Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Alaska instead of New Jersey, you would:
Health
live 0.9 years less
In New Jersey, the average life expectancy is 78 years (78 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2020. In Alaska, that number is 77 years (76 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2020.
Economy
be 11.1% more likely to be unemployed
In New Jersey, 4.5% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Alaska, that number is 5.0% as of 2025.
Safety
be 3.4 times more likely to be a victim of violent crime
New Jersey has a violent crime rate of 215 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Alaska, that number is 722 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 26.1% more likely to be a victim of property crime
New Jersey has a property crime rate of 1,481 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Alaska, that number is 1,868 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 22.1% less for a home
The median home value in New Jersey is $427,600 as of 2023, compared to $333,300 in Alaska as of 2023.
pay 16.0% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in New Jersey is $1,653 as of 2023, while in Alaska, it is $1,388 as of 2023.
earn 11.6% less money
The median household income in New Jersey is $101,050 as of 2023, while in Alaska, it is $89,336 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 11.4 minutes less
The average one-way commute in New Jersey takes 30.9 minutes as of 2023. In Alaska, it takes 19.5 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 99.9% less densely populated
New Jersey has a population density of 488.2 people per sq km as of 2023. In Alaska, that number is 0.5 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 50.7% more likely to be uninsured
In New Jersey, 7.1% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Alaska, that number is 10.7% as of 2023.
be 41.2% more likely to smoke
In New Jersey, 11.9% of adults smoke as of 2022. In Alaska, that number is 16.8% as of 2022.
live among residents who are 4.5 years older on average
The median age in New Jersey is 40.1 years as of 2023. In Alaska, the median age is 35.6 years as of 2023.
be 28.6% less likely to have a bachelor's degree
In New Jersey, 29.0% of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher as of 2023. In Alaska, that number is 20.7% as of 2023.
be 69.7% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In New Jersey, 9.9% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In Alaska, that number is 3.0% as of 2023.
be 24.7% more likely to be food insecure
In New Jersey, 8.5% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Alaska, that number is 10.6% 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), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
