<ARTICLE>  UT
<LEGEND>
                                                                    EXHIBIT 27-1
                        NEW JERSEY RESOURCES CORPORATION
                           FINANCIAL DATA SCHEDULE UT
                  For the Three Months Ended December 31, 1995

THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM NEW JERSEY
RESOURCES CORPORATION'S DECEMBER 31, 1995 FORM 10-Q, INCLUDING THE CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS OF INCOME, CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS AND CONSOLIDATED
BALANCE SHEETS AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS.
</LEGEND>

<MULTIPLIER>  1,000
       
                                          
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                            SEP-30-1995
<PERIOD-END>                                 DEC-31-1995
<BOOK-VALUE>                                 PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                                            593,213
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                                           34,720
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                                               177,132
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                                              44,328
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                                         2,585
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                                       851,978
<COMMON>                                                              44,821
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                                            206,658
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                                   16,360
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                                       267,839
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                                 20,000
<PREFERRED>                                                            1,004
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                                 315,627
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                                    27,500
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                                  0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                                             0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                                          2,364
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                                                  0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                                                0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                                           0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                                       217,644
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                                        851,978
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                                            159,306
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                                   6,163
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                           134,855
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                           141,018
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                                               18,288
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                                      (83)
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                                        18,205
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                               5,383
<NET-INCOME>                                                          12,822
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                              400
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                                         12,422
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                              13,574
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                                              3,907
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                                78,283
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                                            .69
<EPS-DILUTED>                                                            .69