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New Jersey

Very High tax burden · COL index 121

Wins 6 categories

VS

Tennessee

Low tax burden · COL index 92

Wins 7 categories

Tennessee has no state income tax. New Jersey's top rate is 10.75%. Cost of living in New Jersey (index 121) runs 32% higher than Tennessee (index 92). Property taxes are meaningfully different: New Jersey averages 2.13% annually vs Tennessee's 0.45%. The median home in New Jersey costs $500K vs $350K in Tennessee.

New Jersey
Tennessee

Taxes

10.75%
Income Tax (top rate)
None
2.13%/yr
Property Tax Rate
0.45%/yr
6.6%
Sales Tax (avg)
9.55%
Yes
Social Security Tax
Yes
Yes
Estate Tax
Yes
As income
Capital Gains Tax
None

Housing & Cost of Living

121
COL Index (100=avg)
92
$500K
Median Home Price
$350K
$2,200/mo
Median Rent (2BR/mo)
$1,400/mo
$1K/yr
Home Insurance (avg/yr)
$2K/yr

Crime & Safety

213
Violent Crime / 100K
668
1,368
Property Crime / 100K
2,752

Healthcare

#19 of 50
Healthcare Quality Rank
#39 of 50
79 yrs
Life Expectancy
74.2 yrs
6.8%
Uninsured Rate
10.4%
Yes
Medicaid Expansion
No

Education

#2 of 50
K-12 Quality Rank
#41 of 50
No
School Choice / Vouchers
Yes

Childcare

$1,800/mo
Avg Infant Care / mo
$1,000/mo

Utilities & Daily Costs

$155/mo
Avg Energy Bill / mo
$130/mo
$640/mo
Avg Groceries / mo
$420/mo
#44 of 50
Road Quality Rank
#10 of 50

Social Policy

A
Gun Laws Grade
F
D+6.0
2024 Presidential Margin
R+24.0

Category wins

6

New Jersey

7

Tennessee

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People Also Ask

Is it cheaper to live in Tennessee or New Jersey?

Overall cost of living in Nashville, TN is 8.2% lower than in Morristown, NJ. The average listing price for a home in Nashville, TN is $534,248, which is 20.2% lower than Morristown, NJ. The average cost of groceries in Nashville, TN is 2.1% lower than Morristown, NJ.

Why are people moving away from New Jersey?

This shift in migration patterns shows that despite a major outbound state like New Jersey, attracting aspiring workers, more and more people leave at the same time due to retirement, changes in lifestyle and living costs.

What's the prettiest town in Tennessee?

What are the drawbacks to living in Tennessee?

Hot, Humid Summers Summers in Tennessee can be extremely hot and humid, making outdoor activities uncomfortable. High temperatures often increase air conditioning costs, impacting monthly bills. For some, the intense summer heat is a drawback of living in Tennessee.

Full New Jersey Profile →Full Tennessee Profile →

Your Priorities

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Quick Profiles

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Annual Income

$150K

Affects effective income tax rate

$0$500K$5M+

Retirement Savings

$0

Affects pension and SS tax burden

None$500K$10M+

Social Security

None

Annual Social Security benefit

None$150K/yr

My Property Is Worth

$400K

Affects property tax burden

Tax burden ↓$1M$50M+

Home Buying Budget

$400K

Compared to state median home price

Hard to find$250K$5M+

Monthly Rent Budget

Don't care

Compared to state median 2BR rent

Don't care$10K/mo

Job Market

Don't care

State unemployment and job growth

Don't careHot market

Airport Access

Don't care

Direct flight destinations from state hubs

Don't careMust have hub

City vs Country

Mid-size city

% urban population

Deep countryBig city

Sunshine

Don't care

Annual sunny days per state

Don't careMax sunshine

Food Scene

Don't care

Restaurants per 100K residents

Don't careWorld-class

Political Preference

Neutral

State's political lean

LiberalConservative

Gun Laws

Neutral

State gun law grade (Giffords)

Gun Control2A Freedom

Abortion Access

Neutral

State abortion access policy

Pro-ChoiceNeutralPro-Life

Community

None

Congregations per 100K residents

AvoidDon't careSeek

Sports & Entertainment

Don't care

Pro sports teams and major venues

Don't careMust have pro teams

Cannabis Laws

Neutral

State cannabis legality

Prefer LegalNeutralPrefer Prohibition

Retiree Community

Neutral

% population 65+ (Census)

Young areaRetirement-heavy

Dating Market

Neutral

% adults never-married (Census)

Singles sceneFamily community

Safety / Low Crime

Don't care

Violent crime rate per 100K (FBI)

Don't careVery safe

School Quality

Don't care

K-12 rank (Education Week)

Don't careTop-ranked

Healthcare Access

Don't care

Healthcare system rank (Commonwealth Fund)

Don't careTop-ranked

Childcare Affordability

Don't care

Cost of living proxy for childcare affordability

Don't careMust be affordable