Is New Jersey tap water hard or soft?
Mostly not. 38 % of the 34 cities with published data in New Jersey have hard or very hard water (over 120 mg/L). The median is 6.4 gpg, from 1.7 gpg in Vineland to 20 gpg in Short Hills.
We have published hardness data for 34 cities in New Jersey. The median is 6.4 gpg; the hardest water is in Short Hills (20 gpg), the softest in Vineland (1.7 gpg).
38 % of these cities have hard or very hard water (over 120 mg/L).
USGS classes: soft 0–60, moderately hard 61–120, hard 121–180, very hard >180 mg/L.
Cities in New Jersey, hardest first
| gpg | mg/L | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Short Hills | 20 | 342 | very hard |
| Belvidere | 15.4 | 263 | very hard |
| Little Falls | 14.1 | 242 | very hard |
| South Orange | 12.4 | 213 | very hard |
| Frenchtown | 11.2 | 192 | very hard |
| Paterson | 10.2 | 174 | hard |
| West New York | 9.1 | 156 | hard |
| Woodland Park | 8.5 | 146 | hard |
| Elizabeth | 8.4 | 143 | hard |
| Harrison | 8.2 | 140 | hard |
| Ridgefield Park | 7.2 | 124 | hard |
| Sayreville | 7.2 | 123 | hard |
| Vincentown | 7 | 120 | hard |
| Mount Holly | 7 | 119 | moderately hard |
| Penns Grove | 6.7 | 115 | moderately hard |
| Ringwood | 6.6 | 113 | moderately hard |
| Clifton | 6.4 | 110 | moderately hard |
| Passaic | 6.4 | 110 | moderately hard |
| Totowa | 6.4 | 110 | moderately hard |
| Wallington | 6.4 | 110 | moderately hard |
| North Arlington | 6.3 | 108 | moderately hard |
| Trenton | 6.3 | 107 | moderately hard |
| Point Pleasant | 6.2 | 106 | moderately hard |
| New Egypt | 6.1 | 104 | moderately hard |
| Camden | 5.8 | 100 | moderately hard |
| Elizabeth | 5.7 | 98 | moderately hard |
| Perth Amboy | 5.6 | 96 | moderately hard |
| Garfield | 5.2 | 89 | moderately hard |
| Jersey City | 4.8 | 83 | moderately hard |
| Hoboken | 4.7 | 81 | moderately hard |
| Rahway | 4.4 | 75 | moderately hard |
| Lakewood | 2.5 | 42 | soft |
| Glassboro | 2.4 | 41 | soft |
| Vineland | 1.7 | 29 | soft |
FAQ
Is New Jersey water hard or soft?
Mostly not. 38 % of the 34 cities we cover have hard or very hard water; the median is 6.4 gpg.
Which city in New Jersey has the hardest water?
Short Hills, at 20 gpg, has the hardest water of the 34 cities with published data.
Which city in New Jersey has the softest water?
Vineland, at 1.7 gpg, has the softest water of the 34 cities with published data.
Do I need a water softener in New Jersey?
Above about 120 mg/L (7 gpg) scale builds up in water heaters, kettles and dishwashers, and a softener or at least regular descaling pays off. Look up your own city in the table: in New Jersey the values range from 1.7 gpg to 20 gpg.
On a private well? Well water hardness in New Jersey by county →