Massachusetts
MA • Northeast
Quality of Life Score
60.23
State Comparison
Massachusetts vs New Jersey
New Jersey is cheaper overall, while $100 goes further in Massachusetts, New Jersey has higher incomes, Massachusetts has lower state income tax, and Massachusetts gets more sunshine.
Massachusetts
14
/ 31
metrics won
Score
VS
New Jersey
17
/ 31
metrics won
NJ wins Housing
MA wins Quality of Life
NJ wins Climate
NJ wins Demographics
Quality of Life
Composite score — income, affordability, education, health, and safety.
Massachusetts
winner
vs
New Jersey
Massachusetts scores higher on quality of life — 0.42 points difference.
Overview
Key differences overview
These cards keep the comparison factual first, so the biggest tradeoffs in affordability, housing, taxes, politics, climate, and day-to-day living are easy to scan.
Overall Affordability
New Jersey is 27.1 points cheaper overall
New Jersey has the lower cost-of-living index. New Jersey is at 121.7, while Massachusetts is at 148.8.
View detailed comparison
Real Dollar Value
$100 goes $2.10 further in Massachusetts
After BEA price-level adjustments, $100 has about $95.55 of local buying power in Massachusetts, versus $93.45 in New Jersey.
View detailed comparison
Income
New Jersey income is 0.6% higher
New Jersey has the higher median household income at $97,126, compared with $96,505 in Massachusetts.
View detailed comparison
Jobs
New Jersey has the higher minimum wage
New Jersey has the higher statewide minimum wage at $15.49/hr, compared with $15.00/hr in Massachusetts.
View detailed comparison
Housing
Massachusetts homes cost about 1.3x more
New Jersey has the lower median home value at $400,900, versus $510,400 in Massachusetts.
View detailed comparison
Taxes
Massachusetts has lower state income tax
Massachusetts has the lower state income tax rate. Its top rate is 5.00%, compared with 10.75% in New Jersey.
View detailed comparisonTake-Home Calculator
What's Your Salary Really Worth?
Enter your gross income to see real purchasing power and the cost-of-living equivalent in both states.
$
$10k$250k$500k
Massachusetts
- Gross salary
- —
- State income tax (top rate 5.0%)
- —
- After state tax
- —
- Real buying power (BEA RPP)
- —
New Jersey
- Gross salary
- —
- State income tax (top rate 10.8%)
- —
- After state tax
- —
- Real buying power (BEA RPP)
- —
Cost-of-Living Equivalent
—
* "After state tax" uses the top marginal rate — actual effective rate is lower for most incomes. Real buying power uses BEA Regional Price Parity (110.4 for Massachusetts, 112.9 for New Jersey). COL equivalent uses the MERIC/C2ER composite index.
Tradeoffs
Pros and cons for each state
A fast scan of the biggest advantages and drawbacks pulled from affordability, housing, income, taxes, safety, health, education, jobs, and weather.
Massachusetts
At-a-glance strengths and tradeoffs
Pros: Massachusetts
- Massachusetts has lower property tax rates on average.
- Massachusetts health access/outcomes proxy is higher.
- Massachusetts health coverage access proxy is stronger.
- Massachusetts education proxy is higher.
- Massachusetts has more sunny days.
Cons
- Massachusetts has a higher overall cost of living.
- Massachusetts has a higher housing cost index.
- Massachusetts has higher median home values.
- Massachusetts shows lower median income.
- Massachusetts has a higher violent crime rate.
- Massachusetts job growth trend is weaker.
New Jersey
At-a-glance strengths and tradeoffs
Pros: New Jersey
- New Jersey has a lower overall cost of living.
- New Jersey has a lower housing cost index.
- New Jersey has lower median home values.
- New Jersey shows higher median income.
- New Jersey has a lower violent crime rate.
- New Jersey job growth trend is stronger.
Cons
- New Jersey has higher property tax rates on average.
- New Jersey health access/outcomes proxy is lower.
- New Jersey health coverage access proxy is weaker.
- New Jersey education proxy is lower.
- New Jersey has fewer sunny days.
Full Comparison
Pick a category to focus on. General shows the most important facts at a glance.
| Metric |
MA
|
NJ
|
|---|---|---|
|
Capital City
|
Boston | Trenton |
|
State Color
|
Solid Blue | Solid Blue |
|
Population
|
7,029,917
|
9,288,994
|
|
Median Income
|
$96,505
|
$97,126
|
|
Cost of Living
|
148.8
|
121.7
|
|
Median Housing Value
|
$510,400
|
$400,900
|
|
Property Tax
|
1.07%
|
2.11%
|
|
State Income Tax
|
5.00%
|
10.75%
|
|
Minimum Wage
|
$15.00/hr
|
$15.49/hr
|
|
Gas Price
|
$3.933/gal
|
$4.093/gal
|
|
Electricity Rates
|
31.16 c/kWh
|
23.13 c/kWh
|
|
Livability Score
|
60.23
|
59.81
|
|
Average Temperature
|
47.9°F
|
52.7°F
|
|
Sunny Days
|
98 days
|
94 days
|
|
Land Area
|
10,554 sq mi
|
8,723 sq mi
|
|
Population Density
|
666.1 per sq mi
|
1,064.9 per sq mi
|
|
Statehood
|
February 6, 1788 (#6)
|
December 18, 1787 (#3)
|
Intent-Oriented
Which state fits your priorities better?
