State Cancer Profiles

Interpretation of Rate/Trend Comparison by Cancer Data

Death Rate/Trend Comparison by Cancer, 2019-2023

New Jersey Counties versus United States

All Cancer Sites

All Races, Female

Sorted by priority index

Explanation of Column Headers

State/County - The site and sex combination for this comparison.

Priority Index ¹ - The priority index is based upon the direction of the trend and the rate comparison. An index of 1 is the highest priority - that trend is rising and the rate is already higher. An index of 9 is the lowest priority - the trend is falling and the rate is already lower.

Recent Trends - This is an interpretation of the AAPC:

• Rising when 95% confidence interval of average annual percent change is above 0.
• Stable when 95% confidence interval of average annual percent change includes 0.
• Falling when 95% confidence interval of average annual percent change is below 0.

AAPC (95% Confidence Interval) - The Average Annual Percent Change is the change in rate over time. These AAPCs are based upon APCs that were calculated by Joinpoint Regression Program

Other Notes

• Larger confidence intervals indicate less stability of the data. This is often due to low counts that are not quite low enough to be suppressed.
• Data is currently being suppressed if there are fewer than 16 counts for the time period.

Line by Line Interpretation of the Report

United States

• Recent Trend(2) : The trend is falling because the trend is -1.1 with a 95% confidence interval from -1.2 to -1.0.
• Rate : The death rate is 126.3 with a 95% confidence interval from 126.1 to 126.6 and 287,034 average annual deaths.

New Jersey

• Recent Trend(2) : The trend is falling because the trend is -2.0 with a 95% confidence interval from -2.1 to -1.9.
• Rate : The death rate is 117.7 with a 95% confidence interval from 116.5 to 118.9 and 7,837 average annual deaths.

Bergen County

• Priority Index(1) : The priority index is 9.
• Recent Trend(2) : The trend is falling because the trend is -2.2 with a 95% confidence interval from -2.4 to -1.9.
• County Death Rate Compared to US Rate : This death rate is lower compared to the US rate
• Rate : The death rate is 104.6 with a 95% confidence interval from 101.3 to 108.1 and 772 average annual deaths.
• Rate Ratio(3) County to US : The rate ratio is 0.8

Essex County

• Priority Index(1) : The priority index is 9.
• Recent Trend(2) : The trend is falling because the trend is -2.5 with a 95% confidence interval from -2.8 to -2.2.
• County Death Rate Compared to US Rate : This death rate is lower compared to the US rate
• Rate : The death rate is 109.3 with a 95% confidence interval from 105.3 to 113.4 and 591 average annual deaths.
• Rate Ratio(3) County to US : The rate ratio is 0.9

Hudson County

• Priority Index(1) : The priority index is 9.
• Recent Trend(2) : The trend is falling because the trend is -2.5 with a 95% confidence interval from -2.9 to -2.1.
• County Death Rate Compared to US Rate : This death rate is lower compared to the US rate
• Rate : The death rate is 100.0 with a 95% confidence interval from 95.6 to 104.6 and 395 average annual deaths.
• Rate Ratio(3) County to US : The rate ratio is 0.8

Hunterdon County

• Priority Index(1) : The priority index is 9.
• Recent Trend(2) : The trend is falling because the trend is -2.1 with a 95% confidence interval from -2.7 to -1.4.
• County Death Rate Compared to US Rate : This death rate is lower compared to the US rate
• Rate : The death rate is 106.8 with a 95% confidence interval from 97.9 to 116.5 and 112 average annual deaths.
• Rate Ratio(3) County to US : The rate ratio is 0.8

Middlesex County

• Priority Index(1) : The priority index is 9.
• Recent Trend(2) : The trend is falling because the trend is -1.8 with a 95% confidence interval from -2.1 to -1.6.
• County Death Rate Compared to US Rate : This death rate is lower compared to the US rate
• Rate : The death rate is 112.2 with a 95% confidence interval from 108.3 to 116.2 and 647 average annual deaths.
• Rate Ratio(3) County to US : The rate ratio is 0.9

Morris County

• Priority Index(1) : The priority index is 9.
• Recent Trend(2) : The trend is falling because the trend is -2.3 with a 95% confidence interval from -2.6 to -2.0.
• County Death Rate Compared to US Rate : This death rate is lower compared to the US rate
• Rate : The death rate is 105.9 with a 95% confidence interval from 101.3 to 110.7 and 415 average annual deaths.
• Rate Ratio(3) County to US : The rate ratio is 0.8

