NJ vs. NY Cannabis by the Numbers: What the Official Data Shows
New York's licensed cannabis stores sold $512.6 million in the third quarter of 2026, the state Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) reported at the Oct. 1 Cannabis Control Board meeting. New Jersey's newest official monthly number is older. Adult-use sales were $115.3 million in June 2026, according to slides from the Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC).
The two neighbors run very different markets. New York has more than twice as many dispensaries, a 13% tax at the register and legal home grow. New Jersey has fewer stores, a lower sales tax, consumption lounges and no home grow. Every figure below comes from our NJ Cannabis Data Hub and NY Cannabis Data Hub, which use only official state sources and show an "as of" date for each number.
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NJ vs. NY Cannabis at a Glance
The table compares the newest published figure for each state. Read the labels. Some New York totals include medical sales, while the New Jersey totals are adult-use only.
| Measure | New Jersey | New York |
|---|---|---|
| Legal adult-use sales began | April 21, 2022 | Dec. 29, 2022 |
| Newest official sales figure | $115.3M adult-use, June 2026 (CRC, uncertified) | $512.6M retail, July–Sept. 2026 (OCM) |
| Sales so far in 2026 | $644.4M adult-use, Jan.–June (TSR sum of CRC data) | $1.41B retail, Jan.–Sept. (OCM) |
| Sales since the market opened | $3.77B adult-use through June 2026 (TSR sum) | $4.1B reported retail as of Oct. 1, 2026 (OCM) |
| Dispensaries on the state list | 327 adult-use on the CRC map (Oct. 5) | 729 on the OCM directory (Oct. 5) |
| Towns without retail stores | 388 of 564 municipalities | 709 municipalities opted out |
| Tax at the register | 6.625% sales tax, plus up to 2% local | 13%: 9% state plus 4% local |
| Price measure | $6.51 per gram of flower, June 2026 | $32.15 per item, July–Sept. 2025 |
| Home grow | Not legal | Legal since June 26, 2024 |
Sales: New York Is Bigger, but the Numbers Are Not Built the Same
New York reported $1.41 billion in retail sales from January through September 2026 and $4.1 billion since its market opened, according to OCM. Those totals count all reported retail sales. OCM's own adult-use figures were $882.1 million in 2024 and $1.48 billion in the first 11 months of 2025.
New Jersey's certified adult-use sales were $1.12 billion in 2025, the CRC reports. Monthly CRC data adds up to $644.4 million for January through June 2026. May 2026 was the biggest month on record at $116.4 million. April through June added up to about $340.6 million, a TSR sum of CRC monthly figures.
Two reporting gaps make a clean comparison hard. OCM moved from monthly to quarterly sales reports in August 2026. The CRC has not posted monthly sales after June 2026. Until both states publish the same period, compare trends, not exact totals.
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Stores: New York Has More Than Twice as Many
New Jersey had 327 adult-use dispensaries on the CRC's finder map on Oct. 5, 2026. The CRC counted 350 retailers licensed to operate as of Aug. 5. Stores operate in 143 towns. Hudson County leads with 35, and Jersey City alone has 25.
New York had 729 dispensaries on OCM's directory the same day. At the Oct. 1 Board meeting, OCM said 712 of 1,039 licensed retailers had reported opening. New York City holds 314 of the state's 724 storefronts in our count. Seven counties, including Nassau, have none.
Local control limits both maps. Only 176 of New Jersey's 564 municipalities allow retail dispensaries, according to the CRC's opt-in table. In New York, 709 cities, towns and villages opted out of retail stores, OCM's list shows.
Taxes: Two Different Systems
New Jersey charges its 6.625% state sales tax on adult-use purchases. Host towns may add a transfer tax of up to 2%. Cultivators also pay the Social Equity Excise Fee (SEEF), $2.50 per ounce in 2026. The state collected $67.5 million in adult-use sales tax and $11.0 million in SEEF in 2025, according to CRC certified totals.
New York shoppers pay 13% at the register: a 9% state tax and a 4% local tax. Distributors pay another 9% when they sell to stores. Adult-use cannabis is exempt from regular sales tax. OCM reports $154.6 million in adult-use cannabis taxes for the state fiscal year that ran from April 2024 to March 2025.
