New Jersey featured in state complaining and livability rankings

New Jersey has been featured in two distinct recent reports regarding state and local rankings. A study reported by Preply ranked U.S. states by their level of complaining, placing New Jersey 16th in the country with a score of 90.34. Mississippi was identified as the state that complains the most, while Georgia was ranked as the state that complains the least.

Separately, U.S. News and World Report released its 2026-2027 rankings for the best places to live in New Jersey. The list includes several urban areas such as Elizabeth (#7), Paterson (#9), Newark (#11), and Camden (#12). Critics of the list suggest that the methodology, which emphasizes affordability and job availability, may prioritize lower-cost urban environments over more traditionally desirable residential towns.