<PAGE> PAGE 1
000 B000000 05/31/95
000 C000000 0000857463
000 D000000 N
000 E000000 NF
000 F000000 Y
000 G000000 N
000 H000000 N
000 I000000 3.0
000 J000000 U
001 A000000 PUTNAM NEW JERSEY TAX EXEMPT INCOME FUND
001 B000000 811-5977
001 C000000 6172921000
002 A000000 ONE POST OFFICE SQUARE
002 B000000 BOSTON
002 C000000 MA
002 D010000 02109
003 000000 N
004 000000 N
005 000000 N
006 000000 N
007 A000000 N
007 B000000 0
007 C010100 1
007 C010200 2
007 C010300 3
007 C010400 4
007 C010500 5
007 C010600 6
007 C010700 7
007 C010800 8
007 C010900 9
007 C011000 10
008 A000001 PUTNAM INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, INC.
008 B000001 A
008 C000001 801-7974
008 D010001 BOSTON
008 D020001 MA
008 D030001 02109
011 A000001 PUTNAM MUTUAL FUNDS CORP.
011 B000001 8-5088
011 C010001 BOSTON
011 C020001 MA
011 C030001 02109
012 A000001 PUTNAM INVESTOR SERVICES
012 B000001 84-401299
012 C010001 BOSTON
012 C020001 MA
012 C030001 02109
013 A000001 COOPERS & LYBRAND
013 B010001 BOSTON
013 B020001 MA
<PAGE> PAGE 2
013 B030001 02110
015 A000001 PUTNAM FIDUCIARY TRUST COMPANY
015 B000001 C
015 C010001 BOSTON
015 C020001 MA
015 C030001 02109
015 E010001 X
018 000000 Y
019 A000000 Y
019 B000000 95
019 C000000 PUTNAMFUND
020 A000001 SCOTT BALDWIN
020 B000001 31-9581870
020 C000001 18
020 A000002 MERRILL LYNCH PIERCE FENNER & SMITH, INC.
020 B000002 13-5674085
020 C000002 6
020 A000003 RAND FINANCIAL SERVICES
020 B000003 36-3849442
020 C000003 6
020 A000004 SCOTT STRINGFELLOW
020 B000004 54-0957557
020 C000004 4
020 A000005 BANK OF AMERICA NT & SA
020 B000005 94-1687665
020 C000005 3
020 A000006 PAINE WEBBER INC.
020 B000006 13-2638166
020 C000006 2
020 A000007 QUANTUM FINANCIAL SERVICES
020 B000007 36-3700902
020 C000007 2
020 A000008 MORGAN (J.P.) SECURITIES
020 B000008 13-3224016
020 C000008 1
020 A000009 DEAN WITTER REYNOLDS INC.
020 B000009 94-1671384
020 C000009 1
020 C000010 0
021 000000 42
022 A000001 WILLIAM E. SIMON & SONS, INC.
022 B000001 22-3017217
022 C000001 53141
022 D000001 50117
022 A000002 GOLDMAN SACHS & CO., .
022 B000002 13-5108880
022 C000002 30941
022 D000002 31413
022 A000003 EA MOSS
022 C000003 7203
022 D000003 18357
<PAGE> PAGE 3
022 A000004 SEATTLE -NORTHWEST SECURITIES CORP.
022 B000004 91-1172183
022 C000004 12048
022 D000004 239
022 A000005 PRUDENTIAL SECURITIES INC.
022 B000005 22-2347336
022 C000005 9986
022 D000005 1872
022 A000006 LEHMAN BROTHERS.
022 B000006 13-2518466
022 C000006 2908
022 D000006 8344
022 A000007 SMITH BARNEY HARRIS UPHAM & CO.
022 B000007 13-1912900
022 C000007 6885
022 D000007 4292
022 A000008 BROWN ( ALEX) & SONS, INC.
022 B000008 52-0256630
022 C000008 4775
022 D000008 5287
022 A000009 PAINE WEBBER INC.
022 B000009 13-2638166
022 C000009 2100
022 D000009 6623
022 A000010 MERRILL LYNCH PIERCE FENNER & SMITH INC.
022 B000010 13-5674085
022 C000010 1134
022 D000010 6614
023 C000000 164086
023 D000000 168787
024 000000 N
025 D000001 0
025 D000002 0
025 D000003 0
025 D000004 0
025 D000005 0
025 D000006 0
025 D000007 0
025 D000008 0
026 A000000 Y
026 B000000 Y
026 C000000 Y
026 D000000 Y
026 E000000 N
026 F000000 N
026 G010000 Y
026 G020000 Y
026 H000000 N
027 000000 Y
028 A010000 4466
028 A020000 768
<PAGE> PAGE 4
028 A030000 0
028 A040000 8411
028 B010000 4360
028 B020000 812
028 B030000 0
028 B040000 3552
028 C010000 4403
028 C020000 770
028 C030000 0
028 C040000 3018
028 D010000 5803
028 D020000 695
028 D030000 0
028 D040000 4457
028 E010000 2996
028 E020000 797
028 E030000 0
028 E040000 3728
028 F010000 5088
028 F020000 695
028 F030000 0
028 F040000 3994
028 G010000 27116
028 G020000 4537
028 G030000 0
028 G040000 27160
028 H000000 27116
029 000000 Y
030 A000000 381
030 B000000 4.75
