Quality of life comparison
If you lived in New Jersey instead of Tennessee, you would:
Health
live 3.7 years longer
In Tennessee, the average life expectancy is 74 years (73 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2020. In New Jersey, that number is 78 years (78 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2020.
be 20.8% less likely to be obese
In Tennessee, 37.9% of adults are obese as of 2022. In New Jersey, that number is 30.0% of people as of 2022.
be 24.8% less likely to have diabetes
In Tennessee, 12.5% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In New Jersey, that number is 9.4% as of 2022.
Economy
make 17.6% more money
Tennessee has a GDP per capita of $60,177 as of 2024, while in New Jersey, the GDP per capita is $70,788 as of 2024.
be 27.9% less likely to live below the poverty line
In Tennessee, 12.9% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In New Jersey, however, that number is 9.3% as of 2023.
be 32.4% more likely to be unemployed
In Tennessee, 3.4% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In New Jersey, that number is 4.5% as of 2025.
Safety
be 64.8% less likely to be a victim of violent crime
Tennessee has a violent crime rate of 612 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In New Jersey, that number is 215 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 35.7% less likely to be a victim of property crime
Tennessee has a property crime rate of 2,301 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In New Jersey, that number is 1,481 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 50.6% more money
The median household income in Tennessee is $67,097 as of 2023, while in New Jersey, it is $101,050 as of 2023.
pay 66.5% more for a home
The median home value in Tennessee is $256,800 as of 2023, compared to $427,600 in New Jersey as of 2023.
pay 47.3% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Tennessee is $1,122 as of 2023, while in New Jersey, it is $1,653 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 25.3% less likely to be uninsured
In Tennessee, 9.5% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In New Jersey, that number is 7.1% as of 2023.
be 39.0% less likely to smoke
In Tennessee, 19.5% of adults smoke as of 2022. In New Jersey, that number is 11.9% as of 2022.
be 15.6% less likely to be physically inactive
In Tennessee, 27.6% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In New Jersey, that number is 23.3% as of 2022.
live among residents who are 1.2 years older on average
The median age in Tennessee is 38.9 years as of 2023. In New Jersey, the median age is 40.1 years as of 2023.
be 45.0% more likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Tennessee, 20.0% of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher as of 2023. In New Jersey, that number is 29.0% as of 2023.
be 2.9 times more likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Tennessee, 3.4% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In New Jersey, that number is 9.9% as of 2023.
be 22.0% less likely to be food insecure
In Tennessee, 10.9% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In New Jersey, that number is 8.5% as of 2021.
commute 5.2 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in Tennessee takes 25.7 minutes as of 2023. In New Jersey, it takes 30.9 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 7.3 times more densely populated
Tennessee has a population density of 67.0 people per sq km as of 2023. In New Jersey, that number is 488.2 people per sq km 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.
