Moving to Oregon from New Jersey

moving to

What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from New Jersey to Oregon — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from New Jersey to Oregon, you would find that Oregon is 18.4% cheaper than New Jersey. A $75,000 salary in New Jersey would need to be roughly $59,557 in Oregon to maintain the same lifestyle.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from New Jersey to Oregon.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $59,557

To maintain the same standard of living in Oregon

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 6.8% less

Groceries

pay 20.9% less

Transportation

pay 11.2% less

Housing

pay 12.5% less

Childcare

pay 42.2% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 15.5% 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.

Cost of living by city

Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).

On average, cities in Oregon cost about 22% less than cities in New Jersey.

New Jersey

Princeton 87%

Oregon

Portland 68%
Beaverton 66%
Bend 66%

Compare cities head-to-head

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from New Jersey to Oregon.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

NJ
215
OR
323
Property crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

NJ
1481
OR
2566

New Jersey performs better than Oregon across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

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

share of people without health insurance

NJ
7.1%
OR
6.1%
Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

NJ
30.0%
OR
31.9%

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

What about housing?

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

typical price of a home

NJ
$427,600
OR
$454,200
Median rent US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

NJ
$1,653
OR
$1,450

New Jersey generally does better on what about housing?, though Oregon leads in median rent.

Will I have good infrastructure?

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

share of households with internet

NJ
91.9%
OR
91.8%
Average commute US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

NJ
31 min
OR
23 min

New Jersey generally does better on infrastructure, though Oregon 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%
OR
5.1%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

NJ
$70,788
OR
$61,622

New Jersey performs better than Oregon across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

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

share of adults with a 4-year college degree

NJ
29%
OR
26%

New Jersey generally does better on family life, though Oregon 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

Salem Rain: 39.7 in/yr (1008 mm)
64° / 42°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Trenton Salem
Jan–Mar 44°/27°F (7°/-3°C) 52°/36°F (11°/2°C)
Apr–Jun 71°/51°F (22°/10°C) 68°/45°F (20°/7°C)
Jul–Sep 82°/62°F (28°/17°C) 80°/51°F (27°/11°C)
Oct–Dec 54°/36°F (12°/2°C) 54°/38°F (12°/3°C)
View all months
Month Trenton Salem
Jan 39°/23°F (3.9°/-4.9°C) 48°/35°F (8.7°/1.5°C)
Feb 42°/26°F (5.7°/-3.4°C) 52°/35°F (10.9°/1.4°C)
Mar 51°/32°F (10.5°/-0.1°C) 56°/37°F (13.6°/2.9°C)
Apr 61°/41°F (16.3°/5.0°C) 61°/40°F (16.2°/4.2°C)
May 72°/51°F (22.1°/10.3°C) 68°/45°F (19.9°/7.1°C)
Jun 81°/60°F (27.1°/15.7°C) 74°/49°F (23.3°/9.6°C)
Jul 85°/66°F (29.6°/18.9°C) 82°/53°F (27.8°/11.7°C)
Aug 84°/64°F (28.7°/17.9°C) 82°/53°F (28.0°/11.6°C)
Sep 76°/56°F (24.5°/13.6°C) 77°/48°F (24.9°/9.1°C)
Oct 65°/44°F (18.3°/6.8°C) 64°/42°F (17.8°/5.7°C)
Nov 54°/37°F (12.5°/2.7°C) 53°/38°F (11.4°/3.6°C)
Dec 43°/28°F (6.2°/-2.4°C) 46°/34°F (7.9°/1.1°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Oregon than New Jersey?

Yes — Oregon is on average about 21% cheaper than New Jersey. City-level variation can be significant.

How much money do I need to move to Oregon?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $14,889 in Oregon on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit).

Is Oregon safe?

New Jersey performs better than Oregon across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Oregon compared to New Jersey?

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

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

The average high temperature in Salem is 64°F, compared to 63°F in Trenton. Salem receives around 39.7 in of rainfall per year, while Trenton gets 46.5 in.

Share this