<ARTICLE>     UT
<LEGEND>
THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM NEW JERSEY
RESOURCES CORPORATION'S March 31, 1996 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> 1000
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-mos
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>               SEP-30-1996
<PERIOD-START>                  JAN-01-1996
<PERIOD-END>                    MAR-31-1996
<BOOK-VALUE>                    PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                      597,313
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                     35,617
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                         195,669
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                        58,988
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 887,587
<COMMON>                                        45,053
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                      209,017
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                             36,251
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                 290,321
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                           20,000
<PREFERRED>                                      1,004
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                           277,163
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                   0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                            0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                       0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                    2,364
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                            0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                     31,850
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                 1,274
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                 263,611
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                  887,587
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                      393,656
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                            19,646
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     323,497
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     343,143
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                         50,513
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                 137
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                  50,650
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                        10,487
<NET-INCOME>                                    40,163
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                        800
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                   39,363
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                        13,574
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                       15,842
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                          67,207
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                     2.19
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     2.19