New Jersey

New Jersey offers great food, cultural opportunities like few other places, upscale suburbs, and safety. However, the inner-cities are generally rough, the weather in the winter is pitiful, and the taxes are very high.

Why people like New Jersey or hate it depends on what they've been through in life. If you live in a town in Texas that has a decent neighborhood or neighbors that communicate to each other and you value this, you may find NJ weird. Yes, the people can be rude. Here's why. That's not being rude in NJ. New Jerseyans deal with this their whole lives so not looking at people when talking or other such things is normal, so why not do it? From my experiences New Jersey is a very bi-polar state. It has the richest of the rich and the poorest of the poor. Schorching summers and brutally cold winters. Good, down to earth, real people and bad, emotionless, fake people. I think if you can deal with the hardcoreness of some parts of Jersey (newark, JC, etc.) A LOT of options open up. The people that simply see the bad parts and never look further will never what's beyond the sh!t. Fakeness is a problem in NJ but from what I've experienced and seen in my 19 years here, it is an early learned su... Read more

I live in new Jersey and I feel that all your comments about how filthy we are and how this place is a dump are very stupid. Lets see how mad you get if someone says that your state is like that! Think before you write something down! I happen to love New Jersey- theres so so many things to do besides the beaches. I also love being close to NYC and Philly. & before you comment some stupid mean thing about NJ why dont you actually come visit.

Ever been to Jefferson Township..a.k.a duche bag cow town... a bunch of stupid fucktards trying to act like badass rappers and "cool" people..I think they forgot about the farm down the street!! It's pretty much a collection of all the world's shit concentrated in one town to decrease the pollution/population of the rest of the world...no wonder i feel like a rotting fish when i step out of the High School.

Pros: Greatest food in the world, diversity, nice suburbs, vicinity to NYC and Philadelphia Cons: Cold, too many Yankee fans, bad urban areas, high cost of living

What a great place! If you're in the right area...

God's country! The state really does have a lot to offer. You can hate the people, hate the tolls, and hate the factories all you want. Realize that New Jersey offers a number of beaches, the Pine Barrens (Pinelands), Atlantic City (Casinos), and its close to two major cities (Philadelphia, NYC), but feel free to hate.

Well, I guess I'll add my 2 cents, given that this is where I was born and bred...not sure where I was buttered (sorry, I couldn't resist that old Redd Foxx joke; actually, my "buttering" occurred in NJ too). Truth is, I don't have any strong feelings about the state one way or another (if I had the money to live wherever I wanted, I'd live somewhere in New England). On a positive note, I will say that there is a surprising amount of diversity in NJ, given its image. The area around Somerset County is one of the wealthiest in the country (parts of Bergen County too). Western and the Northern-most parts of NJ are very rural, and quite lovely. South Jersey has the Pine Barrens, the Jersey Devil, cranberry bogs, and the Jersey Shore culture, if that's your thing (not mine; I'm not a Springsteen fan and too much of the shore has become over-crowded, over-developed and seedy). Being the mob buff that I am, the state does have a rich mob history (Vito Genovese, who lived in Atlantic Highla... Read more

These days, Hoboken looks more like New York than The City does (and you can get into NY via underground trains). On the downside, rents are almost as high as Manhattan's. Parts of western N.J. are beautiful. Most of the rest of of New Jersey is the model for what the greedheads are doing to the planet.

Jersey has its positives, such as the wealth of Roy Rogers restaurants along the New Jersey Turnpike and other locations (for overpriced, yet surprisingly good burgers, and the best fries to dip in mustard. YES! MUSTARD! Dont joke until you try it, and try it you must!); but the state also has its negatives, like the loud outspoken women who refuse to allow their hair to leave the 80s (sorry gals, you know its true!). But beyond the typical stereotypes that amuse all of us, the state does boast Atlantic City - which is like Vegas, if Vegas was small, smelly and had only 8 hotels/casinos. And if you ever needed to go mall shopping, Jersey is the state for you, as there is at least one in ever town. Casino's, Malls and high hair, what else could you need?

