Cost of living in New Jersey
Prices in New Jersey are 8.8% above the US average (4th highest of 51). A single filer on $75,000 pays $2,596 in state income tax. State sales tax: 6.625%.
Price levels in New Jersey
| BEA RPP 2024 | New Jersey | vs US (100) |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 108.8 | +8.8% |
| Goods | 107.1 | +7.1% |
| Housing (rents) | 134.3 | +34.3% |
| Utilities | 114.2 | +14.2% |
| Other services | 103.5 | +3.5% |
Metros in New Jersey
Metros whose principal city is in New Jersey. “Left over” = a single renter earning $60,000, after 2026 taxes (including the principal city’s local tax) and modeled costs.
| Metro | Population | Price level | 2-BR FMR | Infant care / wk* | Left over / mo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trenton, NJ | 399,289 | 103.2 | $2,242 | $294 | $615 |
| Atlantic City, NJ | 372,047 | 98.9 | $1,899 | $287 | $812 |
| Vineland, NJ | 157,148 | 96.0 | $1,704 | $286 | $959 |
*Center-based, DOL 2022 price for the metro’s principal county; a year in brackets marks an older latest-available price. “No data”: DOL publishes no price for that county, and childcare is left out of its budgets.
Also partly in New Jersey: New York, NY-NJ, Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD, Allentown, PA-NJ.
Taxes in New Jersey (2026)
| Annual tax | Single, $50,000 | Single, $75,000 | Single, $120,000 | Couple, 2 kids, $120,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Federal income tax | $3,820 | $7,670 | $17,570 | $5,640 |
| Social Security + Medicare | $3,825 | $5,738 | $9,180 | $9,180 |
| New Jersey income tax | $1,215 | $2,596 | $5,454 | $3,579 |
| New Jersey payroll taxes | $400 | $505 | $694 | $885 |
| Take-home pay / month | $3,395 | $4,874 | $7,258 | $8,393 |
Annual liability, standard deduction, Child Tax Credit; local income taxes are not included in this state-level table (see each metro). On $75,000, New Jersey’s income and payroll taxes cost $3,101 a year more than in a state without them (federal taxes are the same: $13,408).
Childcare prices across New Jersey
| Age band | Center, median county / wk (2022) | Center / yr today* | Home-based / wk (2022) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infant (under 2) | $304 | $19,300 | $192 |
| Toddler (2) | $296 | $18,820 | $195 |
| Preschool (3–4) | $296 | $18,820 | $182 |
| School-age (5–12) | $143 | $9,108 | $162 |
Center-based infant care ranges from $282 a week in Camden County to $327 in Morris County (2022 prices).
DOL National Database of Childcare Prices, 2022; median across 21 counties with 2022 data. *52 weeks × 1.2224 BLS CPI for day care and preschool, 2022 average to 2026-08. Look up a county.
Property taxes by county
Effective rate = Census median real estate taxes ÷ median home value (ACS 2020-2024), metro-area counties.
| County | Median value | Median tax | Effective rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salem County | $239,500 | $7,018 | 2.93% |
| Camden County | $287,100 | $8,134 | 2.83% |
| Gloucester County | $310,400 | $8,055 | 2.60% |
| Mercer County | $377,700 | $8,909 | 2.36% |
| Warren County | $346,500 | $8,119 | 2.34% |
| Burlington County | $354,000 | $7,983 | 2.26% |
| Middlesex County | $462,900 | $9,712 | 2.10% |
| Hudson County | $539,700 | $9,555 | 1.77% |
| Ocean County | $398,400 | $6,562 | 1.65% |
| Cape May County | $434,600 | $5,306 | 1.22% |
Five highest and five lowest of 13 counties.
Not ranked because the Census median tax is top-coded at “$10,000 or more” (rate is a lower bound): Bergen County (≥ 1.61%); Essex County (≥ 1.91%); Hunterdon County (≥ 1.93%); Monmouth County (≥ 1.65%); Morris County (≥ 1.72%); Passaic County (≥ 2.18%); Somerset County (≥ 1.81%); Union County (≥ 1.89%).
Energy and fuel
EIA: electricity 2025, natural gas 2024, gasoline week ending 2026-10-05.
Who moves to and from New Jersey
Census state-to-state migration flows (2024 ACS 1-year; people 1 year and over, ± margin of error at 90%). Totals cover moves between states and DC only: 149,816 in, 214,516 out (net −64,700).
- New York56,799 ±8,244
- Pennsylvania25,902 ±3,756
- Florida12,121 ±3,185
- California8,021 ±2,510
- North Carolina4,950 ±2,047
- Massachusetts4,041 ±1,776
- Delaware3,347 ±1,138
- Virginia3,328 ±1,632
- Pennsylvania38,467 ±4,874
- New York36,002 ±5,753
- Florida22,646 ±4,042
- Texas11,078 ±3,309
- Virginia11,018 ±2,698
- California9,653 ±2,769
- North Carolina9,282 ±3,207
- Georgia6,770 ±2,580
Frequently asked questions
Is New Jersey expensive to live in?+
BEA’s Regional Price Parities put New Jersey’s overall price level at 108.8 in 2024 (US = 100), the 4th highest of 51 states and DC. Housing is 134.3 and goods 107.1.
Does New Jersey have a state income tax?+
Yes. A single filer earning $75,000 owes about $2,596 in New Jersey income tax under 2026 law (3.5% of pay), plus $505 in state payroll taxes.
What is the sales tax in New Jersey?+
The state rate is 6.625% (as of 2026-10-13); groceries are exempt from the state rate. Local sales taxes can add to this.
What is the most affordable metro in New Jersey?+
For a single renter earning $60,000, Vineland, NJ leaves the most each month after taxes and modeled costs ($959), and Trenton, NJ the least ($615).