New York vs New Jersey
In $100,000 in New York
$92,678
The same income in New Jersey
$91,912
$100,000 has $766 more purchasing power in New York.
Figures are in national-average dollars: what the income buys once each state's prices are accounted for (US = 100). Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024, released February 19, 2026. How it's calculated
Salary needed in New Jersey
$100,834
to match $100,000 in New York, before tax.
We compare it with your current income after local prices.
Enter an offer greater than zero, or leave this field blank.
Show the math
Where the difference comes fromPrice components
Where the difference comes from
Price level by component, 100 = US average. The Difference column compares the destination price level with the origin; higher means the destination is more expensive.
| Component | New York | New Jersey | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 107.9 | 108.8 | +0.8% |
| Housing rents | 122.2 | 134.3 | +9.9% |
| Goods | 107.3 | 107.1 | −0.2% |
| Utilities | 134.4 | 114.2 | −15.0% |
| Other services | 104.1 | 103.5 | −0.6% |
BEA Regional Price Parities · SARPP · 2024 · rel. February 19, 2026 · Official data
Housing reality checkRent, homes & property tax
Housing reality check
ACS median gross rent, home value, and real estate taxes paid — statewide context beyond the index.
US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates · ACS5 · 2024 · rel. December 2025 · Official data
Tax at a glanceIncome & sales tax
Tax at a glance
Hand-curated, tax year 2026 · verified 2026-07-20
Top marginal and average combined rates do not estimate a household's total tax liability.
| Tax | New York | New Jersey |
|---|---|---|
| Income tax (top rate) | 10.90% | 10.75% |
| Sales tax (combined avg) | 8.54% | 6.60% |
Tax Foundation (income & sales) · Tax · 2026 · rel. tax year 2026 · Manually maintained · verified 2026-07-20
Who comes out ahead in New Jersey?
The answer depends on your situation. Each card compares statewide medians for one situation; the state named is the one the numbers favor.
An unchanged income buys about 0.8% less in New Jersey than in New York. On $100,000 that is $766 of national-average purchasing power a year.
Median gross rent is $1,621 in New York and $1,720 in New Jersey, $99 a month ($1,188 a year) more in New Jersey. Renters spend a median 31.2% and 30.9% of income on rent.
The median home is worth $423,800 in New York (4.9× median household income) and $454,400 in New Jersey (4.4×). Median property taxes equal 1.55% and 2.11% of the median home value.
Median household income is $85,974 in New York and $103,556 in New Jersey. After adjusting for prices, that is $79,679 and $95,180: local pay goes further in New Jersey.
Unemployment is 4.4% in New York and 4.4% in New Jersey (July 2026). The two labor markets are about equally tight. Pay for specific jobs is compared below.
New York and New Jersey head to head
Statewide figures the calculator above does not show. “Edge” (bold on small screens) marks the state with the lower cost or higher income on that row; rows without a clear better direction are left blank.
| Measure | New York | New Jersey | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income | |||
| Median household income | $85,974 | $103,556 | New Jersey |
| Adjusted for local prices | $79,679 | $95,180 | New Jersey |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownership rate | 54.3% | 63.8% | |
| Rent as % of renter income | 31.2% | 30.9% | New Jersey |
| Owner costs as % of income | 18.9% | 20.4% | New York |
| Home value ÷ household income | 4.9× | 4.4× | New Jersey |
| Home price change, 2020–2025 · FHFA index | +54.1% | +64.7% | |
| Taxes | |||
| Top income tax rate | 10.90% (graduated) | 10.75% (graduated) | New Jersey |
| Combined sales tax (avg) | 8.54% | 6.60% | New Jersey |
| Median property tax paid | $6,582 | $9,590 | New York |
| Property tax ÷ home value | 1.55% | 2.11% | New York |
| Jobs | |||
| Unemployment (July 2026) | 4.4% | 4.4% | |
| Minimum wage | $16.00/hr | $15.92/hr | |
| Everyday costs | |||
| Median rent, 2 bedrooms | $1,620/mo | $1,804/mo | New York |
| Average electric bill (2024) | $140/mo | $128/mo | New Jersey |
| Electricity price | 24.4¢/kWh | 19.3¢/kWh | New Jersey |
| Health care spending per person (2025) | $13,091 | $11,278 | |
| All consumer spending per person (2025) | $69,658 | $68,561 | |
| People | |||
| Population change since July 2020 | −0.6% | +3.0% | |
| Net moves from other states | −1,045,769 | −211,131 | |
| Median age | 39.8 | 40.1 | |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 40.2% | 43.6% | |
| No health insurance | 5.1% | 7.5% | New York |
| Average commute | 32.6 min | 30.5 min | New Jersey |
| Crime (2025, per 100,000 residents) | |||
| Violent crime | 368.4 | 193.8 | New Jersey |
| Property crime | 1,574.8 | 1,249.6 | New Jersey |
| Murder | 2.4 | 1.9 | New Jersey |
| Climate (1991–2020 averages) | |||
| Average temperature | 46.0°F | 53.6°F | |
| July average high | 79.7°F | 85.7°F | |
| January average low | 12.9°F | 23.2°F | |
| Precipitation | 43.6 in | 47.6 in | |
Sources: Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates, FHFA house price index via FRED, BLS LAUS, Tax Foundation 2026, US DOL minimum wage, EIA, BEA consumer spending, Census population estimates, FBI crime estimates, and NOAA statewide climate. Median property tax covers owner-occupied homes. Spending is in current dollars and reflects both prices and incomes.
