West Virginia to New Jersey Moving Guide
Updated June 21, 2025

Planning a 464 mile interstate move from West Virginia to New Jersey? This moving guide will help you compare living in West Virginia vs New Jersey across 7 important categories. Compare the pros & cons (like limited job opportunities vs diverse job market), food & health (like Pepperoni Roll vs Taylor Ham/Pork Roll), real estate & housing (ranch, cape cod vs colonial, victorian), weather & wardrobe, cost of living & taxes (it's more expensive in New Jersey), politics & religion, and education.
Key Takeaways:
- Say goodbye to Pepperoni Roll and BBQ Pulled Pork, but get your taste buds ready for Taylor Ham/Pork Roll & Italian Hot Dog
- New Jersey housing costs are 218% more expensive than they are in West Virginia
- Rent in New Jersey is 145.38% more expensive than in West Virginia
- Moving from West Virginia to New Jersey will cost on average between $1,500 - $5,000
- Our top recommended West Virginia to New Jersey movers is Big G Movers, INC
West Virginia to New Jersey Moving Guide
Pros and Cons of Moving from West Virginia to New Jersey
- Limited job opportunities
- Fewer cultural events
- Isolated rural areas
- Limited public transit
- Less varied dining
- Diverse job market
- Vibrant cultural scene
- Urban connectivity
- Extensive transit network
- Rich culinary diversity
- High cost of living
- Heavily urbanized areas
- Fast-paced lifestyle
- Less community cohesion
- Frequent traffic jams
- Low cost of living
- Beautiful natural scenery
- Serene pace of life
- Close-knit communities
- Lack of traffic congestion
Pros of moving from West Virginia to New Jersey
- Say goodbye to limited job opportunities and hello to a diverse job market
- Look forward to moving away from fewer cultural events and moving to New Jersey with a vibrant cultural scene
- Swap the isolated rural areas of West Virginia for urban connectivity in New Jersey
- Get ready for an extensive transit network in New Jersey
Cons of moving from West Virginia to New Jersey
- Unfortunately, you'll be moving away from the low cost of living in West Virginia to live with the high cost of living in New Jersey
- You'll lose out on the pro of beautiful natural scenery and have to settle with the con of heavily urbanized areas
- Time to bid farewell to the serene pace of life and get used to a fast-paced lifestyle in New Jersey
- Swap close-knit communities for less community cohesion
West Virginia vs. New Jersey: Comparing the Local Foodie Scene
Comparison | West Virginia | New Jersey |
---|---|---|
Most iconic local food item | Pepperoni Roll | Taylor Ham/Pork Roll |
Most popular meat dish | BBQ Pulled Pork | Italian Hot Dog |
Most popular street food item | Hot Dogs | Salt Water Taffy |
Most popular vegan food | Wild Ramp Dishes | Jersey Fresh Tomato Dishes |
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 West Virginia to New Jersey, you will be trading the iconic Pepperoni Roll of West Virginia for the equally delicious Taylor Ham/Pork Roll of New Jersey. And while the locals in West Virginia rave about their flavorful BBQ Pulled Pork and sumptuous Hot Dogs, New Jersey residents know they have tasty Italian Hot Dog and Salt Water Taffy to savor. While the vegan transplants might be saying goodbye to the Wild Ramp Dishes they've grown to love, they can get ready for the Jersey Fresh Tomato Dishes of New Jersey. In the days before your move, make sure you get one final trip to iconic West Virginia eateries like Pies & Pints, Seneca Caverns, and Tamarack. After the boxes are unpacked in New Jersey, don't wait too long before making your way to New Jersey's acclaimed eateries like Carlo's Bakery, Don's Original, and Stage Left.
When comparing lifestyles, New Jersey shows a greater emphasis on fitness and health consciousness than West Virginia. Food truck fans will discover a greater selection in New Jersey compared to what you are used to in West Virginia. Also, the overall foodie scene is more bustling in New Jersey.
