Home Facts Atlas

State facts

New Jersey: homes, climate zones and who licenses the work

New Jersey has 3.8 million housing units. 62.8% were built before 1980, and the median year built is 1970. 63.8% of occupied homes are lived in by their owners.

How old the homes are

New Jersey housing units, by year built

Layers drawn to scale

New Jersey housing units by year built 62.8% of New Jersey housing units were built before 1980 and 37.2% in 1980 or later. 2020 or later: 1.1%; 2010–2019: 6.2%; 2000–2009: 9.2%; 1990–1999: 8.9%; 1980–1989: 11.8%; 1970–1979: 12.3%; 1960–1969: 12.8%; 1950–1959: 13.8%; 1940–1949: 6.5%; 1939 or earlier: 17.4%. Before 1980 62.8% 1980 or later 37.2% 2020 or later 1.1% 2010–2019 6.2% 2000–2009 9.2% 1990–1999 8.9% 1980–1989 11.8% 1970–1979 12.3% 1960–1969 12.8% 1950–1959 13.8% 1940–1949 6.5% 1939 or earlier 17.4%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates, tables B25034, B25035 and B25003; heating fuel below from B25040.

Age changes what applies to a house. In general, anyone paid to do work that disturbs painted surfaces in a home built before 1978 must be certified in lead-safe work practices under the EPA's Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule, which the EPA administers directly in New Jersey.

How homes are heated

How homes in New Jersey are heated

Main heating fuel, share of 3.5 million occupied homes

  • Utility gas 73.1%
  • Electricity 16.2%
  • Fuel oil or kerosene 6.4%
  • Propane or other tank gas 2.4%
  • No fuel used 0.8%
  • Other fuel 0.5%
  • Wood 0.3%
  • Solar energy 0.2%
  • Coal or coke <0.1%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates, table B25040 (occupied housing units).

Climate and building zones

The 2021 International Energy Conservation Code assigns every county a climate zone from 1 to 8 and a moisture regime: A for moist, B for dry, C for marine. Zones 7 and 8 have no letter. Here is how New Jersey's residents divide among them, by the county they live in.

IECC 2021 zoneShare of residentsCounties
4A66.6%13
5A33.4%8

ENERGY STAR rates windows, doors and skylights for four climate zones of its own. New Jersey spans 2: North-Central (70.7% of residents), Northern (29.3% of residents).

By NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals, counties here average 108 days a year with a low of 32°F or colder, weighted by where people live. The range runs from 72 days in the mildest county to 137 in the coldest.

Flood risk and flood insurance

5% of residential structures in New Jersey carry a National Flood Insurance Program policy: 121,462 policies, in FEMA's count as of August 3, 2026.

In FEMA's National Risk Index, 13 of 21 counties rate high or very high for riverine flooding; 10 of 21 counties rate high or very high for coastal flooding; 3 of 21 counties rate high or very high for hurricanes.

Fire ants and termites

No county in New Jersey is inside the federal imported fire ant quarantine.

Who licenses the work in New Jersey

Before anyone starts work, check the license with the agency below. Where the state does not license a trade, cities and counties may; ask the one where the house is.

Checked 2026-09-29. Licensing rules change; the agency's own page is the authority.

Sources

  1. U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates, tables B25034, B25035, B25040 and B25003 data.census.gov
  2. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Guide to Determining Climate Zone by County: Building America and IECC 2021 Updates basc.pnnl.gov
  3. U.S. Department of Energy Prototype Building Models (climate zones 1–8 and moisture regimes A, B, C) energycodes.gov
  4. ENERGY STAR Climate zones by county for windows, doors and skylights energystar.gov
  5. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, annual and seasonal ncei.noaa.gov
  6. Federal Emergency Management Agency OpenFEMA NFIP Residential Penetration Rates (as of 2026-08-03) fema.gov
  7. Federal Emergency Management Agency National Risk Index, county ratings fema.gov
  8. USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Imported fire ant quarantine map aphis.usda.gov
  9. Electronic Code of Federal Regulations 7 CFR part 301, subpart P, Imported Fire Ant ecfr.gov
  10. New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Pesticide Control dep.nj.gov dep.nj.gov
  11. New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Pesticide Control nj.gov nj.gov
  12. New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Pesticide Control nj.gov nj.gov
  13. New Jersey State Board of Examiners of Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration (HVACR) Contractors, Division of Consumer Affairs njconsumeraffairs.gov njconsumeraffairs.gov
  14. New Jersey State Board of Examiners of Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration (HVACR) Contractors, Division of Consumer Affairs nj.gov nj.gov
  15. New Jersey State Board of Examiners of Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration (HVACR) Contractors, Division of Consumer Affairs njconsumeraffairs.gov njconsumeraffairs.gov
  16. New Jersey State Board of Examiners of Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration (HVACR) Contractors, Division of Consumer Affairs newjersey.mylicense.com newjersey.mylicense.com
  17. New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs nj.gov nj.gov
  18. New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs njconsumeraffairs.gov njconsumeraffairs.gov
  19. New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs njconsumeraffairs.gov njconsumeraffairs.gov
  20. nj.gov nj.gov nj.gov
  21. epa.gov epa.gov epa.gov