Salary needed to get by in NJ lower than expected across U.S.

Lower than expected, yes. But it doesn't mean it's low overall. After all, New Jersey is still home to some of the highest taxes in the nation.

But it is reassuring to know that we're not the worst state in the country where making a living is difficult. In fact, we're not even among the top 5 toughest states, which is very surprising.

Earning a living is something to take pride in. But let's not pretend it's easy all the time. Far from it.

In fact, many of us have to work multiple jobs just to get by, which is really unfortunate. It's one thing if it's by choice, but a completely different situation when forced to do it.

Some states are naturally easier to make a living in where you can stretch your dollar further. It's one of the main reasons why so many in New Jersey consider fleeing in the first place.

But how much, exactly, does a single person have to earn just to get by in New Jersey? And how does that compare to the rest of the country?

Also, if you're thinking of moving, what states would you be able to stretch your dollar the most? The states with the lowest income required to get by might surprise you.

And when it comes to where you need to earn the most, New Jersey is still $47,948 lower than the highest U.S. state on this list. So rest assured, it could be much worse.

Again, New Jersey is still on the higher side, but our ranking across the nation might not be as high as you'd expect. Check out the national rankings below, followed by more stats regarding how much the average household actually earns living here in The Garden State.

New Jersey Not Among Top 5

It's surprising that New Jersey didn't land among the top 5 states with the highest required incomes per person needed just to get by. And although that's good news, we're still a bit on the higher side.

New Jersey landed the number 10 spot, which still isn't the greatest. However, it's also not that bad considering we have some of the highest taxes in the nation.

According to this report, an individual living in New Jersey needs to earn at least $64,463 to get by in the state. In comparison, the average income per household in New Jersey is $89,703 according to the most recent census.

That's $25,240 over what an individual needs to make to get by in The Garden State. Could be worse, but certainly better than nine other states.

The above post reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 Sunday morning host Mike Brant. Any opinions expressed are his own.