030 C000000 0.00
031 A000000 26
031 B000000 0
032 000000 355
033 000000 0
034 000000 Y
035 000000 57
036 A000000 N
036 B000000 0
037 000000 N
038 000000 0
039 000000 N
040 000000 Y
042 A000000 0
042 B000000 0
042 C000000 100
042 D000000 0
042 E000000 0
042 F000000 0
042 G000000 0
042 H000000 0
<PAGE> PAGE 5
043 000000 825
044 000000 0
045 000000 Y
046 000000 N
047 000000 Y
048 000000 0.000
048 A010000 500
048 A020000 0.600
048 B010000 1000000
048 B020000 0.500
048 C010000 1500000
048 C020000 0.450
048 D010000 0
048 D020000 0.000
048 E010000 0
048 E020000 0.000
048 F010000 0
048 F020000 0.000
048 G010000 0
048 G020000 0.000
048 H010000 0
048 H020000 0.000
048 I010000 0
048 I020000 0.000
048 J010000 0
048 J020000 0.000
048 K010000 1500000
048 K020000 0.400
049 000000 N
050 000000 N
051 000000 N
052 000000 N
053 A000000 N
054 A000000 Y
054 B000000 Y
054 C000000 Y
054 D000000 N
054 E000000 N
054 F000000 N
054 G000000 N
054 H000000 N
054 I000000 N
054 J000000 Y
054 K000000 N
054 L000000 Y
054 M000000 Y
054 N000000 N
054 O000000 Y
055 A000000 N
055 B000000 N
056 000000 N
<PAGE> PAGE 6
057 000000 N
058 A000000 N
059 000000 Y
060 A000000 N
060 B000000 N
061 000000 500
062 A000000 Y
062 B000000 0.0
062 C000000 0.0
062 D000000 0.0
062 E000000 0.0
062 F000000 0.0
062 G000000 0.0
062 H000000 0.0
062 I000000 0.0
062 J000000 0.0
062 K000000 0.0
062 L000000 0.0
062 M000000 0.0
062 N000000 0.0
062 O000000 97.6
062 P000000 0.0
062 Q000000 0.0
062 R000000 2.4
063 A000000 0
063 B000000 24.9
064 A000000 Y
064 B000000 N
066 A000000 N
067 000000 N
068 A000000 N
068 B000000 N
069 000000 N
070 A010000 Y
070 A020000 N
070 B010000 N
070 B020000 N
070 C010000 Y
070 C020000 N
070 D010000 N
070 D020000 N
070 E010000 Y
070 E020000 N
070 F010000 N
070 F020000 N
070 G010000 Y
070 G020000 Y
070 H010000 N
070 H020000 N
070 I010000 N
070 I020000 N
<PAGE> PAGE 7
070 J010000 Y
070 J020000 Y
070 K010000 Y
070 K020000 N
070 L010000 N
070 L020000 N
070 M010000 N
070 M020000 N
070 N010000 Y
070 N020000 N
070 O010000 Y
070 O020000 N
070 P010000 Y
070 P020000 N
070 Q010000 N
070 Q020000 N
070 R010000 N
070 R020000 N
071 A000000 146628
071 B000000 153434
071 C000000 282752
071 D000000 52
072 A000000 12
072 B000000 17854
072 C000000 0
072 D000000 0
072 E000000 0
072 F000000 1589
072 G000000 5
072 H000000 0
072 I000000 187
072 J000000 24
072 K000000 0
072 L000000 45
072 M000000 10
072 N000000 0
072 O000000 0
072 P000000 0
072 Q000000 0
072 R000000 22
072 S000000 31
072 T000000 825
072 U000000 0
072 V000000 0
072 W000000 67
072 X000000 2805
072 Y000000 0
072 Z000000 15049
072AA000000 0
072BB000000 8454
072CC010000 15717
<PAGE> PAGE 8
072CC020000 0
072DD010000 12600
072DD020000 2405
072EE000000 0
073 A010000 0.4604
073 A020000 0.4101
073 B000000 0.0000
073 C000000 0.0000
074 A000000 230
074 B000000 0
074 C000000 0
074 D000000 294024
074 E000000 0
074 F000000 0
074 G000000 0
074 H000000 0
074 I000000 0
074 J000000 1025
074 K000000 0
074 L000000 7474
074 M000000 0
074 N000000 302753
074 O000000 0
074 P000000 732
074 Q000000 0
074 R010000 0
074 R020000 0
074 R030000 0
074 R040000 860
074 S000000 0
074 T000000 301161
074 U010000 27010
074 U020000 6530
074 V010000 8.98
074 V020000 8.97
074 W000000 0.0000
074 X000000 8595
074 Y000000 0
075 A000000 0
075 B000000 286842
076 000000 0.00
077 A000000 Y
077 Q010000 Y
078 000000 N
080 A000000 FEDERAL INSURANCE CO
080 B000000 NATIONAL FIRE UNION INSURANCE CO
080 C000000 45000
081 A000000 Y
081 B000000 70
082 A000000 N
082 B000000 0
<PAGE> PAGE 9
083 A000000 N
083 B000000 0
084 A000000 N
084 B000000 0
085 A000000 Y
085 B000000 N
SIGNATURE PAUL BUCALAVAS
TITLE VICE PRESIDENT
WARNING: THE EDGAR SYSTEM ENCOUNTERED ERROR(S) WHILE PROCESSING THIS SCHEDULE.
