50 New Jersey Quotes about the East Coast Gem

By Norbert Juma

Master quote curator and editor on a mission to inspire

Published September 19, 2023

From boardwalks to bustling cities, discover the rich tapestry of the Garden State with these New Jersey quotes!

New Jersey sits on the upper east coast of the United States and was the third of the original 13 colonies.

This state is known for its diverse culture, history, and landscapes.

It serves up slices of history, dashes of coastline fun, and a melting pot of cultures.

Check out the fun New Jersey quotes below and be sure to tell us your favorite in the comment section!

New Jersey’s Geography

New Jersey is one of the smallest states with impressive geographical features.

This state boasts 130 miles of serene coastline.

There are boardwalks, sandy beaches, and iconic lighthouses.

Hence, it serves as a preferred summer destination for visitors.

There are numerous state parks that add incredible beauty to what is named “The Garden State.”

Three of the most famous state parks include:

Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
Palisades Interstate Park
Washington Crossing State Park

Culture and History

New Jersey is also known for its rich heritage, which spans centuries.

It was among the thirteen colonies which played their role during the American Revolution.

The state is also home to colonial-era buildings and museums.

This is because immigrants from around the globe settled over the course of time.

Cultural diversity can be seen in areas like:

Cuisine
Arts
Festivals
Buildings

Urban Life

New Jersey is more than a historic piece of land with scenic landscapes.

This state is also known for its bustling city life.

The cities offer vibrant cityscapes, thriving art scenes, and multiple entertainment opportunities.

There are numerous advantages of living in this state.

One of them is the effortless accessibility to New York City.

Most of the areas are connected to New York City via different transportation options.

This ideal proximity renders it an attractive option for inhabitants who are looking for promising opportunities.

Short New Jersey Quotes

Here are some short New Jersey quotes honoring the state’s lively character and distinctive charm.

1. “I feel very connected to New Jersey.” — Jon Tenney

2. “Heaven looks a lot like New Jersey.” — Jon Bon Jovi

3. “In New Jersey, you’re able to live your life.” — Martin Brodeur

4. “I worked as a federal prosecutor in New Jersey.” — Mikie Sherrill

5. “There was this darkness about being from New Jersey.” — Jack Antonoff

6. “Just like I feel like I’m from New Jersey, I’m blonde.” — Martha MacCallum

7. “I come from North New Jersey, where nothing’s promised.” — Michael B. Jordan

8. “We’re called New Jersey, but we’re actually the suburbs of New York.” — Harlan Coben

9. “Dad was high society, a big man in town, a ‘Who’s Who’ in New Jersey.” — William E. Simon

10. “We are keeping New Jersey one step, several steps, ahead of terrorism.” — Richard J. Codey

Informative New Jersey Quotes

These quotes are full of interesting tidbits from New Jerseyites that help identify it as a unique and distinct place.

11. “The great thing about New Jersey is that it’s close to New York.” — Fran Lebowitz

12. “A lot of people don’t know, but New Jersey has, like, 700,000 acres of farmland.” — Charlie Puth

13. “Harmful algal blooms are a serious environmental and economic threat to New Jersey.” — Mikie Sherrill

14. “From the top of the quarry cliffs, one could see the New Jersey suburbs bordered by the New York City skyline.” — Robert Smithson

15. “I grew up in the northernmost parts of New Jersey, known more for lush forests and old farmland than industrial wastelands and fist pumping.” — Brad Leone

16. “I’m from New Jersey, the Shore, and Asbury Park, and all that goes with that. I wouldn’t want to mess around with that.” — Brian Fallon

17. “The results of a new study are out this week saying that New Jersey is one of the most livable states in the country. The study has a margin of error of 100 percent.” — Conan O’Brien

18. “When you say, ‘I spent my summers at the Jersey Shore,’ people always say, ‘Oh, really?’ They think of the TV show. So I just say, ‘A cute little harbor town in New Jersey.’” — Taylor Swift

19. “I love my family, and I had a very wonderful, magical childhood. But New Jersey was actually a very cold place. There was such an intense concentration of wealth and such a low concentration of any actual human happiness.” — Ezra Miller

20. “Northern New Jersey looks like a cluster of idyllic suburbs, but each of those seemingly normal towns has a dark side that’s constantly gossiped about but never publicly acknowledged. They seem to thrive on their strangenesses.” — Chris Gethard

Living & Growing up in New Jersey Quotes

Within this compilation, you will explore the lives of past and present New Jerseyans and learn about the extraordinary things they’ve done and seen.

