Census ACS 2023 · 18 metrics compared
California vs New Jersey
California and New Jersey compared across 18 demographic and economic metrics. New Jersey leads in 7 of the comparable categories.
5
California wins
7
New Jersey wins
| Metric | California | New Jersey |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 39,242,785 | 9,267,014 |
| Median Age | 37.6 | 40.1 |
| Median Household Income | $96,334 | $101,050 |
| Per Capita Income | $47,977 | $53,118 |
| Poverty Rate | 8.4% | 7.0% |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.1% | 4.1% |
| Median Home Value | $695,400 | $427,600 |
| Median Rent | $1,956 | $1,653 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.8% | 63.7% |
| Bachelor's Degree+ | 36.5% | 42.9% |
| High School+ | 84.6% | 90.7% |
| Work From Home | 15.5% | 15.0% |
| Avg Commute (min) | 29.0 | 30.9 |
| White | 44.0% | 56.9% |
| Hispanic | 2.8% | 1.2% |
| Black | 5.5% | 13.0% |
| Asian | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Foreign Born | 15.2% | 22.9% |
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Frequently Asked Questions
California has a population of 39,242,785 compared to New Jersey's 9,267,014.
Across the metrics compared, California leads in 5 categories while New Jersey leads in 7. However, "better" depends on what matters most to you — income, cost of living, education, climate, and personal preferences all play a role.
All data from the American Community Survey (ACS) 2023 5-Year estimates by the US Census Bureau.
Comparison based on American Community Survey 2023 5-Year estimates. Green highlighting indicates the "better" value where applicable (higher income is better, lower poverty is better, etc.). Race and ethnicity metrics are not highlighted as there is no "better" value.