Good luck finding a public bathroom in NJ

Haven’t we all been in this situation? You have to pee, and you’re out running errands or on a trip. If you’re near a McDonald’s, you’re probably fine. They tend to have restrooms and not question whether you’re purchasing anything. The worst that might happen is that you have to ask for a key.

But what if the closest place is a 7/11? I’ve never seen one that had a bathroom for public use. Even a Wawa can be hit or miss. Stand-alone clothing stores? Good luck. And don’t even think about asking with your most desperate tone if, just this once, you could please use their private employees' restroom. The answer will almost always be no.

Study shows America’s bathroom shortage

A new study revealed our nation has a public bathroom problem.

Sure, it sounds funny until it matters. There is only 1 public restroom for every 6,250 people, or 16 bathrooms per 100,000 people in the country.

The study, done by Hello Millions, ranked all 50 states on their number of public bathrooms, cleanliness, wheelchair accessibility, etc.

Minnesota leads the way on accessibility and cleanliness

Minnesota took the top spot overall. The state ranked fourth for availability, with 42.62 bathrooms per 100,000 residents, and first for accessibility, with more than one in three restrooms marked as wheelchair-friendly. Cleanliness also scored above average at 51.22%, securing Minnesota’s lead.

SEE ALSO: Outrage in Bucks County as “pee challenge” targets schools

Joerg Nottebaum, spokesperson at Hello Millions, commented on the findings.

 

“From parents with small children to long-distance travelers and older adults, reliable facilities make daily life more convenient and comfortable. Clean, safe, and accessible restrooms are a cornerstone of public infrastructure,” Nottebaum said. “They allow more people to confidently use parks, downtown areas, and transit hubs without worry. As communities continue to grow and invest in public spaces, restrooms should be seen as an essential service, just like benches, sidewalks, or streetlights.”

New Jersey ranks near the bottom for public restrooms

The bad news for New Jersey is that we rank near the bottom at 38th place.

We were bad in all categories. In cleanliness, we scored in the bottom half of states. Wheelchair accessibility also.

The number of public restrooms per 100,000 people was only 6.15. The national average is 16. This was our worst category. Makes you wonder where we rank for citations for public urination.