How do you define North/Central/South Jersey?

[jp the roadgeek]

Seeing that it was brought up in the Upstate New York thread and there's several threads going...

For me, North Jersey is anything north and east of I-287 up to I-80, then I-80 west to the Delaware River.  South Jersey is anything south of I-195/NJ 29.  Everything in between is Central Jersey.

North Jersey is anywhere that identifies directly with NYC.  The dividing line between central and north Jersey is pretty much the dividing line where Philadelphia FM stations stop coming in and Wawa and Tastykakes disappear.  The central and south Jersey line is the dividing line between New York and Philly sports allegiances.

[jeffandnicole]

For me, Central Jersey is anything right along I-195; basically the crease in the Rand McNally map.  Allentown, NJ...Great Adventure, something like that.  Anything below is South Jersey; anything above is North Jersey.

[Zeffy]

North of I-78 and Northeast of I-287 is North Jersey; South of I-78, Southwest of I-287 and north of I-195 is Central Jersey; South of I-195 is South Jersey.

I definitely feel like I'm in Central Jersey.

[Pete from Boston]

NJ.com had a fluff piece last week on the North-South divide, generally (using arbitrary measures) concluding that the boundary follows the Keith Line, the boundary between the former 17th- and 18th-century colonies of East Jersey and West Jersey. 

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2016/06/why_nj_could_should_be_two_separate_states.html

The most meaningful measure, the Taylor Ham line, is clearly between North and Central Jersey.  Then again, some people call Central Jersey a fiction, and that the Raritan or some such line divides the state.  I can't accept any definition that calls any part of Warren or Hunterdon County "South Jersey," but culturally it may have more in common with the South, so the compromise is Central Jersey.

[roadman65]

I lived in NJ for 25 years, we defined Clark where I grew up as North Central, NJ.  We considered North Jersey to be Essex County and northward.   Central Jersey was anywhere south of New Brunswick down to about Bordentown.

However ask Serena, a local bartender in Orlando, who is from Vineland area and she says Toms River is North Jersey, even though we consider it South.

Too bad we could not be like Delaware, with only three counties, its easy to separate North, Central, and South by the county borders in that state. 

[jwolfer]

I grew up in Ocean County many generations on my dad's side. I consider it South Jersey however many consider it Central or even North( which is funny coming from someone from Mt Holly, he did not realize Toms River is south of him) Like Florida, Ocean County is full of transplants from northern New Jersey so they brought their allegiance to the Giants vis a vis the Eagles.( I finally got to use vis a vis) but there is a Phillies minor league team in Lakewood, so there is a growing allegiances to the Phillies.

As for pork roll/Taylor ham.. it's definitely pork roll

We had Wawa so hoagie is used but sub is more common. Although in Elementary school we had hoagies on the lunch menu

Officially Ocean County is part of NYC metro area and media market, but Philadelphia radio comes in as well as NYC. We had both Philadelphia and NYC stations on cable.  WPVI channel 6 out of Philly give Ocean County the best coverage.

It's actually closer to center city Philadelphia than Manhattan but the transportation infrastructure links to north better than west. GSP, us9, railroad all go north.. the direct link to Philadelphia is route 70, a 2 lane road through the Pine Barrens.. that has as much chance of upgrade as the Somerset freeway

[CNGL-Leudimin]

The shape of the state allows for a quick division. Draw a line through the narrowest part of the state (i.e. Trenton to the Amboys). Anything North of the line is North (New) Jersey. Anything South of the line is South (New) Jersey. I don't define Central (New) Jersey. Then there's just plain Jersey, one of the Channel islands off the French coast but a Crown Dependency of the UK.

[MikeTheActuary]

Just to echo others' thoughts: While I won't blindly trust navigation systems, they can be an extremely useful tool, especially when linked with real-time traffic data.

During just about every long-distance drive I've done in the past couple of years I've had my navigation tool du jour identify a traffic situation (accident, construction delay, etc.) and propose an alternate route I likely would have been unaware of without a study of more detailed maps than I would be unlikely to carry or inspect while underway.

And then there's the amusement factor.  I'm writing this from a hotel in Montréal.  Yesterday I was both amused and disturbed by hearing English TTS mangling French road names worse than I do on my own. 

[hotdogPi]

Just to echo others' thoughts: While I won't blindly trust navigation systems, they can be an extremely useful tool, especially when linked with real-time traffic data.

During just about every long-distance drive I've done in the past couple of years I've had my navigation tool du jour identify a traffic situation (accident, construction delay, etc.) and propose an alternate route I likely would have been unaware of without a study of more detailed maps than I would be unlikely to carry or inspect while underway.

And then there's the amusement factor.  I'm writing this from a hotel in Montréal.  Yesterday I was both amused and disturbed by hearing English TTS mangling French road names worse than I do on my own. 

