MORRISTOWN, N.J. – Of all the less-than-enviable stats attributable to Trenton these days, this one might be the worst (and the most telling).
According to a new survey conducted through a joint initiative by Garden State Initiative (GSI) and Fairleigh Dickinson University’s School of Public & Global Affairs, “44% of New Jersey residents are planning to leave the state in the not so distant future with more than 1 in 4 (28%) planning to depart the Garden State within 5 years.”
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The situation gets worse the further you dig:
- Overall, 39% of N.J. adults say they’re thinking about leaving within 10 years and an additional 5% say they’re likely to leave, too, but further out than 10 years.
- 40% of young residents (18-29) plan to move away within the next five years.
- 33% of residents close to retirement (50-64) are also eyeing an exist within the next five years.
“These results should alarm every elected official and policymaker in New Jersey,” said GSI president Regina M. Egea. “We have a crisis of confidence in the ability of our leaders to address property taxes and the cost of living whether at the start of their career, in prime earning years, or repositioning for retirement, New Jersey residents see greener pastures in other states. This crisis presents a profound challenge to our state as we are faced with a generation of young residents looking elsewhere to build their careers, establish families and make investments like homeownership.”
Click here to review the full report.
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