State comparison
New Jersey vs Northern Mariana Islands: which state is better to live in?
Northern Mariana Islands costs a median household about $13,000 a year less in state and local taxes than New Jersey, mostly because property tax on a median home runs $1,517 a year against $10,650 in New Jersey.
New Jersey
High tax burden · COL index 121
Wins 1 categories
Northern Mariana Islands
Low tax burden · COL index 118
Wins 4 categories
Taxes: New Jersey vs Northern Mariana Islands
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. Northern Mariana Islands has a graduated income tax topping out at 35%, which works out to 0.0% on a median income of $74,580, or $0 a year. Northern Mariana Islands wins on income tax at 2026 rates.
Property tax is 2.13% of home value a year in New Jersey and 0.50% in Northern Mariana Islands (Tax Foundation, 2023), so Northern Mariana Islands has the lower rate.
Northern Mariana Islands has no sales tax; combined state and local sales tax averages 6.60% in New Jersey.
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, $1,517 in Northern Mariana Islands. Northern Mariana Islands is cheaper on total state and local tax.
Housing and cost of living
New Jersey's cost of living index is 121 and Northern Mariana Islands's is 118, where 100 is the national average; Northern Mariana Islands is about 3% cheaper day to day.
Laws and politics
In the 2024 presidential election New Jersey went to Harris by 6 points and Northern Mariana Islands went to Harris by 20 points.
New Jersey has may-issue carry permits and a Giffords gun-law grade of A; Northern Mariana Islands has may-issue carry permits and a grade of B+, so New Jersey regulates guns more tightly and Northern Mariana Islands is the friendlier state for gun owners.
Tax figures use a household earning the national median income and owning each state's median home, at rates in force as of 2026-09-04. The table below has every number.
Taxes
Housing & Cost of Living
Social Policy
Category wins
1
New Jersey
4
Northern Mariana Islands
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Score For My Profile →Questions people ask
Is New Jersey or Northern Mariana Islands better to live in?
Northern Mariana Islands wins more of the measures that decide a move. Northern Mariana Islands on taxes ($1,517 a year for a median household against $14,755); Northern Mariana Islands on everyday costs (index 118 against 121).
Which is cheaper, New Jersey or Northern Mariana Islands?
Northern Mariana Islands is cheaper day to day: cost of living index 118 against 121. On state and local taxes Northern Mariana Islands saves a median household about $13,000 a year.
Does New Jersey or Northern Mariana Islands have lower taxes?
Northern Mariana Islands. 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 $1,517 in Northern Mariana Islands ($0 income tax, $1,517 property tax on the median home and $0 in sales tax), at 2026 rates.
Is New Jersey or Northern Mariana Islands better for retirees?
Northern Mariana Islands is friendlier to retirees on paper. New Jersey does not tax Social Security, partly exempts pensions and has an inheritance tax; Northern Mariana Islands does not tax Social Security, partly exempts pensions and has no estate or inheritance tax. Property tax on a median home is $10,650 a year in New Jersey and $1,517 in Northern Mariana Islands.