New Jersey ranks No. 3 best state to live, WalletHub says

Matthew Fazelpoor//August 12, 2025//

Welcome to New Jersey

PHOTO: DEPOSIT PHOTOS

Welcome to New Jersey

PHOTO: DEPOSIT PHOTOS

New Jersey ranks No. 3 best state to live, WalletHub says

Matthew Fazelpoor//August 12, 2025//

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The Garden State is one of the best states to live in, according to a new survey compiled by .

The personal finance website used 51 metrics across five key dimensions to compile the list of best and worst states to live in. The Garden State’s ranking across categories includes:

With a total score of 59.81, New Jersey ranked third. It came in behind top-ranked Massachusetts (60.23) and No. 2 Idaho (60.19). The top five also included Wisconsin (59.66) and Minnesota (58.69).

New Jersey’s neighbors – New York (57.94) and Pennsylvania (57.90) – rounded out the top 10, ranking nine and 10, respectively.

The full WalletHub list and analysis are available here.

“New Jersey is the third-best state to live in, and it has the third-highest median household in the country, at over $101,000,” WalletHub noted in its analysis. “In addition, New Jersey residents have the second-lowest median debt, the equivalent of around 29% of what they earn in a year. The Garden State has done a good job of tackling , too, with the sixth-lowest share of the population below the poverty line and the 10th-lowest food insecurity rate.

Additionally, “When it comes to health, New Jersey residents have the second-lowest premature death rate in the nation, the sixth-lowest obesity rate, and the seventh-best overall life expectancy. One reason for the low-obesity rate in particular is the fact that the state has the sixth-most miles of trails and the fifth-most fitness centers per capita, which gives people plenty of opportunities to stay active.

“Finally, New Jersey has the ninth-lowest violent crime rate and 11th-lowest property crime rate,” WalletHub continued. “Due in part to the fact that it has the highest number of law enforcement employees per capita.”