Wrong thread?

[jeffandnicole]

However ask Serena, a local bartender in Orlando, who is from Vineland area and she says Toms River is North Jersey, even though we consider it South.

I've heard a few people from Vineland refer to Deptford and Camden as North Jersey.   If they made the comment on Facebook, they were roundly criticized, but that just goes to show that it doesn't take much for some people to consider North Jersey as anything north of them!

[vdeane]

Just to echo others' thoughts: While I won't blindly trust navigation systems, they can be an extremely useful tool, especially when linked with real-time traffic data.

During just about every long-distance drive I've done in the past couple of years I've had my navigation tool du jour identify a traffic situation (accident, construction delay, etc.) and propose an alternate route I likely would have been unaware of without a study of more detailed maps than I would be unlikely to carry or inspect while underway.

And then there's the amusement factor.  I'm writing this from a hotel in Montréal.  Yesterday I was both amused and disturbed by hearing English TTS mangling French road names worse than I do on my own. 

Wrong thread?

He asked his GPS for directions on where to put his reply.

[Doctor Whom]

When people find out that I did my graduate work at Princeton, people from near New York tell me, "You know that Princeton is in South Jersey, right?," whereas people from near Philadelphia tell me, "You know that Princeton is in North Jersey, right?"

[Roadgeek Adam]

78 & north is North; 195 to 78 is Central; 195 south is South for me.

[Roadrunner75]

I grew up in Ocean County many generations on my dad's side. I consider it South Jersey however many consider it Central or even North( which is funny coming from someone from Mt Holly, he did not realize Toms River is south of him) Like Florida, Ocean County is full of transplants from northern New Jersey so they brought their allegiance to the Giants vis a vis the Eagles.( I finally got to use vis a vis) but there is a Phillies minor league team in Lakewood, so there is a growing allegiances to the Phillies.

As for pork roll/Taylor ham.. it's definitely pork roll

We had Wawa so hoagie is used but sub is more common. Although in Elementary school we had hoagies on the lunch menu

Officially Ocean County is part of NYC metro area and media market, but Philadelphia radio comes in as well as NYC. We had both Philadelphia and NYC stations on cable.  WPVI channel 6 out of Philly give Ocean County the best coverage.

It's actually closer to center city Philadelphia than Manhattan but the transportation infrastructure links to north better than west. GSP, us9, railroad all go north.. the direct link to Philadelphia is route 70, a 2 lane road through the Pine Barrens.. that has as much chance of upgrade as the Somerset freeway

Thank God I can still get Eagles games out here in Ocean County (and finally for the last couple of years in HD).  I'm on the line with broadcast stations, so I get both sets but I worry the scales will tip toward New York.  Coming from the Philadelphia suburbs, I need my Philly TV fix and just having my ringtone play the Action News theme won't be enough.  I think of generally 195 to the Raritan as Central Jersey, with some overlap.  Unfortunately, they've started to get me saying "sub" around here.

Route 70 is my lifeline to the old neighborhood, and I still use it fairly regularly over 195 ("the long way 'round").  The Marlton Circle removal for the overpass was much appreciated.

[Duke87]

South Jersey is exits 1-7A. Central Jersey is exits 7A-9. North Jersey is exits 9-18.

[Thing 342]

(via The 2014 Twitter NFL Fan Map)

[jwolfer]

I grew up in Ocean County many generations on my dad's side. I consider it South Jersey however many consider it Central or even North( which is funny coming from someone from Mt Holly, he did not realize Toms River is south of him) Like Florida, Ocean County is full of transplants from northern New Jersey so they brought their allegiance to the Giants vis a vis the Eagles.( I finally got to use vis a vis) but there is a Phillies minor league team in Lakewood, so there is a growing allegiances to the Phillies.

As for pork roll/Taylor ham.. it's definitely pork roll

We had Wawa so hoagie is used but sub is more common. Although in Elementary school we had hoagies on the lunch menu

Officially Ocean County is part of NYC metro area and media market, but Philadelphia radio comes in as well as NYC. We had both Philadelphia and NYC stations on cable.  WPVI channel 6 out of Philly give Ocean County the best coverage.

It's actually closer to center city Philadelphia than Manhattan but the transportation infrastructure links to north better than west. GSP, us9, railroad all go north.. the direct link to Philadelphia is route 70, a 2 lane road through the Pine Barrens.. that has as much chance of upgrade as the Somerset freeway

Thank God I can still get Eagles games out here in Ocean County (and finally for the last couple of years in HD).  I'm on the line with broadcast stations, so I get both sets but I worry the scales will tip toward New York.  Coming from the Philadelphia suburbs, I need my Philly TV fix and just having my ringtone play the Action News theme won't be enough.  I think of generally 195 to the Raritan as Central Jersey, with some overlap.  Unfortunately, they've started to get me saying "sub" around here.

