WalletHub on Wednesday released its report on 2023’s Best States to Live, and New Jersey ranked No. 2 — only beaten out by Massachusetts, which snagged the No. 1 spot. New Hampshire and New York took third and fourth place, respectively.
This is the second year that Massachusetts has won over New Jersey, as the Bay State knocked the Garden State out of the top spot for the first time last year.
To help Americans settle down in the best and most affordable place possible, WalletHub compared the 50 states across 51 key indicators of livability. They range from housing costs and income growth to the education rate and quality of hospitals.
Here’s a look at the Top 10:
- Massachusetts
- New Jersey
- New Hampshire
- New York
- Wyoming
- Florida
- Virginia
- Idaho
- Wisconsin
- Minnesota
Gov. Phil Murphy celebrated New Jersey’s ranking on Twitter, saying, “With our fast-growing economy, strong public schools and safe neighborhoods, the Garden State is an amazing place to live, work and raise a family.”
Not all of the findings were stellar. Breaking things down, WalletHub ranked living conditions in the Garden State and found us to be:
7th: % of Population in Poverty
24th: % of Insured Population
24th: % of Adults in Fair or Poor Health
16th: Avg. Weekly Work Hours
7th: Restaurants per Capita
To view the full report, click here.
In case you’re wondering, those states that ranked at the end of the list are:
47. Mississippi
48. Louisiana
49. Alaska
50. New Mexico
