[REPLACE STATE/REGISTRY] Cancer Maps is an interactive mapping tool of cancer
data for [REPLACE NUM_ZONES] cancer reporting zones in [REPLACE STATE/REGISTRY]. You can map cancer incidence for the [REPLACE NUM_CANCER_SITES] most common invasive cancer sites and for all
sites combined and filter by sex and race/ethnicity. Visit Learn to review methodology, data sources, and more.
To ensure confidentiality and stable statistical rates, cancer incidence rates are suppressed and reported as
“0” or “No Data” when there are 15 or fewer cancer cases. Distributions
of selected population demographic factors are also provided for each zone. These data are from the
decennial U.S. Census or the Census’s American Community Survey.
The [REPLACE STATE/REGISTRY] Cancer Maps project aims to provide data
for geographies beyond county-level statistics to better serve cancer control, public health, and
policy efforts.
[REPLACE STATE/REGISTRY] Cancer Maps allows users to interactively
map health data for [REPLACE STATE/REGISTRY] at a geographic level
called zones, which are aggregates of census tracts. We have used a data-driven approach to define
[REPLACE NUM_ZONES] zones for [REPLACE
STATE/REGISTRY], based on similar characteristics (poverty, urbanicity, racial/ethnic
minority composition) and a minimum of 50,000 residents. These areas are generally smaller than
county, but larger than census tract. Zones vary in population size from [REPLACE MINIMUM ZONE POPULATION] to [REPLACE
MAXIMUM ZONE POPULATION] with the number of census tracts ranging from [REPLACE MINIMUM TRACTS PER ZONE] to [REPLACE MAXIMUM TRACTS PER ZONE].
[REPLACE STATE/REGISTRY] Cancer Maps include 1-year, 5-year and 10-year
cancer incidence rates based on the most current data for the [REPLACE NUM_CANCER_SITES] most common invasive cancer sites and
for all sites combined by sex and race/ethnicity ([CONFIRM RACE
LIST]). Cancer incidence rates will be updated as more current data become available.
These maps also include selected population demographic data based on 2010 Census and 2015-2019 American Community Survey data.
On this website, data are shown by cancer reporting zone. These zones have been designed so that they have a minimum population, have similar demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, and are geographically compact (they minimize the distance between different parts of the zone). The minimum population for each zone is 50,000 people.
Counties with larger populations (more than 100,000 people) were divided into multiple Zones by combining adjacent census tracts. Three demographic and socioeconomic characteristics were used to determine similarity: the percent of the population who are not non-Hispanic White, percent of the population with incomes below poverty, and the proportion of the population living in urban and rural areas.
Newark is treated as if it were a county. The census tracts within Newark are partitioned into 5 Zones. The remainder of Essex County is partitioned without consideration of Newark.
For counties Cape May and Salem, which have between 50,000 and 100,000 people, the county is the Zone.
We used population data from Census 2010 and Census 2010 tract geographies to construct the zones.
Poverty data came from the American Community Survey 2012-2016 5-year data. We used a software zone
design program called AZTool to identify aggregations of adjacent tracts and counties that
optimize the three objectives: a target population of 50,000, geographic compactness, and similarity
in terms of minority population, poverty, and urbanicity characteristics
Zone Names
Census Tract Aggregation Zone (CTAZ or “Zone”) names are given by the largest municipality in the Zone by population. Should a municipality straddle one or more CTAZs, then the population of the municipality is apportioned by the area within each CTAZ. For a hypothetical example, if Springfield has a population of 100,000 and 60% is in Zone A and 40% in Zone B, then 60,000 Springfield residents are assigned to Zone A and 40,000 residents to Zone B. If 60,000 was the largest municipality by population in Zone A then Zone A would be named Springfield.
In the case of large cities such as Newark, the Zone names are assigned based on the predominant neighborhood within the Zone.
More Detailed information about the New Jersey Cancer Registry (NJSCR) and the cancer data can be found through the following links:
The New Jersey State Cancer Registry (NJSCR) is a population-based registry and includes all cancer cases diagnosed in New Jersey residents since October 1, 1978. The NJSCR serves the entire State of New Jersey, which includes a population of approximately 9.3 million people.
The purpose of the NJSCR is to track cancer in New Jersey supporting efforts to promote the following activities: scientific research; public and professional education programs; and planning and implementation of cancer control and prevention activities. The NJSCR strives to improve the quality and enhance the usefulness of its data.
