Quality of life comparison
If you lived in New Jersey instead of California, you would:
Health
be 13.0% less likely to have diabetes
In California, 10.8% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In New Jersey, that number is 9.4% as of 2022.
live 1.5 years less
In California, the average life expectancy is 79 years (78 years for men, 83 years for women) as of 2020. In New Jersey, that number is 78 years (78 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2020.
Economy
be 11.8% less likely to be unemployed
In California, 5.1% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In New Jersey, that number is 4.5% as of 2025.
be 20.5% less likely to live below the poverty line
In California, 11.7% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In New Jersey, however, that number is 9.3% as of 2023.
make 15.8% less money
California has a GDP per capita of $84,028 as of 2024, while in New Jersey, the GDP per capita is $70,788 as of 2024.
Safety
be 57.2% less likely to be a victim of violent crime
California has a violent crime rate of 503 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In New Jersey, that number is 215 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 35.7% less likely to be a victim of property crime
California has a property crime rate of 2,303 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In New Jersey, that number is 1,481 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 38.5% less for a home
The median home value in California is $695,400 as of 2023, compared to $427,600 in New Jersey as of 2023.
pay 15.5% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in California is $1,956 as of 2023, while in New Jersey, it is $1,653 as of 2023.
be 14.2% more likely to own your home
In California, 55.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied as of 2023. In New Jersey, that number is 63.7% as of 2023.
Lifestyle
live among residents who are 2.5 years older on average
The median age in California is 37.6 years as of 2023. In New Jersey, the median age is 40.1 years as of 2023.
be 16.0% more likely to have a bachelor's degree
In California, 25.0% of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher as of 2023. In New Jersey, that number is 29.0% as of 2023.
be 18.3% less likely to be food insecure
In California, 10.4% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In New Jersey, that number is 8.5% as of 2021.
commute 1.9 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in California takes 29.0 minutes as of 2023. In New Jersey, it takes 30.9 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 5.0 times more densely populated
California has a population density of 97.0 people per sq km as of 2023. In New Jersey, that number is 488.2 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 18.9% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In California, 12.2% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In New Jersey, that number is 9.9% as of 2023.
The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: Feeding America, OECD Regional Demography, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), Bureau of Economic Analysis, FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