Only people from Jersey like Jersey. Its a state I try to stay out of unfortunately if you need to get somewhere important you have to drive through this state! The highways are not bad, but I wouldn't ever move to NJ! It has some great areas but for the most part everything is off a 4 lane road where you can't make left turns.

armpit

I've been raised my whole life in Jersey, specifically northern Bergen County, I know I know, Bergen County doesn't really have the best reputation. Most towns here are made up of the same boring McMansions. And they only way to get to these towns are to take the many highways that are bombarded by tolls. My highschool was ranked 18th best in the state, practically every street is maintained so well that a curbless street would be totally unacceptable according to all the ignorant doctors, lawyers, and business executives who live in these towns. Cops are bored out of their mind and find any reason to pull people over, strictly enforce curfews for anyone under 18 starting sometimes at 11 o'clock (in some towns). Taxes are constantly rising, and now that single homes occupy most of every town, condos are now being constructed in the most unattractive places such as next to railroads or next to major highways. Traffic gets worse and worse every year. Now for the good. Getting in an out o... Read more

...and your point!

There are some really pretty areas of NJ in the north (no....not Bergen county)that if you were suddenly transported to you would never, ever know you were actually in NJ. Development is at a minimum because of watershed land and reservoirs. But I'm not going to tell you where because I don't want anyone to know. The rest of NJ is what it is. I'd rather live here than say Los Angeles tho...at least I can be in the Adirondacks in 3.5 hours.

The turnpike gives the state a bad name-it may be the ugliest stretch of road in the entire North-East.  Other than that, Jersey is not ugly or desperately poor in the way that many parts of the country have become; yet it remains a dull, over-crowded suburban state with little to attract visitors.  Lived in Jersey for a year as a kid, and while I can remember trips to NYC, Philly and the countryside in upstate NY and Penn, Jersey itself is a blank except for Princeton....(and the constant Bruce Springsteen on the radio...local hero I guess)...just endless, alternating commercial/residential sprawl, and the occasional dreary, run-down city (Trenton, Newark, Atlantic City).Two stars for Princeton and Cape May; other than that, there's not much reason to visit.

Ok, I went to Trenton to take a train to D.C., don't remember Trenton so much, but I recently stayed at my Great Aunt and Uncle's House in the Newark/New York Suburbs, it's not really terrible, but ok I entered New York City on the Holland, and we ended up in the ugliest part of Manhattan I saw as we drove around it that evening.  In fact New York City was no better or worse than New Jersey in my mind at that point. Once we drove around Manhattan I thought I was going to hate it, and i've hated New York City my whole life for no good reason, I loved it so much, it felt like heaven and I did not want to leave it.  Well we had to get back to New Jersey and we took the Lincoln Tunnel.  Well, I must say the Lincoln Tunnel seemed like the tunnel from heaven (New York) and hell (New Jersey).  Oh and by the way, the neighborhood on the New York end of the tunnel is Hell's Kitchen, well I guess it has a bunch of restaurants that cook food directly shipped in from the ugly factories and warehou... Read more

my rating is no stars. If I had a choice I would never return to Jersey ever. The people are rude, self-absorbed, and full of Sh*t. They are not helpful or neighborly at all. It seems as though people would sooner die than help anyone else out. The state is expensive and getting worse by the second. It has no decent restaurants. It has more TICKS then I could even begin to count. The traffic at the shore is a nightmare in the summer. You have to pay to use the beach, that is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. Oh yeah, plus pay to park your car there too. There is nothing to do here at all that won't cost you an arm and a leg. Even going to the mall costs you in tolls. I am leaving here in 14 days and will never look back! I had every intention of rating this state with no stars, but that wasn't an option.

