Farm Census

Hunterdon County, New Jersey

Farms, crops and livestock in the 2022 Census of Agriculture

1,623 farms91,588 acres in farms$115 million in farm sales

No other county in New Jersey with a published figure has more farms or hay and haylage than Hunterdon County.

Its largest product group, nursery and greenhouse crops, makes up 53.5% of farm sales, against 48.8% across New Jersey.

Nursery and greenhouse: 53.5%Nursery and greenhouse53.5%Vegetables and melons: 9.3%9.3%Horses and mules: 8.1%Horses and mules8.1%Grains and oilseeds: 8.1%8.1%Fruit and nuts: 7.6%Fruit and nuts7.6%Hay and other crops: 6.7%6.7%Milk: 1.8%Milk1.8%Poultry and eggs: 1.5%1.5%Cattle and calves: 1.3%1.3%Other animals: 0.8%0.8%Sheep and goats: 0.6%Christmas trees: 0.5%0.5%Hogs and pigs: 0.1%Nursery and greenhouse: 53.5%Nursery and greenhouse53.5%Vegetables and melons: 9.3%9.3%Horses and mules: 8.1%8.1%Grains and oilseeds: 8.1%8.1%Fruit and nuts: 7.6%7.6%Hay and other crops: 6.7%6.7%Milk: 1.8%1.8%Poultry and eggs: 1.5%1.5%Cattle and calves: 1.3%1.3%Other animals: 0.8%Sheep and goats: 0.6%Christmas trees: 0.5%Hogs and pigs: 0.1%
Farm sales by product group, 2022, sized by value.
Sales by product group
Product groupSalesRank in state
Nursery, greenhouse and floriculture crops$61.7 million5th of 17
Vegetables, melons and potatoes$10.7 million6th of 17
Horses, ponies, mules, burros and donkeys$9.3 million2nd of 15
Grains, oilseeds, dry beans and dry peas$9.3 million5th of 16
Fruit, tree nuts and berries$8.7 million6th of 17
Hay and other crops$7.8 million1st of 16
Milk from cows$2.1 million5th of 6
Poultry and eggs$1.8 million4th of 14
Cattle and calves$1.4 million3rd of 15
Other animals and animal products$929,0004th of 16
Sheep, goats, wool, mohair and goat milk$682,0001st of 16
Christmas trees and short-rotation woody crops$579,0001st of 16
Hogs and pigs$165,0006th of 10

What the fields held

Hunterdon County harvested 47,383 acres of cropland in 2022, second of 19 counties in New Jersey. Hay and haylage covered acreage equal to 54% of that, soybeans 17%.

CropAcresShare of US
Hay and haylage25,583under 0.1%
Soybeans8,193under 0.1%
Corn for grain6,478under 0.1%
Wheat2,011under 0.1%
Vegetables1,215under 0.1%
of which potatoes43under 0.1%
Orchard land686under 0.1%
of which grapes149under 0.1%
of which apples3000.07%
Corn for silage426under 0.1%
Grain sorghum273under 0.1%
Oats186under 0.1%
Berries76under 0.1%
Barley46under 0.1%

Withheld to protect individual farms: almonds and pecans.

How much of the county is farmland

Share of the county land in farms33.5%

Hunterdon County ranks second of 19 counties in New Jersey on this measure.

  • 53,916 acres of cropland, 59% of farmland
  • 14,762 acres of pastureland, 16% of farmland
  • 18,903 acres of woodland, 21% of farmland
  • 1,910 acres irrigated

Farm sizes

The typical farm in Hunterdon County is smaller than the national median of 72 acres, at 16 acres. The average, pulled up by the largest operations, is 56 acres, 11th-largest of 16 in New Jersey. The most common size class is 10–49 acres, with 53.0% of farms. Fewer than 1% of farms have 1,000 acres or more.

1–925%10–4953%50–17916%180–4994%500–9991%1,000–1,9990%2,000+0%
Hunterdon County US · farms by size

Barns, pens and pastures

AnimalsHeadShare of US
Horses and ponies3,2720.14%
Goats2,3690.09%
Sheep and lambs2,9700.06%
Laying hens18,182under 0.1%
Milk cows403under 0.1%
Beef cows1,151under 0.1%
Cattle and calves3,417under 0.1%
Hogs and pigs357under 0.1%
Turkeys386under 0.1%
Broilers sold in 20221,623under 0.1%

Who farms here

Decisions on Hunterdon County's 1,623 farms are made by 3,031 producers. Their average age is 58.7, the same as the New Jersey average. Women are 41.9% of them.

Under 358%35–4410%45–5416%55–6430%65–7421%75+15%
Hunterdon County US · producers by age

Five years earlier

Measure2017Change to 2022
Farms1,604+1.2%
Land in farms, acres101,290−9.6%
Average farm size, acres63−11.1%
Farm products sold (current dollars)$92.2 million+24.9%
Horses and ponies, head4,140−21.0%
Goats, head2,130+11.2%
Apples, acres282+6.4%
Sheep and lambs, head3,177−6.5%

Nearest rivals

Counties with a similar sales mix

Hunterdon County accounts for 7.7% of farm sales in New Jersey and 16.2% of the farms in New Jersey. Rank New Jersey counties for horses and ponies.

Source: USDA NASS Census of Agriculture. How to read these pages.