New Jersey's next decision point is the CRC public meeting on Oct. 29 in Trenton. Our CRC Oct. 29 preview covers the agenda, and SEEF Tax Watch explains how the fee reaches shelf prices. For where the tax money goes, read The Great Weed Tax Promise.
Prices: Measured Two Different Ways
The CRC tracks the average price of a gram of adult-use flower. It was $6.51 in June 2026, down 21.8% from a year earlier. OCM tracks the average price of any item sold. It was $32.15 in the third quarter of 2025, down from a peak of $39.34 in early 2024. OCM also says downstate shoppers pay about 10% more than upstate shoppers.
Because one state measures grams and the other measures items, the two figures cannot be compared directly. The shelf check below shows what one Union County store charged today.
TSR Dispensary Report: AYR Dispensary — Union
AYR Dispensary's adult-use store is at 2536 U.S. 22 in Union, in Union County. The county has 24 adult-use dispensaries on the CRC map. AYR's online menu runs on Dutchie under the name AYR New Jersey - Union (AU). TSR pulled the prices below from that public menu on Oct. 7, 2026, at 12:19 a.m. ET. Prices appear as listed. Where the menu showed a sale price, both prices are given. Specials change during the day, so check the live menu before you go.
Source: Dutchie — AYR New Jersey - Union (AU), adult-use menu
| Product | Size | Price as listed | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crops Lime OG (H) Flower 3.5g | 1/8oz | $40.00 | Flower |
| Ozone Happy Hour #21 (H) Flower 3.5g | 1/8oz | $40.00 | Flower |
| Later Days Dip n' Stix (H) Flower 3.5g | 1/8oz | $25.00 sale ($40.00 list) | Flower |
| Glass Meadows Fluff Cake (I) Flower Small 3.5g | 1/8oz | $29.75 sale ($35.00 list) | Flower |
| (the) Essence Purple Octane x Jealousy (H) Flower 3.5g | 1/8oz | $31.50 sale ($45.00 list) | Flower |
| Crops High Society (H) Flower 28g | 1oz | $192.00 sale ($240.00 list) | Flower |
| Ozone Happy Hour #21 (H) Flower Smalls 28g | 1oz | $176.00 sale ($220.00 list) | Flower |
| PreRoll King of Jersey Sitting In Traffic (H) Broadwalkers Pre-Roll Multi Pack 0.4g 5pk | 2g | $25.00 | Pre-Rolls |
| Lowell A Shore Thing (S) Pre-Roll Multi Pack 0.58g 6pk | 1/8oz | $41.25 sale ($55.00 list) | Pre-Rolls |
| Later Days Juicy Mango (S) Disposable Vape 1g | 1g | $30.00 sale ($48.00 list) | Vapes |
| Camino Wild Berry (I) Chill Gummies 5mg 20pk | 100mg | $20.40 sale ($24.00 list) | Edibles |
| Rythm Afternoon Delight #4 (H) Solventless Rosin Badder 1g | 1g | $56.00 sale ($70.00 list) | Concentrates |
Three of the five eighths in this sample were on sale when we checked. The lowest was Later Days Dip n' Stix at $25, down from $40, or about $7.14 a gram. Bulk sizes cost less per gram. Ozone Happy Hour #21 smalls were on sale at $176 for 28 grams, about $6.29 a gram. That is below the CRC's June statewide average of $6.51. At full price, a $40 eighth works out to about $11.43 a gram.
For more on store counts and statewide prices, see the NJ Cannabis Data Hub. For event dates this month, see Remaining New Jersey Cannabis Events 2026 and The Wire.
What Is Still Missing
Neither state has published everything. New Jersey has not posted monthly sales after June 2026 or certified 2026 tax totals. New York has not posted monthly sales since August, sales by county or town, a per-gram flower price or a list of open consumption lounges. TSR will add each number to the hubs when the state posts it. We do not fill gaps with estimates.
The next official dates are set. The CRC meets Oct. 29 in Trenton and again Dec. 10. New York's Cannabis Control Board meets Nov. 5 in Albany and Dec. 3 in New York City.
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The Takeaway
New York sells more cannabis and has more stores. New Jersey started first, taxes less at the register and has more months of official sales history. Both states publish different numbers on different schedules, so the hubs show each figure with its source and date. Check them before you quote a number.
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