Quality of life comparison
If you lived in New Jersey instead of Kentucky, you would:
Health
live 4.0 years longer
In Kentucky, the average life expectancy is 74 years (73 years for men, 78 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 21.5% less likely to be obese
In Kentucky, 38.2% of adults are obese as of 2022. In New Jersey, that number is 30.0% of people as of 2022.
be 21.0% less likely to have diabetes
In Kentucky, 11.9% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In New Jersey, that number is 9.4% as of 2022.
Economy
make 41.2% more money
Kentucky has a GDP per capita of $50,135 as of 2024, while in New Jersey, the GDP per capita is $70,788 as of 2024.
be 39.6% less likely to live below the poverty line
In Kentucky, 15.4% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In New Jersey, however, that number is 9.3% as of 2023.
be 28.6% more likely to be unemployed
In Kentucky, 3.5% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In New Jersey, that number is 4.5% as of 2025.
Housing & Income
earn 61.9% more money
The median household income in Kentucky is $62,417 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 Kentucky is $192,300 as of 2023, compared to $427,600 in New Jersey as of 2023.
pay 77.2% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Kentucky is $933 as of 2023, while in New Jersey, it is $1,653 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 36.4% less likely to smoke
In Kentucky, 18.7% of adults smoke as of 2022. In New Jersey, that number is 11.9% as of 2022.
be 61.1% more likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Kentucky, 18.0% 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 4.0 times more likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Kentucky, 2.5% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In New Jersey, that number is 9.9% as of 2023.
be 32.5% less likely to be food insecure
In Kentucky, 12.6% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In New Jersey, that number is 8.5% as of 2021.
commute 6.9 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in Kentucky takes 24.0 minutes as of 2023. In New Jersey, it takes 30.9 minutes as of 2023.
be 24.6% more likely to be uninsured
In Kentucky, 5.7% 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 11.0 times more densely populated
Kentucky has a population density of 44.2 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.