Route 70 is my lifeline to the old neighborhood, and I still use it fairly regularly over 195 ("the long way 'round").  The Marlton Circle removal for the overpass was much appreciated.

My dad always took route 70. When I was real little i remember 195 ending at a stop sign at CR 527. That had to be 1975, roadgeek memories LOL.
--------------------
"Move closer to your world my friend..." the Action News song says news to me

I don't know if you are old enough to remember.. "the kids choice in Philadelphia. Channel 48"

[Pete from Boston]

I grew up in Ocean County many generations on my dad's side. I consider it South Jersey however many consider it Central or even North( which is funny coming from someone from Mt Holly, he did not realize Toms River is south of him) Like Florida, Ocean County is full of transplants from northern New Jersey so they brought their allegiance to the Giants vis a vis the Eagles.( I finally got to use vis a vis) but there is a Phillies minor league team in Lakewood, so there is a growing allegiances to the Phillies.

As for pork roll/Taylor ham.. it's definitely pork roll

We had Wawa so hoagie is used but sub is more common. Although in Elementary school we had hoagies on the lunch menu

Officially Ocean County is part of NYC metro area and media market, but Philadelphia radio comes in as well as NYC. We had both Philadelphia and NYC stations on cable.  WPVI channel 6 out of Philly give Ocean County the best coverage.

It's actually closer to center city Philadelphia than Manhattan but the transportation infrastructure links to north better than west. GSP, us9, railroad all go north.. the direct link to Philadelphia is route 70, a 2 lane road through the Pine Barrens.. that has as much chance of upgrade as the Somerset freeway

Thank God I can still get Eagles games out here in Ocean County (and finally for the last couple of years in HD).  I'm on the line with broadcast stations, so I get both sets but I worry the scales will tip toward New York.  Coming from the Philadelphia suburbs, I need my Philly TV fix and just having my ringtone play the Action News theme won't be enough.  I think of generally 195 to the Raritan as Central Jersey, with some overlap.  Unfortunately, they've started to get me saying "sub" around here.

Route 70 is my lifeline to the old neighborhood, and I still use it fairly regularly over 195 ("the long way 'round").  The Marlton Circle removal for the overpass was much appreciated.

My dad always took route 70. When I was real little i remember 195 ending at a stop sign at CR 527. That had to be 1975, roadgeek memories LOL.
--------------------
"Move closer to your world my friend..." the Action News song says news to me

I don't know if you are old enough to remember.. "the kids choice in Philadelphia. Channel 48"

I remember the channel 48 (WKBS) song from the brief time it was on in North Jersey cable in the early 1980s.  It was replaced by WSBK 38 from Boston at some point.

[Roadrunner75]

I don't know if you are old enough to remember.. "the kids choice in Philadelphia. Channel 48"

I remember the channel 48 (WKBS) song from the brief time it was on in North Jersey cable in the early 1980s.  It was replaced by WSBK 38 from Boston at some point.

I remember watching Woody Woodpecker on 48, and maybe Mighty Mouse as well.  17 and 29 were always the biggies in Philly UHF, and had the better cartoons (couldn't get enough of Tom and Jerry).  My folks were very late to the cable game, and since we were right across the river and the rabbit ears worked well enough for them, I got to choose from the big eight of 3/6/10/12/17/23/29/57 well into my teenage years (not gonna count the Home Shopping Network on 65!).  Anyone remember when 57 had the scrambled pay sports/movie channel "Prism"?  On my little TV in those days, I liked to see what channels I could pick up late at night (Baltimore 54, WLIW 21 in Long Island...). 

[jwolfer]

I lived in the coast.. sometimes channel 8 from New Haven CT and channel 16 from Salisbury MD would come in sometimes

[spitball]

I grew up in Clifton, so my original picture of NJ was northern-skewed, e.g., considering places like New Brunswick as "South Jersey".  But after having attended Rutgers, and in more recent years, living in the southern half of Somerset County, I've changed my definition such that I-78 (or really the 78/287/440 combo) separates North from Central and I-195 separates Central from South.

[epzik8]

North Jersey is north of I-78. Central Jersey is between I-78 and NJ-70 or NJ-72 depending on which one of those routes is further south. South Jersey is NJ-70 or NJ-72 to Cape May.

Alternatively, North Jersey is north of I-195 and South Jersey is south of I-195, and that would make I-195 Central Jersey.

[CNGL-Leudimin]

Apart from my definitions of North and South Jersey I've also defined Upper and Lower (parts of a) Jersey, with the extent of the ribs marking the border .

[jwolfer]

This will be a long and heated debate

LGMS428

[noelbotevera]

South Jersey: South of the ACE
Central Jersey: ACE to New Brunswick/The Amboys, across the state
North Jersey: The Amboys/New Brunswick to the New York State Line and tripoint