2026 editionNortheastPop. 9,548,215Capital Trenton3rd state, admitted 1787Cook PVI D+10
Is New Jersey a Good Place to Live? New Jersey Rankings, Cost of Living, Crime & Taxes
New Jersey ranks #28 of 50 with a composite score of 55 and a C+ grade, strongest in health (#4) and weakest in fiscal health (#49). The median household earns $104,294 (29% above the national median), homes typically cost $580,353 (57% above the national average), and violent crime is 194 per 100,000 (41% below the national average).
New Jersey charges the highest effective property tax in the country, 2.33%, and hands back schools ranked #5 and violent crime 41% below the national average. That trade fits families with a Manhattan or Philadelphia salary who would rather buy the school district than pay private tuition, and it stops fitting the day the youngest kid graduates.
New Jersey by the numbers
Six measures every state is judged on, each with New Jersey's rank of 50 and the national figure beside it.
Sources, latest releases: Census Bureau ACS (income), Zillow Research (home value), BEA Regional Price Parities (cost index), FBI state crime estimates (crime), BLS LAUS (unemployment), WalletHub tax burden study (taxes). Rank 1 is the best value in each measure: highest income, lowest cost, lowest crime.
Read the New Jersey overview
New Jersey scores above the national average in 4 of 11 categories and ranks #8 of 11 states in the Northeast, behind 7 regional neighbors. Its biggest edge over the country is violent crime rate (194, 41% below the national average); its biggest shortfall is typical home value ($580,353, 57% above the national average). That mix of top-10 finishes (3) and bottom-10 finishes (4) is why the composite alone undersells the tradeoffs a mover here faces.
Where does New Jersey rank in each category?
All 11 categories that make up the composite, heaviest weight first. New Jersey is top 10 in 3 and bottom 10 in 4.
| Category | Score | Rank | Grade | Weight | US avg | The numbers behind it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | 49.4 | #22 of 50 | B | 15% | 47.1 | Its unemployment rate is 5.2% and median household income is $104,294. |
| Safety | 81.8 | #7 of 50 | A | 12% | 68.9 | The FBI estimates 193.8 violent crimes and 1,249.6 property crimes per 100,000 residents. |
| Health | 78.1 | #4 of 50 | A+ | 12% | 54.4 | Life expectancy is 79.6 years, 27.7% of adults have obesity, and 7.7% of residents are uninsured. |
| Education | 74.8 | #5 of 50 | A+ | 12% | 57.5 | Eighth graders average 282 in NAEP math and 266 in reading, and the high school graduation rate is 85.2%. |
| Affordability | 39.6 | #45 of 50 | D | 10% | 65.2 | Typical home value $580,353 (5.6x median income); cost of living index 108.8 (100 = US); center-based infant care $17,977 a year. |
| Fiscal Health | 33.2 | #49 of 50 | F | 8% | 58.1 | It carries $8,340 of debt per resident, has 55% of pensions funded, and holds a A+ credit rating. |
| Growth | 19.7 | #46 of 50 | D | 7% | 38.8 | Population grew 0.44% last year; Census net domestic migration is -3.9 per 1,000 residents (the Moving section below uses IRS household counts, a different series). |
| Transportation | 45.9 | #36 of 50 | C | 7% | 49.8 | The average commute is 31.9 minutes, 9.7% of workers use public transit, and 13.5% work from home. |
| Livability | 25.7 | #39 of 50 | C | 7% | 34.3 | It has 1.959 restaurants and 0.025 arts venues per 1,000 residents, plus 0.08 bars and 0.044 social associations per 1,000. |
| Outdoor Access | 6.5 | #48 of 50 | D | 6% | 29.4 | 7.3% of its land is public, with 1.35 recreation facilities per 10,000 residents. |
| Environment | 37.4 | #31 of 50 | C+ | 4% | 42.5 | Its median air quality index is 40, 8% of its electricity is renewable, and its FEMA disaster risk score is 16.6. |
Weight, US average and the evidence sentence for each category are shown on wider screens.
