💲 Your purchasing power can vary from county to county in NJ

💲 Three southern counties rank last in the state for purchasing power

💲 Some NJ counties rank in the top 30 nationally


The money you're earning can be stretched a little further in some parts of the Garden State.

Your purchasing power varies from county to county, according to a study from SmartAsset, a financial technology company.

SmartAsset compared the per-capita income of each county with the cost of living for each county, to determine where folks may get more bang for their buck.

"The biggest expenses we all face can vary significantly from one place to another," SmartAsset wrote. "Therefore, it's incredibly important to plan ahead before your big move. If not, you might be overwhelmed by higher costs in your new home."

SEE ALSO: Latest count confirms NJ is more packed than ever

Cost of living involves more than just housing. The analysis also looked at factors such as taxes, transportation, health care, and food.

NJ counties with greatest purchasing power

In the end, four counties in the northern half of the state were found to be the places where residents have the greatest purchasing power.

Three counties in the southern segment of New Jersey rank 19th, 20th, and 21st.

New Jersey's top 5 states also rank in the top 60 nationally.

21. Cumberland County

⚫ Median income: $62,310

⚫ Cost of living: $50,284

⚫ National rank: 1,753

20. Salem County

⚫ Median income: $73,378

⚫ Cost of living: $57,750

⚫ National rank: 1,554

19. Atlantic County

⚫ Median income: $73,113

⚫ Cost of living: $56,593

⚫ National rank: 1,388

18. Essex County

⚫ Median income: $73,785

⚫ Cost of living: $56,874

⚫ National rank: 1,349

17. Ocean County

⚫ Median income: $82,379

⚫ Cost of living: $60,149

⚫ National rank: 794

16. Camden County

⚫ Median income: $82,005

⚫ Cost of living: $58,783

⚫ National rank: 616

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15. Hudson County

⚫ Median income: $86,854

⚫ Cost of living: $61,901

⚫ National rank: 566

14. Burlington County

⚫ Median income: $102,615

⚫ Cost of living: $72,068

⚫ National rank: 451

13. Passaic County

⚫ Median income: $84,465

⚫ Cost of living: $58,540

⚫ National rank: 355

12. Middlesex County

⚫ Median income: $105,206

⚫ Cost of living: $72,561

⚫ National rank: 328

11. Cape May County

⚫ Median income: $83,870

⚫ Cost of living: $57,793

⚫ National rank: 321

10. Mercer County

⚫ Median income: $92,697

⚫ Cost of living: $63,477

⚫ National rank: 287

9. Warren County

⚫ Median income: $92,620

⚫ Cost of living: $61,593

⚫ National rank: 175

8. Sussex County

⚫ Median income: $111,094

⚫ Cost of living: $73,248

⚫ National rank: 153

SEE ALSO: Is NJ a good place for raising a family?

7. Union County

⚫ Median income: $95,000

⚫ Cost of living: $62,602

⚫ National rank: 151

6. Gloucester County

⚫ Median income: $99,668

⚫ Cost of living: $64,625

⚫ National rank: 116

5. Monmouth County

⚫ Median income: $118,527

⚫ Cost of living: $73,970

⚫ National rank: 55

4. Bergen County

⚫ Median income: $118,714

⚫ Cost of living: $73,057

⚫ National rank: 37

3. Somerset County

⚫ Median income: $131,948

⚫ Cost of living: $81,001

⚫ National rank: 33

2. Morris County

⚫ Median income: $130,808

⚫ Cost of living: $79,439

⚫ National rank: 23

1. Hunterdon County

⚫ Median income: $133,534

⚫ Cost of living: $80,989

⚫ National rank: 21

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