Quality of life comparison
If you lived in New Jersey instead of Wisconsin, you would:
Health
be 20.6% less likely to be obese
In Wisconsin, 37.8% of adults are obese as of 2022. In New Jersey, that number is 30.0% of people as of 2022.
Economy
make 19.3% more money
Wisconsin has a GDP per capita of $59,333 as of 2024, while in New Jersey, the GDP per capita is $70,788 as of 2024.
be 50.0% more likely to be unemployed
In Wisconsin, 3.0% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In New Jersey, that number is 4.5% as of 2025.
Safety
be 24.6% less likely to be a victim of violent crime
Wisconsin has a violent crime rate of 286 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In New Jersey, that number is 215 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 22.9% more likely to be a victim of property crime
Wisconsin has a property crime rate of 1,204 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In New Jersey, that number is 1,481 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 33.5% more money
The median household income in Wisconsin is $75,670 as of 2023, while in New Jersey, it is $101,050 as of 2023.
pay 72.8% more for a home
The median home value in Wisconsin is $247,400 as of 2023, compared to $427,600 in New Jersey as of 2023.
pay 58.2% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Wisconsin is $1,045 as of 2023, while in New Jersey, it is $1,653 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 26.1% less likely to smoke
In Wisconsin, 16.1% of adults smoke as of 2022. In New Jersey, that number is 11.9% as of 2022.
be 30.0% more likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Wisconsin, 22.3% 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 3.8 times more likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Wisconsin, 2.6% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In New Jersey, that number is 9.9% as of 2023.
commute 8.7 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in Wisconsin takes 22.2 minutes as of 2023. In New Jersey, it takes 30.9 minutes as of 2023.
be 36.5% more likely to be uninsured
In Wisconsin, 5.2% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In New Jersey, that number is 7.1% as of 2023.
live in an area that is 11.6 times more densely populated
Wisconsin has a population density of 42.2 people per sq km as of 2023. In New Jersey, that number is 488.2 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 18.1% more likely to be food insecure
In Wisconsin, 7.2% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In New Jersey, that number is 8.5% as of 2021.
Sources: US Census Bureau (American Community Survey) (2023), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES) (2022), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (2023), Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025), Bureau of Economic Analysis (2024), OECD Regional Demography (2023), Feeding America (2021). How we calculate this
