New Jersey to Utah Moving Guide
Updated June 7, 2025

Planning a 2,209 mile interstate move from New Jersey to Utah? This moving guide will help you compare living in New Jersey vs Utah across 7 important categories. Compare the pros & cons (like high cost of living vs lower cost of living), food & health (like Taylor Ham, Egg, and Cheese vs Fry Sauce), real estate & housing (colonial, victorian vs ranch, craftsman), weather & wardrobe, cost of living & taxes (it's more expensive in New Jersey), politics & religion, and education.
Key Takeaways:
- Say goodbye to Taylor Ham, Egg, and Cheese and Italian Hot Dog, but get your taste buds ready for Fry Sauce & Mormon Funeral Potatoes (with ham)
- Utah housing costs are 1% more expensive than they are in New Jersey
- Rent in Utah is 31.31% more affordable than in New Jersey
- Moving from New Jersey to Utah will cost on average between $2,500 - $9,000
- Our top recommended New Jersey to Utah movers is Big G Movers, INC
New Jersey to Utah Moving Guide
Pros and Cons of Moving from New Jersey to Utah
- High cost of living
- Heavy traffic
- Harsh winter weather
- Busy lifestyle
- Lower cost of living
- Less congestion
- Milder winters
- Slower pace
- Fewer historical sites
- No ocean
- Quieter evening scene
- Limited food options
- Rich cultural history
- Beautiful coastline
- Vibrant nightlife
- Diverse cuisine
Pros of moving from New Jersey to Utah
- Say goodbye to the high cost of living and hello to the lower cost of living
- Look forward to moving away from heavy traffic and moving to Utah with less congestion
- Swap the harsh winter weather of New Jersey for milder winters in Utah
- Get ready for a slower pace in Utah
Cons of moving from New Jersey to Utah
- Unfortunately, you'll be moving away from the rich cultural history in New Jersey to live with fewer historical sites in Utah
- You'll lose out on the pro of a beautiful coastline and have to settle with the con of no ocean
- Time to bid farewell to vibrant nightlife and get used to a quieter evening scene in Utah
- Swap diverse cuisine for limited food options
New Jersey vs. Utah: Comparing the Local Foodie Scene
Comparison | New Jersey | Utah |
---|---|---|
Most iconic local food item | Taylor Ham, Egg, and Cheese | Fry Sauce |
Most popular meat dish | Italian Hot Dog | Mormon Funeral Potatoes (with ham) |
Most popular street food item | Pork Roll | Navajo Taco |
Most popular vegan food | Vegetable Samosa | Avocado Toast |
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 Utah, you will be trading the iconic Taylor Ham, Egg, and Cheese of New Jersey for the equally delicious Fry Sauce of Utah. And while the locals in New Jersey rave about their flavorful Italian Hot Dog and sumptuous Pork Roll, Utah residents know they have tasty Mormon Funeral Potatoes (with ham) and Navajo Taco to savor. While the vegan transplants might be saying goodbye to the Vegetable Samosa they've grown to love, they can get ready for the Avocado Toast of Utah. In the days before your move, make sure you get one final trip to iconic New Jersey eateries like Don's Deli, Carlo's Bakery, and Stage Left Steak. After the boxes are unpacked in Utah, don't wait too long before making your way to Utah's acclaimed eateries like Red Iguana, Blue Plate Diner, and HSL.
When comparing lifestyles, Utah shows a greater emphasis on fitness and health consciousness than New Jersey. Food truck fans will discover a greater selection in Utah compared to what you are used to in New Jersey. Also, the overall foodie scene is less bustling in Utah.
Real Estate & Lifestyle Differences between New Jersey and Utah
Comparison | New Jersey | Utah |
---|---|---|
Typical Architecture Style | Colonial, Victorian | Ranch, Craftsman |
Walkability | ππππππππππ | ππππππππππ |
Bikeability | π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π² | π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π² |
Urban Lifestyle | ποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈ | ποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈ |
Most popular items mentioned in real estate listing | Close to NYC, Public Transit | Mountain views, Outdoor activities |
- The Colonial and Victorian architecture that New Jersey is known for will be replaced with the Ranch and Craftsman architecture typical of Utah.
- Compared to New Jersey's real estate listings that commonly reference proximity to NYC and public transit, Utah real estate listings often highlight features like mountain views and outdoor activities.
- You can keep your walking shoes packed away; Utah is less walkable than New Jersey.
- Make sure the movers take care of your bike; Utah is more bike-friendly than New Jersey.
- Utah has less of an urban feel than New Jersey.
- Utah housing costs are 1% more expensive than they are in New Jersey, with a median home price of $519,182 compared to New Jerseyβs $512,908.
- Over the prior 5 years, home prices in Utah have increased by 56% compared to a 50% increase in New Jersey.
- Rent in Utah is 31.31% more affordable than in New Jersey.
Your Move, Your Forecast: Key Weather Differences between New Jersey and Utah
Comparison | New Jersey | Utah |
---|---|---|
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, Flooding | Wildfires, Earthquakes |
Air Quality | Moderate | Varies; often good but poor during winter inversions |
Average Summer High/Low (Β°F) | 85/66 | 90/68 |
Average Winter High/Low (Β°F) | 40/25 | 37/20 |
Annual Rainfall (Inches) | 47 | 20 |
Annual Snowfall (Inches) | 23 | 56 |
- Break out the sunglasses for your move from New Jersey to Utah. Utah gets 16% more sunshine days than New Jersey.
