New Jersey: The Best State to Call Home – Six Top Reasons
Why So Many People Choose to Call New Jersey Home
New Jersey is often the punchline of jokes—thanks to rival states and reality TV shows—but the reality is quite different. More and more people are choosing to live in the Garden State, drawn by high-paying job opportunities, a safe place to live with a low crime rate, excellent health care, strong public schools, and an unmatched mix of recreation, dining, scenery, and family-friendly neighborhoods.
What sets New Jersey apart is its balance: the sophistication of city life, the comfort of suburban living, a safe environment, and the beauty of nature all in one place. Whether you’re raising a family, advancing your career, or looking for a vibrant community, New Jersey provides fertile ground to put down roots.
Admittedly, living here isn’t cheap—but the best things rarely are. In return, residents benefit from outstanding state and local services, safer communities, and a better quality of everyday life.
As J. Irwin Miller once observed, “Nothing is more expensive than mediocrity.” New Jersey proves that striving for excellence is well worth the investment.
New Jersey: Answers to the Top Questions About Life Here
1. How does New Jersey rank for overall quality of life?
Wallet Hub’s 2025 Quality of Life report ranked New Jersey as the second-best state to live in. Quality of life is a measure of comfort, health, and happiness by a person or a group of people. Quality of life is measured by a wide range of factors, including healthcare, education, economy, infrastructure, opportunity, fiscal stability, crime, and the natural environment
2. Are people happy living in New Jersey?
Wallet Hub’s 2025 Happiest State rankings put New Jersey third among the happiest states in America. To determine where Americans exhibit the best combination of good economic, emotional, physical and social health, they examined the 50 states across 30 key metrics, ranging from the depression rate and the share of adults feeling productive to income growth and the unemployment rate. The happiest states are those that provide above-average quality of life in a wide variety of areas, from strong state economies and high quality physical and mental health care to adequate amounts of leisure time and good weather.
3. How safe is New Jersey?
World Population Review's 2025 Crime Rate by State Report ranks New Jersey as having the fifth-lowest crime rate in the country, This is the second consecutive year that New Jersey was among the states with the lowest violent crime rates in the nation. The Garden State is the fourth-lowest in the nation when it comes to property crime. In the Mid-Atlantic region, New Jersey bested the violent-crime regional average, with the lowest rate.
4. How good is New Jersey health care?
New Jersey health care stands out as some of the best in the country. The Money Geek 2024 Health care report ranked New Jersey #8 in the nation.The states with the best health care in the United States are those where people are generally healthier, have access to health care services and are less likely to be uninsured.
5. How strong are New Jersey schools?
New Jersey stands tall for public education. Wallet Hub's 2025 States with the Best & Worst School Systems report ranked New Jersey #3 for best public education, The report accounts for performance, funding, safety, class size and instructor credentials.
6. What about NJ entertainment and things to do?
Popular entertainment is never far away in New Jersey. The state’s small size puts sports, casinos, and destination spots just a short drive from most towns. NJ entertainment includes two NFL teams and an NHL team, along with theaters, Atlantic City events, and fun along the Jersey Shore. Plus, New York City and Philadelphia are just nearby for Broadway shows, concerts, and more.
People enojoy living in New Jersey for good reason. The state offers safe communities, top health care, excellent schools, easy access to NJ entertainment, and good jobs. All these factors make New Jersey one of the best places in the country to put down roots and raise a family.