The NJSCR was established by legislation (NJSA 26:2-104 et. seq.) in 1977 in response to concern that New Jersey was suffering from the highest cancer incidence and mortality rates in the country. New Jersey regulations require the reporting of all newly diagnosed cancer cases to the NJSCR within six months of diagnosis.
The NJSCR participates in the National Program of Cancer Registries (NPCR). The NJSCR is also a member of the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries (NAACCR). The NJSCR is also a member of the International Association of Cancer Registries (IACR).
The New Jersey State Cancer Registry (NJSCR), under the direction of the State Department of Health in partnership with Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, was awarded a seven-year contract from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in 2021 to support core infrastructure and research activities as part of the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program. The SEER Program is considered the most authoritative source of information on cancer incidence and survival in the United States, collecting data accounting for the diverse demographics covering approximately 48% of the US population. The NJSCR is one of 28 population-based CORE registries as well as 10 SEER Research Support registries in the country that are part of the SEER Program.
The NJSCR has been awarded the NAACCR Gold Standard, the highest standard possible.
We used the cancer sites reported on by the CDC’s United States Cancer Statistics (USCS, “The Official Federal Cancer Statistics”).
In order to estimate cancer incidence rates, estimates of the population size from which the cancers are diagnosed must be used. At the time of this writing (April 2025), population size estimates at the Census Tract Aggregation Zone level were only available through 2016. Population data through 2022 are expected in the near future and the additional years of incidence data will be updated then.
Selected population sociodemographic data and population estimates for calculating cancer incidence rates are from the SEER census tract estimates by race/origin. Additional sociodemographic data are from the Census 2010 and American Community Survey 2015-2019 for zones and counties.
We plan to update New Jersey Cancer Maps to include the most current cancer incidence data as they become available, typically in the Spring of each year.
Census Tracts are small, relatively permanent statistical subdivisions of a county with between 1,200 and 8,000 people and an optimum size of 4,000 people. The primary purpose of census tracts is to provide a stable set of geographic units for the presentation of statistical data. However, in order to protect citizen confidentiality, the NJSCR does not release data to the general public at the Census Tract-level. By combining data over longer periods of time or wider areas, larger numbers of cases are included, reducing the threat of identification of individual cases. Additionally, larger numbers of cases results in more stable estimates of cancer incidence.
Here we combine Census Tracts to form Census Tract Aggregation Zones based on adjacency and similarity in population sociodemographic characteristics: poverty, rurality, and racial/ethnic minority (i.e., non-White) composition. Zones are required to have a minimum population of 50,000. There are 150 Zones in New Jersey which vary in population size from 50,676 to 97,265 and are composed of between 11 and 32 Census Tracts. Zones are generally smaller than a county and larger than a census tract to help provide additional options for understanding disease burden and better facilitate public health and policy planning.
The Zones were developed by the New Jersey State Cancer Registry including partners at Westat and the National Cancer Institute as part of a collaborative effort to provide cancer data at areas generally smaller than county. Stakeholder input was gathered and incorporated in the development process.
Counties in New Jersey can span up to hundreds of miles and include large and diverse populations or cover sparsely populated rural areas. Surveillance of cancer burden at these large geographic scales may not be meaningful nor adequate for identifying areas with higher disease rates. This information can be used by cancer centers, healthcare organizations, community organizations, and policy makers better serve cancer control, public health, and policy efforts.
New Jersey State Cancer Registry (NJSCR) provides zone and statewide cancer incidence data collected from various sources, including hospitals and non-hospital reporting sites such as physicians, and laboratories. This data contains comprehensive demographic and medical records for each reported cancer case, following strict reporting guidelines. Patients are monitored annually, with updates on their vital status and relevant cancer information, including cause of death for those who have passed.
Age-adjusted incidence rates for all invasive cancers, including specific in situ bladder cancers, are calculated using SEER*Stat. These rates are standardized to the 2000 U.S. population and reported as cases per 100,000 people per year. Population estimates are derived from the U.S. Census Bureau and adjusted for consistency across different demographics and geographic areas by the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Data compilation and public reporting are further managed by the NCI’s SEER Program and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Program of Cancer Registries (NPCR). For detailed methodology, please refer to the Methodology section.
