New Jersey to Colorado Moving Guide
Updated June 17, 2025

Planning a 1,844 mile interstate move from New Jersey to Colorado? This moving guide will help you compare living in New Jersey vs Colorado across 7 important categories. Compare the pros & cons (like harsh winters vs milder climate), food & health (like Pork Roll/Taylor Ham vs Rocky Mountain Oysters), real estate & housing (colonial and victorian vs ranch and mountain-style), weather & wardrobe, cost of living & taxes (it's more expensive in New Jersey), politics & religion, and education.
Key Takeaways:
- Say goodbye to Pork Roll/Taylor Ham and Italian Sub (Hoagie), but get your taste buds ready for Rocky Mountain Oysters & Bison Burger
- Colorado housing costs are 7% more expensive than they are in New Jersey
- Rent in Colorado is 17.33% more affordable than in New Jersey
- Moving from New Jersey to Colorado will cost on average between $2,000 - $8,000
- Our top recommended New Jersey to Colorado movers is Movemasters, Inc.
New Jersey to Colorado Moving Guide
Pros and Cons of Moving from New Jersey to Colorado
- Harsh winters
- High property taxes
- Traffic congestion
- Limited outdoor activities
- Dense urban areas
- Milder climate
- Lower cost of living
- Scenic drives
- Extensive hiking trails
- Wide open spaces
- Smaller towns
- Landlocked state
- Limited public transport
- Far from major cities
- Fewer historical sites
- Cultural diversity
- Beach access
- Extensive transit options
- Proximity to NYC
- Rich history
Pros of moving from New Jersey to Colorado
- Say goodbye to harsh winters and hello to a milder climate
- Look forward to moving away from high property taxes and moving to Colorado with a lower cost of living
- Swap the traffic congestion of New Jersey for scenic drives in Colorado
- Get ready for extensive hiking trails in Colorado
Cons of moving from New Jersey to Colorado
- Unfortunately, you'll be moving away from cultural diversity in New Jersey to live in smaller towns in Colorado
- You'll lose out on the pro of beach access and have to settle for the con of a landlocked state
- Time to bid farewell to extensive transit options and get used to limited public transport in Colorado
- Swap proximity to NYC for being far from major cities
New Jersey vs. Colorado: Comparing the Local Foodie Scene
Comparison | New Jersey | Colorado |
---|---|---|
Most iconic local food item | Pork Roll/Taylor Ham | Rocky Mountain Oysters |
Most popular meat dish | Italian Sub (Hoagie) | Bison Burger |
Most popular street food item | Salt Water Taffy | Breakfast Burrito |
Most popular vegan food | Impossible Burger | Quinoa Salad |
Top 3 iconic restaurants that summarize the state |
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Fitness/Health Conscientiousness | πͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺ | πͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺ |
Abundance of Food Trucks | ππππππππππ | ππππππππππ |
Foodie Scene | π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄ | π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄ |
Vegan Friendly | π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π± | π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π± |
If you're moving from New Jersey to Colorado, you will be trading the iconic Pork Roll/Taylor Ham of New Jersey for the equally delicious Rocky Mountain Oysters of Colorado. And while the locals in New Jersey rave about their flavorful Italian Sub (Hoagie) and sumptuous Salt Water Taffy, Colorado residents know they have tasty Bison Burger and Breakfast Burrito to savor. While the vegan transplants might be saying goodbye to the Impossible Burger they've grown to love, they can get ready for the Quinoa Salad of Colorado. In the days before your move, make sure you get one final trip to iconic New Jersey eateries like Carlo's Bakery, Don's Deli, and White House Sub Shop. After the boxes are unpacked in Colorado, don't wait too long before making your way to Colorado's acclaimed eateries like The Buckhorn Exchange, Beau Jo's Pizza, and Original Pancake House Denver.
When comparing lifestyles, Colorado shows a greater emphasis on fitness and health consciousness than New Jersey. Food truck fans will discover a greater selection in Colorado, compared to what you are used to in New Jersey. Also, the overall foodie scene is more bustling in Colorado.
Real Estate & Lifestyle Differences between New Jersey and Colorado
Comparison | New Jersey | Colorado |
---|---|---|
Typical Architecture Style | Colonial and Victorian | Ranch and Mountain-style |
Walkability | ππππππππππ | ππππππππππ |
Bikeability | π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π² | π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π² |
Urban Lifestyle | ποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈ | ποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈ |
Most popular items mentioned in real estate listing | Close to transit, hardwood floors | Mountain views, open spaces |
- The Colonial and Victorian architecture that New Jersey is known for will be replaced with the Ranch and Mountain-style architecture typical of Colorado.
- Compared to New Jersey's real estate listings that commonly reference proximity to transit and hardwood floors, Colorado real estate listings often highlight features like mountain views and open spaces.
- You can keep your walking shoes packed away; Colorado is less walkable than New Jersey.
- Make sure the movers take care of your bike; Colorado is more bike-friendly than New Jersey.
- Colorado has less of an urban feel than New Jersey.
- Colorado housing costs are 7% more expensive than they are in New Jersey, with a median home price of $549,126 compared to New Jerseyβs $512,908.
- Over the prior 5 years, home prices in Colorado have increased by 40% compared to a 50% increase in New Jersey.
- Rent in Colorado is 17.33% more affordable than in New Jersey.