This state has some bad areas like Patterson, Camden, and Newark but our suburbs are the best in the country. You could live in a nice middle class suburb and pay about $8,000 per year for a half million dollar home. If you could spend more, live in a nicer town. Anyways, we have the best hikes in America, nice lakes, awsome beaches, history, clubs, sports events, movies, and tons of stores and great food.

Besides a couple bad areas, I like Jersey.  The Jersey shore is fun to hang out.  Also you have to love all the hot Jersey guys.  Except what is up with all the tolls?

PLEASE please do not leave NJ! i think you idiots should have a freaking wall built around your state to keep you from moving to other places. People from NJ are the most ignorant, know it all idiots, on this planet.

Full of Dangerous thugs who smell horrible & yell filthy stuff at you.

The ignorance of some of these comments is humorous at best. Yes a life long New Jersey resident here, and yes I have my gripes. High property taxes are on the top of my list, however for those who are unmotivated or not smart enough to take advantage of the fact that we are the wealthiest state per capita to balance out the high cost of living, please by all means point your car to the nearest border and live out the rest of your whiney little live's elswhere. If you have half a brain or better than average trade skills,this state is like a big bag of money that all you have to do is reach your hand into and take what you want. Survival of the fittest folks, and that's not a Jersey mentality, that's a Washington DC mentality. "The Smell" represents less than 5% of an area close to NYC that is a vile combination of factories,refineries and dumps. That smell puts more important products in this country's homes and business's than any other state in the country so suck it up if... Read more

The taxes are outrageous, unions control the schools with an iron fist, and yes - people are leaving. Its no mystery why this Blue State ( and others) are seeing people and jobs flee. The NJ Governor is an idiot. The state is a dump. The people voting with their feet says it all..

New Jersey is losing people - and companies. I wonder why people and companies dont want to stay in one of highest taxed states on the planet? What a mystery?

You all are a bunch of idiots. For you who say that New Jersey has an enourmous amount of toll booths, why don't you go look at Florida? There is a toll every 1/4 mile on 417 and 408. Half of you people never even been to New Jersey. Also, those who say New Jersey people are "very rude", quit being such a pussy, and save it for your momma bitch.

Crime, high taxes,filth, and on and on. The state is a dump.

I grew up in Norhtern Jersey but now live in Johnson County Kansas. Would I ever move back?? absolutely not!!! On the other hand, would I pass up a weeks vacation to the Garden State??  NOT A CHANCE!!  With deep family roots and some good old friends I would not miss a chance to fly into Newark. Kansas is very beatiful and hospitable but trust me...  THERE IS NOTHING TO DO IN KANSAS!! (and Missouri as well)Yes, the cost of living is too much for me. Not to mention the traffic on the Parkway and the smells of the Turnpike. But there are things in Jersey that you just cannot get anywhere else. Like a REAL pizza pie. Here in Kansas pizzas are nothing more than cheese on a cracker. Taylor's Ham is impossible to find. A hard roll and butter is almost impossible. There are many places here in the midwest that offer Jersey style foods but it never compares.I also enjoy the many shore attractions that you obviously cannot get in Kansas. Avalon, Point Pleasant, and Wildwood to name a few. I do ... Read more

I like the Jersey shore and the people. Would I live there? No...

Look before you laugh!

New Jersey is crowded and sprawly. Bad roads and highways and you pay a hefty toll at every turn. It has some nice parts around the Delaware River in the northwest and Jersey Shore but even the scenic wooded hills are being eaten up by McMansions like around I-287 which was pretty rural about 10 years ago. It seems to enjoy the quality of life here you need family roots planted here that go back 3 generations and a 6 figure income. The area on the Jersey Turnpike around Newark is nasty and smells putrid. Little wonder this state is having a big exodus of people moving out.

North Jersey--losing good manufacturing jobs--sprawl and decay. South Jersey--Camden and Atlantic City--disaster areas--rest sprawl. Why even mention Central New Jersey? Jersey Shore--vast groups of angry army ants agitating against all others. (Help!) NW of Trenton is still decent.

