Business phone system for optometry practices in New Jersey

How many optometry practices operate in New Jersey

New Jersey had 617 optometry practices in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns (NAICS 621320, Offices of Optometrists). They employed 3,273 people in mid-March and reported $154.5 million in annual payroll. That is the 11th highest count among the 51 states and DC with published figures. Optometry practices make up 0.26% of the 237,968 business establishments in the state.

Per 100,000 residents (2024 estimate) New Jersey has 6.5 optometry practices, in line with the national rate of 6.6. The average establishment has 5.3 employees against 6.6 nationally. Payroll per employee is $47,195, 3.5% below the U.S. figure of $48,910.

Optometry practices by metro area in New Jersey

Census published optometry practice counts for 6 metro or micropolitan areas that include part of New Jersey. The largest is New York, NY-NJ, with 1,135 establishments (a multi-state area; its count covers every state it spans). Single-state metro and micropolitan areas account for 7.6% of the statewide total; the rest are outside any published area or in areas Census suppressed.

Team sizes at optometry practices in New Jersey

60.4% of New Jersey's optometry practices with employees had fewer than five people in March 2023, compared with 47.9% nationally. 84.3% had fewer than ten. At that size the phone is shared, so routing (who rings, when, and what happens after hours) matters more than the number of desk phones.

What optometry practices in New Jersey use the phone for

Eye-care offices combine exam scheduling with eyewear and contact-lens orders, so callers want both appointments and order status. Calls about broken glasses or eye irritation also need to reach someone quickly.

Calls an optometry practice in New Jersey might handle in a typical week include:

• The office calls patients when an order arrives.
• A patient calls to reorder contact lenses.
• A parent calls to book a child's eye exam before the school year.

Business texting for optometry practices

Optometry offices text patients when an eyewear or contact lens order is ready for pickup, along with appointment reminders.

Texting from a local number in New Jersey requires carrier registration (10DLC), a one-time $49 fee on Callata.

Phone system pricing for a 5-person optometry practice

Optometry practices in New Jersey average 5.3 employees, so the comparison uses a 5-person team. Per-seat business phone plans bill every one of those people. At month-to-month list prices checked September 28, 2026, 5 users on RingCentral RingEX Core cost $150.00 a month and 5 on Ooma Office Pro cost $124.75. Callata comes to $99.00 a month for 5 users ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user), below both.

Over a year, that is $612 less than RingCentral for an optometry practice in New Jersey of that size. Annual contracts lower some competitors' prices, so compare the plan you would actually sign.

Area codes in New Jersey

New Jersey has 10 geographic area codes in service according to NANPA. Callata includes up to 3 local numbers, so an optometry practice can hold a number in more than one of them.

How Callata works for optometry practices in New Jersey

Callata is a business phone system priced at $99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user. Callata Office includes up to 3 local business numbers, unlimited inbound calling, 1,500 pooled outbound US and Canada minutes per user each month, a browser softphone that can also ring your cell, voicemail with transcription, call recording with AI summaries, business-hours routing and E911 on every number.

Porting a number you already use in New Jersey is free, and business texting is available once the carrier registration (10DLC) is approved; the registration carries a one-time $49 fee. Which specific numbers are open in a given area code depends on carrier inventory at the time you sign up.

AI agents are optional: an AI receptionist or scheduler can pick up when the team is busy or closed, take a message, send a text or email, or transfer the call. They draw on prepaid AI minutes ($0.25/minute), disclose that they are AI, and outbound AI calls require prior consent and are limited to 8am–9pm.

Practices that handle protected health information should review their own privacy obligations before recording calls, enabling AI summaries or texting appointment details, and keep clinical conversations out of text messages unless their policies allow it.