The question for many New Jersey families these days is, how do I get my family out of New Jersey and move to a more affordable state with better opportunities?
It’s the age-old question of the unhappy New Jersey worker, and now, a new study by Wallet Hub could explain why.
According to the study, New Jerseyans spend more time in traffic driving to and from work than 48 other states. While New Jerseyans make more money than most Americans, the cost of living is higher as the state is one of the highest-taxed states in America.
New Jersey also ranks 44th nationwide in job satisfaction, meaning many New Jerseyans aren’t happy with their jobs in the Garden State.
The state also ranks low when it comes to job opportunities, 32nd overall.
So, what keeps New Jerseyans from fleeing the state? There is currently an exodus from New Jersey to states such as Texas, Florida, South Carolina, Delaware, Pennsylvania and North Carolina. That is mostly driven by the political climate in New Jersey.
High taxes, increasing property taxes, progressive policies and a failed criminal justice and bail reform system has scared away a lot of people, but many in New Jersey are tied to the state only by their careers and their families.
So you may not like your job, the two-hour commute to your job in the city, traffic, your boss and congestion, but you like your family and some of the positives that come with living in New Jersey. It is expected that the exodus from New Jersey continues and that efforts by the state to attract new businesses and residents will not be effective in keeping people in the state.
But that’s ok, according to Governor Phil Murphy, if taxes are your number one issue, then New Jersey isn’t the place for you.