NJBIA has published its 67th annual Business Outlook Survey, focusing this year on expectations for the economy in 2026. The survey reveals that New Jersey business leaders have a less optimistic view of the state’s economic future compared to previous years.
According to the survey, only 23% of respondents rated New Jersey’s current economy as good, while 52% described it as fair and 25% considered it poor. Fewer than 1% called the state’s economy excellent. When asked about their outlook for the first half of 2026, just 16% believed New Jersey’s economy would improve either substantially or moderately, down from 23% who felt similarly last year when looking ahead to 2025.
A combined total of 41% said they expect New Jersey’s economy to be moderately or substantially worse in early 2026. The net outlook for the state stands at -25%, a significant drop from last year’s net outlook of -3%.
Respondents were also asked about their views on the national economy. Of those surveyed, 39% rated the U.S. economy as good and 42% called it fair. Looking forward, 34% anticipate that the national economy will perform worse—25% expecting it to be moderately worse and another 9% believing it will be substantially worse in the first six months of 2026.
When evaluating their own industries, opinions were similar: Forty percent reported recent industry performance as good and another 42% labeled it fair. Projections for industry-specific performance in early 2026 showed nearly even splits; while 29% expect conditions to get better, about 30% think things will get worse.
The NJBIA survey offers insight into how businesses across New Jersey are preparing for potential challenges in both local and national economies as they approach the new year.
