Moving to New Jersey from Kentucky

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Kentucky to New Jersey? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Kentucky to New Jersey, you would find that New Jersey is 39.9% more expensive than Kentucky. A $75,000 salary in Kentucky would need to be roughly $102,814 in New Jersey to maintain the same lifestyle.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Kentucky and New Jersey.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $102,814

To maintain the same standard of living in New Jersey

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 19.6% more

Groceries

pay 37.1% more

Transportation

pay 58.2% more

Housing

pay 47.6% more

Childcare

pay 45.2% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 43.1% more

See full cost of living breakdown

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in New Jersey compared to Kentucky.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

KY
220
NJ
215
Property crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

KY
1525
NJ
1481

New Jersey performs significantly better than Kentucky across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Uninsured rate US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of people without health insurance

KY
5.7%
NJ
7.1%
Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

KY
38.2%
NJ
30.0%

New Jersey generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Kentucky leads in uninsured rate.

What about housing?

Median home value US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical price of a home

KY
$192,300
NJ
$427,600
Median rent US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

KY
$933
NJ
$1,653

Kentucky performs better than New Jersey across all what about housing? metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

KY
87.4%
NJ
91.9%
Average commute US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

KY
24 min
NJ
31 min

Kentucky generally does better on infrastructure, though New Jersey leads in internet access.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

KY
3.5%
NJ
4.5%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

KY
$50,135
NJ
$70,788

New Jersey generally does better on employment & economy, though Kentucky leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

KY
73.5 yrs
NJ
77.5 yrs
Bachelor's degree or higher US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of adults with a 4-year college degree

KY
18%
NJ
29%

New Jersey performs significantly better than Kentucky across all family life metrics.

Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Bowling Green Rain: 49.9 in/yr (1267 mm)
69° / 47°F

Avg. annual high / low

Trenton Rain: 46.5 in/yr (1180 mm)
63° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Bowling Green Trenton
Jan–Mar 52°/31°F (11°/-1°C) 44°/27°F (7°/-3°C)
Apr–Jun 78°/55°F (25°/13°C) 71°/51°F (22°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 87°/64°F (30°/18°C) 82°/62°F (28°/17°C)
Oct–Dec 59°/38°F (15°/3°C) 54°/36°F (12°/2°C)
View all months
Month Bowling Green Trenton
Jan 45°/26°F (7.2°/-3.1°C) 39°/23°F (3.9°/-4.9°C)
Feb 50°/30°F (10.0°/-1.3°C) 42°/26°F (5.7°/-3.4°C)
Mar 60°/37°F (15.4°/2.8°C) 51°/32°F (10.5°/-0.1°C)
Apr 70°/46°F (20.9°/7.6°C) 61°/41°F (16.3°/5.0°C)
May 78°/55°F (25.4°/12.8°C) 72°/51°F (22.1°/10.3°C)
Jun 86°/64°F (30.1°/17.7°C) 81°/60°F (27.1°/15.7°C)
Jul 89°/68°F (31.9°/19.9°C) 85°/66°F (29.6°/18.9°C)
Aug 89°/66°F (31.6°/18.9°C) 84°/64°F (28.7°/17.9°C)
Sep 82°/58°F (27.8°/14.4°C) 76°/56°F (24.5°/13.6°C)
Oct 71°/46°F (21.8°/7.9°C) 65°/44°F (18.3°/6.8°C)
Nov 59°/38°F (15.2°/3.1°C) 54°/37°F (12.5°/2.7°C)
Dec 48°/29°F (8.8°/-1.6°C) 43°/28°F (6.2°/-2.4°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in New Jersey than Kentucky?

On average New Jersey is around 37% pricier than Kentucky, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to New Jersey?

Budget about $25,704 for 3 months in New Jersey (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit.

Is New Jersey safe?

New Jersey performs significantly better than Kentucky across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in New Jersey compared to Kentucky?

New Jersey generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Kentucky leads in uninsured rate.

What's the weather like in New Jersey compared to Kentucky?

The average high temperature in Trenton is 63°F, compared to 69°F in Bowling Green. Trenton receives around 46.5 in of rainfall per year, while Bowling Green gets 49.9 in.

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