Grades follow rank, not score: A+ for ranks 1–5, A for 6–10, B+ for 11–18, B for 19–26, C+ for 27–34, C for 35–42, D for 43–48, F for 49–50. US avg is the mean score of the 50 states. Click a category for its 50-state ranking.
Category shape
New Jersey's 11 category scores. A balanced state fills the wheel evenly; New Jersey bulges toward health and dips at fiscal health.
How expensive is New Jersey?
New Jersey's cost of living index is 108.8 against a national baseline of 100, 9% above the national average and #48 of 50 (1 = cheapest). The typical home is worth $580,353 (57% above the national average); buying it takes an income of about $167,639, $63,345 more than the median household earns. Inside the state the spread is wide: among tracked cities, Vineland is cheapest (index 96) and Hackensack priciest (112.6).
Housing market snapshot · August
Warm marketRanked #5 of 50 most expensive by typical value and #45 on price relative to income (1 = most affordable). The median household is $63,345 short of the income needed to buy the typical home.
Full New Jersey housing market: 26-year chart, rent vs. buy, cities →What a household keeps at $75,000
| Household | New Jersey | Median state | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family of fourTwo adults, two kids, one in daycare | −$43,804 | −$11,758 | #46 of 50 |
| Single adultOne-bedroom rent, no childcare | +$16,327 | +$31,418 | #47 of 50 |
| Retiree coupleOwn the home, no payroll tax | +$18,501 | +$35,970 | #47 of 50 |
Take-home pay minus housing, childcare, utilities, groceries and transport for a $75,000 household, from the affordability engine. Positive = money left over; negative = costs exceed take-home. Rank 1 = most left over.
What are taxes like in New Jersey?
New Jersey's tax mix is high income tax, high property tax, with sales tax in the middle of the pack. The total state and local tax burden comes to 10.3% of income, 1.6 points above the national average (#45 of 50, 1 = lightest). Property tax is 2.33% of home value (#50), and combined sales tax averages 6.6% (#21).
Tax Foundation (rates) and WalletHub tax burden study (burden as a share of income), latest releases. Rank 1 = lowest. Income tax is the top marginal rate including typical local taxes where they apply.
Can the state pay its bills?
Fiscal health scores 33.2 out of 100, #49 of 50. Pew Fiscal 50, Census state finances and the rating agencies, latest releases.
Is New Jersey safe?
New Jersey reports 194 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, 41% below the national average and #6 of 50 (1 = safest). Property crime runs 1,250 per 100,000, 19% below the national average (#12 of 50). The safety score is 81.8 out of 100, #7 of 50; among tracked cities, Clifton has the lowest violent crime rate.
New Jersey vs. the United States, per 100,000 residents
FBI state crime estimates, latest release. US is the mean of the 50 states; blue = below it, terracotta = above it. Florida and North Dakota use the FBI's prior-year estimate because their latest year is based on limited data.
Safest tracked cities in New Jersey
| City | Population | Violent / 100K | Property / 100K |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clifton | 89,379 | 166 | 1,953 |
| Hoboken | 58,668 | 199 | 1,394 |
| West New York | 52,004 | 236 | 1,254 |
| Union City | 66,463 | 248 | 1,402 |
| Perth Amboy | 55,855 | 269 | 810 |
Lowest violent crime among the 20 New Jersey cities we track with 50,000 or more residents. City rates come from each city's police agency and are not strictly comparable across agencies.
What is the job market like in New Jersey?
New Jersey's unemployment rate is 5.2%, 1.3 points above the national average and #46 of 50 (1 = lowest), and the median household earns $104,294, 29% above the national median. Real GDP grew +2% in the latest year (#24 of 50) and GDP per capita is $73,820, 15% above the national average. The population is growing 0.44% a year, 0.1 points below the national average. The economy score is 49.4 out of 100, #22 of 50.
Census Bureau ACS (income), BLS LAUS (unemployment), BEA (GDP), Census population estimates (growth), latest releases.
How are New Jersey's schools and healthcare?
