Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Washington instead of New Jersey, you would:
Health
live 1.7 years longer
In New Jersey, the average life expectancy is 78 years (78 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2020. In Washington, that number is 79 years (78 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2020.
Economy
make 24.0% more money
New Jersey has a GDP per capita of $70,788 as of 2024, while in Washington, the GDP per capita is $87,768 as of 2024.
be 17.8% more likely to be unemployed
In New Jersey, 4.5% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Washington, that number is 5.3% as of 2025.
Safety
be 61.9% 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 Washington, that number is 349 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 90.4% 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 Washington, that number is 2,819 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 21.6% more for a home
The median home value in New Jersey is $427,600 as of 2023, compared to $519,800 in Washington as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 3.9 minutes less
The average one-way commute in New Jersey takes 30.9 minutes as of 2023. In Washington, it takes 27.0 minutes as of 2023.
be 14.1% less likely to be uninsured
In New Jersey, 7.1% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Washington, that number is 6.1% as of 2023.
be 26.2% less likely to be physically inactive
In New Jersey, 23.3% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In Washington, that number is 17.2% as of 2022.
live in an area that is 90.7% less densely populated
New Jersey has a population density of 488.2 people per sq km as of 2023. In Washington, that number is 45.6 people per sq km as of 2023.
live among residents who are 1.9 years older on average
The median age in New Jersey is 40.1 years as of 2023. In Washington, the median age is 38.2 years as of 2023.
be 23.2% 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 Washington, that number is 7.6% 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.
