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 adults are 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.
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.
