There are lots of wonderful places to live around the country. I just happen to not want to live in any of them unless they are in New Jersey.  Why? Because I love it here that’s why. I know it is overpriced, but this is where I was born and raised, and for my money, you can’t beat it.

A national study was just released by U.S. News & World Report today for the 2022-2023 rankings and they too agree that New Jersey has one of the best cities to live in, but I'm straight up perplexed why they highlighted that one that they did.

First, I'll tell you what cities U.S. News & World Report determined to be the top three most desirable cities to live in nationwide. They are weird choices as well. Let’s see what you think.

The number one place to live according to U.S. News & World Report is Huntsville, Alabama.  No thanks. There is so much low-hanging fruit here I'm just not going to pick it. Not for a thousand pickup trucks would I live there.

Next, was Colorado Springs, Colorado…I’ve never been there, but I hear it is pretty beautiful. However, it is too far away from New York City so nope!

Then in third place, we have Green Bay, Wisconsin.  Are you kidding me? They use cheese brine to salt their streets in the winter, literally, the whole place stinks of cheese.

I’m equally confused by the city they picked as one of our best in New Jersey as well.  Of all the cities New Jersey has to offer, many of them by the ocean, I’m shaking my head at their choice of our state’s capital, Trenton.

U.S. News & World Report claims that state capitals don’t tend to get much love on lists like these, but there are reasons for Trenton to have earned a top spot:

The diverse, scenic Trenton metro area mixes the old and new.  With a history that predates the founding of the U.S., New Jersey's capital city was the location of Revolutionary War battles and is home to a number of museums. Yet, it still has a variety of modern attractions and entertainment, and its proximity to the Delaware River means locals can participate in aquatic sports and enjoy an assortment of wildlife.

I dunno, what do you think?  What about a Jersey Shore or South Jersey town?  Something with a bit more salt air perhaps?  What would your vote be for the best New Jersey city?

I decided to run down the alphabet to explain why Jersey is better than every other state.  Here you go!

The Joyous Jersey Shore and Why We Love it: From A to Z

I do have to be real though, the property taxes here at home are insane.  Here is a list of our towns and taxes.  Where do you fall?

2021 NJ property taxes: See how your town compares

Find your municipality in this alphabetical list to see how its average property tax bill for 2021 compares to others. You can also see how much the average bill changed from 2020. For an interactive map version, click here. And for the full analysis by New Jersey 101.5, read this story.

 

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