Bolthole Index county-legal census · checked 2026-07-01
6 of New Jersey's 21 counties — 29% — have no county-wide zoning. That is the 28th-largest count of any state. The strongest of them on the Bolthole Index is Atlantic County (45/100). Every entry below cites the county’s own official source.
Rules change, and cities inside these counties set their own — treat this as a verified starting point, not legal advice. All 959 counties nationwide → Full New Jersey profile →
6 of 21 New Jersey counties · sorted by Index score
Under the NJ Municipal Land Use Law (N.J.S.A. 40:55D-62), zoning power is vested in municipalities; Atlantic County does not administer county-wide zoning.
NJ Municipal Land Use Law (N.J.S.A. 40:55D) ↗Zoning in New Jersey is delegated exclusively to municipalities under the Municipal Land Use Law; Salem County itself does not zone (county planning board handles subdivision/si…
New Jersey Municipal Land Use Law (N.J.S.A. 40:55D) ↗Zoning is administered by municipalities in New Jersey; Cape May County's Planning Board only reviews subdivisions and site plans (e.g. along county roads), not parcel zoning.
Cape May County Subdivision and Site Plan Resolution ↗Land use and zoning are controlled by municipal zoning ordinances under the NJ Municipal Land Use Law; counties do not zone in New Jersey.
NJ Department of Community Affairs - Uniform Construction Code ↗Land-use zoning in New Jersey is a municipal function under the Municipal Land Use Law; Somerset County itself does not zone, so each municipality sets its own zoning.
NJ DCA - Uniform Construction Code / Municipal Land Use ↗Land-use zoning in New Jersey is a municipal function under the Municipal Land Use Law; Camden County itself does not zone (it administers development/subdivision review only), …
Camden County Development Regulations ↗One email a week: the best counties to live off-grid, rule changes that matter, and rule changes as New Jersey counties adopt or drop codes. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Every county here has a full profile — water, land prices, hazard safety, seclusion, and the rest of its building rules. See the New Jersey state page for all 21 counties ranked, or go back to the national list.
General guidance, not legal advice. Off-grid, building, and land-use rules are often set at the county level and change often. Verify with your county and state before acting. Data reviewed 2026-06-26.