RapidShips research report

New Jersey Warehousing, 2017 to 2026: What the Official Data Shows

Jobs, establishments and prices for warehousing and storage, from BLS and the Census Bureau, read together.

By RapidShips Dock OperationsLast reviewed 2026-09-306 sourcesData through August 2026

Executive summary

New Jersey had 75.4 thousand warehousing and storage jobs in August 2026 (preliminary), against 53.8 thousand in August 2017.[1] That is a change of +40.1% (RapidShips analysis). The series peaked at 89.7 thousand jobs in February 2022, and August 2026 was −2.8% against August 2025.

In 2023 the Census Bureau counted 968 warehousing and storage establishments in New Jersey; Middlesex County alone had 266 of them.[3] Nationally, the price index for general warehousing and storage changed by +57.9% from August 2017 to August 2026 (RapidShips analysis).[5]

The question

How has New Jersey's warehousing sector changed since 2017, and where are its warehouses?

Data sources

Methodology

  • BLS monthly jobs are not seasonally adjusted, so every comparison uses the same month (August) in each year. August 2026 is preliminary.
  • Percentage changes are RapidShips analysis: (later value / earlier value) minus 1, from two published figures. Shares are one published count divided by another.
  • County Business Patterns establishment counts are published without noise; its employment figures carry noise flags, which are shown with each value.

Labels used below: Fact a figure as the source publishes it; RapidShips analysis a calculation by RapidShips from published figures, with the formula. This report contains no estimates or forecasts.

Findings

  1. Fact

    Warehousing and storage employment in New Jersey was 75.4 thousand in August 2026 (preliminary) and 64.6 thousand in August 2019.[1]

  2. RapidShips analysis

    That is +16.7% over seven years, but the series is below its highest month in this data, 89.7 thousand jobs in February 2022.

    Formula: (75.4 / 64.6) minus 1. The high is the largest monthly value from January 2017 to August 2026.

  3. Fact

    Truck transportation employment was 36.4 thousand in August 2026 and 37.2 thousand in August 2017.[2]

  4. RapidShips analysis

    Trucking jobs changed −2.2% over the same period, while warehousing jobs changed +40.1%: in this data, New Jersey's freight job growth since 2017 has been in warehousing, not trucking.

    Both from the August values of each series.

  5. Fact

    Warehousing and storage establishments in New Jersey: 850 in 2021, 912 in 2022 and 968 in 2023.[3]

  6. RapidShips analysis

    Middlesex County held 27.5% of the state's warehousing and storage establishments in 2023 (266 of 968), more than Hudson (99), Bergen (91) and Camden (63) together.

    Share: 266 / 968.

  7. Fact

    The national producer price index for general warehousing and storage was 168.967 in August 2026 (preliminary; December 2003 = 100) and 107.000 in August 2017.[5]

Charts and tables

Every chart has a table with the exact values underneath.

New Jersey warehousing and trucking jobs, 2017 to 2026

Show series
New Jersey transportation, trucking and warehousing jobs, 2017 to 2026Line chart, January 2017 to August 2026. Latest: Warehousing and storage 75.4 in August 2026; Truck transportation 36.4 in August 2026. Exact values are in the table.204060801002017201820192020202120222023202420252026New Jersey transportation, trucking and warehousing jobs, 2017 to 2026Line chart, January 2017 to August 2026. Latest: Warehousing and storage 75.4 in August 2026; Truck transportation 36.4 in August 2026. Exact values are in the table.2040608010020172019202120232025
  • Warehousing and storage
  • Truck transportation

All employees in thousands, not seasonally adjusted. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Series are not told apart by colour alone: each has its own line style and end marker. The table below has every value.
Data table: all 116 months
New Jersey transportation, trucking and warehousing jobs, 2017 to 2026. Unit: all employees, in thousands, not seasonally adjusted. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
MonthWarehousing and storageTruck transportation
August 202675.4 p36.4 p
July 202675.536.6
June 202675.637.0
May 202674.936.5
April 202674.436.2
March 202674.836.3
February 202675.636.5
January 202677.936.4
December 202580.937.4
November 202582.137.3
October 202579.237.9
September 202578.037.8
August 202577.637.6
July 202576.937.9
June 202574.438.3
May 202574.038.0
April 202574.137.8
March 202574.637.5
February 202576.037.6
January 202578.437.7
December 202480.438.9
November 202481.438.9
October 202477.938.6
September 202476.638.6
August 202476.238.3
July 202475.338.2
June 202476.239.0
May 202475.638.6
April 202475.338.1
March 202477.138.4
February 202478.238.5
January 202480.839.0
December 202385.440.3
November 202385.940.5
October 202382.839.9
September 202381.840.1
August 202379.639.4
July 202378.539.8
June 202379.940.4
May 202379.140.3
April 202378.040.3
March 202380.740.5
February 202382.340.8
January 202384.641.4
December 202282.943.1
November 202284.243.3
October 202281.943.1
September 202281.142.7
August 202281.242.4
July 202281.842.4
June 202283.342.6
May 202283.742.1
April 202285.241.8
March 202288.541.8
February 202289.741.5
January 202285.441.1
December 202187.242.2
November 202185.542.1
October 202182.540.9
September 202176.139.8
August 202174.739.2
July 202173.939.2
June 202172.038.9
May 202171.638.6
April 202173.238.2
March 202173.737.6
February 202174.937.3
January 202175.537.6
December 202075.438.3
November 202074.538.0
October 202072.937.6
September 202074.437.3
August 202075.036.9
July 202077.536.2
June 202073.435.1
May 202073.033.6
April 202066.532.4
March 202065.337.9
February 202065.737.8
January 202066.437.9
December 201973.338.7
November 201976.238.7
October 201967.838.7
September 201965.338.6
August 201964.638.7
July 201962.438.7
June 201961.238.4
May 201959.938.0
April 201958.537.5
March 201960.137.1
February 201960.937.5
January 201962.937.5
December 201870.138.6
November 201870.238.7
October 201861.738.6
September 201857.038.4
August 201857.138.4
July 201857.038.5
June 201856.438.5
May 201856.737.7
April 201856.636.9
March 201857.136.5
February 201858.136.1
January 201859.736.4
December 201764.137.5
November 201762.737.6
October 201757.637.3
September 201756.637.3
August 201753.837.2
July 201752.037.4
June 201750.537.5
May 201749.036.7
April 201748.436.1
March 201746.835.8
February 201746.835.8
January 201747.235.9

