New Jersey may be one of the most expensive places in America to live, with crushing property taxes, sky-high housing, and a cost of living that declares war on our wallets on a daily.
But there’s another side of the story.
For all the complaints about affordability, New Jersey is still an economic powerhouse and remains home to some of the wealthiest and most influential companies in the nation.
A newly released 2026 Fortune 500 list includes 15 companies headquartered here in the Garden State, proving that New Jersey continues to be a major player in the American economy.
The annual Fortune 500 ranks the nation’s largest companies by revenue, and New Jersey’s presence spans industries ranging from pharmaceuticals and finance to energy, telecommunications, transportation, and real estate.
The list highlights the state’s unique position as a business hub located between New York City and Philadelphia, with access to major transportation networks, a highly educated workforce, and a long history of innovation. Hey, remember that Edison guy?
While residents often focus on what it costs to live here, these corporate giants help explain why New Jersey remains economically influential.
Fortune 500 companies account for a significant share of jobs and wages in the state, generating billions of dollars in economic activity and helping keep New Jersey at the center of several critical industries.
The fact that 15 New Jersey companies continue to earn spots on the Fortune 500 list is a reminder that despite the state’s challenges, businesses still see value in planting their headquarters here.
In many ways, the same factors that frustrate residents like dense population for one example are also what make New Jersey attractive to major corporations.
The 15 New Jersey-based companies on the 2026 Fortune 500 list along with their national rank and revenue according to app.com:
No. 42: Johnson & Johnson, New Brunswick: $94.2B
No. 66: Merck, Rahway: $65.0B
No. 74: Prudential Financial, Newark: $60.8B
No. 96: Bristol-Myers Squibb, Princeton: $48.2B
No. 150: PBF Energy, Parsippany: $29.3B
No. 203: Becton Dickinson, Franklin Lakes: $21.8B
No. 211: Cognizant, Teaneck: $21.1B
No. 213: Automatic Data Processing, Roseland: $20.6B
No. 295: Kenvue, Summit: $15.1B
No. 355: Public Service Enterprise, Newark: $12.2B
No. 372: Avis Budget, Parsippany: $11.7B
No. 375: Burlington Stores, Burlington $11.6B
No. 384: Quest Diagnostics, Secaucus: $11.0B
No. 404: Campbell's, Camden: $10.3B
No. 423: Zoetis, Parsippany: $9.5B
Not too shabby for a state people love to complain about.
QUIZ: Can you identify 50 famous companies by their logos?
Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Jeff Deminski only.
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