These NJ Counties Have the Most Unvaccinated Kids

The New Jersey counties with the highest percentage of children who are unvaccinated are Ocean, Cape May, and Atlantic counties, according to data from the state Department of Health.

Most of New Jersey's other 18 counties don't even come close to the local number of unvaccinated kids, but vaccination rates continue to fall statewide.

Public health officials say this may contribute to the resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases.

New Jersey's Highest Unvaccinated Counties

Among New Jersey counties, Ocean had the highest percentage of religious exemption requests, while Mercer had the lowest. See the statewide numbers.

Here is the local data on the number of unvaccinated school children.

#1 - Ocean County: 10.5% of children are unvaccinated

#2 - Cape May County: 9.6% of children are unvaccinated

#3 - Atlantic County: 8.7% of children are unvaccinated

Why the Number of Unvaccinated Children Has Risen in NJ

The number of New Jersey school children granted exemptions from vaccines on religious grounds has hit a record high.

Numbers show 24,962 kids skipped vaccines statewide for religious reasons during the 2024-25 school year, a nearly 25% increase from the previous year.

Still, that number is nearly triple what it was in 2016.

The number represents just 5% of all pre-K, kindergarten, first grade, sixth grade, and transfer students in the state, according to reporting from NJ.com.

Among kindergarteners, New Jersey's religious exemption rate of 4.6% is higher than the national median number of 4.0%.

Religious Exemptions to Vaccines

New Jersey state law lays out the procedure for claiming a religious exemption.

“if the parent or guardian of the pupil objects thereto in a written statement signed by the parent or guardian upon the grounds that the proposed immunization interferes with the free exercise of the pupil’s religious rights.”

Medical and religious reasons are the only acceptable grounds for skipping mandatory immunization requirements in New Jersey schools and daycares.

No other exemptions are acceptable. The law states that requests “based on philosophical, moral, secular, or more general reasons” are not permitted.

The state also allows exemptions for medical reasons, but that makes up a smaller portion of unvaccinated school children — .2% during the 2024-25 school year, according to NJ.com.