Moving to New Jersey from Mississippi

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Mississippi to New Jersey, you would find that New Jersey is 50.9% more expensive than Mississippi. A $75,000 salary in Mississippi would need to be roughly $108,974 in New Jersey to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Trenton averages 63°F vs 76°F in Jackson, making it significantly cooler.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $108,974

To maintain the same standard of living in New Jersey

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 30.7% more

Groceries

pay 40.1% more

Transportation

pay 56.5% more

Housing

pay 49.6% more

Childcare

pay 2.0 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 48.6% 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 Mississippi.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

MS
202
NJ
215
Property crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

MS
1579
NJ
1481

Mississippi generally does better on safety, though New Jersey leads in property crime rate.

How's the healthcare?

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

share of people without health insurance

MS
11.3%
NJ
7.1%
Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

MS
41.9%
NJ
30.0%

New Jersey performs significantly better than Mississippi across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What about housing?

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

typical price of a home

MS
$161,400
NJ
$427,600
Median rent US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

MS
$923
NJ
$1,653

Mississippi 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

MS
82.0%
NJ
91.9%
Average commute US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

MS
26 min
NJ
31 min

Mississippi 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

MS
3.1%
NJ
4.5%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

MS
$41,778
NJ
$70,788

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

MS
71.9 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

MS
16%
NJ
29%

New Jersey performs significantly better than Mississippi 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.

Jackson Rain: 54.3 in/yr (1380 mm)
76° / 55°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Jackson Trenton
Jan–Mar 62°/41°F (17°/5°C) 44°/27°F (7°/-3°C)
Apr–Jun 83°/62°F (28°/17°C) 71°/51°F (22°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 90°/70°F (32°/21°C) 82°/62°F (28°/17°C)
Oct–Dec 67°/46°F (20°/8°C) 54°/36°F (12°/2°C)
View all months
Month Jackson Trenton
Jan 56°/37°F (13.6°/2.7°C) 39°/23°F (3.9°/-4.9°C)
Feb 61°/40°F (16.1°/4.6°C) 42°/26°F (5.7°/-3.4°C)
Mar 68°/47°F (20.2°/8.2°C) 51°/32°F (10.5°/-0.1°C)
Apr 76°/54°F (24.4°/12.1°C) 61°/41°F (16.3°/5.0°C)
May 83°/63°F (28.3°/17.1°C) 72°/51°F (22.1°/10.3°C)
Jun 89°/69°F (31.8°/20.8°C) 81°/60°F (27.1°/15.7°C)
Jul 92°/72°F (33.1°/22.4°C) 85°/66°F (29.6°/18.9°C)
Aug 92°/72°F (33.1°/22.2°C) 84°/64°F (28.7°/17.9°C)
Sep 87°/66°F (30.3°/18.9°C) 76°/56°F (24.5°/13.6°C)
Oct 77°/55°F (25.1°/12.8°C) 65°/44°F (18.3°/6.8°C)
Nov 67°/45°F (19.7°/7.3°C) 54°/37°F (12.5°/2.7°C)
Dec 58°/39°F (14.7°/3.9°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 Mississippi?

On average New Jersey is around 45% pricier than Mississippi, with notable variation by city.

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

Budget about $27,244 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?

Mississippi generally does better on safety, though New Jersey leads in property crime rate.

How is healthcare in New Jersey compared to Mississippi?

New Jersey performs significantly better than Mississippi across all health & wellbeing metrics.

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

The average high temperature in Trenton is 63°F, compared to 76°F in Jackson. Trenton receives around 46.5 in of rainfall per year, while Jackson gets 54.3 in.

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