- Utah has lower humidity and a higher average UV index compared to New Jersey.
- Say goodbye to the possible hurricanes and flooding in New Jersey, but be on the lookout for potential wildfires and earthquakes in Utah.
- Get ready for warmer summers. The average summer high temperature in Utah is 5 degrees warmer than in New Jersey.
- The average winter lows are 5 degrees colder than they are in New Jersey.
- Your umbrella might be neglected in Utah. Utah receives 27 fewer inches of rain compared to New Jersey.
Financial & Community Snapshot: New Jersey and Utah
Comparison | New Jersey | Utah |
---|---|---|
Avg. Household Income | $96,346 | $89,168 |
Cost of Living Index | 129.7 | 95.75 |
State Income Tax | 10.75% | 5% |
Avg. Property Tax | 2.49% | 0.66% |
Avg. Sales Tax | 6.63% | 6.10% |
Top 3 Industries | Pharmaceuticals, Finance, Transportation | Technology, Mining, Tourism |
Affluence | High | Moderate |
Poverty | Low | Moderate |
Homelessness | Moderate | Low |
- When it comes to your monthly paycheck, residents in Utah tend to earn about 7% less than those in New Jersey
- The COLI in Utah is 26% lower than what you are used to living in New Jersey
- The state income tax in Utah is 5% compared to 10.75% in New Jersey
- The affluence in Utah is moderate compared to high in New Jersey
- The poverty level is moderate in Utah compared to low in New Jersey
- In terms of homelessness, it is moderate in New Jersey and low in Utah
Political and Religious Climate in New Jersey vs. Utah
Comparison | New Jersey | Utah |
---|---|---|
Political Make-up | Democratic-leaning | Republican-leaning |
Local Politics | Liberal social policies | Conservative social policies |
Religion | Diverse, Catholic majority | Latter-day Saints majority |
- New Jersey tends to lean Democratic-leaning in its political climate
- Utah, on the other hand, is often described as Republican-leaning
- Utah's religious environment can be described as a Latter-day Saints majority
- New Jersey's residents' religious practices can be generally categorized as diverse and Catholic majority
Education Guide When Moving from New Jersey to Utah
Comparison | New Jersey | Utah |
---|---|---|
Where most Seniors go to college (top 3) | Rutgers University Princeton University The College of New Jersey | University of Utah Brigham Young University Utah State University |
Top 3 Elementary Schools | Littlebrook Elementary School (Princeton) Old Greenwich School (Old Greenwich) Hawes Elementary School (Ridgewood) | Edgemont Elementary School (Provo) Hawthorne Elementary School (Salt Lake City) Wasatch Elementary School (Ogden) |
Top 3 Middle Schools | Princeton Charter School (Princeton) Thomas Grover Middle School (West Windsor) Community Middle School (Plainsboro) | Butler Middle School (Cottonwood Heights) Mountain Ridge Junior High (Highland) Centennial Middle School (Provo) |
Top 3 High Schools | High Technology High School (Lincroft) Bergen County Technical High School (Teterboro) Bergen County Academies (Hackensack) | Academy for Math Engineering & Science (Salt Lake City) Northern Utah Academy for Math Engineering & Science (Layton) Skyline High School (Salt Lake City) |
Top 3 private high schools | The Lawrenceville School (Lawrenceville) The Pingry School (Basking Ridge) Newark Academy (Livingston) | Rowland Hall (Salt Lake City) The Waterford School (Sandy) Madeleine Choir School (Salt Lake City) |
Top 3 private K-12 schools | The Pingry School (Basking Ridge) Newark Academy (Livingston) The Lawrenceville School (Lawrenceville) | The Waterford School (Sandy) Rowland Hall (Salt Lake City) Madeleine Choir School (Salt Lake City) |
Top 3 School Districts | Millburn Township Schools Princeton Public Schools West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District | Park City School District Grand County School District Logan City School District |
How Much Do New Jersey to Utah Movers Cost?
Moving 2,209 miles from New Jersey to Utah will typically cost between $3,500 and $9,000 to hire full service movers. See the chart below for a detailed breakdown by home size.
- Expected Range: $3,500 - $9,000
- Expected Time To Complete: 3-8 days
- Most Affordable Recommended Movers: Express Haulers
HOME SIZE | MOVING COST | VOLUME OF PACKED ITEMS (FT3) | $/FT3 |
---|---|---|---|
Studio | $2,455 | 300 ft3 | $8.18 |
1 Bedroom | $3,660 | 450 ft3 | $8.13 |
2 Bedrooms | $6,062 | 750 ft3 | $8.08 |
3 Bedrooms | $8,836 | 1100 ft3 | $8.03 |
4 Bedrooms | $12,772 | 1600 ft3 | $7.98 |
5+ Bedrooms | $14,279 | 1800 ft3 | $7.93 |
Top New Jersey to Utah Movers
Read our in-depth analysis of the best New Jersey to Utah movers with detailed rankings, cost breakdowns, and reviews.