Quality of life comparison
If you lived in New Jersey instead of Iowa, you would:
Health
be 22.5% less likely to be obese
In Iowa, 38.7% of adults are obese as of 2022. In New Jersey, that number is 30.0% of people as of 2022.
Economy
make 11.0% more money
Iowa has a GDP per capita of $63,747 as of 2024, while in New Jersey, the GDP per capita is $70,788 as of 2024.
be 11.4% less likely to live below the poverty line
In Iowa, 10.5% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In New Jersey, however, that number is 9.3% as of 2023.
be 36.4% more likely to be unemployed
In Iowa, 3.3% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In New Jersey, that number is 4.5% as of 2025.
Safety
be 22.3% less likely to be a victim of violent crime
Iowa has a violent crime rate of 277 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In New Jersey, that number is 215 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 38.1% more money
The median household income in Iowa is $73,147 as of 2023, while in New Jersey, it is $101,050 as of 2023.
pay 2.2 times more for a home
The median home value in Iowa is $195,900 as of 2023, compared to $427,600 in New Jersey as of 2023.
pay 74.2% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Iowa is $949 as of 2023, while in New Jersey, it is $1,653 as of 2023.
be 10.9% less likely to own your home
In Iowa, 71.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied as of 2023. In New Jersey, that number is 63.7% as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 27.4% less likely to smoke
In Iowa, 16.4% of adults smoke as of 2022. In New Jersey, that number is 11.9% as of 2022.
live among residents who are 1.5 years older on average
The median age in Iowa is 38.6 years as of 2023. In New Jersey, the median age is 40.1 years as of 2023.
be 42.2% more likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Iowa, 20.4% 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 3.2 times more likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Iowa, 3.1% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In New Jersey, that number is 9.9% as of 2023.
commute 11.1 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in Iowa takes 19.8 minutes as of 2023. In New Jersey, it takes 30.9 minutes as of 2023.
be 51.1% more likely to be uninsured
In Iowa, 4.7% 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 22.0 times more densely populated
Iowa has a population density of 22.2 people per sq km as of 2023. In New Jersey, that number is 488.2 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 14.9% more likely to be food insecure
In Iowa, 7.4% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In New Jersey, that number is 8.5% as of 2021.
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.