New Jersey's education score is 74.8 out of 100, #5 of 50. Eighth graders average 282 in NAEP math (#5 of 50) and 266 in reading (#2 of 50), and the high school graduation rate is 85.2%, 0.4 points below the national average (#31 of 50).
Best public school cities we track, by graduation rate
| City | Grad rate | Students / teacher | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hoboken | 95.5% | 12 | $22,257 |
| Toms River | 92% | 13.9 | $20,919 |
| Hackensack | 91% | 11.9 | $29,108 |
NCES Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey, latest release. Cities with at least three schools.
New Jersey is #4 of 50 for health, with a life expectancy of 79.6 years, 2.7 years above the national average. 27.7% of adults have obesity (#4 of 50) and 7.7% of residents have no health insurance (#27 of 50). The health score is 78.1 out of 100, weighted 12% of the composite.
CDC National Center for Health Statistics (state life tables), CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (obesity), and Census Bureau American Community Survey (health insurance), latest releases.
Who is moving to New Jersey, and who is leaving?
New Jersey lost a net 19,370 households to other states in the latest IRS release: 107,653 moved in and 127,023 moved out, -2.0 per 1,000 residents (#44 of 50). Arriving households report an average income of $102,190 against $106,727 for those leaving. The Census Bureau's American Community Survey, which counts people rather than households, shows a net -64.7K people (149.8K in, 214.5K out, ±17.3K), consistent with the IRS direction.
Where they come from
- 1New York43,699 · $116,966
- 2Pennsylvania16,075 · $86,597
- 3Florida9,047 · $86,807
- 4California4,880 · $136,941
- 5Texas3,152 · $95,477
Households and their average income. Click a state to compare it head to head; households arrived from these states in the latest IRS release.
Where they go
- 1New York26,793 · $110,796
- 2Florida20,113 · $147,067
- 3Pennsylvania18,767 · $83,155
- 4California6,470 · $126,908
- 5Texas6,059 · $112,090
Households and their average income. Click a state to compare it head to head; households left for these states in the latest IRS release.
Where should you live in New Jersey?
By composite score, the best of the 20 New Jersey cities we track are Hoboken (74.2), Clifton (63.4), and Hackensack (62.2). Vineland is the cheapest (cost index 96), Hoboken the richest ($180,579), and Newark the fastest growing (+1.1% a year). City ranks are among the 20 New Jersey cities we cover, not every city in the state.
Standout cities in New Jersey
| Best for | City | Measure |
|---|---|---|
| Safest | Clifton | 166 violent crimes per 100K |
| Cheapest | Vineland | cost of living index 96 |
| Most walkable | Union City | walkability 15.5 of 20 |
| Cleanest air | New Brunswick | median AQI 36 (county) |
| Best schools | Hoboken | 95.5% graduation rate |
| Richest | Hoboken | $180,579 |
Among the 20 New Jersey cities we track. Safest uses a full year of FBI reports from the city's own police agency; air quality is measured by county, so cities in the same county share a reading.
Regions of New Jersey
Manhattan's sixth borough by PATH and ferry: the priciest homes in the state, Newark the fastest-growing tracked city, and a city income tax you don't pay.
Dense inner-ring suburbs and old industrial cities in one cluster: Newark's airport and port jobs next to Paterson's poverty and Bergen's wealth, all on NJ Transit lines.
The Route One pharma corridor, Rutgers and the state capital; commutable to both cities by rail and priced accordingly, with Trenton the exception on every measure.
A seasonal beach economy, retiree developments and Lakewood's fast-growing Orthodox community; cheaper than the north and farther from the trains.