For the purposes of determining voting districts and congressional Representation, the U.S. Census is required by the Constitution to count everyone in the country every 10 years, but they do a lot more than that. The American Community Survey (ACS) has been conducted annually by the U.S. Census Bureau since 2005 and provides detailed population and housing information replacing data previously collected on the Census long form. The ACS is based on a sample of about 1% (or 3.5 million addresses) of the overall US population while the Census strives to sample all of the US population.
NJ Department of Health ensures confidentiality by law. Incidence rates are suppressed if based on 15 or fewer cancer cases for privacy and statistical stability.
We have not reported Census Tract Aggregation Zone-level cancer incidence data for smaller racial/ethnic groups or non-binary genders due to small cancer case counts and population estimates to ensure confidentiality and stable statistical rates. In addition, currently, some of these data are not consistently collected within the New Jersey Cancer Registry nor available in population estimate data.
Studies have shown that where we live (and work and learn) affects our opportunities for physical activity, social engagement and support, access to healthy and affordable food, and exposure to stress and harmful chemicals. These factors can influence opportunities for health promotion and disease prevention.
Cancer is a group of diseases with many possible causes including genetic and environmental factors as well as social determinants of health. Common risk factors for cancer include smoking and tobacco use, diet and physical activity, sun and other types of radiation, viruses (e.g., HPV, Hepatitis B and C), chronic inflammation, and environmental exposures. Neighborhoods may influence cancer through multiple pathways including material deprivation, psychosocial mechanisms, health behaviors, and access to resources.
The neighborhood data are provided to characterize the Zones based on several key social and built environment attributes. These are unrelated measures of neighborhood characteristics and cancer incidence, so inferences regarding causes of cancer cannot be made. We have provided these data for the Zones to help provide additional context for the observed cancer incidence rates. For example, if a Zone has high colorectal cancer incidence rates, understanding the population-level characteristics of that Zone can help community organizations and healthcare facilities target their screening and prevention programs toward the predominant populations within the Zone.
Neighborhood measures were developed using data from census tracts. We used the tract-level count data from the Census and American Community Survey to calculate measures for each Zone.
Aggregation: The process of combining smaller units into a single, summarized value for statistical reporting. See Methodology for more information.
Age-Adjusted Incidence Rate (AAIR): The rate of new cancers per 100,000 population that would occur in a certain period of time if that population had a ‘standard’ age distribution.
In the [REPLACE STATE/REGISTRY] Cancer Maps, incidence rates are
age-adjusted using the U.S. 2000 Standard Population. This statistical measure allows for the fair comparison of incidence rates between populations with different age structures, reducing the impact of age as a confounder. This is important because the incidence of most cancers increases with age.
Confidence Interval: A statistical measure of the precision of the observed incidence rate. The lower confidence interval (LCI) and upper confidence interval (UCI) provide a range within which the true rate is thought to be with 95% confidence. Rates based on larger numbers of cases are subject to narrower, more precise, confidence intervals.
Data Suppression: To ensure confidentiality and stable statistical rates, cancer incidence
rates are suppressed and reported as “0” or “No Data” when there are [REPLACE REPORTING MIN
CASES] or fewer cancer cases.
Demographics: Statistical data relating to the population and particular groups within it. Demographic variables such as race, sex, and education are generally thought to influence many outcomes of interest, including cancer incidence.
Incidence: The number of new cases of cancer diagnosed in the selected time period.
Invasive Cancer: Cancer that has spread beyond the layer of tissue in which it developed and is growing into surrounding, healthy tissues. Also called infiltrating cancer.
Race/Ethnicity: : Race/ethnicity is categorized as: All races/ethnicities, Non-Hispanic (NH) White,
NH Black, or Hispanic. "All race/ethnicity" includes all of the above, as well
as NH Asian or Pacific Islander, American Indian/Alaskan Native, other and unknown race/ethnicity. The
American Indian/Alaska Nativegroup is not reported separately due to small numbers for many cancer sites in
[REPLACE STATE/REGISTRY].
Racial/Ethnic Composition: Distribution of residents’ race/ethnicity (e.g., % Hispanic, %
non-Hispanic White, % non-Hispanic Black). Source: US Census, 2010.
Rural: Percent of residents who reside in blocks that are designated as rural. Source: US Census, 2010.
