See which NJ metro area made it on the list of best places to live in the U.S.

Amanda Wallace , NorthJersey.com
·4 min read

As New Jerseyans, we know that there are plenty of great places to live in our state. We have our beautiful shore, no shortage of family-friendly suburbs, areas with a lot of night life, and more.

U.S. News and World Report recently released its list of the best places to live for quality of life in the United States in 2023-2024 and it is no surprise that a New Jersey metro made it onto the list ... but the one they chose might surprise you a little bit.

Coming in at No. 10 on best places to live in the U.S. based on quality of life according to U.S. News is Trenton.

In order to put together the list U.S. News evaluated data from sources such as the U.S. Census Bureau, the FBI, the U.S. Department of labor, and U.S. News' own internal resources.

They categorized the data into the four following indexes:

  • Quality of Life Index (36%) - crime rates per 100,000 people (25%); quality of education (19%); resident well-being (19%); average commute time (16%); quality and availability of health care (9%); air quality index (7%); and the Federal Emergency Management Agency's National Risk index (5%).

  • Value Index (23%) - housing affordability determined by dividing the blended annual housing cost by the blended median annual household income for each metro area (50%); and price parity index data for goods, housing, utilities, and other (50%).

  • Desirability Index (22%) - desirability to live in the area (65%); net migration which measures whether people are moving to or away from the metro area (15%); weather temperateness (10%); number of eating and drinking establishments per 100,000 people (10%).

  • Job Market Index (19%) - unemployment rate (50%) and average annual salary (50%).

The percent weight of each index is based on answers from a March 2023 national public survey in which people voted for what they believed was the most important factor to consider when choosing where to live.

So, based on that methodology, this is why Trenton is the 10th-best place to live for quality of life in the United States.

Trenton is the 10th best place to live for quality of life in the U.S.

New Jersey's capital city, Trenton has a rich history dating back to before the founding of the United States. It is within close proximity to the shore, Atlantic City, New York, and Philadelphia, leaving no shortage of things to do and employment opportunities.

According to U.S. News, the region is economically diverse with a high poverty rate in the city itself but various affluent towns surrounding it.

The area can be difficult during rush hour but there are plenty of public transportation options available.

The Trenton metro area is pretty affordable, with the average median sale price for a single-family home falling below the national median.

Some quick stats about the Trenton Metro include:

  • Metro population: 384,951

  • Median home price: $344,842

  • Median monthly rent: $1,361

  • Median age: 38.9 years old

  • Average annual salary: $71,600

  • Unemployment rate: 8.1%

"The Trenton metro area is filled with young adults due to the colleges that call the area home," writes U.S. News' Danielle Cerrato. "The area is popular with young families, who are attracted to Trenton for its public school system, parks, low cost of living and extensive shopping centers. The family-friendly parks are also a good place to bring dogs to exercise."

There are plenty of things to do in the Trenton metro area such as spending time in nature at Mercer Meadows or on the Delaware River, taking advantage of the many nightlife options that the area has to offer, shopping at the mall and markets, visiting interesting attractions such as Grounds for Sculpture, or so much more.

As for other lists, Trenton finished at 71 on the list for overall best places to live and 20 on the list of best places to retire.

For more details about U.S. News and World Report's analysis of Trenton, click here.

The best places to live in the U.S. for quality of life

Here is the full list of best places to live for quality of life according to the U.S. News report:

  • Ann Arbor, Michigan

  • Boulder, Colorado

  • Madison, Wisconsin

  • San Jose, California

  • Portland, Maine

  • Boston, Massachusetts

  • Green Bay, Wisconsin

  • Hartford, Connecticut

  • Rochester, New York

  • Trenton, New Jersey

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Trenton NJ makes list for best places to live in the US