Use these cards as decision shortcuts for common goals like saving money, buying a home, finding better weather, or optimizing for work and family life.
6
of
16
shown
Saving Money
New Jersey is cheaper overall
Overall cost-of-living index: 121.7 vs 148.8 in Massachusetts. On a national baseline of 100, the lower score usually means cheaper day-to-day expenses.
See full data
Gas Price
Massachusetts is cheaper at the pump
Average regular gas price: $3.933/gal in Massachusetts vs $4.093/gal in New Jersey. Lower pump prices can cut everyday driving costs.
See full data
Minimum Wage
New Jersey has the higher minimum wage
State minimum wage: $15.49/hr in New Jersey vs $15.00/hr in Massachusetts. That matters most for hourly, entry-level, and part-time workers.
See full data
Electricity Rates
New Jersey has cheaper electricity
Average residential electricity rate: 23.13 c/kWh in New Jersey vs 31.16 c/kWh in Massachusetts. Lower cents-per-kWh pricing can help keep utility bills down.
See full data
Buying a Home
New Jersey is more attainable for buyers
Home-value-to-income ratio: 4.13x in New Jersey vs 5.29x in Massachusetts. A lower ratio means the median home is easier to afford on a median income.
See full data
Renting
New Jersey is easier for renters
Rent-to-income ratio: 19.5% in New Jersey vs 20.9% in Massachusetts. A lower percentage means rent takes a smaller bite out of a typical household budget.
See full dataExplore by Category
Dive Deeper
Each link opens a full one-on-one breakdown for that metric — national rankings, charts, and context.
Population
New Jersey has a larger population than Massachusetts by 2,259,077 people.
Population Density
New Jersey is more densely populated than Massachusetts.
Bachelor's Degree
Massachusetts has a higher college-educated share than New Jersey.
Advanced Degree
Massachusetts has a higher advanced-degree share than New Jersey.
People Also Ask
Massachusetts vs New Jersey - Common Questions
Q Is Massachusetts cheaper to live in than New Jersey?
New Jersey has the lower cost of living. On the national index (100 = average), New Jersey scores 121.7 versus 148.8 for Massachusetts - a gap of 27.1 points.
Q Where does $100 go further - Massachusetts or New Jersey?
$100 goes further in Massachusetts. After BEA regional price adjustments, $100 is worth about $95.55 in Massachusetts, compared with $93.45 in New Jersey.
Q Which state is bigger - Massachusetts or New Jersey?
Massachusetts is larger, covering 10,554 sq mi compared with 8,723 sq mi for New Jersey - roughly 1.2x the size.
Q Does Massachusetts or New Jersey have more people?
New Jersey has the larger population at 9,288,994, compared with 7,029,917 in Massachusetts.
Q Which state has higher household income - Massachusetts or New Jersey?
New Jersey has the higher median household income at $97,126, versus $96,505 in Massachusetts.
Q Which state has lower income taxes - Massachusetts or New Jersey?
Massachusetts has the lower state income tax top rate at 5.00%, compared with 10.75% in New Jersey.
Q Is housing cheaper in Massachusetts or New Jersey?
Homes are cheaper in New Jersey, where the median home value is $400,900, versus $510,400 in Massachusetts.
Q Which state is more densely populated - Massachusetts or New Jersey?
New Jersey is more densely populated at 1,064.9 per sq mi people per sq mi. Massachusetts is more spread out at 666.1 per sq mi people per sq mi.
Related Comparisons
Methodology
All figures are sourced from U.S. government datasets and updated annually. Page last updated: April 2026.
Core demographic data comes from the 2020 U.S. Census, with land area from U.S. Census Bureau TIGER files and statehood dates from the National Archives. Income, housing, affordability, and tax fields are maintained in our comparison dataset; purchasing-power figures use BEA Regional Price Parities. Minimum wage data comes from the U.S. Department of Labor, gas prices from AAA, and electricity rates from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Political control and election fields use 2024 presidential results together with National Conference of State Legislatures data. Gun-law labels use the Giffords scorecard, alcohol system data comes from NABCA, and marijuana status uses NCSL's state cannabis laws tracker. See our editorial policy for how we review and update these pages.