Quality of life comparison
If you lived in North Dakota instead of New Jersey, you would:
Health
be 23.7% more likely to be obese
In New Jersey, 30.0% of adults are obese as of 2022. In North Dakota, that number is 37.1% of people as of 2022.
Economy
make 12.0% more money
New Jersey has a GDP per capita of $70,788 as of 2024, while in North Dakota, the GDP per capita is $79,272 as of 2024.
be 44.4% less likely to be unemployed
In New Jersey, 4.5% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In North Dakota, that number is 2.5% as of 2025.
Safety
be 21.7% 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 North Dakota, that number is 262 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 28.6% 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 North Dakota, that number is 1,904 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 43.6% less for a home
The median home value in New Jersey is $427,600 as of 2023, compared to $241,100 in North Dakota as of 2023.
pay 43.5% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in New Jersey is $1,653 as of 2023, while in North Dakota, it is $934 as of 2023.
earn 24.8% less money
The median household income in New Jersey is $101,050 as of 2023, while in North Dakota, it is $75,949 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 12.9 minutes less
The average one-way commute in New Jersey takes 30.9 minutes as of 2023. In North Dakota, it takes 18.0 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 99.1% less densely populated
New Jersey has a population density of 488.2 people per sq km as of 2023. In North Dakota, that number is 4.4 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 37.6% less likely to be food insecure
In New Jersey, 8.5% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In North Dakota, that number is 5.3% as of 2021.
be 36.1% more likely to smoke
In New Jersey, 11.9% of adults smoke as of 2022. In North Dakota, that number is 16.2% as of 2022.
live among residents who are 4.4 years older on average
The median age in New Jersey is 40.1 years as of 2023. In North Dakota, the median age is 35.7 years as of 2023.
be 29.0% 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 North Dakota, that number is 20.6% as of 2023.
be 74.7% 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 North Dakota, that number is 2.5% 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, FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
