Fifty-nine percent of New Jerseyans said they have “a lot” of contact with people who are of a different race or ethnicity from themselves in their daily life, 27% said “some,” 12% said “only a little” and 2% said “no contact at all.” Residents said it is important that people of different races and ethnicities go to school together (62% “very,” 25% “somewhat”), work together (58% “very,” 30% “somewhat”) and live near each other (42% “very,” 37% “somewhat”) – though to varying degrees.

Results are from a statewide poll of 1,059 adults contacted through the probability-based Rutgers-Eagleton/SSRS Garden State Panel from Dec. 4 to Dec. 16, 2024. The sample has a margin of error of +/- 4.2 percentage points.