A report released Nov. 19 by The Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation (CAIT) at Rutgers University illustrates how critical New Jersey’s warehouse and distribution centers are to the state’s economy and prosperity.
The data shows that existing warehouses and distribution centers support more than 764,000 direct jobs and more than 1.35 million total jobs in the state.
“The logistics industry is an impressive economic engine for New Jersey,” said Dan Kennedy, CEO of NAIOP, the Commercial Real Estate Development Association – New Jersey Chapter. “Often lost in the conversation are the economic contributions made by the existing warehouse and distribution centers that create an eye-opening number of jobs and contribute an irreplaceable amount of federal, state and local taxes that support critical services for all New Jersey residents.”
The analysis is the first complementary report undertaken in conjunction with the 2025 Economic Impact Assessment of the New York-New Jersey Port Industry. The Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation (CAIT) at Rutgers University undertook this study on behalf of NAIOP, the Commercial Real Estate Development Association and in partnership with the Shipping Association of New York and New Jersey.
“While we have always known how impactful it is to New Jersey, this report shows just how much critical links in the logistics industry like warehouses and distribution centers contribute to the state’s economy,” said John J. Nardi, president of the Shipping Association of NY and NJ.
The report focuses on existing warehouses and distribution centers within the state, and the role they play in maintaining efficient and effective supply chains. The report also found that warehouses and distribution centers in New Jersey annually support:
- Over $112.8 billion in personal income.
- More than $295.8 billion in business activity.
- More than $33.8 billion in federal, state, and local tax revenues, with local and state tax revenues of nearly $11.3 billion and federal tax revenues of almost $22.6 billion.
“New Jersey may be one of the smallest states in the nation, but it is a vital hub for the distribution of goods across the country,” said Anne Strauss-Wieder, senior freight and logistics researcher at Rutgers CAIT and a lecturer at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy.
The analysis used published reports, fieldwork, engineering information, and the extensive knowledge of the Advisory Committee to develop a consensus estimation of the number of workers in New Jersey’s warehouses and distribution centers. Once the number of workers in New Jersey’s warehouses and distribution centers was ascertained, CAIT undertook the additional quantification of the ongoing economic value generated by these operations using the same economic impact model developed for the 2025 Port Industry analysis.
“Previously available data showed the numerous benefits of the state’s logistics industry,” said David Greek, chair of Circulate NJ. “That data, however, was years old and did not reflect the true nature of how large that impact is. This new report provides a great picture of just how many New Jerseyans rely on the logistics industry for their livelihood.”
Circulate NJ is a wide-ranging coalition that seeks to inform and educate the public on the numerous benefits of the logistics industry through hard data and specific examples
