Quality of life comparison
If you lived in New Jersey instead of Montana, you would:
Health
be 19.0% more likely to have diabetes
In Montana, 7.9% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In New Jersey, that number is 9.4% as of 2022.
Economy
make 33.7% more money
Montana has a GDP per capita of $52,945 as of 2024, while in New Jersey, the GDP per capita is $70,788 as of 2024.
be 18.4% less likely to live below the poverty line
In Montana, 11.4% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In New Jersey, however, that number is 9.3% as of 2023.
be 21.6% more likely to be unemployed
In Montana, 3.7% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In New Jersey, that number is 4.5% as of 2025.
Safety
be 50.8% less likely to be a victim of violent crime
Montana has a violent crime rate of 437 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In New Jersey, that number is 215 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 18.4% less likely to be a victim of property crime
Montana has a property crime rate of 1,815 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In New Jersey, that number is 1,481 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 44.5% more money
The median household income in Montana is $69,922 as of 2023, while in New Jersey, it is $101,050 as of 2023.
pay 26.5% more for a home
The median home value in Montana is $338,100 as of 2023, compared to $427,600 in New Jersey as of 2023.
pay 60.3% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Montana is $1,031 as of 2023, while in New Jersey, it is $1,653 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 11.3% less likely to be uninsured
In Montana, 8.0% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In New Jersey, that number is 7.1% as of 2023.
be 25.6% less likely to smoke
In Montana, 16.0% of adults smoke as of 2022. In New Jersey, that number is 11.9% as of 2022.
be 25.0% more likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Montana, 23.2% 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 9.9 times more likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Montana, 1.0% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In New Jersey, that number is 9.9% as of 2023.
commute 11.7 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in Montana takes 19.2 minutes as of 2023. In New Jersey, it takes 30.9 minutes as of 2023.
be 12.6% more likely to be physically inactive
In Montana, 20.7% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In New Jersey, that number is 23.3% as of 2022.
live in an area that is 162.7 times more densely populated
Montana has a population density of 3.0 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: 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.
