New Jersey’s hardiness zones range from 6b to 8a, which means that the lowest annual temperatures are between -5 and 15 degrees Fahrenheit. Jersey is generally coldest up north but becomes a bit warmer down south and also along the coast.
Where you live may determine whether or not the grass or plants you want will thrive in the area. Here’s all about New Jersey’s planting zones.
North Jersey: 6b in the west; 7a in the east
Most of north Jersey is in hardiness zone 6b, which means that temperatures don’t generally drop below -5 degrees Fahrenheit. This includes all of Sussex, the north part of Warren, the west side of Morris, and the west end of Passaic counties. It also includes a little bit of west Bergen.
As you look east, north Jersey slowly transitions into a warmer zone. The east side of Passaic and Morris fall into hardiness zone 7a, and so does most of Essex. That means the lowest annual temperatures here are 0 to 5 degrees Fahrenheit. West Bergen (except for a small part) is also in hardiness zone 7a, and so is the south of Warren.
However, the east sides of Bergen and Essex fall in hardiness zone 7b, which means that the lowest annual temperature here is 5 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit. A very small part of eastern Passaic also falls into that category.
| County | Hardiness zones |
| Bergen | 7a, 7b, a bit of 6b |
| Essex | 7a, 7b |
| Morris | 6b, 7a |
| Passaic | 6b, 7a, 7b |
| Sussex | 6b |
| Warren | 6b, 7a |
For more information, check out North Jersey Planting Zones.
Central Jersey: Mostly 7a; 7b along the coast
Most of central Jersey falls in hardiness zone 7a, with small exceptions. That means temperatures don’t typically drop below 0 to 5 degrees here. Hunterdon County, for example, is mostly in hardiness zone 7a, except up north, which has a hardiness zone of 6b and temps of 0 to -5 degrees here at the coldest times of the year. Similarly, Somerset is also in partially in hardiness zone 6b, but only at the very northern part; otherwise, it falls into hardiness zone 7a.
Toward the east, it gets a bit warmer. Union and Middlesex, including the city of Edison, are both in hardiness zone 7a, but as you get closer to the coast, they get warmer and fall into hardiness zone 7b. Mercer is also mostly in hardiness zone 7a, but a small hardiness zone 7b section is found near the Delaware border.
It’s debatable whether Ocean and Monmouth counties count as south or central New Jersey. Regardless, they both are mostly in hardiness zone 7a; 7b as you move toward the coast.
| County | Hardiness zones |
| Hunterdon | 6b, 7a |
| Mercer | 7a, 7b |
| Middlesex | 7a, 7b |
| Monmouth* | 7a, 7b |
| Ocean* | 7a, 7b |
| Somerset | 6b, 7a |
| Union | 7a, 7b |
South Jersey: A mix of 7a and 7b, with small areas of 8a
Hardiness zone 7b is along the southwestern boundary of the state and along the coast of south Jersey. Temperatures here don’t drop below 5 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit very often. That includes western Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, and almost all of Salem, including Woodstown. Further, it includes western and southern Cumberland, most of Cape May, and the east of Atlantic, including Atlantic City.
However, central and eastern Burlington actually fall into hardiness zone 7a, meaning that the lowest annual temperatures are usually between 0 and 5 degrees, similar to much of central and some of north Jersey. Other areas that fall into this zone are east Camden, the very east of Gloucester, a little part of the east of Salem, the northeast of Cumberland, a small part of the northwest of Cape May, and most of the Atlantic, except the east.
Small parts of south Jersey are in hardiness zone 8a, which means that the temperatures don’t drop below 10 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit here. But that’s only the south tip of Cape May, as well as Atlantic City. This zone also begins at the southern border in Gloucester, but that’s only a very small area.
* Finally, as mentioned above, it’s debatable whether Ocean and Monmouth counties count as south Jersey. The hardiness zones are a mix of 7a and 7b here, too. The counties get warmer as you move towards the coast.
| County | Hardiness zones |
| Atlantic | 7a, 7b, 8a |
| Burlington | 7a, 7b |
| Camden | 7a, 7b |
| Cape May | 7a, 7b, 8a |
| Cumberland | 7a, 7b |
| Gloucester | 7a, 7b, (technically also 8a) |
| Monmouth* | 7a, 7b |
| Ocean* | 7a, 7b |
For more information, check out South Jersey Planting Zones.
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Main Image Credit: David Keddie | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY-SA 4.0
