Trenton, NJ — Governor Phil Murphy is making a bold claim about New Jersey’s status, calling it “America’s number one state to raise a family” and insisting the phrase deserves to be plastered across car bumpers, even if they don’t fit on a car.
“We’re ahead of the class on all of that. Great place to raise a family,” Murphy said in a recent discussion with Hasan Minhaj, praising the state’s education system, quality of life, and suburban appeal.
“In fact, every state’s got a bumper sticker. Ours is America’s number one state to raise a family. That’s Jersey. That’s literally on the bumper sticker.”
The governor admitted the slogan may be too long to fit neatly on a car, quipping, “I’m a Democrat, by the way, which is why it goes around the truck a little bit.”
Murphy pointed to a surge in people moving from New York to New Jersey, which he said has become the second-largest state-to-state migration trend in the U.S. over the last five years — second only to New Yorkers heading to Florida.
“Number one has been New York to Florida. Number two is New York to Jersey,” Murphy said. “Some of it COVID, a lot of it due to the magnets that we have in place. None more important than education.”
He dismissed the Florida trend as temporary, fueled by retirees and tax avoidance rather than long-term appeal for families or working professionals.
“I think the New York to Jersey one’s going to stick,” Hasan Minhaj said to the governor “The New York to Florida, I’m like, you’re not serious about that. No… if you’re in your 30s and you’re either high on cocaine or trading crypto, you’re not a serious person and you’re moving to — you’re coming back. I think you’re coming.”
Murphy agreed, “I think that’sgoing to be a boomerang.”
Murphy added that while he respects other states like Connecticut and even Brooklyn’s charm, New Jersey offers a better overall family lifestyle.
“Connecticut’s a great state. Yeah, Brooklyn is a great place,” he said. “But I think Connecticut and Jersey have more alike — including front yard, backyard — than Brooklyn does. Love Brooklyn, but I think it’s a different wrinkle, if you will.”
