New Jersey Has Officially Ranked As One Of The Best Places To Live In The U.S.

New Jersey has heard the jokes for decades. High taxes, traffic and that infamous “armpit of the nation” nickname have made the Garden State an easy punchline.

But a new national ranking makes a pretty strong case for looking at New Jersey a little differently.

WalletHub has ranked New Jersey No. 2 among the best states to live in for 2026, putting it ahead of 48 other states. The ranking looked at 51 measures tied to everyday life, including housing, income, health, education, safety and quality of life.

For a state where affordability is often the first thing people complain about, that’s a notable result.

• READ MORE: New Video Explains Why People Pay $10k To Visit Jersey Beaches For A Week

Where New Jersey Stands Out

New Jersey scored particularly well in several areas that can make a real difference for residents.

The state ranks sixth for its share of residents living in poverty and 11th for the percentage of adults reporting fair or poor health. It also ranks 14th for average weekly work hours, another measure that factors into quality of life.

And yes, New Jersey’s food reputation gets some love, too. The state ranks sixth in restaurants per capita, giving residents plenty of options when they want to skip cooking and go out.

• READ MORE: NJ Just Saw The Biggest Car Insurance Spike In America

The Garden State Is Looking Pretty Good

With Americans continuing to move around the country in search of better places to live, rankings like this can carry plenty of weight.

New Jersey certainly isn’t perfect, and it isn’t cheap, but coming in second overall suggests there’s a lot more to life in the Garden State than the stereotypes.