What is the cheapest city to live in New Jersey?

Paterson, NJ — estimated essentials for a single person run about $4,262/month, with typical rent around $1,457/mo. Living comfortably there takes roughly $79,000/year before tax.

Does New Jersey have a state income tax?

Yes. We model an effective 3.5% state income tax at middle incomes, on top of a combined state and average local sales tax of about 6.6%.

State guide

Cost of living in New Jersey

3 New Jersey cities in the dataset, ranked cheapest first. We model an effective 3.5% state income tax at middle incomes. Combined state + average local sales tax runs about 6.6%.

Cities covered

Median rent

$2,205/mo

Median est. cost

$4,864/mo

State income tax

≈3.5%