Official Site of The State of New Jersey
Find the information you’re looking for in the catalog of databases below. Data resources will be added on a continual basis.
Explore Food Security-Related Public Data Sources
| Database Name | Description | Database Publisher |
| Americas Health Rankings | America’s Health Rankings, developed by the United Health Foundation, provides an analysis of health metrics on a state-by-state basis and uses these metrics to determine national health benchmarks and state rankings. This public database platform analyzes over 280 unique measures from more than 80 publicly available data sources. Measures assessed span categories including access to health care; air and water quality; health behaviors; climate; community and family safety; economic resources; education; housing; transportation; nutrition; physical activity; health conditions; social support; and more. You can explore individual metrics, compare states, and learn more through their three annual state health ranking reports, including a overall Annual Report, a Senior Report, and the Health of Women and Children Report, which focuses on children and women of reproductive age. | United Health Foundation |
| Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed | United For ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed), led by United Way of Northern New Jersey, is a collaboration of United Ways, corporations, nonprofits and foundations across half of U.S. states. United for ALICE provides data reports that contains data on household budgets, demographics, employment opportunities, housing affordability, public and private assistance, and other critical economic factors. | United For ALICE |
| Census of Agriculture | The Census of Agriculture is a complete count of U.S. farms and ranches and the people who operate them. Even small plots of land – whether rural or urban – count if $1,000 or more of agricultural products were produced and sold, or normally would have been sold, during the census year. The Census of Agriculture is conducted every five years, with the most recent census in 2022. The Census of Agriculture looks at land use and ownership, crops produced, producer characteristics, production practices, income, and expenditures. The Census of Agriculture provides uniform, comprehensive, and impartial agriculture data for every state and county in the nation. | U.S. Department of Agriculture |
| Census Reporter | Census Reporter is an independent platform that allows users to explore and visualze U.S. Census Bureau data. In general, the data is from the most recently released American Community Survey (ACS). Census Reporter includes measures across categories including demographics, economics, poverty, transportation, housing, education, and langauge. You can explore data by place or topic with instructional videos to get you started. | Census Reporter |
| Child Nutrition Data Tables | The Child Nutrition Data Tables, released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), provide statistics on participation, meals, and costs in federal child nutrition programs. Child nutrition programs include the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Child and Adult Care Program, and Special Milk Program, and Summer Food Service Program. Monthly and annual data is available at the national and state levels. | U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service |
| Chronic Disease Indicators | The Chronic Disease Indicators (CDI) tool provides national and state estimates for over 200 key indicators of chronic diseases and their risk factors. Where applicable, estimates are broken down by sex, race and ethnicity, and age group. Data are available in the form of maps, bar graphs, line graphs, and tables, or through the CDI Data Portal. You can compare all estimates across states to identify geographic disparities and variations in disease and risk factor prevalence. CDI was developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists, and the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors. | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) The Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) |
| County Health Rankings and Roadmaps | County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, a program of the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, provides a snapshot of the health of nearly every county in the nation. The database includes a wide range of factors that influence length of life and quality of life, including factors that span health behaviors, clinical care, social and economic factors, and the physical environment. The database draws attention to why there are differences in health within and across communities. Data is displayed in table and map formats. | Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) University of Wisconsin Population Health Health Institute |
| Data USA | The Data USA platform provides acces to a wide range of socioeconomic data across the United States, including key smetrics across population, diversity, employment, income, poverty, voting, education, housing, transportation, and health, and health insurance. Data is available at the state, metropolitan statstical area (MSA), congressional district, county, and city levels. You can explore data by geography and data is displayed in narrative, graph, and map formats | Deloitte Datawheel |
| Department of Community Affairs Data Hub | The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) Data Hub provides a centralized platform for accessing various datasets and statistical information related to New Jersey's communities. Datasets cover a wide range of topics, including local government, housing (e.g. affordable housing developments), state aid/funding, community development (e.g. business improvement districts and opportunity zones), a communtiy asset map, and more. Depending on the dataset, data is available for download in excel or pdf format or accessible via interative maps and tables. Datasets may provide additional resources such as data dictionaries, metadata, methodologies, and documentation to help you understand and interpret the data available. | New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) |