p = preliminary, as flagged by the source.

Warehousing and storage establishments by county, 2023

New Jersey warehousing and storage establishments by county, 2023Horizontal bar chart of establishments for 21 areas, largest first. Exact values are in the table.0100200300Middlesex266Hudson99Bergen91Camden63Essex63Union60Burlington57Gloucester42Passaic40Somerset34Morris29Mercer24Cumberland23Ocean21Monmouth13Atlantic11Hunterdon8Unassigned8Salem7Warren6Sussex3New Jersey warehousing and storage establishments by county, 2023Horizontal bar chart of establishments for 21 areas, largest first. Exact values are in the table.0100200300Middlesex266Hudson99Bergen91Camden63Essex63Union60Burlington57Gloucester42Passaic40Somerset34Morris29Mercer24Cumberland23Ocean21Monmouth13Atlantic11Hunterdon8Unassigned8Salem7Warren6Sussex3
  • Establishments

Establishments by county, 2023. Source: U.S. Census Bureau. The table below has every value.
Data table: all 22 rows
New Jersey warehousing and storage establishments by county, 2023. Source: U.S. Census Bureau.
CountyEstablishmentsEmployees (mid-March)
Middlesex26617,957 G
Hudson996,185 J
Bergen915,636 J
Camden631,801 G
Essex631,188 G
Union603,659 H
Burlington5712,525 J
Gloucester423,549 H
Passaic401,611 H
Somerset345,247 J
Morris291,069 G
Mercer241,077 G
Cumberland231,169 H
Ocean21176 G
Monmouth131,103 H
Atlantic1157 G
Hunterdon8460 J
Unassigned875 H
Salem71,191 J
Warren6280 H
Sussex369 J
Cape MayNot publishedNot published

Employment noise flags from the Census Bureau: G under 2% noise, H 2 to under 5%, J 5% or more.

Interpretation

RapidShips analysis

New Jersey's warehouse workforce grew much faster than its trucking workforce after 2017, and it has eased from its high. Warehousing jobs are seasonal, peaking in the autumn, which is why this report compares Augusts.

Warehousing establishments are concentrated in Middlesex County, which had more than a quarter of the state total in 2023. RapidShips' own dock is in East Brunswick, in Middlesex County.

Storage prices nationally rose steadily over the same years. The data does not say why, and RapidShips does not attribute the change to any single cause.

Limitations

  • Jobs data counts employees by the industry of the establishment. NAICS 493 covers establishments that "do not sell the goods they handle", so distribution centers run by retailers or manufacturers may be counted in their own industries.[6]
  • County Business Patterns runs about two years behind: 2023 is the newest year published as of September 30, 2026.
  • The price index is national; there is no official New Jersey warehouse price index.

Sources

  1. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “State and Area Employment: New Jersey, Warehousing and Storage, all employees, not seasonally adjusted (series SMU34000004349300001),” Official statistical series. Accessed September 30, 2026.
  2. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “State and Area Employment: New Jersey, Truck Transportation, all employees, not seasonally adjusted (series SMU34000004348400001),” Official statistical series. Accessed September 30, 2026.
  3. U.S. Census Bureau, “County Business Patterns: 2023,” Official dataset release. Published June 26, 2025. Accessed September 30, 2026.
  4. U.S. Census Bureau, “County Business Patterns county record layout, 2020 to 2023 (noise flag definitions),” Technical documentation. Accessed September 30, 2026.
  5. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “PPI industry data for General warehousing and storage, not seasonally adjusted (series PCU493110493110),” Official statistical series. Accessed September 30, 2026.
  6. U.S. Census Bureau, “North American Industry Classification System: 493 Warehousing and Storage (2022),” Official classification. Accessed September 30, 2026.