Your Move, Your Forecast: Key Weather Differences between New Jersey and Colorado
Comparison | New Jersey | Colorado |
---|---|---|
Days of Sunshine per Year | βοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈ | βοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈ |
Avg. Annual Humidity | π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦ | π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦ |
Avg. UV Index | πΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈ | πΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈ |
Natural Disasters | Hurricanes, Nor'easters | Wildfires, Avalanches |
Air Quality | Good to Moderate | Mostly Good |
Average Summer High/Low (Β°F) | 85Β°F / 66Β°F | 90Β°F / 60Β°F |
Average Winter High/Low (Β°F) | 40Β°F / 25Β°F | 45Β°F / 15Β°F |
Annual Rainfall (Inches) | 47 | 15.6 |
Annual Snowfall (Inches) | 23 | 60 |
- Break out the sunglasses for your move from New Jersey to Colorado. Colorado gets 19% more sunshine days than New Jersey.
- Colorado has lower humidity and a higher average UV index compared to New Jersey.
- Say goodbye to the possible hurricanes and nor'easters in New Jersey, but be on the lookout for potential wildfires and avalanches in Colorado.
- Get ready for warmer summers. The average summer high temperature in Colorado is 5 degrees warmer than New Jersey.
- The average winter lows are 10 degrees colder than they are in New Jersey.
- Your umbrella might be neglected in Colorado. Colorado receives 31.4 fewer inches of rain compared to New Jersey.
Financial & Community Snapshot: New Jersey and Colorado
Comparison | New Jersey | Colorado |
---|---|---|
Avg. Household Income | $96,346 | $89,302 |
Cost of Living Index | 129.7 | 98.3 |
State Income Tax | 5.525 | 4.55 |
Avg. Property Tax | 2.20 | 0.51 |
Avg. Sales Tax | 6.60 | 7.65 |
Top 3 Industries | Finance, Healthcare, Technology | Technology, Tourism, Agriculture |
Affluence | High | Moderate |
Poverty | Moderate | Low |
Homelessness | Moderate | Moderate |
- When it comes to your monthly paycheck, residents in Colorado tend to earn about 7% less than in New Jersey
- The COLI in Colorado will be 24% lower than what you are used to living in New Jersey
- The state income tax in CO is 4.55 compared to 5.525 in NJ
- The affluence in Colorado is moderate compared to high in New Jersey
- The poverty level is low in Colorado compared to moderate in New Jersey
- In terms of homelessness, it is moderate in New Jersey and moderate in Colorado
Political and Religious Climate in New Jersey vs. Colorado
Comparison | New Jersey | Colorado |
---|---|---|
Political Make-up | Liberal/Democratic-leaning | Moderately liberal, swing state |
Local Politics | Highly Democratic in urban areas | Democratic in urban centers, Republican in rural |
Religion | Diverse; Catholic, Jewish, Muslim communities | Diverse; Protestant and Catholic, growing non-religious population |
- New Jersey tends to lean Liberal/Democratic in its political climate
- Colorado, on the other hand, is often described as moderately liberal and a swing state
- Colorado's religious environment can be described as diverse with Protestant and Catholic communities and a growing non-religious population
- New Jersey's residents' religious practices can be generally categorized as diverse with Catholic, Jewish, and Muslim communities
Education Guide When Moving from New Jersey to Colorado
Comparison | New Jersey | Colorado |
---|---|---|
Where most Seniors go to college (top 3) | Rutgers University Princeton University The College of New Jersey | University of Colorado Boulder Colorado State University University of Denver |
Top 3 Elementary Schools | Littlebrook Elementary School Princeton; Princeton Charter School Princeton; Riverside Elementary School Princeton | Bromwell Elementary School Denver; Cory Elementary School Denver; Parker Core Knowledge Charter School Parker |
Top 3 Middle Schools | Community Middle School Plainsboro; Thomas R. Grover Middle School West Windsor; Millburn Middle School Millburn | DSST: Stapleton Middle School Denver; Connect Charter School Pueblo; Kinard Core Knowledge Middle School Fort Collins |
Top 3 High Schools | High Technology High School Lincroft; Bergen County Academies Hackensack; Princeton High School Princeton | Cherry Creek High School Greenwood Village; D'Evelyn Junior/Senior High School Denver; Fairview High School Boulder |
Top 3 private high schools | The Pingry School Basking Ridge; Newark Academy Livingston; The Lawrenceville School Lawrenceville | The Kent Denver School Englewood; Colorado Academy Denver; The St. Mary's Academy Englewood |
Top 3 private K-12 schools | Princeton Day School Princeton; The Morristown-Beard School Morristown; Wardlaw+Hartridge School Edison | Colorado Springs School Colorado Springs; Vail Mountain School Vail; Fountain Valley School Colorado Springs |
Top 3 School Districts | Princeton Public Schools; Millburn Township Schools; West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District | Cherry Creek School District Greenwood Village; Boulder Valley School District Boulder; Douglas County School District Castle Rock |
How Much Do New Jersey to Colorado Movers Cost?
Moving 1,844 miles from New Jersey to Colorado will typically cost between $3,500 and $8,000 to hire full service movers. See the chart below for a detailed breakdown by home size.
- Expected Range: $3,500 - $8,000
- Expected Time To Complete: 3-10 days
- Most Affordable Recommended Movers: Express Haulers
HOME SIZE | MOVING COST | VOLUME OF PACKED ITEMS (FT3) | $/FT3 |
---|---|---|---|
Studio | $2,248 | 300 ft3 | $7.49 |
1 Bedroom | $3,349 | 450 ft3 | $7.44 |
2 Bedrooms | $5,545 | 750 ft3 | $7.39 |
3 Bedrooms | $8,077 | 1100 ft3 | $7.34 |
4 Bedrooms | $11,669 | 1600 ft3 | $7.29 |
5+ Bedrooms | $13,037 | 1800 ft3 | $7.24 |
Top New Jersey to Colorado Movers
Read our in-depth analysis of the best New Jersey to Colorado movers with detailed rankings, cost breakdowns, and reviews.

Movemasters, Inc.
Best moving company overall for New Jersey to Colorado