All 20 tracked cities, best to worst
| # | City | Grade | Score | Population | Income | Violent / 100K | Cost index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hoboken | A+ | 74.2 | 58,668 | $180,579 | 199 | 112.6 |
| 2 | Clifton | A | 63.4 | 89,379 | $98,237 | 166 | 112.6 |
| 3 | Hackensack | B+ | 62.2 | 46,057 | $84,277 | 235 | 112.6 |
| 4 | Jersey City | B+ | 60.5 | 294,078 | $97,710 | 487 | 112.6 |
| 5 | Bayonne | B+ | 60.0 | 71,553 | $83,887 | 275 | 112.6 |
| 6 | Toms River | B+ | 59.7 | 94,956 | $100,137 | — | 112.6 |
| 7 | West New York | B | 58.1 | 52,004 | $71,729 | 236 | 112.6 |
| 8 | Union City | B | 55.9 | 66,463 | $64,310 | 248 | 112.6 |
| 9 | Elizabeth | C | 52.3 | 137,302 | $66,555 | 345 | 112.6 |
| 10 | New Brunswick | C | 51.5 | 56,345 | $65,810 | 504 | 112.6 |
| 11 | Perth Amboy | C | 51.4 | 55,855 | $61,977 | 269 | 112.6 |
| 12 | Lakewood | C | 50.9 | 69,585 | $56,968 | — | 112.6 |
| 13 | Vineland | C | 50.7 | 61,006 | $67,860 | 408 | 96 |
| 14 | Plainfield | C | 50.7 | 55,236 | $85,908 | 411 | 112.6 |
| 15 | East Orange | C | 49.7 | 70,090 | $60,830 | 426 | 112.6 |
| 16 | Passaic | D | 47.9 | 70,002 | $55,371 | 585 | 112.6 |
| 17 | Newark | D | 47.7 | 310,178 | $52,060 | 517 | 112.6 |
| 18 | Paterson | D | 43.1 | 158,735 | $55,997 | 869 | 112.6 |
| 19 | Trenton | D | 42.8 | 90,338 | $52,537 | 808 | 103.2 |
| 20 | Camden | F | 38.0 | 71,496 | $40,546 | 1,312 | 102.6 |
Swipe the table sideways for more columns. Rank is among the 20 New Jersey cities we track: every city of 50,000 or more, plus the state's other largest places. City scores use city-level Census, FBI, BLS, CDC, EPA and NCES data, and a category with no city data is left out of the score rather than filled with the state's figure.
Best cities in New Jersey for…
| # | City | Score | Education | Safety | Affordability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hoboken | 66.3 | 87.6 | 84.1 | 16.9 |
| 2 | Clifton | 63.6 | 78.7 | 82.1 | 50.2 |
| 3 | Hackensack | 63.5 | 88.0 | 78.2 | 50.7 |
| 4 | Bayonne | 62.8 | 77.6 | 80.6 | 50.6 |
| 5 | Perth Amboy | 60.0 | 80.1 | 83.9 | 54.3 |
Who is New Jersey best for?
The same 11 category scores, re-weighted for six kinds of household. Rank is among the 50 states; click through for the best New Jersey cities for each.
Weights differ by household: families lean on education, safety and housing; retirees on fiscal health, healthcare and cost. See the weights →
How does New Jersey compare with its neighbors?
New Jersey ranks #28. Among its bordering states, Pennsylvania ranks highest (#25) and Delaware lowest (#30). New York is the most similar on the composite score and Pennsylvania the most different. Bordering states are listed best to worst; the national line is the mean of the 50 states.
| State | Overall | Score | Median income | Typical home | Cost index | Violent crime | Tax burden | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | #28 | 55.0 | $104,294 | $580,353 | 108.8 | 194 | 10.3% | |
| Pennsylvania | #25 | 56.9 | $77,545 | $290,401 | 97.6 | 227 | 8.58% | Compare → |
| New York | #29 | 54.9 | $85,820 | $526,714 | 107.9 | 368 | 13.56% | Compare → |
| Delaware | #30 | 53.6 | $87,534 | $406,074 | 99.8 | 347 | 6.52% | Compare → |
| United States | — | 57.9 | $80,903 | $368,697 | 100 | 328 | 8.74% |
Overall rank, median income, cost index and tax burden columns are shown on wider screens.
How the score works
Eleven categories, each scored 0–100 and weighted into one composite. Grades follow rank.
The weights
Economy 15% · Safety 12% · Health 12% · Education 12% · Affordability 10% · Fiscal Health 8% · Growth 7% · Transportation 7% · Livability 7% · Outdoor Access 6% · Environment 4%. The composite is the weighted sum, stretched linearly so states spread across most of the 0–100 range.
