‘Should I stay or should I go?’ The price of being a New Jerseyan

Ask most longtime New Jersey residents how they’re feeling about money these days, and you might hear something that sounds a little like the urgent question from that classic Clash song — should I stay or should I go? Because when your property tax bill nudges past $10,000, energy rates climb into the double digits, and tolls seem to rise every year, you start to ask yourself that with a little less punk attitude and a lot more caffeine.

Rising property taxes in New Jersey push homeowners to the brink

Let’s start with the numbers most of us open with a sigh: property taxes. In 2024 the average New Jersey homeowner paid just over $10,095 — roughly 3% higher than the year before — and that bill is even higher here in 2025.
That’s a few hundred dollars more out of every paycheck that could have gone to things you actually enjoy.

Energy costs surge as families deal with higher bills 

And while taxes climb, so do the essentials. Electricity bills across the state have spiked as much as 17–20% in 2025, meaning many families are seeing $20–$30 more a month simply to keep the lights on.
A Stockton poll found that roughly 70% of New Jersey residents feel their energy costs have increased significantly over the past year and nearly half have had to reshuffle their budgets because of it.

Garden State toll increases add to the daily financial grind

Then there are the tolls — the unavoidable Garden State door fees for daily life. Whether you’re heading south on the Parkway or north on the Turnpike, the annual percentage increases feel a little like clockwork, adding a few bucks here and a few bucks there until it starts to sting.

No wonder so many longtime Jerseyans quietly pick up side hustles or second jobs. From weekend rideshare driving to freelance gigs online, people are stacking shifts so they can stay in the towns they love without sacrificing college funds, house repairs, or date nights. It’s a classic Jersey work ethic at play — fierce, practical, stubborn.

Why New Jerseyans stay despite soaring costs

But here’s the thing about us: we stay (well, most of us). We stay because we love where we live. We stay because this is where our kids go to school, where our neighbors bring casseroles, where Sunday dinner feels sacred. Rising costs might make us question our choices — should I stay or should I go? — but they rarely make most of us leave.
We just figure out how to keep paying the bills, keep cheering at high-school games, keep defending our favorite diners. Because in the end, the price of living here is more than dollars and percentages — it’s an investment in community, in family, in that stubborn little thing called home.