State comparison
New Jersey vs New York: which state is better to live in?
New York costs a median household about $2,400 a year less in state and local taxes than New Jersey, mostly because property tax on a median home runs $6,580 a year against $10,650 in New Jersey, though everyday prices run higher there (cost of living index 139 against 121).
New Jersey
High tax burden · COL index 121
Wins 9 categories
New York
High tax burden · COL index 139
Wins 5 categories
Taxes: New Jersey vs New York
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 York has a graduated income tax topping out at 10.9%, which works out to 5.2% on a median income of $74,580, or $3,862 a year. New Jersey wins on income tax at 2026 rates.
Property tax is 2.13% of home value a year in New Jersey and 1.40% in New York (Tax Foundation, 2023); on each state's median home that is $10,650 against $6,580, so New York has the lower rate.
Combined state and local sales tax averages 6.60% in New Jersey and 8.52% in New York; New Jersey is lower.
Add it up for a household earning $74,580 (the 2022 national median) and owning the median home: $14,755 a year in New Jersey, $12,349 in New York. New York is cheaper on total state and local tax.
Housing and cost of living
New Jersey's cost of living index is 121 and New York's is 139, where 100 is the national average; New Jersey is about 15% cheaper day to day.
The median home costs $500K in New Jersey and $470K in New York (Zillow, 2024), a $30K gap in New York's favor. A two-bedroom rents for about $2,200 a month in New Jersey and $2,200 in New York.
Home insurance averages $1,400 a year in New Jersey and $1,800 in New York, so New Jersey is cheaper to insure.
Safety
Violent crime runs 213 incidents per 100,000 residents in New Jersey and 379 in New York (FBI Crime Data Explorer, 2023); New Jersey is the safer state by that measure, with a rate 78% lower. Property crime is 1,368 per 100,000 in New Jersey against 1,480 in New York, again favoring New Jersey.
Health
Life expectancy is 79 years in New Jersey and 79.3 in New York (County Health Rankings, 2024), a 0.3-year edge for New York. The Commonwealth Fund's 2023 scorecard ranks New Jersey's health system 19th of 50 and New York's 15th, so New York scores better on care.
6.8% of New Jersey residents have no health insurance against 5.4% in New York, which favors New York. Both states expanded Medicaid.
Schools
Education Week's 2023 Quality Counts report ranks New Jersey's K-12 schools 2nd in the country and New York's 12th, 10 places apart in New Jersey's favor. Neither state runs a school-choice voucher program.
Laws and politics
In the 2024 presidential election New Jersey went to Harris by 6 points and New York went to Harris by 12 points.
New Jersey has may-issue carry permits and a Giffords gun-law grade of A; New York 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 $15.13 an hour in New Jersey and $16.00 in New York.
Climate and risk
Natural disaster risk is moderate in New Jersey (hurricane, flood, nor-easter) and moderate in New York (hurricane, blizzard, nor-easter). Annual average air quality index is 35 in New Jersey and 38 in New York (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
New Jersey
5
New York
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Score For My Profile →Questions people ask
Is New Jersey or New York better to live in?
New Jersey wins more of the measures that decide a move. New York on taxes ($12,349 a year for a median household against $14,755); New Jersey on everyday costs (index 121 against 139); New Jersey on safety (213 violent crimes per 100,000 against 379); New Jersey on schools (ranked 2nd against 12th).
Which is cheaper, New Jersey or New York?
New Jersey is cheaper day to day: cost of living index 121 against 139. The median home is $500K in New Jersey and $470K in New York (2024). On state and local taxes New York saves a median household about $2,400 a year.
Does New Jersey or New York have lower taxes?
New York. A household earning $74,580 pays about $14,755 a year in New Jersey ($2,628 income tax, $10,650 property tax on the median home and $1,477 in sales tax) and $12,349 in New York ($3,862 income tax, $6,580 property tax on the median home and $1,906 in sales tax), at 2026 rates.
Which is safer, New Jersey or New York?
New Jersey, on the FBI's 2023 figures. Violent crime is 213 per 100,000 residents in New Jersey and 379 in New York; property crime is 1,368 against 1,480.
Which has better schools, New Jersey or New York?
New Jersey. Education Week's 2023 Quality Counts report ranks New Jersey 2nd of 50 for K-12 and New York 12th.
Is New Jersey or New York better for retirees?
New York is friendlier to retirees on paper. New Jersey does not tax Social Security, partly exempts pensions and has an inheritance tax; New York does not tax Social Security, exempts pensions and has an estate tax. Property tax on a median home is $10,650 a year in New Jersey and $6,580 in New York.