Sex:[REPLACE STATE/REGISTRY] Cancer Registry defines this field as the sex or gender of the cancer patient, and codes available are male, female, intersex, transsexual, and transgender (natal male, natal female, or not specified). However, categories beyond male and female are not consistently coded by medical reporting facilities, and population estimates for gender categories beyond male and female are not available. Thus, cancer incidence data are reported for only male and female sex at this time.
Zone and statewide incidence data come from [REPLACE STATE/REGISTRY] State Cancer
Registry. National Program of Cancer Registries and Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results Program
SEER*Stat Database: NPCR and SEER Incidence - U.S. Cancer Statistics Public Use Research Database, 2021
Submission (2001-2019). United States Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention and National Cancer Institute. Released June 2022. Accessed at www.cdc.gov/cancer/uscs/public-use.
Race/ethnicity is categorized as: non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black, and Hispanic. “All races/ethnicities”
includes all of the above as well as non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaskan
Native, and other or unknown race/ethnicity.
To be able to accurately search for an address, please include components of an address including street
name and number and city, at a minimum. For example, “258 Chapman Rd, Newark".
[REPLACE STATE/REGISTRY] Cancer Maps defines this field as the sex or gender
of the cancer patient, and codes available are male, female, intersex, transsexual, and transgender (natal
male, natal female, or not specified). However, categories beyond male and female are not consistently coded
by medical reporting facilities, and population estimates for gender categories beyond male and female are
not available. Thus, cancer incidence data are reported for only male and female sex at this time.
To ensure confidentiality and stable statistical rates, cancer incidence rates are suppressed and reported as
“0” or “No Data” when there are 15 or fewer cancer cases.
Age-Adjusted Incidence Rate (AAIR): Age-adjustment is a statistical method that allows comparisons of
incidence rates to be made between populations with different age distributions. This is important since the
incidence of most cancers increases with age. An age-adjusted cancer incidence (or death) rate is defined as
the number of new cancers (or deaths) per 100,000 population that would occur in a certain period of time if
that population had a ‘standard’ age distribution. In the [REPLACE
STATE/REGISTRY] Cancer Maps, incidence rates are age-adjusted using the U.S. 2000 Standard
Population.
LCI and UCI: A statistical measure of the precision of the observed incidence rate. The lower
confidence interval (LCI) and upper confidence interval (UCI) provide a range within which the true rate is
thought to be with 95% confidence. Rates based on larger numbers of cases are subject to less variation.
Percent of residents whose race/ethnicity is not non-Hispanic White. Source: US Census, 2010.
Percent of residents whose race/ethnicity is Hispanic of any race. Source: US Census, 2010.
Percent of residents whose race/ethnicity is non-Hispanic Black. Source: US Census, 2010.
Percent of residents whose race/ethnicity is non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islander. Source: US Census, 2010.
Percent of residents who reside in blocks that are designated as rural. Source: US Census, 2010.
Percent of population without health insurance. Sources:
5-year time period: American Community Survey, 2015-2019
10-year time period: American Community Survey, 2010-2014 and 2015-2019
Percent of population below poverty level in the past 12 months. Sources:
5-year time period: American Community Survey, 2015-2019
10-year time period: American Community Survey, 2010-2014 and 2015-2019
Percent of population with a bachelor’s degree or higher. Sources:
5-year time period: American Community Survey, 2015-2019
10-year time period: American Community Survey, 2010-2014 and 2015-2019
Percent of population with less than a high school graduate education. Sources:
5-year time period: American Community Survey, 2015-2019
10-year time period: American Community Survey, 2010-2014 and 2015-2019
Percent of population with a disability. Sources:
5-year time period: American Community Survey, 2015-2019
10-year time period: American Community Survey, 2010-2014 and 2015-2019
Percent of population that is foreign born. Sources:
5-year time period: American Community Survey, 2015-2019
10-year time period: American Community Survey, 2010-2014 and 2015-2019
Use of [REPLACE STATE/REGISTRY] Cancer Maps implies consent to abide by
the terms of these data use restrictions. Any effort to determine the identity of any reported cases, or
to use the information for any purpose other than for health statistical reporting and analysis, is
against the law.
Therefore users will:
Use these data for health statistical reporting and analysis only.
Make no attempt to learn the identity of any person or establishment included in these data.
Make no attempt to link to cancer data released with other geographic areas.
Make no disclosure or other use of the identity of any person or establishment discovered
inadvertently and advise the [REPLACE STATE/REGISTRY] Cancer Registry
of any such discovery.
By clicking the button below, I agree to these terms of use.