Who is moving between New York and New Jersey
In 2024, about 56,799 people living in New Jersey had lived in New York a year earlier, and about 36,002 made the opposite move. On net, New Jersey gained about 20,797 residents from New York that year.
Census State-to-State Migration Flows (ACS 1-year, 2024). ± values are 90% margins of error. New York and New Jersey profiles list each state's largest sources and destinations. What the biggest moves trade →
Salary in New Jersey that matches your New York pay
Pre-tax salary needed in New Jersey to keep the same purchasing power, using the all-items price levels (107.9 and 108.8).
| Salary in New York | Equivalent in New Jersey | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $40,334 | +$334 |
| $60,000 | $60,500 | +$500 |
| $80,000 | $80,667 | +$667 |
| $100,000 | $100,834 | +$834 |
| $150,000 | $151,251 | +$1,251 |
| $200,000 | $201,668 | +$1,668 |
What the same job pays in New York and New Jersey
BLS median annual wages (May 2025), then the same wages adjusted for each state's price level. The last column names the state where the job's median pay buys more.
| Occupation | New York | New Jersey | NY adjusted | NJ adjusted | Goes further in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | $109,440 | $106,500 | $101,427 | $97,886 | New York |
| Software Developers | $166,180 | $135,940 | $154,013 | $124,945 | New York |
| Elementary School Teachers | $85,760 | $78,200 | $79,481 | $71,875 | New York |
| Electricians | $78,750 | $77,250 | $72,984 | $71,002 | New York |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $62,050 | $63,570 | $57,507 | $58,428 | New Jersey |
| Accountants and Auditors | $102,640 | $100,830 | $95,125 | $92,675 | New York |
| Police & Sheriff’s Patrol Officers | $92,790 | $92,610 | $85,996 | $85,119 | New York |
| Pharmacists | $142,090 | $137,620 | $131,687 | $126,489 | New York |
| Dental Hygienists | $106,130 | $107,040 | $98,360 | $98,382 | New Jersey |
| Welders, Cutters, Solderers & Brazers | $59,140 | $59,440 | $54,810 | $54,632 | New York |
Prices inside each state
A statewide price level averages cities and rural areas. The BEA also publishes price levels for metro areas; here is the range in each state.
New York
- Lowest Watertown-Fort Drum, NY 87.7
- Highest New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 112.6
- Metro areas 13
New Jersey
- Lowest Vineland, NJ 96.0
- Highest New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 112.6
- Metro areas 6
New York vs New Jersey: the read
The bottom line
Compare a $100,000 income in New York and New Jersey: its purchasing power is $92,678 and $91,912, respectively, in national-average terms — a loss of $766. New York is the cheaper of the two, running at 107.9 on the price index versus 108.8.
Where the difference comes from
The widest gap on the index is utilities: New York sits at 134.4 and New Jersey at 114.2 (100 = national), and New Jersey has the edge there. Rents also differ (122.2 versus 134.3), and because rent takes a much larger share of a typical budget than utilities, it usually does more to separate the two states' overall price levels.
Housing
Median rent runs $1,621 in New York against $1,720 in New Jersey, and the typical home $423,800 versus $454,400. New York is the more affordable place to buy.
Taxes
On tax, New York has 10.90% top income tax and a combined sales tax of 8.54%; New Jersey has 10.75% top income tax and 6.60%. Those headline rates are useful screening facts, but they do not calculate either household's total liability.
Full profiles: New York · New Jersey. Every figure here is sourced on the pages linked above.
New York vs New Jersey: common questions
Is it cheaper to live in New York or New Jersey?
New York is cheaper overall. Its price level is 107.9 against 108.8 in New Jersey (US = 100), so the same basket of goods and services costs about 0.8% less there. The difference is usually largest for rent.
What salary in New Jersey matches $100,000 in New York?
About $100,834, before tax. That is $100,000 × 108.8 ÷ 107.9. Income tax, your actual rent or mortgage, and commuting costs can all shift the break-even point.
Which state has lower taxes, New York or New Jersey?
New York has a graduated income tax with a top rate of 10.90% and an average combined sales tax of 8.54%. New Jersey has a graduated income tax with a top rate of 10.75% and 6.60%. Median real estate taxes paid by owners are $6,582 and $9,590 a year. Which state costs a household less depends on its income, spending, and whether it owns a home.
Do people earn more in New York or New Jersey?
Median household income is $85,974 in New York and $103,556 in New Jersey. Adjusted for prices, that is $79,679 and $95,180 in national-average dollars, so households in New Jersey have more purchasing power at the median.
Are more people moving from New York to New Jersey or the other way?
In 2024, about 56,799 people moved from New York to New Jersey and about 36,002 moved from New Jersey to New York, according to Census state-to-state migration estimates. That is a net gain of about 20,797 for New Jersey.
Comparing a different pair? Use the full tool →