| Environmental Justice Mapping, Assessment and Protection Tool | The New Jersey Environment Justice Mapping, Assessment, and Protection (EJMAP) Tool is an interactive map that displays the locations of New Jersey’s Overburdened Communities (OBCs) and Adjacent Block Groups (ABGs). An OBC is defined as community where a high percentage of households quality as low-income (35%), identify as a minority (40%), or have limited English pfoficiency (40%). The EJMAP also shows a summary of environmental and public health stressors that exist within OBC and ABG communities, including if the stressors are disproportionately prevalent in these communities compared to other communities. Examples of the 26 stressors included in the assessment include known contaminated sites, lack of recreational open space, solid waste facilities, drinking water, potential lead exposure, unemployment, and education. The EJMAP is developed and hosted by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. The EJMAP site provides a data story to guide you through the information available. | NJ Department of Environmental Protection |
| Food Access Research Atlas | The Food Access Research Atlas maps access to food stores at the census tract level for communities across the United States. The Atlas maps communities that have low-income and low-access to food stores. The Atlass includes three store types: supercenters, supermarkets, and large grocery stores — collectively referred to as food stores. Using the Atlas, you can compare food access measures based on 2019 data with the previous 2015 measures. You may also download data to analyze food access by State, county, and additional demographic information such as race and ethnicity. | U.S. Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service (ERS) |
| Food Distribution Program Data Tables | The U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Distribution Program Data Tables provide data on participation, food costs, and number of meals served in federal nutrition programs including, the Food Distribution on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), Commodity Supplemental Food (CSFP), and Emergency Food Assistance (TEFAP). Data is available at the state and national levels. | U.S. Department of Agriculture |
| Food Environment Atlas | Food Environment Atlas provides an overivew of Food Choices (indicators of the community's access to and acquisition of healthy, affordable food, such as: access and proximity to a grocery store; number of food stores and restaurants; expenditures on fast foods; food and nutrition assistance program participation; food prices; food taxes; and availability of local foods); Health and Well-Being (indicators of the community's success in maintaining healthy diets, such as: food insecurity; diabetes and obesity rates; and physical activity levels); and Community Characteristics (indicators of community characteristics that might influence the food environment, such as: demographic composition; income and poverty; population loss; metro-nonmetro status; natural amenities; and recreation and fitness centers). The Food Environment Atlas provides a spatial overview of a community's ability to access healthy food and its success in doing so. Users of the Atlas can create maps showing the variation in a single indicator across the United States; for example, number of farmers' markets or access to grocery stores across U.S. counties; view all of the county-level indicators for a selected county; zoom in to specific areas and export or print maps; and download the full dataset in Excel format. |
U.S. Department of Agriculture |
| Map the Meal Gap | Feeding America produces estimates of local food insecurity and food costs to improve the understanding of people and places facing hunger at the county and congressional district levels. The Map the Meal Gap platform has an interactive map, now updated with data as of 2021, features annual food insecurity estimates for the overall population and children in every county, congressional district, and state, as well as for every service area within Feeding America's nationwide network of food banks. The map also features food insecurity estimates for the older adult and senior populations at the national and state level. | Feeding America |
| Healthiest Communities | Healthiest Communities is an interactive data visualization and mapping tool developed by U.S. News & World Report. Backed by in-depth research and accompanied by news and analysis, the site features comprehensive rankings drawn from an examination of nearly 3,000 counties and county-equivalents on 89 metrics across 10 categories. Categories of data include community vitality, economics, education, the environment, equity, food and nutrition, population health, housing, infrastructure, and public safety. Data was gathered and analyzed by the University of Missouri Extension Center for Applied Research and Engagement Systems (CARES). | U.S. News & World Report, University of Missouri Extension Center for Applied Research and Engagement Systems (CARES) |
| Healthy People 2023 Leading Health Indicators | The Leading Health Indicators (LHIs) data visualization tool, developed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, provides a snapshot of high-priority Healthy People 2030 objectives selected to drive action toward improving health and well-being. As a set, LHIs cover the life span and include objectives across health topic areas. Most LHIs address important factors that impact major causes of death and disease in the United States. Healthy People 2030 includes 23 LHIs, including consumption of calories from added sugars, household food insecurity and hunger, persons with medical insurance, and infant and maternal deaths. | U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion |
| Interactive Atlas of Heart Disease and Stroke | CDC’s Interactive Atlas of Heart Disease and Stroke is an online mapping tool that allows users to create and customize county-level maps of heart disease and stroke by race and ethnicity, gender, age group, and more. | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) |
| Interactive Data Query Systems | The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Interactive Data Query System allows the user to find information on metrics assessed in the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). This survey is conducted annually by the CDC and asks questions on demographic characteristics, health status, health care access and utilization, health behaviors, and other health-related factors. Estimates are available at the national-level and can be grouped by characteristics such as age, race, or sex. | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) |
