A new survey from Monmouth University reveals that the high cost of living is the primary reason people are considering leaving New Jersey. The poll shows that about half of the state's residents want to leave, with a little over a quarter stating they are very likely to do so.
The survey asked residents to name the most important issues facing New Jersey right now. Property taxes topped the list, with 39% of respondents mentioning it. The economy and cost of living came in second, with 24% of respondents citing it as a concern. This is the highest this issue has ranked since 2009.
Among those who want to leave New Jersey, 43% say the state’s high cost of living is the most important factor behind their desire to move out, while 52% say it is one of several top factors. Only 5% say it is not a factor at all.
The survey also found that there is little awareness of the upcoming Stay NJ program, which aims to cut property taxes in half for most senior homeowners. Only 36% of New Jersey residents said they have heard at least a little about this program. However, the results suggest that the program may lead some homeowners who want to leave the state to reconsider.
The Stay NJ program is scheduled to start in 2026. Assuming it is implemented, 27% of all New Jerseyans say they would be a lot more likely to remain in the state and 26% would be a little more likely. Another 45% say this program would have no impact on their decision whether to stay or leave.
Patrick Murray, director of the independent Monmouth University Polling Institute, said, "Take New Jersey’s already high cost of living and add inflationary pressures to it. This may not be driving out more people than in the past, but it certainly isn’t helping to reduce out-migration."
The Monmouth University Poll was conducted by telephone from February 29 to March 4, 2024, with 801 New Jersey adults. The question results in this release have a margin of error of +/- 4.2 percentage points for the full sample.