Here’s what we in NJ are paying just for our backyards

House prices still seem to be rising and when you think about exactly what you’re spending your money on in a house.

There are certain things you know that are going to set you back a lot. An updated kitchen, sparkling new bathrooms, a big backyard. But do you ever think about exactly how much that big backyard is costing you?

A new study has revealed the average price of property yards throughout all 50 states.
The study by The Robert Dekanski Team did a deep dive into yard prices across the nation suggests that we are all paying way too much for our backyards.

They crunched Zillow numbers to reveal how much Americans are dishing out per square foot of yard space.

Guess who's leading the pricey-yard pack? None other than California, where a square foot of outdoor space will set you back a jaw-dropping $80.32, over 215% higher than the national average. Hawaii isn't far behind, with a yard tab of $77.13 per square foot.

Here in New Jersey, for example, we’re running in 8th place where yard space is running about $42.01 per square foot, way above the national average of $25.44.

Not that New York, Washington and Massachusetts are giving you any kind of bargain!

Even if you're not living it up in one of those high-roller states, you might still be paying above the national average.

Now you may wonder, while we are all overpaying here in the Northeast, what states have yards that are a bargain?

Well, Alaska is the biggest bargain there is when it comes to backyard space. For just $2.15 per square foot.

You’ve got yourself an Alaskan backyard that is probably going to be covered with snow a good part of the year but then again, the study shows that Alaska has the largest average yard side size in the nation so you can enjoy tons of outdoor space.

If you don’t mind living in Alaska, that is.

The differences in the land prices in different parts of the country are really amazing.

Whether you're living it up in the Golden State or chilling out in the Last Frontier, the cost and size of your outdoor oasis are anything but uniform.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Judi Franco 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.

Report a correction 👈 | 👉 Contact our newsroom