Health in New Jersey

How much is spent on healthcare in New Jersey? What is the death rate in New Jersey?

Latest update on August 7, 2023
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What are the basic healthcare issues in New Jersey?

Death rate in New Jersey (age-adjusted)

In 2021, the age-adjusted death rate in New Jersey was 731.1 deaths per 100,000 residents.

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United States
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Source:CDC Wonder

Percent of New Jersey residents without health insurance

In 2021, 7.17% of New Jersey's residents weren't covered by health insurance.

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United States
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Healthcare spending per capita in New Jersey (inflation-adjusted)

In 2020, $13,867 was spent on healthcare per New Jersey resident.

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United States
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Death rate (age-adjusted)

In 2021 in New Jersey, the death rate was 731.1 per 100,000 people.

After accounting for differences in age makeup between states, New Jersey had the 47th-highest death rate.

The death rate, also known as mortality rate, is determined using this data in combination with population data. A simple per capita calculation — called the crude death rate — isn't ideal for comparisons, as it doesn't account for differences in age makeup between two groups. For example, an area where more than 50% of the population is over 65 will likely have a higher crude death rate than a place where 10% is 65 or older. Age-adjusted death rates, shown here, allow for comparison between two populations with different age makeups. (Explore New Jersey's demographics.)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is the primary federal agency tracking deaths nationwide. It maintains the National Vital Statistics System, which gathers death information from every state.

New Jersey's age-adjusted death rate was 11.23% higher in 2021 than in 2019, the year before the COVID-19 pandemic was declared.

Death rate in New Jersey (age-adjusted)

In 2021, the age-adjusted death rate in New Jersey was 731.1 deaths per 100,000 residents.

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New Jersey
United States
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Source:CDC Wonder

Death rate per 100,000 people (age-adjusted): 2021

No data
630
729.85
829.7
929.55
1.03K
1.13K
1.23K

Death rate (age-adjusted per 100,000 people), by state: 2021

New Jersey had the 47th-highest death rate.

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Source:CDC Wonder

Top causes of death in New Jersey

In 2021, the top cause of death in New Jersey was heart disease.

The age-adjusted death rate of heart disease was 157.5 per 100,000 New Jersey residents. That's 9.38% lower than the overall heart disease death rate in the US (173.8).

The National Vital Statistics System tracks the underlying (or primary) cause of death by recording information from death certificates. The leading causes of death differ by state.

Leading causes of death, by death rate: 2021

In 2021, the age-adjusted death rate of heart disease was 157.5 per 100,000 New Jersey residents.

Life expectancy at birth

In 2020, New Jersey had the 21st-highest based on life expectancy. A newborn in New Jersey was expected to live 77.5 years.

Life expectancy in New Jersey is 0.5 years higher than life expectancy in the US overall.

Life expectancy is a projection estimating the average age of death for people born today. The calculation uses data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The data can be a way to assess the impact of health issues such as overdoses and COVID-19.

Life expectancy at birth: 2020

In 2020, a newborn in New Jersey was expected to live 77.5 years.

No data
71.9
73.37
74.83
76.3
77.77
79.23
80.7

Healthcare spending per capita

In 2020, healthcare spending by businesses, insurance agencies, households, and governments cost $13,867 per New Jersey resident.

New Jersey ranks 11th-highest based on healthcare spending per person.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services provides estimates of healthcare spending in its National Health Expenditure Accounts (NHEA). The data is further broken down into other categories, including the state of residence of the recipient of care. The estimates are calculated from several sources, including the Census Bureau and the Bureau of Economic Analysis.

While healthcare spending is expected to grow with the population, per-capita trends can provide context on how costs have changed over time.

Learn more about the economy in New Jersey.

Healthcare spending per capita in New Jersey (inflation-adjusted)

In 2020, $13,867 was spent on healthcare per New Jersey resident.

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United States
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Healthcare spending per capita: 2020 (inflation-adjusted)

No data
$8.79K
$10.12K
$11.46K
$12.8K
$14.13K
$15.47K
$16.8K

Healthcare spending per capita, by state: 2020

New Jersey is ranked 11th-highest in healthcare spending per capita.

Share of New Jersey's population without health insurance

New Jersey has the 26th-highest share of the uninsured population.

Health insurance in New Jersey is available through various avenues. The primary way to get insurance is privately through employers. Publicly funded options include Medicare (primarily for people 65 and older), Medicaid (for low-income individuals), and plans available for active-duty military members and veterans. The Affordable Care Act expanded access to Medicaid in some states and established an online marketplace where people could buy private coverage.

The share of the uninsured population in New Jersey in 2021 was 6.0 percentage points lower than in 2013, the year before most ACA provisions went into effect. Data from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey shows that the decrease in the share of uninsured residents occurred in every state.

Percentage of New Jersey residents without health insurance

In 2021, 7.17% of New Jersey's residents weren't covered by health insurance.

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New Jersey
United States
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Percentage of residents without health insurance: 2021

No data
2.5%
5.08%
7.66%
10.23%
12.81%
15.39%
17.97%
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Percentage of residents without health insurance, by state: 2021

New Jersey has the 26th-highest share of the uninsured population.

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Health insurance coverage by type

In 2021, 21.39% of New Jersey's population was covered by public health insurance plans funded by governments at the federal, state, or local level.

The Census Bureau’s American Community Survey asks respondents in New Jersey about their health insurance coverage source, including private plans (employer-based, direct-purchase, and Tricare or military) and publicly funded plans (like Medicaid, Medicare, or VA healthcare). The values in this chart may add up to more than 100%, because some people may be covered by multiple insurance types.

Additionally, 59.67% of New Jersey's population were covered by private health insurance plans.

Health insurance coverage, by type (2021): United States vs New Jersey

In 2021, 92.83% of New Jersey's population was covered by at least one health insurance plan.

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United States
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Birth rate

In 2021, there were 10.3 babies born per 1,000 New Jersey residents.

Like most states, New Jersey's birth rate has been trending down in recent years.

The birth rate is the number of live births per 1,000 people. The data shown here is from the Census Bureau. Looking at the data as a rate rather than just the number of births allows a better understanding of changes over time.

Due to its role in population growth, the birth rate impacts various issues, including health and education. The CDC has attributed a recent drop in the birth rate to "changing patterns in social and cultural norms, as well as increases in educational attainment and contraceptive use."

Birth rate in New Jersey

In 2021, there were 10.3 babies born per 1,000 New Jersey residents.

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United States
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