New Jersey Regions

[lammius]

New Jersey is such a small state but if you ask anyone from NJ, there are sharp differences between different portions of the state.

Question 1: What regions are there? Which areas do you think have the sharpest divides? North, Central, South? North/South only? Does NJ still hold its historic east/west divide? Shore/metros/highlands? Turnpike corridor/everything else?

Question 2: Where would you draw the boundaries?

I used this county map to draw my NJ cultural map. Feel free to use it to draw your own.

[lammius]

I picked the standard north/central/south division. I think north is firmly in New York's sphere, central is New York-oriented but a bit farther removed. It starts getting shorish in Monmouth and has some Delaware Valley influences in Hunterdon (i.e. Lambertville). South Jersey has the Philly region, pinelands, and most of Jersey's famous shore.

A few areas I think might be in dispute are Ocean County, which has its larger communities on its northern end and is allied more with central/north Jersey in commuting patterns. Ocean is located so far south, though, that it seems almost wrong to consider it anything but South Jersey. Below Toms River I think Ocean is unquestionably South Jersey. Union County is more North than Central IMO, but there's little difference between Union's suburban areas and northern Middlesex. Many people from North Jersey don't accept Union in their club.

[Jerseyman4]

Couldnt have said it better! I whole heartly agree with everything on what you said!

The mixing counties of Ocean and Union are VERY accurate. One person in Clark would say central jersey but up in Springfield, they call themselves north jersey. People in Brick and Lakewood would consider themselves central jersey but in Tuckerton and Eagleswood Twp, would consider themselves south jersey.

[SouthJersey7]

NJ is certainly a varied state, despite being so relatively small. You got some of the densest populated cities in the northeast, mountains and valleys in the northwest, you got the shore towns and cities, which have their own variety, in the Southwest part of the state there are some rural and farming areas that would make you think you're in Dixie. (there's even a rodeo in Salem County!) And all throughout the state are found well-preserved historical towns and villages, some of which are centuries old. And the best thing is nothing's more than an hour or two away!

[Jerseyman4]

^Even i have to admit, Salem & Cumberland counties are a little tiny bit on the dixie side but still hold the strong jersey attitude and mentality for the most part. Its almost like they try too hard to be something they arent such as drive a pick up truck with a lift kit and mud tires, talk with an accent they dont have, fly confederate flags, cry for a NASCAR track in Vineland or Millville and chew tobbacco. You also see this in Burlington County (near the Pinelands), remote areas of Ocean County (Warren Grove for one) and most of Atlantic and Cape May counties.

[waccamatt]

^Even i have to admit, Salem & Cumberland counties are a little tiny bit on the dixie side but still hold the strong jersey attitude and mentality for the most part. Its almost like they try too hard to be something they arent such as drive a pick up truck with a lift kit and mud tires, talk with an accent they dont have, fly confederate flags, cry for a NASCAR track in Vineland or Millville and chew tobbacco. You also see this in Burlington County (near the Pinelands), remote areas of Ocean County (Warren Grove for one) and most of Atlantic and Cape May counties.

Confederate flags in NJ?

[lammius]

Confederate flags in NJ?

Knowing some of the pineys I wouldn't be the least bit surprised.