Guest Post: 8 Reasons To Swap New York For New Jersey

Any New Yorker will probably tell you New York is the best place in the world you could possibly choose to live. But not everyone who wants to live or work on the east coast wants to live in New York. The denizens of New Jersey, for example, might beg to differ that there’s no better place to live than New York. While New Jersey gets something of a bad rap in the media, it turns out there are some pretty great reasons to live and work there — and we’re going to go through just a few of them here.

Natural Beauty.

There’s a reason why New Jersey is called the Garden State. If you’re a fan of hiking, biking, boating, or swimming, you’ll have a wealth of coastal areas and waterways to choose from. And you wouldn’t be alone — every year, thousands of tourists come to New Jersey to see the natural wonders, making for a $44 billion tourism industry in the state. Take a look at the Passaic River, Buttermilk Falls, the Palisades, and Whites Bog, just for starters, not to mention the Pinelands National Reserve and Island Beach State Park.

Family-Friendly.

Though it might not be the first thing you think of, New Jersey is actually a very family-friendly state. There are the aforementioned natural wonders, as well as lots of parks and outdoor spaces for kids to play in, summer camps, after-school programs, and more. New Jersey has some of the lowest property and violent crime rates in the nation, and the homes tend to be larger and cost less than those in New York.

Lower Cost of Living

Granted, when it comes to cost of living, almost anywhere is going to be cheaper than New York — but nonetheless, New Jersey’s cost of living expenses for rent, mortgages, and necessities are much lower. For example, the median home cost in New Jersey is $329,300, as compared to New York, which is — ready? — $820,000. While New Jersey’s living costs are still a bit higher than the national average (except when it comes to health care costs), there’s a reason so many people live in Jersey and commute to New York.

Cheaper Insurance.

New Jersey also has lower insurance rates than its sister state. According to Ross Martin at The Zebra, the average driver in New Jersey pays $1,459 per year in premiums — whereas drivers in New York State will pay at least $1,600 (although in New York City, it’ll be more like $4,545 a year). The rates in New Jersey get even lower if you opt for minimum liability — as low as $246 yearly, depending on your provider!

Top-Class Education.

New Jersey proudly boasts some of the best schools, standardized test scores, and highest school graduation rates in the country. Not just when it comes to elementary and high schools, but universities too — Rutgers, Princeton, Montclair, and the New Jersey Institute of Technology, just to name a few.

Great Food.

Last but not least, don’t forget the world-class food available in New Jersey. Among other things, New Jersey is considered the diner capital of the world, so if you enjoy the nostalgic experience of a cozy booth and local flavor, you could do a lot worse than New Jersey.

New Jersey is a lot more than just burgers and fries, however — the state’s diversity of cultures and people is reflected in the wide variety of cuisine available. Some even say that the best New York pizza is to be found in New Jersey, although no doubt New Yorkers take issue with that idea.

While in New Jersey, you can enjoy local favorites like tomato pie, the Taylor Ham/Pork Roll, an Italian hot dog, and more. You’ll also find there are food trucks everywhere, offering everything from grilled cheese to ice cream to dishes from around the world. There are even regular food truck events you can attend to have an amazing foodie experience.

It’s Quieter.

New Jersey has far less hustle and bustle and fewer congested roads and crowded streets than its counterpart, New York — yet another reason why many people prefer to work in New York but make their homes in New Jersey. If you want a taste of that East Coast life but don’t need the noise and chaos of New York, then you might consider giving New Jersey a try.

Close to New York.

Finally, there’s one more reason to swap out New York for New Jersey, and you can probably guess what it is — New York is very close by if you want to go there for work, leisure, a day trip, or whatever. Living in New Jersey can truly give you the best of both worlds, and you’re ideally located for a trip to the Big Apple whenever you feel like.