New Jersey Sees Rising Numbers of Children Skipping Vaccines: County-by-County Analysis

New Jersey’s latest state health statistics shows a drop in kid vaccination rates due to religious exemptions. This tendency could make the state more susceptible to measles epidemics, say public health officials.

In 2024–25, 24,962 children were exempt from obligatory immunizations for religious reasons, according to the New Jersey Department of Health. About 5% of state pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, first grade, sixth grade, and transfer students are included in this figure, up 25% from the previous year. Exemptions have substantially tripled in the past decade, indicating a public health issue.

New Jersey kindergarteners had a 4.6% exemption rate, higher than the national median of 4%. The state is one of 29 that allow religious school vaccination exemptions. In contrast to California, Connecticut, Maine, and New York, New Jersey permits parents or guardians to submit a signed request for a religious exemption without proof of religious affiliation.

Although they make up a lower percentage of unvaccinated youngsters, medical exemptions are allowed. The 2024–25 school year had 0.2% of children unvaccinated for medical reasons. New Jersey law limits unvaccinated cases to medical or religious grounds and excludes philosophical, moral, secular, or general exemptions.

Health experts worry that rising vaccination exemptions could weaken state herd immunity. The JAMA Network found that non-medical exemptions increased countrywide between 2010 and 2024, contributing to vaccine-preventable illnesses’ return. Measles, a highly contagious disease that can be prevented by vaccination, has returned to the US, with 2,255 occurrences in 2025, the highest since 1991. Over 90% of these cases were unvaccinated or unknown, according to the CDC.

New Jersey has fallen below the measles herd immunity threshold, which requires more than 95% vaccination to prevent outbreaks. 92.8% of kindergarteners received the MMR vaccine in 2024–25, down from 93% the year before. In 2025, the state had 11 measles cases, up from seven in 2024, indicating decreased vaccine coverage.

Officials stress that tracking vaccination trends is essential to avoid outbreaks and safeguard populations, especially children, from preventable diseases. County-level exemption rates in New Jersey vary, emphasizing the need for tailored public health initiatives and awareness efforts to promote vaccination while recognizing legal exemptions.

Sources:

• New Jersey Department of Health
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• JAMA Network