Passaic County

• Priority Index(1) : The priority index is 9.
• Recent Trend(2) : The trend is falling because the trend is -2.3 with a 95% confidence interval from -2.7 to -1.9.
• County Death Rate Compared to US Rate : This death rate is lower compared to the US rate
• Rate : The death rate is 111.0 with a 95% confidence interval from 106.0 to 116.2 and 385 average annual deaths.
• Rate Ratio(3) County to US : The rate ratio is 0.9

Somerset County

• Priority Index(1) : The priority index is 9.
• Recent Trend(2) : The trend is falling because the trend is -2.2 with a 95% confidence interval from -2.6 to -1.7.
• County Death Rate Compared to US Rate : This death rate is lower compared to the US rate
• Rate : The death rate is 104.4 with a 95% confidence interval from 98.7 to 110.3 and 265 average annual deaths.
• Rate Ratio(3) County to US : The rate ratio is 0.8

Union County

• Priority Index(1) : The priority index is 9.
• Recent Trend(2) : The trend is falling because the trend is -3.5 with a 95% confidence interval from -7.2 to -2.1.
• County Death Rate Compared to US Rate : This death rate is lower compared to the US rate
• Rate : The death rate is 107.5 with a 95% confidence interval from 102.8 to 112.4 and 403 average annual deaths.
• Rate Ratio(3) County to US : The rate ratio is 0.9

Atlantic County

• Priority Index(1) : The priority index is 8.
• Recent Trend(2) : The trend is falling because the trend is -2.1 with a 95% confidence interval from -2.6 to -1.6.
• County Death Rate Compared to US Rate : This death rate is similar compared to the US rate
• Rate : The death rate is 136.6 with a 95% confidence interval from 129.5 to 144.1 and 293 average annual deaths.
• Rate Ratio(3) County to US : The rate ratio is 1.1

Burlington County

• Priority Index(1) : The priority index is 8.
• Recent Trend(2) : The trend is falling because the trend is -1.6 with a 95% confidence interval from -1.9 to -1.3.
• County Death Rate Compared to US Rate : This death rate is similar compared to the US rate
• Rate : The death rate is 127.4 with a 95% confidence interval from 122.1 to 133.0 and 455 average annual deaths.
• Rate Ratio(3) County to US : The rate ratio is 1.0

Camden County

• Priority Index(1) : The priority index is 8.
• Recent Trend(2) : The trend is falling because the trend is -1.8 with a 95% confidence interval from -2.1 to -1.5.
• County Death Rate Compared to US Rate : This death rate is similar compared to the US rate
• Rate : The death rate is 133.9 with a 95% confidence interval from 128.5 to 139.4 and 489 average annual deaths.
• Rate Ratio(3) County to US : The rate ratio is 1.1

Cape May County

• Priority Index(1) : The priority index is 8.
• Recent Trend(2) : The trend is falling because the trend is -1.4 with a 95% confidence interval from -2.1 to -0.8.
• County Death Rate Compared to US Rate : This death rate is similar compared to the US rate
• Rate : The death rate is 133.6 with a 95% confidence interval from 122.9 to 145.2 and 135 average annual deaths.
• Rate Ratio(3) County to US : The rate ratio is 1.1

Mercer County

• Priority Index(1) : The priority index is 8.
• Recent Trend(2) : The trend is falling because the trend is -1.6 with a 95% confidence interval from -2.2 to -1.1.
• County Death Rate Compared to US Rate : This death rate is similar compared to the US rate
• Rate : The death rate is 120.8 with a 95% confidence interval from 114.8 to 127.1 and 312 average annual deaths.
• Rate Ratio(3) County to US : The rate ratio is 1.0

Monmouth County

• Priority Index(1) : The priority index is 8.
• Recent Trend(2) : The trend is falling because the trend is -2.4 with a 95% confidence interval from -2.8 to -2.1.
• County Death Rate Compared to US Rate : This death rate is similar compared to the US rate
• Rate : The death rate is 120.1 with a 95% confidence interval from 115.7 to 124.6 and 605 average annual deaths.
• Rate Ratio(3) County to US : The rate ratio is 1.0