| Licensed Child Care Center Explorer | The Child Care Explorer portal allows users to search for and explore child care options within the state of New Jersey. Users can search for child care providers based on various criteria, such as location, type of care (e.g., daycare center, family child care home), age group served, and hours of operation. The portal provides detailed information about each child care provider listed in the system. It provides a centralized platform where users can easily find and compare different child care providers based on their specific needs and preferences. In addition to helping users find child care providers, the portal may offer referrals to other resources and services related to child care and early childhood education. | NJ Department of Children and Families |
| Life Expectancy at Birth | The Life Expectancy at Birth Data Visualization tool offers an interactive experience for exploring life expectancy trends in the United States. Individuals can interact with maps, charts, and graphs to visualize life expectancy data at various geographic levels, including national, state, and county levels. The tool presents life expectancy data in different metrics, such as life expectancy at birth, life expectancy by sex, and life expectancy by race and ethnicity. Individuals can explore disparities and variations in life expectancy across different demographic groups and geographic regions. It can view temporal trends in life expectancy over time, allowing for tracking of changes and patterns in life expectancy at different points in history. | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) |
| Mental Health and Substance Use State Fact Sheets | Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) Mental Health and Substance Use State Fact Sheets is a platform that provides fact sheets for each U.S. state and the District of Columbia, as well as data and information on mental health and substance use in each jurisdiction. The interactive fact sheets provide an overview of key indicators and statistics related to mental health and substance use disorders, treatment, and access to care. Individuals can compare data across states to identify variations, disparities, and similarities in mental health and substance use outcomes, policies, and services. The fact sheets highlight policy implications and recommendations based on the data presented. | Kaiser Family Foundation |
| NACo County Explorer | The County Explorer platform allows users to search for specific counties within the United States to explore maps and tables depicting various metrics including categories like demographics, economy, education, environment, federal funding, health and human services, housing, and more. The platform offers interactive maps that allow users to visualize various county-level data across the United States. | National Association of Counties |
| New Jersey Community Asset Map | The Department of Community Affairs' New Jersey Community Asset Map is an interactive mapping tool that allows users to view assets, amentiies, and special designations in New Jersey's 564 municipalities. The map contains relevant economic, community development, land use, infrastructure, transportation, housing, environmental, and demographic information for each municipality. | NJ Department of Community Affairs |
| New Jersey Department of Health's State Health Assessment Data (NJSHAD) | The New Jersey Department of Health's State Health Assessment Data (NJSHAD) System provides access to public health datasets, statistics, and information on the health status of New Jerseyans. NJSHAD serves as a repository for a wide range of health-related data for the state of New Jersey. This includes data on health outcomes, maternity, mental health, nutrition, obesity, and physical activity; diabetes and kidney disease; environmental health, access to health care and insurance, and more. You can access data on NJSHAD through community profiles, indicator reports, and dataset queries. NJSHAD provides tools for visualizing and analyzing the data through interactive charts, graphs, maps, and dashboards. | NJ Department of Health |
| New Jersey Maternal Data Center | The NJ Department of Health Maternal Data Center is provides the most recent New Jersey-specific maternal data, information about state services and resources, and recommended readings. The Center publishes an annual Maternal Health Report Card and interactive map/dashboard that provides information on NJ mothers giving birth in NJ hospitals and outcomes associated with giving birth, including surgical/cesarean birth rates and complications rates. |
NJ Department of Health |
| NJOIT Open Data Center | The NJOIT Open Data Center serves as a searchable hub for datasets available from other various New Jersey state agencies, departments, and local governments. These datasets topics such as agriculture, banking, children and families, community affairs, education, environmental protection, health, higher education, human services, labor and workforce development, public utilities, and transportation. The platform supports government accountability and data-driven policymaking by providing access to authoritative, up-to-date data on key issues facing the state of New Jersey. | NJ Office of Information Technology |
| PLACES: Local Data for Better Health | PLACES is a collaboration between CDC, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and the CDC Foundation. PLACES provides health data for small areas across the country. PLACES reports county, place, census tract, and ZCTA data and uses small area estimation methods to report on chronic disease measures for the entire United States. Categories of measures in PLACES include health outcomes, health risk behaviors, disabilities, social determinants of health, health status, and prevention measures. | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), CDC Foundation |
| Policy Map | PolicyMap is an online mapping and data visualization platform that provides access to a wide range of socioeconomic and demographic data for the United States. It allows users to explore, analyze, and visualize data related to various topics such as housing, education, income, employment, healthcare, and more. PolicyMap offers interactive maps that allow users to visualize data at different geographic levels, including states, counties, cities, neighborhoods, and even individual addresses. Users can overlay multiple data layers to compare and analyze different indicators spatially. The platform includes data from reputable sources such as the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Department of Housing and Urban Development, and other government agencies. | Policy Map |
