NEW JERSEY — New Jersey is the second-best state to live in for 2026, according to a new WalletHub study that compared states on measures including affordability, safety, health and education.
The personal finance company compared all 50 states across 51 indicators of livability, including housing costs, income growth, educational attainment and hospital systems.
New Jersey finished No. 2 overall in the nationwide ranking.
Among the individual measures highlighted by WalletHub, New Jersey ranked sixth for the percentage of its population living in poverty, with a lower poverty rate resulting in a better ranking. The state ranked 27th for the percentage of residents with health insurance and 11th for the percentage of adults reporting fair or poor health.
New Jersey also ranked 14th for average weekly work hours and sixth for restaurants per capita.
WalletHub released the study as millions of Americans continue to relocate each year, with summer traditionally a popular time for moving. The rankings are intended to provide a comparison of factors that can affect residents’ quality of life and the cost and convenience of living in each state.
The rankings are based on WalletHub’s methodology and selected indicators and should not be interpreted as a definitive measure of quality of life.
The full 2026 Best States to Live In report, including rankings and methodology, is available on WalletHub’s website.