From raw numbers to scores
Every raw measure is placed on a 0–100 scale between a fixed floor and ceiling, inverted where lower is better (crime, cost, taxes), then combined within its category. The same scale applies to every state.
Letter grades
Grades follow rank, not score: A+ for ranks 1–5, A for 6–10, B+ for 11–18, B for 19–26, C+ for 27–34, C for 35–42, D for 43–48, F for 49–50. A C+ state is not failing; it is in the middle third.
Cities, budgets and neighbors
The 20 New Jersey city scores, the household budgets and the neighbor table on this page are computed from the same sources as the state score. City ranks are among the cities we track, not all cities in the state.
Editor's notes
Passages marked as editor's notes are written for this state and add context the numbers cannot: regions, tradeoffs, who the state fits. Every figure inside them is pulled from the data at build time, so the words cannot drift from the numbers.
Always the latest release
Each source is the most recent release its agency has published. The page is rebuilt when a source updates, so the score can move without any change in the state itself.
What the score cannot tell you
Weather and climate, culture and pace, politics beyond the Cook index shown for context, the quality of a specific school, hospital or neighborhood, job prospects in your field, and anything without a public, comparable, 50-state source. Statewide averages also hide the metro-versus-rural split, which is why the editor's notes name places.
Category briefs
Economy: Unemployment rate and median household income. Safety: Violent and property crime rates per 100,000 residents. Health: Health outcomes, behaviors, and access to care. Education: K-12 school quality, test scores, and graduation rates. Full methodology →
Key takeaways
What the New Jersey numbers say when read together.
Health is New Jersey's strongest suit
New Jersey is a #28 state overall but #4 of 50 for health, 24 places better than its composite rank, with a score of 78.1 against a national average of 54.4. Education (#5) is next. Health carries 12% of the composite.
Fiscal Health is where New Jersey falls furthest behind
New Jersey ranks #49 of 50 for fiscal health, 21 places below its overall #28, with a score of 33.2 against a national average of 58.1. At 8% of the composite, it is the category holding the overall score down most.
Violent crime rate is 41% below the national average
New Jersey's violent crime rate is 194, 41% below the national average of 328, #6 of 50 (1 = safest). The largest gap in the other direction is typical home value: $580,353, 57% above the national average. Source: FBI estimates, latest release.
More households leave than arrive
New Jersey ranks #44 of 50 on net household flow per 1,000 residents (-2.0). The households arriving report $4,537 less in average income than those leaving ($102,190 against $106,727), so the state is trading down on income even as the headcount shrinks. New York is both the largest source and the largest destination.
A middle income is squeezed harder here than in most states
A family of four earning $75,000 ends the year at a $43,804 shortfall after housing, childcare, utilities, groceries, transport and taxes, against a $11,758 shortfall in the median state (#46 of 50). A single adult on the same income comes out at a $16,327 surplus; a retiree couple at a $18,501 surplus. Infant childcare runs $17,977 a year, 15% above the national average.
New Jersey sits 2nd among its 4-state neighborhood
1 of New Jersey's 3 bordering states ranks above its #28; the closest match on the composite is New York. Median income among them runs from $77,545 in Pennsylvania to $87,534 in Delaware; New Jersey is at $104,294.
Frequently asked questions about living in New Jersey
Is New Jersey a good place to live?
New Jersey ranks #28 of 50 with a C+ grade, #8 of 11 in the Northeast. It is top 10 in health, education, and safety and bottom 10 in affordability, growth, outdoor access, and fiscal health. On the six headline measures it beats the national figure on 2 of 6 (income and violent crime) and trails on home prices, cost of living, unemployment, and tax burden. Whether that adds up to a good place to live depends on what you weigh; the household rankings below re-weight the same numbers for families, retirees and remote workers.
Where does New Jersey rank among US states?