Good, clean diner...appetizers aren't that tasty(very salty...have tried several!)but the breakfast is awesome! pasta is always overcooked and sauces bland, soups are great if you get them early. lobster bisque is one of my favorites

I just got back from a weekend trip from new Jersey was born and raised there and still have family there. I live in Florida for 3 years now and as much as I love my parents and siblings I dread getting on a plane with my kids and going there. The cops are the worst. There are too many of them and they have a "God complex" attitude and making up there own laws as they go along. Yes, I must admit the convenience of being able to get anything at a whim's notice is cool. The people are best in that area because jersey people are extremely hard workers. I wont take that away from them. The friends and family that I still have there are not happy and there is a lack of privacy. The general public are the rudest,materialistic, judgemental, living in denial,oppionated,pompass *****. People will literally gawk and stare at you because they think they have that right to do so. Forget about being able speak at all to anyone, chances are you wont be able to finish a sentence without being... Read more

I've lived in New Jersey all my life, and I basically have a love/hate relationship with the state. Positives = a fun place to be in the summer with some nice beaches and boardwalks, a few quaint little towns like Princeton and Red Bank that are worth checking out (the latter features a store director Kevin Smith owns), awesome proximity to two of the largest cities in the country Philadelphia and New York City, some beautiful areas in the center or western area of the state (with remote rural farming areas, lakes, the pine barrens and high point state park), casino gambling in the 2nd biggest casino city in the US, some small cities in NJ are concidered among the safest in the country, and also lots of history and culture. What also makes this state unique, yet sad but also sometimes triumphant is places like Asbury Park and Atlantic City, and how they were once highly popular beach resorts earlier in the 20th century, their horrible declines and their attempts at revitalizing, to at ... Read more

NEW JERSEY IS LOUSY I HATE IT MORE THAN ANYTHING IN THIS WORLD NOT TO MENTION ALL THE TOLLS I NEVER SEEN A STATE WITH SO MANY TOLLS IN MY LIFE, ALSO NEW JERSEY IS THE HOME OF THE WORST BILL COLLECTORS ONE COLLECTOR FROM NJ CALLED AND SCREAMED AT MY WIFE I TOLD HIM I WILL COME TO NJ AND BREAK YOUR NECK.

There are worse places--Cleveland, Buffalo, and Hell come to mind--but the foul smell of chemicals wafting through the air from no discernable source, combined with extraordinarily rude people (rudest of any place I've ever lived, and I've lived in 5 states on both coasts and in between) make it none too good, either. It seems that the only people who really love NJ grew up here. Just check out the reviewers who gave it 5 stars. Sure, there's a state pride here, but trust me, this is not a place that you want to move. Complete strangers are nothing short of hostile or act as if you don't exist by--no joke-- bumping into you or completely ignoring you. Customer service is non-existent. Driving, even in suburban areas, is complicated by the fact that drivers honk, tailgate, and actually yell expletives out their windows. It is an extraordinarily difficult place to become accustomed to. If you're from here, maybe the reason you like it is because you fit in here.

A great place to be in the summer. Great food and shopping. Also boring and rude people.

Jersey is my home state.....lots to do, being close to NY, Philly, DC, and Baltimore. I love the seaside, there is a lot of urban area, but it's not all bad. It's got its problems but New Jersey is a cool state. I like it.

This might be the weirdest reason to rate Jersey so high, but this state has the BEST diners. Most are Greek run and offer anything from shrimp scampi to french toast to chicken croquettes!

