State comparison
Maryland vs New Jersey: which state is better to live in?
Maryland costs a median household about $5,800 a year less in state and local taxes than New Jersey, mostly because property tax on a median home runs $4,074 a year against $10,650 in New Jersey.
Maryland
High tax burden · COL index 116
Wins 9 categories
New Jersey
High tax burden · COL index 121
Wins 6 categories
Taxes: Maryland vs New Jersey
Maryland has a graduated income tax topping out at 5.75%, which works out to 4.7% on a median income of $74,580, or $3,490 a year. New Jersey has a graduated income tax topping out at 10.75%, which works out to 3.5% on a median income of $74,580, or $2,628 a year. New Jersey wins on income tax at 2026 rates.
Property tax is 0.97% of home value a year in Maryland and 2.13% in New Jersey (Tax Foundation, 2023); on each state's median home that is $4,074 against $10,650, so Maryland has the lower rate.
Combined state and local sales tax averages 6.00% in Maryland and 6.60% in New Jersey; Maryland is lower.
Add it up for a household earning $74,580 (the 2022 national median) and owning the median home: $8,906 a year in Maryland, $14,755 in New Jersey. Maryland is cheaper on total state and local tax.
Housing and cost of living
Maryland's cost of living index is 116 and New Jersey's is 121, where 100 is the national average; Maryland is about 4% cheaper day to day.
The median home costs $420K in Maryland and $500K in New Jersey (Zillow, 2024), a $80K gap in Maryland's favor. A two-bedroom rents for about $1,950 a month in Maryland and $2,200 in New Jersey.
Home insurance averages $1,600 a year in Maryland and $1,400 in New Jersey, so New Jersey is cheaper to insure.
Safety
Violent crime runs 468 incidents per 100,000 residents in Maryland and 213 in New Jersey (FBI Crime Data Explorer, 2023); New Jersey is the safer state by that measure, with a rate 120% lower. Property crime is 1,734 per 100,000 in Maryland against 1,368 in New Jersey, again favoring New Jersey.
Health
Life expectancy is 77.4 years in Maryland and 79 in New Jersey (County Health Rankings, 2024), a 1.6-year edge for New Jersey. The Commonwealth Fund's 2023 scorecard ranks Maryland's health system 12th of 50 and New Jersey's 19th, so Maryland scores better on care.
6.5% of Maryland residents have no health insurance against 6.8% in New Jersey, which favors Maryland. Both states expanded Medicaid.
Schools
Education Week's 2023 Quality Counts report ranks Maryland's K-12 schools 4th in the country and New Jersey's 2nd, 2 places apart in New Jersey's favor. Neither state runs a school-choice voucher program.
Laws and politics
In the 2024 presidential election Maryland went to Harris by 24 points and New Jersey went to Harris by 6 points.
Maryland has may-issue carry permits and a Giffords gun-law grade of A; New Jersey has may-issue carry permits and a grade of A.
Abortion is protected by state law in both states, and marijuana is legal for adults in both as of 2026. The minimum wage is $15.00 an hour in Maryland and $15.13 in New Jersey.
Climate and risk
Natural disaster risk is moderate in Maryland (hurricane, flood) and moderate in New Jersey (hurricane, flood, nor-easter). Annual average air quality index is 40 in Maryland and 35 in New Jersey (under 50 is good), favoring New Jersey.
Tax figures use a household earning the national median income and owning each state's median home, at tax year 2026 rates, last checked against state sources on 2026-09-14. The table below has every number.
Taxes
Housing & Cost of Living
Crime & Safety
Healthcare
Education
Childcare
Utilities & Daily Costs
Social Policy
Category wins
9
Maryland
6
New Jersey
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Score For My Profile →Questions people ask
Is Maryland or New Jersey better to live in?
It depends on what you weigh most. Maryland on taxes ($8,906 a year for a median household against $14,755); Maryland on everyday costs (index 116 against 121); New Jersey on safety (213 violent crimes per 100,000 against 468); New Jersey on schools (ranked 2nd against 4th).
Which is cheaper, Maryland or New Jersey?
Maryland is cheaper day to day: cost of living index 116 against 121. The median home is $420K in Maryland and $500K in New Jersey (2024). On state and local taxes Maryland saves a median household about $5,800 a year.
Does Maryland or New Jersey have lower taxes?
Maryland. A household earning $74,580 pays about $8,906 a year in Maryland ($3,490 income tax, $4,074 property tax on the median home and $1,342 in sales tax) and $14,755 in New Jersey ($2,628 income tax, $10,650 property tax on the median home and $1,477 in sales tax), at 2026 rates.
Which is safer, Maryland or New Jersey?
New Jersey, on the FBI's 2023 figures. Violent crime is 468 per 100,000 residents in Maryland and 213 in New Jersey; property crime is 1,734 against 1,368.
Which has better schools, Maryland or New Jersey?
New Jersey. Education Week's 2023 Quality Counts report ranks Maryland 4th of 50 for K-12 and New Jersey 2nd.
Is Maryland or New Jersey better for retirees?
Both treat retirement income about the same. Maryland does not tax Social Security, partly exempts pensions and has an estate tax; New Jersey does not tax Social Security, partly exempts pensions and has an inheritance tax. Property tax on a median home is $4,074 a year in Maryland and $10,650 in New Jersey.