| If you are thinking of moving to the garden state, | | | | because of the scarceness of land. Three hundred |
| the following article reviews some of the benefits | | | | years of settling and development coupled with an |
| and drawbacks of living in New Jersey. | | | | effort to preserve the state's natural beauty leave |
| Situated on the East Coast with close proximity to | | | | very little room for new growth. In addition to limiting |
| New York City and Philadelphia, New Jersey | | | | development land, the untouched reserves also add |
| geographically rests in an ideal commercial crossroads | | | | to the state's appeal though which makes and the |
| location. As a result, the economy is very strong and | | | | real estate value climb even higher. |
| diverse. For example, rather than capitalizing on one | | | | If you are looking for the most "affordable" part of |
| industry like many other states, New Jersey is home | | | | New Jersey, the southern region of the state, which |
| to printing, electronic, health care, retail, service, food | | | | is also known as the Pine Barrens, is one of the least |
| processing, fishing, shipping, and agricultural industries. | | | | expensive and least populated areas. The northwest |
| The state economy produces more than $400 billion | | | | region probably isn't far behind the Pine Barrens |
| every year. The average per capita income is also | | | | because of its mountainous and wooded terrain. A lot |
| well above the national average. | | | | of people are drawn to the metropolitan areas of |
| Unfortunately, the cost of living in New Jersey | | | | New York City and Philadelphia or the coastal |
| probably requires a good portion of those larger | | | | communities along the eastern shore though. If you |
| salaries. For example, New Jersey carries one of the | | | | work in one of the larger cities, affordable housing will |
| heaviest tax burdens of any state in the nation. NJ | | | | probably be hard to come by. |
| real estate is also very expensive since the average | | | | In spite of the high cost of living, New Jersey is a |
| price from a single family home is $400,000 or more; | | | | beautiful and industrious place to settle down. It also |
| a figure that is double the national average. In some | | | | boasts one of the strongest education systems in |
| areas, like Morris or Bergen, $800,000 is more of the | | | | the country. That's why New Jersey students |
| median home price. | | | | consistently earn the highest average scores on |
| Part of the reason why real estate is so expensive is | | | | Advanced Placement tests in the nation. |