Give it plenty of thought before moving out of Jersey

It’s been a hot topic for years. "Property taxes are too high here and I want to get out!"

It seems to have gotten to be an even more popular discussion lately. Perhaps people are realizing they can get a lot more for their house than they ever could before.

Maybe it’s the fact that a lot of baby boomers are looking to retire and move to a more affordable state. It could also be that a lot of boomers' kids have found greener pastures outside of New Jersey, and these folks want to be closer to their kids and grandkids.

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It's a hot topic in New Jersey

One of these discussions took place on our local NextDoor app. One resident posted a complaint about property taxes and the fact that they’re looking to move out of New Jersey and asked for suggestions. This topic got more comments than I’ve ever seen on any subject on that app. About 450 people chimed in.

One of the few things to consider is the fact that some southern states tax your automobile as personal property. That could be around $400 a year. It doesn’t come close to an average of nearly $9,000 a year in property taxes.

Especially if your property taxes in a southern state are somewhere around $1,200. One of the main complaints from people who move out of New Jersey, especially to Southern states, is the food! Bread, pizza, bagels, and any sort of authentic ethnic food like Italian seem hard to find.

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What you miss the most

Then, of course, don’t forget the three F’s, family, friends, and familiarity. All the places we're used to going to for basic needs or entertainment are completely different.

The newness wears off for many. Then there’s family and friends. You'll want to have that spare bedroom so that when you’re begging your friends or family to come down and visit, they will have a place to stay.

Yes, property taxes here are outrageously, ridiculously, heinously and unbelievably high. Barring some sort of political miracle, it will probably never change. If you can find a way to make it work living here in New Jersey and then travel to some of those cool places you hear about on a vacation. That’s probably the way most of us will do it.

Natee Meepian

Where else would you go?

On the other hand, if you absolutely positively have to get out of New Jersey here are a few of the best places to retire in 2023.

Then of course there’s overseas or at least another country in this hemisphere.

There are a lot of great places around the world that seem like good places to live, but the one thing that keeps most of us here in New Jersey from making a big move is, it’s home!

LOOK: Here's where people in every state are moving to most

Stacker analyzed the Census Bureau's 2019 American Community Survey data to determine the three most popular destinations for people moving out of each state.

Gallery Credit: Amanda Silvestri

What would happen to NJ if we were attacked by nuclear weapons?

We used NUKEMAP by Alex Wellerstein to see what would happen if a nuclear warhead hit New York, Philadelphia, Washington or New Jersey.

The models show what would happen in aerial detonation, meaning the bomb would be set off in the sky, causing considerable damage to structures and people below; or what would happen in a ground detonation, which would have the alarming result of nuclear fallout. The models do not take into account the number of casualties that would result from fallout.

Gallery Credit: Eric Scott

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Dennis Malloy only.

You can now listen to Dennis & Judi — On Demand! Hear New Jersey’s favorite best friends anytime, anywhere and any day of the week. Download the Dennis & Judi show wherever you get podcasts, on our free app, or listen right now.

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