Quality of life comparison
If you lived in New Jersey instead of Kansas, you would:
Health
live 1.1 years longer
In Kansas, the average life expectancy is 76 years (76 years for men, 80 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 18.5% less likely to be obese
In Kansas, 36.8% of adults are obese as of 2022. In New Jersey, that number is 30.0% of people as of 2022.
be 10.5% less likely to have diabetes
In Kansas, 10.5% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In New Jersey, that number is 9.4% as of 2022.
Economy
make 16.1% more money
Kansas has a GDP per capita of $60,996 as of 2024, while in New Jersey, the GDP per capita is $70,788 as of 2024.
be 15.5% less likely to live below the poverty line
In Kansas, 11.0% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In New Jersey, however, that number is 9.3% as of 2023.
be 32.4% more likely to be unemployed
In Kansas, 3.4% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In New Jersey, that number is 4.5% as of 2025.
Safety
be 49.2% less likely to be a victim of violent crime
Kansas has a violent crime rate of 424 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In New Jersey, that number is 215 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 28.4% less likely to be a victim of property crime
Kansas has a property crime rate of 2,068 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In New Jersey, that number is 1,481 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 39.1% more money
The median household income in Kansas is $72,639 as of 2023, while in New Jersey, it is $101,050 as of 2023.
pay 2.1 times more for a home
The median home value in Kansas is $203,400 as of 2023, compared to $427,600 in New Jersey as of 2023.
pay 60.6% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Kansas is $1,029 as of 2023, while in New Jersey, it is $1,653 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 17.4% less likely to be uninsured
In Kansas, 8.6% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In New Jersey, that number is 7.1% as of 2023.
be 24.7% less likely to smoke
In Kansas, 15.8% of adults smoke as of 2022. In New Jersey, that number is 11.9% as of 2022.
live among residents who are 2.9 years older on average
The median age in Kansas is 37.2 years as of 2023. In New Jersey, the median age is 40.1 years as of 2023.
be 27.2% more likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Kansas, 22.8% 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 2.4 times more likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Kansas, 4.1% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In New Jersey, that number is 9.9% as of 2023.
be 13.3% less likely to be food insecure
In Kansas, 9.8% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In New Jersey, that number is 8.5% as of 2021.
commute 11.1 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in Kansas takes 19.8 minutes as of 2023. In New Jersey, it takes 30.9 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 35.1 times more densely populated
Kansas has a population density of 13.9 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.
