Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Pennsylvania instead of New Jersey, you would:
Health
be 14.7% more likely to be obese
In New Jersey, 30.0% of adults are obese as of 2022. In Pennsylvania, that number is 34.4% of people 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 Pennsylvania, that number is 3.7% as of 2025.
make 13.1% less money
New Jersey has a GDP per capita of $70,788 as of 2024, while in Pennsylvania, the GDP per capita is $61,506 as of 2024.
be 21.5% more likely to live below the poverty line
In New Jersey, 9.3% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Pennsylvania, however, that number is 11.3% as of 2023.
Safety
be 22.7% 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 Pennsylvania, that number is 264 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 43.8% less for a home
The median home value in New Jersey is $427,600 as of 2023, compared to $240,500 in Pennsylvania as of 2023.
pay 29.7% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in New Jersey is $1,653 as of 2023, while in Pennsylvania, it is $1,162 as of 2023.
earn 24.7% less money
The median household income in New Jersey is $101,050 as of 2023, while in Pennsylvania, it is $76,081 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 4.3 minutes less
The average one-way commute in New Jersey takes 30.9 minutes as of 2023. In Pennsylvania, it takes 26.6 minutes as of 2023.
be 22.5% less likely to be uninsured
In New Jersey, 7.1% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Pennsylvania, that number is 5.5% as of 2023.
live in an area that is 77.0% less densely populated
New Jersey has a population density of 488.2 people per sq km as of 2023. In Pennsylvania, that number is 112.2 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 41.2% more likely to smoke
In New Jersey, 11.9% of adults smoke as of 2022. In Pennsylvania, that number is 16.8% as of 2022.
be 16.6% 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 Pennsylvania, that number is 24.2% as of 2023.
be 66.7% 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 Pennsylvania, that number is 3.3% 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.
