 41.1% above national average
- Households earning over $100k: 46.0%
--- #82 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 6.6%
--- #3,063 highest among all counties nationwide
8 / 21
#14. Burlington County
- Median household income: $90,329
--- 6.0% above state average, 39.0% above national average
- Households earning over $100k: 44.7%
--- #94 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 4.9%
--- #3,052 highest among all counties nationwide
9 / 21
#13. Gloucester County
- Median household income: $89,056
--- 4.5% above state average, 37.0% above national average
- Households earning over $100k: 44.5%
--- #95 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 5.4%
--- #3,043 highest among all counties nationwide
10 / 21
#12. Warren County
- Median household income: $83,497
--- 2.1% below state average, 28.5% above national average
- Households earning over $100k: 40.0%
--- #174 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 6.4%
--- #2,993 highest among all counties nationwide
You may also like: Counties with the oldest homes in New Jersey
11 / 21
#11. Mercer County
- Median household income: $83,306
--- 2.3% below state average, 28.2% above national average
- Households earning over $100k: 42.7%
--- #120 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 9.5%
--- #2,990 highest among all counties nationwide
12 / 21
#10. Union County
- Median household income: $82,644
--- 3.1% below state average, 27.2% above national average
- Households earning over $100k: 41.8%
--- #135 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 6.7%
--- #2,981 highest among all counties nationwide
13 / 21
#9. Hudson County
- Median household income: $75,062
--- 11.9% below state average, 15.5% above national average
- Households earning over $100k: 38.6%
--- #197 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 10.6%
--- #2,880 highest among all counties nationwide
14 / 21
#8. Passaic County
- Median household income: $73,562
--- 13.7% below state average, 13.2% above national average
- Households earning over $100k: 36.4%
--- #250 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 9.3%
--- #2,857 highest among all counties nationwide
15 / 21
#7. Ocean County
- Median household income: $72,679
--- 14.7% below state average, 11.8% above national average
- Households earning over $100k: 35.3%
--- #273 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 7.1%
--- #2,841 highest among all counties nationwide
You may also like: The 20 most affordable cities in New Jersey to buy a house
16 / 21
#6. Cape May County
- Median household income: $72,385
--- 15.1% below state average, 11.4% above national average
- Households earning over $100k: 34.0%
--- #313 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 8.2%
--- #2,831 highest among all counties nationwide
17 / 21
#5. Camden County
- Median household income: $70,957
--- 16.8% below state average, 9.2% above national average
- Households earning over $100k: 34.4%
--- #301 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 10.4%
--- #2,791 highest among all counties nationwide
18 / 21
#4. Salem County
- Median household income: $64,234
--- 24.6% below state average, 1.2% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 32.2%
--- #377 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 10.4%
--- #2,518 highest among all counties nationwide
19 / 21
#3. Essex County
- Median household income: $63,959
--- 25.0% below state average, 1.6% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 33.8%
--- #321 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 13.1%
--- #2,504 highest among all counties nationwide
20 / 21
#2. Atlantic County
- Median household income: $63,680
--- 25.3% below state average, 2.0% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 30.9%
--- #435 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 10.6%
--- #2,488 highest among all counties nationwide
You may also like: Highest-rated Class of 2026 men's basketball recruits from New Jersey
21 / 21
#1. Cumberland County
- Median household income: $55,709
--- 34.6% below state average, 14.3% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 24.6%
--- #921 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 12.8%
--- #1,871 highest among all counties nationwide
