New Jersey's rankings are the strongets in these categories

If you live in New Jersey, you already know that some things in this state are awesome and other things downright stink.

The Strengths And Weaknesses Of New Jersey

A published study puts the spotlight on the good, bad, and ugly that make the Garden State the place it is.

The data was published by US News & World Report, and it ranks the Garden State in several critical categories.

Overall, New Jersey ranks as the #20 state in America, and here are the categories and the rankings that earned us that position on the list.

New Jersey's Critical Categories Ranked

In some categories, the ranking was about what you'd expect, but in others it was a bit surprising. Here are some examples.

When it comes to education, almost no one can touch us. New Jersey ranks an impressive #2 for education in the country. It is our strongest category.

We're also a state that can be proud of its healthcare. The Garden State ranks 6th for healthcare in America.

The Numbers New Jersey Is Not So Proud Of

Some of the rankings might make you wince. For instance, New Jersey is ranked as the 36th best state for economy, which many residents actually thought would be lower.

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But, without a doubt, New Jersey's weakest category in the study was fiscal stability. Few states have lower fiscal stability than New Jersey. We ranked a dismal #49 in that category.

The overall ranking of #20 isn't terrible, but I'm sure we'd all like that to be higher. For us, it always comes down to the money.

21 top spots to take a first-time visitor to New Jersey

Someone from out-of-state, or maybe even out of the country, is visiting New Jersey for the first time. Where do you take them? After grabbing a bagel and before chowing down on a slice of Jersey pizza, be sure to treat your out-of-town guest to a day in the Garden State with some of these places in mind.

Gallery Credit: Jen Ursillo

Significant or historical events in New Jersey for September (in chronological order)

Here are some of the historical or significant events that impacted New Jersey or happened in the Garden State during the month of September. Is there an event missing? Let us know with an email to dan.alexander@townsquaremedia.com.

Thanks to NewJerseyAlmanac.com for the assist.

Gallery Credit: Dan Alexander