Purchasing Power of $100 Comparison
Income

Massachusetts vs New Jersey: Purchasing Power of $100

$100 goes further in Massachusetts: about $95.55 in local buying power versus $93.45 in New Jersey, a $2.10 gap.

Massachusetts flag
Massachusetts
MA • Northeast
Winner
$95.55
Real local value of $100 after adjusting for BEA Regional Price Parities.
New Jersey flag
New Jersey
NJ • Northeast
$93.45
Real local value of $100 after adjusting for BEA Regional Price Parities.

Visual Comparison

Massachusetts $95.55
New Jersey $93.45

Difference: $2 — Massachusetts leads.

Safety Context

Economic and demographic factors behind the violent crime rate difference.

Safety
Real Dollar Value

Massachusetts stretches $100 further

A national-average $100 buys about $95.55 of local goods and services in Massachusetts, compared with $93.45 in New Jersey.

BEA Price Index

Massachusetts has the lower official price level

BEA Regional Price Parity is lower in Massachusetts (110.4) than in New Jersey (112.9), which is why the same cash buys more there.

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Income Check

New Jersey has the higher median income

Purchasing power does not replace income. New Jersey has a median household income of $97,126, versus $96,505 in Massachusetts.

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Living Costs

New Jersey also looks cheaper on the cost index

New Jersey's cost-of-living index is 121.7, compared with 148.8 in the other state.

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What This Means

Massachusetts vs New Jersey: Purchasing Power of $100 in context

Massachusetts has a purchasing power of $100 of $95.55, compared with $93.45 in New Jersey. Real local value of $100 after adjusting for BEA Regional Price Parities.

Massachusetts
$95.55
New Jersey
$93.45
Difference
$2

People Also Ask

Massachusetts vs New Jersey Purchasing Power of $100 — Common Questions

Q What is Massachusetts's purchasing power of $100?

Massachusetts's purchasing power of $100 is $95.55.

Q What is New Jersey's purchasing power of $100?

New Jersey's purchasing power of $100 is $93.45.

Q Which state has a higher purchasing power of $100 — Massachusetts or New Jersey?

$100 goes further in Massachusetts: about $95.55 in local buying power versus $93.45 in New Jersey, a $2.10 gap.

Sources: Core demographic data comes from the 2020 U.S. Census, with land area from U.S. Census Bureau TIGER files. Income, housing, affordability, and tax fields are maintained in our comparison dataset; purchasing-power figures use BEA Regional Price Parities. Minimum wage data comes from the U.S. Department of Labor, gas prices from AAA, and electricity rates from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Political control and election fields use 2024 presidential results together with National Conference of State Legislatures data. Gun-law labels use the Giffords scorecard, alcohol system data comes from NABCA, and marijuana status uses NCSL's state cannabis laws tracker.