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New Jersey

D+6  ·  Very High tax burden  ·  COL index 121

F

10.75%

Income Tax

213

Violent Crime / 100K

79

Life Expectancy

$500K

Median Home

$1,800

Childcare / Mo

State Profile

69/100
255075100TAXES33SAFETY84HEALTH63SCHOOLS98AFFORDABLE61LONGEVITY75

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Taxes

Income Tax

10.75% top

Property Tax

~$10,650/yr on median home

2.13% / yr

Sales Tax

6.6% avg

Social Security

Exempt

Pension / IRA

Partial

Estate Tax

No estate tax; inheritance tax on non-spouse/child heirs

None

Inheritance Tax

Yes

Capital Gains

Taxed as income

Housing & Cost of Living

Cost of Living Index

National avg = 100

121

Median Home Price

$500,000

Median Rent (2BR)

$2,200/mo

Home Insurance

$1,400/yr

Flood Insurance

$1,100/yr

Homestead Exemption

Home equity protected from creditors

Unlimited

Asset Protection

Strong

Crime & Safety

Violent Crime Rate

Near national avg

213 / 100K

Property Crime Rate

Below national avg (~2,100)

1,368 / 100K

Traffic Fatality Rate

Among the safest

5.9 / 100K

Healthcare

State Healthcare Rank

#19 of 50

Life Expectancy

Above national avg (76.4)

79 yrs

Medicaid Expansion

Expanded

Uninsured Rate

6.8%

Education

K-12 Quality Rank

Top 10 nationally

#2 of 50

School Choice / Vouchers

Not Available

Childcare

Avg Infant Care (Full-Time)

$1,800/mo

Utilities & Daily Costs

Avg Monthly Energy Bill

$155/mo

Avg Monthly Groceries

2-person household, moderate spending

$640/mo

Road Quality Rank

#44 of 50

Airports & Travel

Nonstop Destinations

From state's primary airport

120+ routes

Major Hub Airport

Top-25 US airport by passengers

Yes

Culture & Lifestyle

Urban Population

Highly urban — big city feel

95% urban

Restaurant Density

520/100K

Religious Congregations

165/100K

Pro Sports Teams

NFL + NBA + MLB + NHL + MLS

3 teams

Major Venues

Stadiums, arenas, amphitheaters (10K+ capacity)

8 venues

Craft Breweries

1.8/100K residents — Growing

165 breweries

Craft Distilleries

45 distilleries

Live Music

Asbury Park indie heritage (Springsteen); Stone Pony; proximity to NYC inflates show options

Decent

Transportation

Car Insurance (Avg Annual)

$2,150

Traffic Fatality Rate

5.9 / 100K

Broadband Access

95% of households

Social & Legal

Abortion Access

Legal with no gestational limit; strong state protections

Protected

LGBTQ+ Protections

Comprehensive

Marijuana

Recreational

Minimum Wage

$15.13/hr

Right to Work

No

Sports Betting

Legal

Casino Gambling

Commercial casinos

Online Gambling

Legal

State Lottery

Atlantic City casino market. Online casino gambling and poker legal — largest regulated online gaming market after NV. Sports betting pioneer (2018).

Yes

Age of Consent

16

Sex Education

Sex ed required by state

Comprehensive

Medically Accurate Required

Yes

Nude Beaches & Naturist Clubs

Gunnison Beach (Sandy Hook) · Highland Fling Resort · New Jersey Naturist Society

Nude beach

Environment & Climate

Air Quality (Annual AQI)

Near national avg

35

Natural Disaster Risk

Moderate

Primary Hazards

hurricanefloodnor-easter

Politics & Gun Laws

2024 Presidential Vote

D+6

Gun Laws

Gun ControlA
2A LibertyF

Carry Permit

May-issue

Purchase Permit Required

Yes

Gambling

Legal

Jobs & Economy

Job Market

+1.1% job growth · 4.5% unemployment

Moderate

Top Industries

PharmaFinanceHealthcare

Tech Jobs

Strong tech presence

#8 of 50

Healthcare Jobs

#9 of 50

Remote Work

High remote work culture

29% of workers

Median Household Income

$89,703

Daily Life

Gas Price (Regular)

Below avg (-0.12 vs national avg)

$3.18/gal

Consumer Fireworks

Only licensed professionals may use fireworks; consumer fireworks illegal

Banned

Weather & Natural Risks

Winter Severity

Avg January high: 38°F

Moderate

Summer Heat

Moderate summers

87°F avg July

Annual Rainfall

47" / yr

Tornado Risk

Very Low

Hurricane Risk

Low

Wildfire Risk

Low

Flood Risk

Moderate

Veteran Benefits

Veteran-Friendly Score

6.5% of state population are veterans

20/100

Property Tax Exemption

Partial exemption for service-connected disability

Disability Only

Military Retirement Pay

Taxed

Active Duty Pay

Taxed

VA Facilities Access

Adequate

Notable Benefits

Standard federal VA benefits

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COL 121 vs 114 · 10.75% vs 6.99% income tax

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Stay Current

Get notified when New Jersey tax laws, gun laws, or social policy changes.

Data is informational only. Verify with a tax professional, real estate agent, and local sources before making relocation decisions. Crime data: FBI UCR ~2022. Healthcare: Commonwealth Fund / US News ~2023. Education: Education Week ~2023. Housing: Zillow / Census ACS ~2024. Insurance: rate surveys ~2024. Sponsored links marked “Sponsored” may earn a commission. This does not affect our data or rankings.

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