Moving to Idaho from New Jersey

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from New Jersey to Idaho — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from New Jersey to Idaho, you would find that Idaho is 19.8% cheaper than New Jersey. A $75,000 salary in New Jersey would need to be roughly $58,541 in Idaho to maintain the same lifestyle.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from New Jersey to Idaho.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $58,541

To maintain the same standard of living in Idaho

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 9.3% less

Groceries

pay 24.4% less

Transportation

pay 17.1% less

Housing

pay 19.8% less

Childcare

pay 36.0% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 12.5% less

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

How New Jersey and Idaho stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

NJ
215
ID
226
Property crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

NJ
1481
ID
784

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

How's the healthcare?

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

share of people without health insurance

NJ
7.1%
ID
8.5%
Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

NJ
30.0%
ID
33.5%

New Jersey generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Idaho leads in diabetes rate.

What about housing?

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

typical price of a home

NJ
$427,600
ID
$376,000
Median rent US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

NJ
$1,653
ID
$1,150

Idaho performs significantly 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

NJ
91.9%
ID
91.3%
Average commute US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

NJ
31 min
ID
22 min

New Jersey generally does better on infrastructure, though Idaho leads in average commute.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

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

a broad measure of economic output per person

NJ
$70,788
ID
$49,054

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

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

share of adults with a 4-year college degree

NJ
29%
ID
19%

New Jersey generally does better on family life, though Idaho leads in life expectancy.

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.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Boise Rain: 11.7 in/yr (298 mm)
64° / 41°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Trenton Boise
Jan–Mar 44°/27°F (7°/-3°C) 46°/29°F (8°/-2°C)
Apr–Jun 71°/51°F (22°/10°C) 72°/47°F (22°/8°C)
Jul–Sep 82°/62°F (28°/17°C) 87°/57°F (30°/14°C)
Oct–Dec 54°/36°F (12°/2°C) 50°/32°F (10°/0°C)
View all months
Month Trenton Boise
Jan 39°/23°F (3.9°/-4.9°C) 38°/25°F (3.2°/-4.1°C)
Feb 42°/26°F (5.7°/-3.4°C) 45°/28°F (7.1°/-2.1°C)
Mar 51°/32°F (10.5°/-0.1°C) 55°/34°F (12.6°/1.3°C)
Apr 61°/41°F (16.3°/5.0°C) 62°/39°F (16.8°/4.1°C)
May 72°/51°F (22.1°/10.3°C) 72°/47°F (22.0°/8.1°C)
Jun 81°/60°F (27.1°/15.7°C) 81°/54°F (27.4°/12.1°C)
Jul 85°/66°F (29.6°/18.9°C) 91°/60°F (32.9°/15.8°C)
Aug 84°/64°F (28.7°/17.9°C) 90°/60°F (32.1°/15.3°C)
Sep 76°/56°F (24.5°/13.6°C) 79°/51°F (26.0°/10.6°C)
Oct 65°/44°F (18.3°/6.8°C) 65°/41°F (18.2°/4.9°C)
Nov 54°/37°F (12.5°/2.7°C) 48°/32°F (9.0°/-0.1°C)
Dec 43°/28°F (6.2°/-2.4°C) 38°/24°F (3.1°/-4.4°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Idaho than New Jersey?

Generally yes: Idaho runs about 22% cheaper than New Jersey on average, though it depends heavily on the city.

How much money do I need to move to Idaho?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a $75,000 comparable salary, that's around $14,635 in Idaho for everyday spending, before movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit.

Is Idaho safe?

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

How is healthcare in Idaho compared to New Jersey?

New Jersey generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Idaho leads in diabetes rate.

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

The average high temperature in Boise is 64°F, compared to 63°F in Trenton. Boise receives around 11.7 in of rainfall per year, while Trenton gets 46.5 in.

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