1st Amendment
7.0B
Press shield lawsAnti-SLAPP protectionsPublic forum protectionsCampus speech policies+2 more
State Freedom Profile
New Jersey
Eliminated cash bailRecreational marijuana legalHighest property taxes
Across the hybrid multi-source index, New Jersey is below average in overall freedom, ranking #45 of 50 states with a score of 45.5/100. Its strongest areas are criminal justice, drug policy, 1st amendment, while it scores lowest in education choice, regulatory burden, 2nd amendment.
- best
- 9.6
- average
- 4.5
- worst
- 0.2
45.5
Grade D+
0255075100
FDCBA
Score by category
How New Jersey performs in each freedom category, ranked best to worst.
Loading chart...
Category breakdown
Each score is drawn from the publisher listed on the tile. Hover the source chip for edition and methodology detail.
2nd Amendment
0.2F
Guns & Ammo 2023 — rank 49/50
Constitutional/permitless carryConcealed carry shall-issue vs may-issueAssault weapon restrictionsMagazine capacity limits+3 more
4th Amendment
4.5D+
IJ Policing for Profit 2025 — forfeiture grade D-
Civil asset forfeiture protectionsWarrant requirements for digital dataSurveillance camera/drone restrictionsLicense plate reader policies+2 more
Economic Freedom
2.4F
Fraser EFNA 2024 (Overall subn score 5.70 for 2023) — rank 38/50
State income tax ratesSales tax ratesProperty tax burdenBusiness tax climate+3 more
Criminal Justice
9.6A+
Vera People in Prison 2024 — rank 3/50 (136/100k)
Incarceration rate per capitaPolice accountability measuresBail reformMandatory minimum sentencing+3 more
Drug Policy
9.5A+
Cannabis status 2025 — Fully Legal (recreational use legal, retail sales operating)
Recreational marijuana legalityMedical marijuana programDecriminalization of possessionDrug court availability+2 more
Property Rights
5.0C-
IJ Eminent Domain 2025 — post-Kelo protections D
Eminent domain protectionsZoning flexibilityRent control restrictionsBuilding code burden+2 more
Religious Liberty
5.0C-
State RFRA (Religious Freedom Restoration Act)Conscience protections for professionalsReligious organization exemptionsReligious land use protections+2 more
Education Choice
1.5F
EdChoice ABCs 2025 — no private-choice program, no programs
School voucher programsEducation savings accounts (ESAs)Charter school availabilityHomeschool regulation level+2 more
Regulatory Burden
0.8F
Mercatus RegData 2024 — rank 46/48 (296,926 restrictions)
Occupational licensing requirementsBusiness licensing burdenRegulatory code volumePermit processing times+2 more
Provenance
Sources & methodology
- 7.0
1st Amendment
FreedomRankings Editorial (no strong annual state-level source exists for 1st Amendment speech protections)
- 0.2
2nd Amendment
Guns & Ammo "Best States for Gun Owners"
- 4.5
4th Amendment
Institute for Justice -- "Policing for Profit" (asset forfeiture grades)
- 2.4
Economic Freedom
Fraser Institute -- Economic Freedom of North America (EFNA)
- 9.6
Criminal Justice
Vera Institute -- "People in Prison" (annual incarceration data)
- 9.5
Drug Policy
Per-state cannabis legality status (composite: NORML state pages, DISA legality map, NCSL medical cannabis tracker)
- 5.0
Property Rights
Institute for Justice -- Eminent Domain / Castle Coalition
- 5.0
Religious Liberty
FreedomRankings Editorial (no strong annual state-level source exists for religious liberty rankings)
- 1.5
Education Choice
EdChoice -- "ABCs of School Choice"
- 0.8
Regulatory Burden
Mercatus Center -- RegData state regulatory restrictions
Frequently Asked
New Jersey Freedom — Common Questions
Answers are generated from New Jersey's actual category scores and rank. Toggle the source to recompute against a different dataset.
How does New Jersey rank among US states for freedom?
New Jersey ranks #45 of 50 US states with a freedom score of 45.5/100. The score is a weighted average of 10 categories — constitutional rights, economic freedom, criminal justice, drug policy, education choice, and more — drawn from the FreedomRankings Hybrid multi-source index (Fraser Institute, EdChoice, Institute for Justice, Vera Institute, NORML, Mercatus RegData, Guns & Ammo).
What are New Jersey's strongest freedoms?
New Jersey scores highest in Criminal Justice (9.6/10), Drug Policy (9.5/10), and 1st Amendment (7/10). These are the categories where New Jersey is most protective of individual liberty relative to other US states.
What are New Jersey's biggest freedom restrictions?
New Jersey scores lowest in 2nd Amendment (0.2/10), Regulatory Burden (0.8/10), and Education Choice (1.5/10). These are the categories where New Jersey is most restrictive relative to other US states.
Is New Jersey a gun-friendly state?
New Jersey scores 0.2/10 on Second Amendment / gun rights, which places it among the strictest firearms regimes in the United States. This score reflects carry laws, permit requirements, magazine and assault-weapon restrictions, red flag laws, and castle doctrine / stand-your-ground protections.
How does New Jersey score on economic freedom and taxes?
New Jersey scores 2.4/10 on economic freedom, placing it among the most restrictive states for economic freedom. The score reflects state income-tax rates, sales and property taxes, business tax climate, right-to-work status, and the overall regulatory burden on economic activity.
What is New Jersey's drug policy score?
New Jersey scores 9.5/10 on drug policy, which makes it among the most permissive drug-policy regimes in the country. The score incorporates recreational and medical marijuana legality, decriminalization of possession, harm-reduction programs, and sentencing for drug offenses.
How does New Jersey rank for school choice and education freedom?
New Jersey scores 1.5/10 on education choice, placing it among the most restrictive states for education freedom. The score reflects voucher programs, education savings accounts, charter-school access, homeschool regulations, and tax-credit scholarships.
How is New Jersey's freedom score calculated?
Each of New Jersey's 10 category scores (0–10) is a weighted average, then multiplied by 10 to produce the overall 0–100 freedom score. Categories are weighted equally by default, but visitors can adjust the weights on the rankings page to produce a personalised ranking. The default source is the FreedomRankings Hybrid multi-source index; the Cato Institute 2023 edition and an editorial assessment are also available as toggles. See the methodology page for per-category source attribution.
Elected Officials
Click any official to view their full profile, donors, and financial info.