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New Jersey on the US map
New Jersey sits in the Northeast region of the United States — specifically the mid atlantic subregion as defined by the US Census Bureau. With an area ranking of #47 of 50, New Jersey is one of the smallest US states by total area. The map above highlights New Jersey in gold and color-codes the 49 other states by region.
Whether you're a student studying US geography, a traveler planning a road trip, a teacher building a lesson plan, or simply curious, the goal of this page is to give you a complete picture of where New Jersey is and what surrounds it. Click any other state on the map above to navigate to its dedicated page.
Capital and largest city
The capital of New Jersey is Trenton. The largest city by population, however, is Newark — not Trenton. This pattern (capital ≠ largest city) holds for about 33 of the 50 US states, including most of the famous mismatches like California (Sacramento, not LA), Florida (Tallahassee, not Miami), and New York (Albany, not NYC).
The historical reason for these mismatches dates to the late 18th and 19th centuries. When state founders chose capitals, they often deliberately picked smaller, more centrally located towns to avoid concentrating political and commercial power in the same place. They worried that a capital in a major port or commercial city would be too vulnerable to mob influence (a real concern at the time) and would skew political decisions toward commercial interests.
Borders and neighbors
New Jersey shares land borders with 3 other US states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware. Each link goes to that state's dedicated page where you can see its own map, history, and facts.
Geographic features at a glance
- Total area rank: #47 of 50
- Population: 5 to 10 million
- Coastline: atlantic
- Mountain ranges: appalachians
- Time zone: Eastern
- Region: Northeast — mid atlantic subregion
- Appalachian range: yes
Major highways and transportation
New Jersey is connected to the rest of the country by the federal Interstate Highway System (planned by President Eisenhower in the 1950s). Major airports serve Newark and Trenton, with regional connections to the rest of the state. Amtrak rail service connects parts of New Jersey to the national passenger rail network, though geographic isolation and population density vary.
New Jersey notable firsts
- Birthplace of one or more US presidents
- One of the 13 original colonies
🌟 New Jersey trivia
- Despite its tiny size, NJ is the most densely populated US state — 1,263 people per square mile.
- The state has more diners per capita than anywhere else in the world.
- Edison Lab in Menlo Park, NJ produced the lightbulb, phonograph, and motion picture camera.
- Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi, and Frank Sinatra were all born in New Jersey.
New Jersey vs similar states
How does New Jersey compare with 3 other states in the same region and size category?
| State | Capital | Pop | Area rank | Admitted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | Trenton | 5 to 10 million | #47 | 1787 |
| Connecticut | Hartford | 1 to 5 million | #48 | 1788 |
| Delaware | Dover | 1 to 5 million | #49 | 1787 |
| Maine | Augusta | 1 to 5 million | #39 | 1820 |
Bordering states (3)
New Jersey shares borders with 3 other US states, listed alphabetically below. Each link goes to the dedicated state page.
Practice US geography daily — free
Statedoku is a 3×3 daily geography puzzle. New Jersey appears as an answer or constraint clue on most days that match its region, borders, time zone, or quirks. Five minutes a day.
Play today's puzzle →Similar states to New Jersey
If this page interested you, you may also want to explore states with similar geography, history, or culture. These states share New Jersey's region (Northeast) and similar size category: