Quality of life comparison
If you lived in New Jersey instead of Mississippi, you would:
Health
live 5.6 years longer
In Mississippi, the average life expectancy is 72 years (71 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 28.4% less likely to be obese
In Mississippi, 41.9% of adults are obese as of 2022. In New Jersey, that number is 30.0% of people as of 2022.
be 30.9% less likely to have diabetes
In Mississippi, 13.6% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In New Jersey, that number is 9.4% as of 2022.
Economy
make 69.4% more money
Mississippi has a GDP per capita of $41,778 as of 2024, while in New Jersey, the GDP per capita is $70,788 as of 2024.
be 49.5% less likely to live below the poverty line
In Mississippi, 18.4% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In New Jersey, however, that number is 9.3% as of 2023.
be 45.2% more likely to be unemployed
In Mississippi, 3.1% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In New Jersey, that number is 4.5% as of 2025.
Basic Needs
be 12.1% more likely to have internet access
In Mississippi, approximately 82.0% of the population has internet access as of 2023. In New Jersey, about 91.9% do as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 84.0% more money
The median household income in Mississippi is $54,915 as of 2023, while in New Jersey, it is $101,050 as of 2023.
pay 2.6 times more for a home
The median home value in Mississippi is $161,400 as of 2023, compared to $427,600 in New Jersey as of 2023.
pay 79.1% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Mississippi is $923 as of 2023, while in New Jersey, it is $1,653 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 37.2% less likely to be uninsured
In Mississippi, 11.3% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In New Jersey, that number is 7.1% as of 2023.
be 36.7% less likely to smoke
In Mississippi, 18.8% of adults smoke as of 2022. In New Jersey, that number is 11.9% as of 2022.
be 26.5% less likely to be physically inactive
In Mississippi, 31.7% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In New Jersey, that number is 23.3% as of 2022.
live among residents who are 1.7 years older on average
The median age in Mississippi is 38.4 years as of 2023. In New Jersey, the median age is 40.1 years as of 2023.
be 80.1% more likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Mississippi, 16.1% 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 7.1 times more likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Mississippi, 1.4% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In New Jersey, that number is 9.9% as of 2023.
be 47.9% less likely to be food insecure
In Mississippi, 16.3% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In New Jersey, that number is 8.5% as of 2021.
commute 5.3 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in Mississippi takes 25.6 minutes as of 2023. In New Jersey, it takes 30.9 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 20.2 times more densely populated
Mississippi has a population density of 24.2 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.
