Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Montana instead of New Jersey, you would:
Health
be 16.0% less likely to have diabetes
In New Jersey, 9.4% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In Montana, that number is 7.9% as of 2022.
Economy
be 17.8% less likely to be unemployed
In New Jersey, 4.5% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Montana, that number is 3.7% as of 2025.
make 25.2% less money
New Jersey has a GDP per capita of $70,788 as of 2024, while in Montana, the GDP per capita is $52,945 as of 2024.
be 22.6% more likely to live below the poverty line
In New Jersey, 9.3% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Montana, however, that number is 11.4% as of 2023.
Safety
be 2.0 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 Montana, that number is 437 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 22.6% 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 Montana, that number is 1,815 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 20.9% less for a home
The median home value in New Jersey is $427,600 as of 2023, compared to $338,100 in Montana as of 2023.
pay 37.6% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in New Jersey is $1,653 as of 2023, while in Montana, it is $1,031 as of 2023.
earn 30.8% less money
The median household income in New Jersey is $101,050 as of 2023, while in Montana, it is $69,922 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 11.7 minutes less
The average one-way commute in New Jersey takes 30.9 minutes as of 2023. In Montana, it takes 19.2 minutes as of 2023.
be 11.2% less likely to be physically inactive
In New Jersey, 23.3% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In Montana, that number is 20.7% as of 2022.
live in an area that is 99.4% less densely populated
New Jersey has a population density of 488.2 people per sq km as of 2023. In Montana, that number is 3.0 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 12.7% more likely to be uninsured
In New Jersey, 7.1% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Montana, that number is 8.0% as of 2023.
be 34.5% more likely to smoke
In New Jersey, 11.9% of adults smoke as of 2022. In Montana, that number is 16.0% as of 2022.
be 20.0% 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 Montana, that number is 23.2% as of 2023.
be 89.9% 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 Montana, that number is 1.0% 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.