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM Putnam New Jersey Tax Exempt Income Fund Class A AND IS QUALIFIE
D IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
</LEGEND>
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> MAY-31-1995
<PERIOD-END> MAY-31-1995
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 282,179,370
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 294,024,150
<RECEIVABLES> 8,499,180
<ASSETS-OTHER> 229,821
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 302,753,051
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 0
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 1,592,499
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 1,592,499
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 300,090,590
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 27,009,966
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 28,154,702
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 18,267
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 10,120,082
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 11,208,311
<NET-ASSETS> 301,160,552
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 0
<INTEREST-INCOME> 17,853,607
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 2,805,062
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 15,048,545
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> (8,453,743)
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> 15,717,027
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 22,311,829
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> (12,600,443)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 3,583,766
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> (5,543,768)
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 815,266
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 9,907,840
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 21,796
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 1,654,257
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 1,588,880
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 2,805,062
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 236,161,075
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 8.75
<PER-SHARE-NII> .46
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> .23
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> 0
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> (.46)
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 8.98
<EXPENSE-RATIO> .87
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING>
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>
??
</TABLE>
WARNING: THE EDGAR SYSTEM ENCOUNTERED ERROR(S) WHILE PROCESSING THIS SCHEDULE.
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM Putnam New Jersey Tax Exempt Income Fund Class B AND IS QUALIFIE
D IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
</LEGEND>
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> MAY-31-1995
<PERIOD-END> MAY-31-1995
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 282,179,370
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 294,024,150
<RECEIVABLES> 8,499,180
<ASSETS-OTHER> 229,821
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 302,753,051
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 0
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 1,592,499
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 1,592,499
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 300,090,590
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 6,530,449
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 5,135,694
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 10,120,082
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 11,208,311
<NET-ASSETS> 301,160,552
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 0
<INTEREST-INCOME> 17,853,607
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 2,805,062
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 15,048,545
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> (8,453,743)
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> 15,717,027
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 22,311,829
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> (2,404,816)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 2,071,094
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> (839,933)
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 163,594
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 9,907,840
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 21,796
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 1,654,257
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 1,588,880
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 2,805,062
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 8.75
<PER-SHARE-NII> .41
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> (.22)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> 0
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> (.41)
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 8.97
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 1.46
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING>
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>
</TABLE>
WARNING: THE EDGAR SYSTEM ENCOUNTERED ERROR(S) WHILE PROCESSING THIS SCHEDULE.
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM Putnam New Jersey Tax Exempt Income Fund Class M AND IS QUALIFIE
D IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
</LEGEND>
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> MAY-31-1995
<PERIOD-END> MAY-31-1995
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 282,179,370
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 294,024,150
<RECEIVABLES> 8,499,080
<ASSETS-OTHER> 229,821
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 302,753,051
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 0
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 1,592,499
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 1,592,499
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 300,090,590
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 115
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 10,120,082
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 11,208,311
<NET-ASSETS> 301,160,552
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 0
<INTEREST-INCOME> 17,853,607
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 2,805,062
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 15,048,545
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> (8,453,743)
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> 15,717,027
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 22,311,829
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 115
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> 0
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 0
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 9,907,840
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 1,588,880
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 2,805,062
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 22,353
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 8.74
<PER-SHARE-NII> .04
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> .28
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> 0
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> (.08)
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 8.98
<EXPENSE-RATIO> .09
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING>
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>
??
</TABLE>
