Quality of life comparison
If you lived in New Jersey instead of Hawaii, you would:
Health
be 13.0% less likely to have diabetes
In Hawaii, 10.8% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In New Jersey, that number is 9.4% as of 2022.
live 3.2 years less
In Hawaii, the average life expectancy is 81 years (78 years for men, 84 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.
be 17.2% more likely to be obese
In Hawaii, 25.6% of adults are obese as of 2022. In New Jersey, that number is 30.0% of people as of 2022.
Economy
make 10.4% more money
Hawaii has a GDP per capita of $64,124 as of 2024, while in New Jersey, the GDP per capita is $70,788 as of 2024.
be 2.0 times more likely to be unemployed
In Hawaii, 2.2% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In New Jersey, that number is 4.5% as of 2025.
Safety
be 11.5% less likely to be a victim of property crime
Hawaii has a property crime rate of 1,672 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In New Jersey, that number is 1,481 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 14.9% more likely to be a victim of violent crime
Hawaii has a violent crime rate of 187 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In New Jersey, that number is 215 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 47.1% less for a home
The median home value in Hawaii is $808,200 as of 2023, compared to $427,600 in New Jersey as of 2023.
pay 14.7% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Hawaii is $1,938 as of 2023, while in New Jersey, it is $1,653 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 14.2% more likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Hawaii, 25.4% 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 37.5% more likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Hawaii, 7.2% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In New Jersey, that number is 9.9% as of 2023.
be 28.6% less likely to be food insecure
In Hawaii, 11.9% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In New Jersey, that number is 8.5% as of 2021.
commute 4.5 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in Hawaii takes 26.4 minutes as of 2023. In New Jersey, it takes 30.9 minutes as of 2023.
be 97.2% more likely to be uninsured
In Hawaii, 3.6% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In New Jersey, that number is 7.1% as of 2023.
live in an area that is 5.6 times more densely populated
Hawaii has a population density of 86.7 people per sq km as of 2023. In New Jersey, that number is 488.2 people per sq km 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.
