New Jerseyans increasingly give subpar ratings to both the state and national economies, and while overwhelming dissatisfaction with how the state handles taxes and affordability persists, views on other issues are becoming more mixed, according to the latest Rutgers-Eagleton Poll in collaboration with the New Jersey Organization for a Better State (NEW JOBS) political action committee.
Three-quarters of residents rate the state’s economy negatively, with 29% rating it as “poor” and 46% as “only fair.” Twenty percent say the state economy is “good” and 1% say it is “excellent.” Overall negativity has ticked up by 6 points since October, when last polled.\
Residents continue to feel slightly more negatively about the national economy. Nearly 8 in 10 rate the national economy negatively, with 46% calling it “poor” and 33% “only fair.” Seventeen percent say the national economy is “good” and 2% “excellent.” Negativity has increased by 9 points since October, with most of the increase occurring among those who label the national economy as "poor.”
“Pessimism continues to overwhelm New Jerseyans' views on both the state and national economies, with negativity toward the national economy returning to its highest levels since spring 2025 and negativity toward the state economy up by double digits since fall 2024,” said Ashley Koning, an assistant research professor and director of the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling at Rutgers University-New Brunswick. “The message to both Trenton and especially Washington is clear: Rising costs, stagnant wages, and an ongoing affordability crisis have yet to be addressed in any way residents can feel."
Democrats are the most pessimistic partisan about the national economy: 94% give it a negative rating (62% “poor,” 32% “only fair”) compared with 54% of Republicans (21% “poor,” 33% “only fair”). Independents fall in the middle, with nearly 8 in 10 labeling it “poor” (44%) or “only fair” (35%).
Democrats are less negative about New Jersey’s economy than the national economy, though a two-thirds majority still give it a negative rating (21% “poor,” 47% “only fair”), while Republicans are more negative at 86% (41% “poor,” 45% “only fair”). Independents again fall in the middle, with three-quarters calling the state economy “poor” (31%) or “only fair” (44%).
Across gender, race and ethnicity, age, income, region and education, in all other groups, 7 in 10 or more give a negative rating to the national economy and two-thirds or more give a negative rating to the state economy.
New Jerseyans are most dissatisfied with how the state government is handling cost of living and affordability: More than 8 in 10 say they are either “very” (52%) or “somewhat” (32%) dissatisfied. Fourteen percent are satisfied on some level (1% “very,” 13% “somewhat”). These numbers are virtually unchanged from when this question was last asked in June 2025.
“New Jersey families are clearly feeling the pressure of rising costs, and they feel like they are falling behind,” said Tony Bawidamann, chairman of NEW JOBS. “These results reflect what we are hearing across the state. Moving forward, it will be important for elected officials to focus on policies that support job growth, address affordability, and ease the burden on working families.”
About 8 in 10 residents express dissatisfaction with the state government’s handling of taxes (51% “very,” 28% “somewhat”), while less than 1 in 5 are satisfied (2% “very,” 15% “somewhat”). Again, there is virtually no change from June 2025.
“The story here is not just that New Jerseyans are dissatisfied – it is that the dissatisfaction is spreading,” Koning said. “Taxes and affordability have been chronic pain points for years, but healthcare and transportation have now crossed into net negative territory for the first time in our trend data, while education's gains remain fragile. Government has a shrinking list of areas where it is getting credit from the public.”
New Jerseyans’ views improve on the handling of other issues, but residents are still more dissatisfied than satisfied when it comes to the state budget and government spending (58% dissatisfied, 28% satisfied) and transportation and infrastructure (49% dissatisfied, 40% satisfied). While satisfaction level with the budget and spending is comparable to June 2025, dissatisfaction with the state’s handling of transportation and infrastructure has decreased slightly, by five points.
Views are mixed on how the state is handling health care, with 45% satisfied (8% “very,” 37% “somewhat”) and 46% dissatisfied (20% “very,” 16% “somewhat”). Opinions have become slightly more mixed since June 2025.
Residents are more positive when it comes to crime and safety and education and schools. Fifty-four percent express satisfaction with the state government’s management of crime and safety (10% “very,” 44% “somewhat”) versus 41% who feel dissatisfied (18% “very,” 23% “somewhat”). Slightly more than half are satisfied with the state’s handling of education (11% “very,” 41% “somewhat”) versus 37% dissatisfied (16% “very,” 21% “somewhat”). Satisfaction with the handling of crime has marginally decreased and dissatisfaction has increased slightly, while satisfaction with education has increased slightly, by five points.
“There is a lot of work to be done as the state’s business leaders, and we are encouraged by the Sherrill administration's engagement with the business community through her first 100 days,” Bawidamann said. “But we need to continue this momentum and work closely with elected officials to create public policy that makes it easier for businesses of all sizes to grow and flourish here."
On all these issues, Democrats feel more positively than Republicans (and vice versa – Republicans feel more negatively than Democrats), while independents fall somewhere in the middle.
Results are from a statewide poll of 1,568 adults contacted through the probability-based Rutgers-Eagleton/SSRS Garden State Panel from March 27 to March 30. The full sample has a margin of error of +/- 3.2 percentage points.
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Home of the Rutgers-Eagleton Poll, the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling (ECPIP) was established in 1971 and is the oldest and one of the most respected university-based statewide polling operations in the United States. Now in its 56th year and with the publication of over 200 polls, ECPIP’s mission is to provide scientifically sound, nonpartisan information about public opinion. In addition to its public polling, ECPIP partners with organizations, foundations, and public agencies to design and conduct custom survey research on issues of public concern. To learn more about ECPIP, explore our published research and data archive, or inquire about our research services, please visit our website: eagletonpoll.rutgers.edu. You can also visit our Facebook, Bluesky, and LinkedIn.
ABOUT THE RUTGERS-EAGLETON/SSRS GARDEN STATE PANEL
The Rutgers-Eagleton/SSRS Garden State Panel is a probability-based panel of New Jersey adults age 18 or older. The panel is managed and maintained by SSRS, a full-service research firm based in Glen Mills, PA. Panelists are recruited randomly based on statewide representative ABS (Address Based Sample) design. The ABS sample is drawn from the Delivery Sequence File (DSF) maintained by the U.S. Postal Service, which provide population coverage in the 98%-99% range. The Rutgers-Eagleton/SSRS Garden State Panel is a multi-mode panel. Internet households participate via web while all non-internet households (including those who have internet but are unwilling to take surveys online) participate via phone. Panelists also have the option of taking surveys in their preferred language (English or Spanish).
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The Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling is a unit of the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University–New Brunswick. The Eagleton Institute studies how American politics and government work and change, analyzes how the democracy might improve and promotes political participation and civic engagement. The Institute explores state and national politics through research, education and public service, linking the study of politics with its day-to-day practice. To learn more about Eagleton programs and expertise, visit eagleton.rutgers.edu.
ABOUT RUTGERS UNIVERSITY-NEW BRUNSWICK
Rutgers University-New Brunswick is where Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, began more than 250 years ago. Ranked among the world’s top 60 universities, Rutgers’s flagship university is a leading public research institution and a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities. It is home to internationally acclaimed faculty and has 12 degree-granting schools and a Division I Athletics program. It is the Big Ten Conference’s most diverse university. Through its community of teachers, scholars, artists, scientists and healers, Rutgers is equipped as never before to transform lives.
ABOUT NEW JOBS PAC
The New Jersey Organization for a Better State (NEW JOBS), the state’s largest business political action committee, is a nonpartisan organization whose trustees promote a pro-business climate in New Jersey by endorsing and supporting legislative candidates who actively support economic growth, the creation of private-sector jobs, and the lowering of business costs.
