Percent unemployed
Job insecurity has a debilitating impact on health status and serves as another strong predictor of health vulnerability. In addition to the aforementioned lack of access to employer-sponsored health insurance and a primary care network, job insecurity or unemployment also creates additional stress that impacts health, including the linkage of poverty and mental illness. Unemployment rates vary widely from community to community in New Jersey, ranging from a low of 1.1 percent to a high of 22.9 percent. The median unemployment rate for the 38 zip codes with the poorest health status is 14.4 percent, versus a statewide median of 5.9 percent – or 2.4 times greater. See Appendix.
A Deeper Dive
The farmlands of western Atlantic County are home to three of the top five zip codes with New Jersey’s highest unemployment rates: 08346 (Newtonville), 08350 (Richland) – both part of Buena Vista Township – and 08310 (Buena). Tucked between highways 40 and 322, these zip codes are roughly 45 miles from Atlantic City and 50 miles or more to Philadelphia. The bus route from Buena Vista to Philadelphia travels through Atlantic City – making it a three-hour, 45-minute trip. With public transportation extremely limited, residents of Buena Vista Township spend more time in cars riding to work than the national average.28,29
