Quality of life comparison
If you lived in New Jersey instead of Texas, you would:
Health
live 1.0 years longer
In Texas, the average life expectancy is 76 years (76 years for men, 81 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 18.5% less likely to be obese
In Texas, 36.8% of adults are obese as of 2022. In New Jersey, that number is 30.0% of people as of 2022.
be 29.9% less likely to have diabetes
In Texas, 13.4% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In New Jersey, that number is 9.4% as of 2022.
Economy
be 26.2% less likely to live below the poverty line
In Texas, 12.6% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In New Jersey, however, that number is 9.3% as of 2023.
be 15.4% more likely to be unemployed
In Texas, 3.9% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In New Jersey, that number is 4.5% as of 2025.
Safety
be 44.9% less likely to be a victim of violent crime
Texas has a violent crime rate of 391 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In New Jersey, that number is 215 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 31.2% less likely to be a victim of property crime
Texas has a property crime rate of 2,153 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In New Jersey, that number is 1,481 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 32.5% more money
The median household income in Texas is $76,292 as of 2023, while in New Jersey, it is $101,050 as of 2023.
pay 64.2% more for a home
The median home value in Texas is $260,400 as of 2023, compared to $427,600 in New Jersey as of 2023.
pay 23.5% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Texas is $1,339 as of 2023, while in New Jersey, it is $1,653 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 55.6% less likely to be uninsured
In Texas, 16.0% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In New Jersey, that number is 7.1% as of 2023.
be 19.0% less likely to smoke
In Texas, 14.7% of adults smoke as of 2022. In New Jersey, that number is 11.9% as of 2022.
be 15.9% less likely to be physically inactive
In Texas, 27.7% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In New Jersey, that number is 23.3% as of 2022.
live among residents who are 4.6 years older on average
The median age in Texas is 35.5 years as of 2023. In New Jersey, the median age is 40.1 years as of 2023.
be 44.3% more likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Texas, 20.1% 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 33.6% less likely to be food insecure
In Texas, 12.8% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In New Jersey, that number is 8.5% as of 2021.
commute 4.2 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in Texas takes 26.7 minutes as of 2023. In New Jersey, it takes 30.9 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 10.8 times more densely populated
Texas has a population density of 45.3 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), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