21. “Growing up in Livingston, New Jersey, was terrific.” — Adam Pally

22. “I’d lived in New Jersey for 30 years. That was long enough.” — Wilson Pickett

23. “I have nothing but the best memories of growing up in New Jersey.” — Lesley Gore

24. “I was born in New York City, but I was raised in New Jersey, part of the great Jewish emigration of 1963.” — Jon Stewart

25. “I live in New Jersey now, which always gets a bad rap here and there, but I must say, I enjoy living here too.” — Paul Muldoon

26. “New Jersey shaped who and what I am. Growing up in Jersey gave you all the advantages of New York, but you were in its shadow.” — Jon Bon Jovi

27. “I grew up in a city environment, a more suburban environment, a more rural environment. That’s the beauty of New Jersey is you get a lot of different types of living.” — Halsey

28. “I was born in St. Louis, but I’m from Maplewood, New Jersey. Maplewood is completely different than the rest of New Jersey. It’s very small. It’s quietly affluent but more low-key.” — SZA

29. “Growing up in New Jersey, teen clubs were your life. I’m not kidding! That was it. I was literally tied up five days a week with teen clubs; my parents would drop me off.” — Michelle Visage

30. “New Jersey is a great place to live. And we have given some of the best talents to the world, from Jack Nicholson, John Travolta, to Jerry Lewis to Bon Jovi to Frank Sinatra.” — Queen Latifah

New Jersey Quotes On Jobs & Work Experiences

This collection of quotes explores insights and anecdotes from individuals on their work journeys in New Jersey.

31. “My dad’s a teacher and a football coach, and he found a job in New Jersey.” — Sadie Sink

32. “My first waitress job was at Johnny Rockets in New Jersey, and then I waited tables at a sports bar.” — Melissa Rauch

33. “My father went to Rutgers, and I grew up in New Jersey, so I’m a great Rutgers fan. I have season tickets.” — Peter Eisenman

34. “I grew up in New Jersey, and my father was a golf pro, so I was groomed for sports, but I wasn’t very good, so my interests lay elsewhere.” — Joe Dante

35. “I was a garbage man in New Jersey in summers during college at Yale. Everybody else got to go to Switzerland, and I got to go to the dump.” — Tom Perrotta

36. “I was pretty young when I decided I wanted to, well, more so be a singer. I started singing in church in my hometown, East Orange, New Jersey.” — Naturi Naughton

37. “My mother took care of us until my father scrammed, and then she ended up working in the small-factory sector of New Jersey with a lot of other immigrants.” — Junot Diaz

38. “I was the Secretary of State of New Jersey in November 2000. I paid careful attention to the challenges that stemmed from inadequate voting systems in various places.” — DeForest Soaries

39. “My father and grandfather were businessmen. The family business was Adelphi Paints in New Jersey. When the first energy crisis came in the early 1970s, the business suffered.” — David Einhorn

40. “Then I was working in a store in Newark, New Jersey, and I saw an actor in person, and I got so excited. My whole day changed. That’s when I decided to challenge myself to make my dreams become a reality.” — Derek Luke

New Jersey Quotes by Rodney Frelinghuysen

Rodney Frelinghuysen, who represented New Jersey’s 11th congressional district for almost two decades, discusses the state’s challenges, opportunities, and strengths.

41. “My first responsibility is to be selfish for New Jersey.” — Rodney Frelinghuysen

42. “I sent my personal check to the Planned Parenthood of Northern New Jersey. My wife and I do every year.” — Rodney Frelinghuysen

43. “When the USS New Jersey is commissioned, it will be a source of pride for everyone in our state for decades.” — Rodney Frelinghuysen

44. “New Jersey has more Superfund sites than other state in the nation, but considerable progress has been made.” — Rodney Frelinghuysen

45. “New Jersey makes important contributions to the space program. We want to make sure it just doesn’t happen in Houston.” — Rodney Frelinghuysen

46. “Part of my job is to make sure the Northeast is part of our defense industrial base, and New Jersey has always played a role.” — Rodney Frelinghuysen

47. “My appropriations requests have always sought to benefit New Jersey. That is how I base my submissions to the committee for consideration.” — Rodney Frelinghuysen

48. “It is important to give commuters greater, more reliable mass transit options and… great potential to get cars off of I-80 and eliminate other daily traffic jams in northern New Jersey.” — Rodney Frelinghuysen

49. “My approach to public service is straightforward: I fight every day for New Jersey families, small businesses, veterans, and seniors and work to change the way business is done in Washington.” — Rodney Frelinghuysen

50. “This corridor is important to national security and important to the whole Northeast. So it’s not just our own New Jersey transportation needs: it’s the whole rail corridor here we’re talking about.” — Rodney Frelinghuysen