| Population and Household Estimates | The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development's Population and Household Estimates platfrom offers estimates of the population of New Jersey broken down by various demographic characterisic. Here you can find estimates of the number and composition of households in New Jersey. This includes data on average household size, household types (e.g., family households, non-family households), and other household characteristics. | NJ Department of Labor and Workforce Development |
| Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates and Small Area Health Insurance Estimates | This New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development's mapping and dashboard tool offers access to data and statistics related to income, poverty, and health insurance in New Jersey. These statistics provide insights into the economic well-being and health status of the state's population. You can find information on various income indicators, including median household income, per capita income, and income distribution across different demographic groups and geographic regions within New Jersey. The platform provides details on the data sources, methodologies, and definitions used to compile income, poverty, and health statistics in New Jersey. | NJ Department of Labor and Workforce Development |
| SNAP Data Tables | The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Data Tables provide monthly and annual summary data on national- and state-level SNAP participation, including persons, households, benefits, and average monthly benefit per person and household. It also provides monthly state-level P-EBT participation and benefits data. On a bi-annual basis (January and July), SNAP data are available at the State Project Area/County-level. | U.S. Department of Agriculture |
| SNAP Retailer Locator | The SNAP Retailer Locator allows you to locate nearby SNAP-authorized retailers by entering a street address, city, and state or zip code. You can enter your starting location and select a retailer or map point to get details and directions.SNAP Retailer Locator data, including latitude and longitude coordinates, is available for download from the site. | U.S. Department of Agriculture |
| Stats of the States | CDC's National Center for Health Statistics publishes Stats of the States data mapping tool provides state-level data on births (fertility rate, preterm births, low birthweight births, etc), causes of death, and life expectancy. You can search data by state or by indicator. | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) |
| WIC Data Tables | The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Data Tables provide monthly and annual summary data on national- and state-level WIC participation (among women, infants, and children), food costs, Average Monthly Food Cost Per Person, and Nutrition Services and Administrative Costs. WIC is a federal nutrition program that provides healthy food, nutrition education, breastfeeding support, and healthcare referrals to low-income pregnant women, new mothers, infants, and young children who are at nutritional risk. | U.S. Department of Agriculture |
| New Jersey Department of Human Services Division of Family Development Current Program Statistics | New Jersey Department of Human Services Division of Family Development's Current Program Statistics is a monthly report which presents the status and data for programs administered by the NJ Division of Family Development. The reports cover the Work First New Jersey welfare (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, General Assistance, and Emergency Assistance) program, NJ SNAP, and Child Support Services. | New Jersey Department of Human Services Division of Family Development |
| Kids Count Data Center | The Annie E. Casey Foundation publishes the Kids Count Data Center which provides demographic, economic wellbeing, education, and family and community data for children and their families across the U.S. In addition to including data from the most trusted national resources, the Kids Count Data Center draws from more than 50 Kids Count state organizations that provide state and local data, as well publications providing insights into trends affecting child and family well-being. Data is available at the national, state, and city levels. | Annie E. Casey Foundation |
| Farm to School Census | The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) administers the Farm to School Program in order to support and promote the use of local foods in Child Nutrition Programs. The Farm to School Census is conducted periodically to assess the state of farm to school activities across the U.S. The Census surveys all school food authorities (SFAs) participating in the National School Lunch Program. USDA conducted the first Farm to School Census in 2013 and again in 2015. The most recent Farm to School Census was conducted in the fall of 2019 and findings are largely based on farm to school participation in the 2018-2019 school year. The Farm to School Census site details information on schools serving local foods, providing food, nutrition, or agricultural education, operating edible gardens, spending on local foods, and additional farm to school metrics. | U.S. Department of Agriculture |
| Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Prevalence and Trends Data | The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) is the nation's premier system of health-related telephone surveys that collect state data about U.S. residents regarding their health-related risk behaviors, chronic health conditions, and use of preventive services. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's BRFSS Prevalence & Trends Data portal provides data visualizations and tables of this data including topics like demographics, fruits and vegetables, physical activity, overweight and obesity, and health care access/coverage. Data is available at the national and state level. | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) |
| NJ Child Welfare Data Hub | The New Jersey Child Welfare Data Hub was developed collaboratively by the New Jersey Department of Children and Families and the Institute for Families at Rutgers University School of Social Work. The Hub allows users to explore key indicators of child well-being, population characteristics, and socioeconomic variables at the state- and county-level. | NJ Department of Children and Families, Rutgers School of Social Work |