NEW BRUNSWICK, New Jersey (August 31, 2026) — Call it Jersey pride. Seven in 10 New Jerseyans (70%) say they take at least “some” pride in calling the Garden State home, according to the latest Rutgers-Eagleton Poll. Thirty-five percent take “a lot” of pride in living in New Jersey, 35% “some,” 17% “a little” and 11% say they take no pride in living in the state.
That pride runs deep, but not evenly. The share taking “a lot” of pride ranges from a high of 46% among Democrats to a low of 28% among Republicans, and it declines among the highest earners even as majorities everywhere still say they feel it to some degree. Whatever residents make of the traffic, the taxes and the perpetual out-of-state jokes, most aren’t trading in their exit numbers anytime soon.
“New Jersey has a bit of a reputation and is often the butt of jokes throughout the rest of the country, but residents don’t let that ruin the love they have for the Garden State,” said Ashley Koning, an assistant research professor and director of the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling at Rutgers University-New Brunswick and lifelong Jersey girl. “The vast majority of residents, across party lines, income brackets and every corner of the state, still say they are proud to live here. We may love to complain about our state, but there is a reason ‘We’re from Jersey, baby’ became a rallying cry. Jersey pride is real.”
Democrats are more likely to indicate they take “a lot” of or “some” pride in living in the state (79%) compared with independents (67%) and Republicans (63%), though a majority of all three groups feel it to some degree. Residents earning more than $150,000 in annual household income are less likely than their less affluent counterparts to take at least “some” pride in living in New Jersey (62%), though, again, majorities across income brackets feel prideful.
Results are from a statewide poll of 1,006 adults contacted through the probability-based Rutgers-Eagleton/SSRS Garden State Panel from June 25 to 29. The full sample has a margin of error of +/- 4.1 percentage points.
ABOUT THE EAGLETON CENTER FOR PUBLIC INTEREST POLLING
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.
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).
ABOUT THE EAGLETON INSTITUTE OF POLITICS
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.
