Unemployment Rate Rises In NJ: See How Each County Fared

NEW JERSEY — The Garden State's unemployment rate is slowly increasing amid an economy marked by rising inflation, tariffs, and other expenses.

In New Jersey, the unemployment rate as of July was 4.9 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

This represents a 0.3 percentage point increase since July 2024, when the unemployment rate was 4.6 percent.

Breaking the numbers down by New Jersey countys, Cumberland had the highest rate with 6.7 in July 2024 and 8.6 percent in July 2025 and Hunterdon had the lowest with 3.8 in July 2024 and 4.5 percent as of July 2025.

Taking a closer look at the unemployment rates in the state and how they compare, here are the counties with the highest unemployment in New Jersey:

Numbers based on July 2025

• Cumberland County
  • Labor Force: 66,753
  • Employed: 61,012
  • Unemployed: 5,741
  • Unemployment Rate: 8.6
• Essex County
  • Labor Force: 424,113
  • Employed: 395,036
  • Unemployed: 29,077
  • Unemployment Rate: 6.9
• Cape May County
  • Labor Force: 47,167
  • Employed: 44,078
  • Unemployed: 3,089
  • Unemployment Rate: 6.5
• Atlantic County
  • Labor Force: 144,160
  • Employed: 134,880
  • Unemployed: 9,280
  • Unemployment Rate: 6.4
• Passaic County
  • Labor Force: 279,480
  • Employed: 261,529
  • Unemployed: 17,951
  • Unemployment Rate: 6.4
• Camden County
  • Labor Force: 277,575
  • Employed: 260,501
  • Unemployed: 17,074
  • Unemployment Rate: 6.2
• Union County
  • Labor Force: 302,666
  • Employed: 284,506
  • Unemployed: 18,160
  • Unemployment Rate: 6.0
• Middlesex County
  • Labor Force: 457,921
  • Employed: 431,348
  • Unemployed: 26,573
  • Unemployment Rate: 5.8
• Mercer County
  • Labor Force: 201,204
  • Employed: 189,671
  • Unemployed: 11,533
  • Unemployment Rate: 5.7
• Gloucester County
  • Labor Force: 167,887
  • Employed: 158,498
  • Unemployed: 9,389
  • Unemployment Rate: 5.6
• Burlington County
  • Labor Force: 250,611
  • Employed: 237,306
  • Unemployed: 13,305
  • Unemployment Rate: 5.3
• Ocean County
  • Labor Force: 296,122
  • Employed: 279,911
  • Unemployed: 16,211
  • Unemployment Rate: 5.5
• Warren County
  • Labor Force: 60,227
  • Employed: 56,971
  • Unemployed: 3,256
  • Unemployment Rate: 5.4
• Sussex County
  • Labor Force: 80,765
  • Employed: 76,612
  • Unemployed: 4,153
  • Unemployment Rate: 5.1
• Hudson County
  • Labor Force: 422,631
  • Employed: 401,657
  • Unemployed: 20,974
  • Unemployment Rate: 5.0
• Monmouth County
  • Labor Force: 342,547
  • Employed: 325,508
  • Unemployed: 17,039
  • Unemployment Rate: 5.0
• Somerset County
  • Labor Force: 195,447
  • Employed: 185,956
  • Unemployed: 9,491
  • Unemployment Rate: 4.9
• Bergen County
  • Labor Force: 546,583
  • Employed: 521,093
  • Unemployed: 25,490
  • Unemployment Rate: 4.7
• Morris County
  • Labor Force: 277,988
  • Employed: 264,821
  • Unemployed: 13,167
  • Unemployment Rate: 4.7
• Hunterdon County
  • Labor Force: 69,169
  • Employed: 66,077
  • Unemployed: 3,092
  • Unemployment Rate: 4.5

Numbers based on July 2024

• Cumberland County
  • Labor Force: 66,157
  • Employed: 61,711
  • Unemployed: 4,446
  • Unemployment Rate: 6.7
• Salem County
  • Labor Force: 30,520
  • Employed: 28,681
  • Unemployed: 1,839
  • Unemployment Rate: 6.0
• Cape May County
  • Labor Force: 47,773
  • Employed: 44,955
  • Unemployed: 2,818
  • Unemployment Rate: 5.9
• Essex County
  • Labor Force: 428,145
  • Employed: 403,579
  • Unemployed: 24,566
  • Unemployment Rate: 5.7
• Passaic County
  • Labor Force: 275,901
  • Employed: 261,051
  • Unemployed: 14,850
  • Unemployment Rate: 5.4
• Atlantic County
  • Labor Force: 145,318
  • Employed: 137,777
  • Unemployed: 7,541
  • Unemployment Rate: 5.2
• Camden County
  • Labor Force: 276,845
  • Employed: 262,779
  • Unemployed: 14,066
  • Unemployment Rate: 5.1
• Union County
  • Labor Force: 305,676
  • Employed: 290,485
  • Unemployed: 15,191
  • Unemployment Rate: 5.0
• Mercer County
  • Labor Force: 202,421
  • Employed: 192,952
  • Unemployed: 9,469
  • Unemployment Rate: 4.7
• Middlesex County
  • Labor Force: 459,810
  • Employed: 437,986
  • Unemployed: 21,824
  • Unemployment Rate: 4.7
• Gloucester County
  • Labor Force: 167,529
  • Employed: 159,788
  • Unemployed: 7,741
  • Unemployment Rate: 4.6
• Ocean County
  • Labor Force: 298,147
  • Employed: 284,432
  • Unemployed: 13,715
  • Unemployment Rate: 4.6
• Hudson County
  • Labor Force: 419,564
  • Employed: 400,861
  • Unemployed: 18,703
  • Unemployment Rate: 4.5
• Warren County
  • Labor Force: 59,854
  • Employed: 57,197
  • Unemployed: 2,657
  • Unemployment Rate: 4.4
• Burlington County
  • Labor Force: 250,069
  • Employed: 239,212
  • Unemployed: 10,857
  • Unemployment Rate: 4.3
• Monmouth County
  • Labor Force: 345,266
  • Employed: 330,550
  • Unemployed: 14,716
  • Unemployment Rate: 4.3
• Sussex County
  • Labor Force: 81,565
  • Employed: 78,048
  • Unemployed: 3,517
  • Unemployment Rate: 4.3
• Somerset County
  • Labor Force: 196,785
  • Employed: 188,795
  • Unemployed: 7,990
  • Unemployment Rate: 4.1
• Bergen County
  • Labor Force: 542,230
  • Employed: 520,407
  • Unemployed: 21,823
  • Unemployment Rate: 4.0
• Morris County
  • Labor Force: 281,575
  • Employed: 270,391
  • Unemployed: 11,184
  • Unemployment Rate: 4.0
• Hunterdon County
  • Labor Force: 69,930
  • Employed: 67,299
  • Unemployed: 2,631
  • Unemployment Rate: 3.8