RANK #21 NATIONALLY — 2,987 REPORTED SIGHTINGS
New Jersey's dense population and proximity to New York City drive high absolute reporting numbers while per-capita rates remain lower. Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst is one of the largest military installations in the northeastern United States, hosting Air Force, Army, and Navy components.
The New Jersey Pine Barrens — a 1.1-million-acre forested region in the center of the densely populated state — have generated a consistent stream of unexplained light reports for decades. The area's extreme darkness relative to its surroundings creates optimal observation conditions and has attracted dedicated sky watchers.
New Jersey's Atlantic coastline and Delaware Bay produce consistent marine sighting reports, and the offshore area between Atlantic City and the continental shelf shows an unusual clustering of boat-based observations.
Consistent with national patterns, New Jersey witnesses most frequently report orb and light phenomena, followed by triangular and disc-shaped objects.
Sighting counts: New York: 7,241 | Pennsylvania: 5,124
Report your sighting to an established civilian organization. Your report contributes to the public record.