I lived in NJ for 18 years. I miss it largely because I spent the better part of my life there, but there are some serious cons to this place that should be explained. The traffic and crumbling urban centers are just blighted wastelands. Anywhere from Newark, Jersey City, Elizabeth, Trenton, Camden, and Paterson are awful sprawling ghettos that are only spiraling further downward. There is no solution to the urban decay in NJ. I have discovered that NJ is a dichotomy of the very rich and the very poor. Once you go about 45 minutes away from either NYC or Philly, there are these impressively affluent suburbs. However, the people who inhabit these suburbs are high-strung, overeducated, corporate folks who can afford the high cost of living, taxes, etc. The road system allows you to get anywhere, provided it is not backed up with some type of traffic. Princeton, NJ is an absolutely beautiful, quaint town. The Delaware Water gap area is very beautiful too, but I don't even like to th... Read more

This state is absolute trash. They should evacuate everybody, demolish the state and start over. Or at least make it into a giant parking lot--that would be minimal cost, just repainting as the state is already covered with concrete. It does however have the funniest logo of all states by far--the 'garden state'. I think this is because your typical NJ trash worker looks forward to moving and owning a real garden upon retirement. It is also corrupt as hell: your governor is a former Wallstreeter who buys his former mistresses McMansions. Anybody who has anything positive to say about New Jersey has obviously never left the state--think J and Silent Bob.

I drove up and down this state during the summer while I was visiting Penn. This state is pretty dirty and bare if you ask me. Trenton is very dirty and poverty ridden. The inner state is mostly just roads and trees. Spring lake is one of the only decent shorelines but you have to pay to sit on the beach! The two hour drive from Spring Lake to Atlantic City wasn't worth it either. Atlantic City was very cheesy and filled with unimpressive buildings and very dangerous suburbs. The sand along the pier was filled with sharp shells and beer cans. The drive back up to Scranton, Penn. that night wasn't any better. There is hardly any lighting on Jersey roads and the exit signs are hard to see. I find it unsurprising that on the way back home I wound up in Buttsville, one of NJ's backwards little towns. What a bad experience.

I have lived in New Jersey for nearly my entire life (with a brief excursion to Connecticut for college) and I can say categorically that no place in America is as misunderstood as New Jersey. Its hard to explain, but unless youve lived here, just take my word for it. New Jersey is a place of inherent contradictions. On one hand, it is one of the wealthiest states in the U.S. in terms of median and per-capita income. Yet, on the other hand, it is home to some of the most poverty-stricken and crime-ridden cities in the country (Newark, Camden & Trenton). It is the countrys most densely populated state (all 21 counties are considered urban by the Census Bureau) yet has some of the most beautiful rolling hills and forests in the country. NJ is also home to a large number of Fortune 500 companies, the majority of the countrys pharmaceutical manufacturers and the highest concentration of PhDs in America. Although its urban core may be crumbling, the affluent suburbs that surround... Read more

I have lived here for that past 45 years and it is a great state. Everytime I went to visit another state, trying to find a beter place to live, I come back and appreciate NJ even more. Where I live, there are mountains and all kinds of wild animals in my backyard- deer, coyotes, groundhogs, wild turkeys, bear, and lots of birds. It (western NJ) is a beautiful part of the state, though us locals always tell everyone that it sucks just to keep them away so we can enjoy it for ourselves. Yes, traffic is bad because I have to commute 40 miles each way to work, but I adjust my work hours to avoid the trafdfic and it isn't too bad. Yes, real estate taxes are very very high and housing costs are very very high, but I think thats the case in a lot of other states too (I admit I don't know how the young people can afford to buy a house here). Beaches ("down the shore") are great too, they even test the water to make sure its OK for everyone. Close proxmity to: Atlantic Ocean, the greatest city... Read more

it rocks!

We have the highest real estate taxes. We have the highest auto insurance rates. Our lives are maximally controlled by excessive laws and regulations. A multimillionaire bought the governorship and is going to add 14.6 cents to each gallon of gasoline. I live in a bitter, racist little town named Gladstone, we have awful neighbors who call the cops if you walk your dog on their side of the street. Do not come here, the police is so bored and the speed limit is 25mph.