New Jersey ranks #28 of 50 overall with a composite score of 55 (grade C+), and #8 of 11 states in the Northeast. Its best category rank is #4 (health) and its worst #49 (fiscal health). The composite weights eleven categories, with economy, safety, health and education counting most; grades follow rank, so C+ means rank 27–34.
Is it expensive to live in New Jersey?
At #48 of 50 for cost of living (1 = cheapest), New Jersey is 9% above the national average: its index is 108.8 against a national baseline of 100. The typical home value is $580,353 (57% above the national average), and buying it takes an income of about $167,639 against a median household income of $104,294. At $75,000, a family of four comes out at a $43,804 shortfall after all costs, #46 of 50 (1 = most left over).
Does New Jersey have a state income tax?
Yes. New Jersey's top state income tax rate is 11.75% (#47 of 50, 1 = lowest), and the total state and local tax burden is 10.3% of income, 1.6 points above the national average. Property tax is 2.33% of home value and combined sales tax 6.6%.
What is the crime rate in New Jersey?
New Jersey reports 194 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, 41% below the national average and #6 of 50 (1 = safest), and 1,250 property crimes per 100,000, 19% below the national average (#12). Its safety score is 81.8 out of 100, #7 of 50. Figures are FBI estimates from the latest release.
Does New Jersey have good schools?
New Jersey is #5 of 50 for education (score 74.8 out of 100). Its public school students average 282 in eighth-grade math on NAEP (#5) and 266 in eighth-grade reading (#2), and the high school graduation rate is 85.2%, 0.4 points below the national average (#31). Among tracked cities with at least three schools, Hoboken has the highest graduation rate at 95.5%.
Why are people leaving New Jersey?
New Jersey lost a net 19,370 households in the latest IRS release: 107,653 moved in and 127,023 moved out, -2.0 per 1,000 residents (#44 of 50). The largest source of arrivals is New York (43,699 households) and the most common destination is New York (26,793). Arriving households report an average income of $102,190 against $106,727 for those leaving, so movers out earn more than movers in. The IRS files count tax returns and say nothing about motives.
Is New Jersey a red or blue state?
New Jersey leans blue: its Cook Partisan Voting Index is D+10, meaning it votes about 10 points more Democratic than the country as a whole. The political lean is shown for context and is not part of the composite score.
What are the downsides of living in New Jersey?
The property tax, and then the property tax again. At 2.33% effective, a large bill keeps climbing with every reassessment and school budget, whether or not you still have kids in the district. Add 108.8 on the cost index, tolls to work, a mean commute of 31.9 minutes and pensions 55% funded. The crime and school numbers are excellent; the bills are their price.
Is New Jersey a good place to raise a family?
Yes, if the income clears the bar. Families rank #20 on schools at #5, violent crime 41% below the national average, and infant care at $17,977, cheaper than New York or Connecticut. The bar is high: a family of four on $75,000 ends the year at a $43,804 shortfall. Two incomes in the New York or Philadelphia orbit make it work; one suburban income mostly doesn't.
Is New Jersey cheaper than New York?
Similar to live in, costlier to own in. The cost index 108.8 is close to New York's, the top income rate of 11.75% sits below New York's, and there is no city income tax. Property tax runs the other way: New Jersey's 2.33% is the country's highest. For a renter working in Manhattan, Jersey wins; for a homeowner in a high-tax township, it's close.
Do I need a car in New Jersey?
Depends on the county. In Hudson County and along the Northeast Corridor and Morris & Essex lines you can commute by PATH, NJ Transit or ferry and get by without one; 9.7% of commuters do. Everywhere else, including most of Bergen, the shore and South Jersey, yes. Gas is $3.20 per gallon, 4% below the national average, and someone else pumps it; self-service is not allowed.
What should I know about New Jersey's culture before moving?
The state has no center and wants none. North Jersey roots for New York teams; South Jersey watches Philadelphia and runs on Wawa; the line is a real argument. Diners stay open all night, and "the Shore" means a town you'll be expected to name. Towns are small and jealous of one another, hence so many of them and the property tax bill.
All the numbers
Every metric behind New Jersey's 11 category scores, with the national figure beside each. Pick a category.