Ocean County

• Priority Index(1) : The priority index is 8.
• Recent Trend(2) : The trend is falling because the trend is -1.6 with a 95% confidence interval from -1.9 to -1.3.
• County Death Rate Compared to US Rate : This death rate is similar compared to the US rate
• Rate : The death rate is 131.9 with a 95% confidence interval from 127.5 to 136.4 and 773 average annual deaths.
• Rate Ratio(3) County to US : The rate ratio is 1.0

Sussex County

• Priority Index(1) : The priority index is 8.
• Recent Trend(2) : The trend is falling because the trend is -1.9 with a 95% confidence interval from -2.4 to -1.4.
• County Death Rate Compared to US Rate : This death rate is similar compared to the US rate
• Rate : The death rate is 134.3 with a 95% confidence interval from 124.3 to 145.1 and 141 average annual deaths.
• Rate Ratio(3) County to US : The rate ratio is 1.1

Warren County

• Priority Index(1) : The priority index is 8.
• Recent Trend(2) : The trend is falling because the trend is -1.2 with a 95% confidence interval from -1.7 to -0.7.
• County Death Rate Compared to US Rate : This death rate is similar compared to the US rate
• Rate : The death rate is 135.5 with a 95% confidence interval from 124.4 to 147.4 and 118 average annual deaths.
• Rate Ratio(3) County to US : The rate ratio is 1.1

Cumberland County

• Priority Index(1) : The priority index is 5.
• Recent Trend(2) : The trend is falling because the trend is -1.0 with a 95% confidence interval from -1.7 to -0.3.
• County Death Rate Compared to US Rate : This death rate is higher compared to the US rate
• Rate : The death rate is 150.5 with a 95% confidence interval from 139.7 to 162.0 and 149 average annual deaths.
• Rate Ratio(3) County to US : The rate ratio is 1.2

Gloucester County

• Priority Index(1) : The priority index is 5.
• Recent Trend(2) : The trend is falling because the trend is -1.7 with a 95% confidence interval from -2.1 to -1.4.
• County Death Rate Compared to US Rate : This death rate is higher compared to the US rate
• Rate : The death rate is 145.1 with a 95% confidence interval from 137.7 to 152.7 and 305 average annual deaths.
• Rate Ratio(3) County to US : The rate ratio is 1.1

Salem County

• Priority Index(1) : The priority index is 5.
• Recent Trend(2) : The trend is falling because the trend is -1.0 with a 95% confidence interval from -1.9 to -0.1.
• County Death Rate Compared to US Rate : This death rate is higher compared to the US rate
• Rate : The death rate is 150.9 with a 95% confidence interval from 135.7 to 167.5 and 76 average annual deaths.
• Rate Ratio(3) County to US : The rate ratio is 1.2

Notes:
Created by statecancerprofiles.cancer.gov on 03/13/2026 9:26 am.


¹ Priority indices were created by ordering from rates that are rising and above the comparison rate to rates that are falling and below the comparison rate.
² Recent trend in death rates is usually an Average Annual Percent Change (AAPC) based on the APCs calculated by Joinpoint. Due to data availability issues, the time period and/or calculation method used in the calculation of the trends may differ for selected geographic areas.
³ Rate ratio is the county rate divided by the US rate. Previous versions of this table used one-year rates for states and five-year rates for counties. As of June 2018, only five-year rates are used.
Source: Death data provided by the National Vital Statistics System public use data file. Death rates calculated by the National Cancer Institute using SEER*Stat. Death rates are age-adjusted to the 2000 US standard population (20 age groups: <1, 1-4, 5-9, ... , 80-84, 85-89, 90+). The Healthy People 2030 goals are based on rates adjusted using different methods but the differences should be minimal. Population counts for denominators are based on Census populations as modified by NCI. The US Population Data File is used with mortality data.
Note: When the population size for a denominator is small, the rates may be unstable. A rate is unstable when a small change in the numerator (e.g., only one or two additional cases) has a dramatic effect on the calculated rate. Suppression is used to avoid misinterpretation when rates are unstable.

State Cancer Registries may provide more current or more local data. Data presented on the State Cancer Profiles Web Site may differ from statistics reported by the State Cancer Registries (for more information).

Interpret Rankings provides insight into interpreting cancer statistics. When the population size for a denominator is small, the rates may be unstable. A rate is unstable when a small change in the numerator (e.g., only one or two additional cases) has a dramatic effect on the calculated rate.

Data for United States do not include Puerto Rico.