Real Estate & Lifestyle Differences between West Virginia and New Jersey
Comparison | West Virginia | New Jersey |
---|---|---|
Typical Architecture Style | Ranch, Cape Cod | Colonial, Victorian |
Walkability | ππππππππππ | ππππππππππ |
Bikeability | π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π² | π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π² |
Urban Lifestyle | ποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈ | ποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈ |
Most popular items mentioned in real estate listing | Natural surroundings, Privacy | Proximity to NYC, Public transit options |
- The Ranch and Cape Cod architecture that West Virginia is known for will be replaced with the Colonial and Victorian architecture typical of New Jersey.
- Compared to West Virginia's real estate listings that commonly reference natural surroundings and privacy, New Jersey real estate listings often highlight features like proximity to NYC and public transit options.
- Make sure you unpack those walking shoes; New Jersey is more walkable than West Virginia.
- Make sure the movers take care of your bike; New Jersey is more bike-friendly than West Virginia.
- New Jersey has more of an urban feel than West Virginia.
- New Jersey housing costs are 218% more expensive than they are in West Virginia, with a median home price of $512,908 compared to West Virginiaβs $161,063.
- Over the prior 5 years, home prices in New Jersey have increased by 50% compared to a 37% increase in West Virginia.
- Rent in New Jersey is 145.38% more expensive than in West Virginia.
Your Move, Your Forecast: Key Weather Differences between West Virginia and New Jersey
Comparison | West Virginia | New Jersey |
---|---|---|
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 | Floods, Winter Storms | Hurricanes, Winter Storms |
Air Quality | Generally Good | Variable, Urban areas worse |
Average Summer High/Low (Β°F) | 82Β°F / 61Β°F | 85Β°F / 66Β°F |
Average Winter High/Low (Β°F) | 41Β°F / 26Β°F | 40Β°F / 25Β°F |
Annual Rainfall (Inches) | 45" | 47" |
Annual Snowfall (Inches) | 33" | 23" |
- Break out the sunglasses for your move from West Virginia to New Jersey. New Jersey gets 26% more sunshine days than West Virginia.
- New Jersey has lower humidity and a lower average UV index compared to West Virginia.
- Say goodbye to the possible floods and winter storms in West Virginia, but be on the lookout for potential hurricanes and winter storms in New Jersey.
- The average summer high temperature in New Jersey is 3 degrees warmer than in West Virginia.
- The average winter lows in New Jersey are 1 degree colder than they are in West Virginia.
- Your umbrella might be more overworked in New Jersey. New Jersey receives 2 more inches of rain compared to West Virginia.
Financial & Community Snapshot: West Virginia and New Jersey
Comparison | West Virginia | New Jersey |
---|---|---|
Avg. Household Income | $54,329 | $96,346 |
Cost of Living Index | 95 | 129.7 |
State Income Tax | 3%-6.5% | 1.4%-10.75% |
Avg. Property Tax | 0.57% | 2.21% |
Avg. Sales Tax | 6% | 6.625% |
Top 3 Industries | Forestry, Mining, Manufacturing | Pharmaceuticals, Finance, IT |
Affluence | Modest | Affluent |
Poverty | Significant | Moderate |
Homelessness | Low | Moderate |
- When it comes to your monthly paycheck, residents in New Jersey tend to earn about 77% more than in West Virginia
- The COLI in New Jersey is 37% higher than what you are used to living in West Virginia
- The state income tax in NJ is 1.4%-10.75% compared to 3%-6.5% in WV
- The affluence in New Jersey is affluent compared to modest in West Virginia
- The poverty level is moderate in New Jersey compared to significant in West Virginia
- In terms of homelessness, it is low in West Virginia and moderate in New Jersey
Political and Religious Climate in West Virginia vs. New Jersey
Comparison | West Virginia | New Jersey |
---|---|---|
Political Make-up | Leans Republican | Leans Democratic |
Local Politics | Conservative Values | Progressive Values |
Religion | Christian Majority | Diverse Religious Landscape |
- West Virginia tends to lean Republican in its political climate
- New Jersey, on the other hand, is often described as leaning Democratic
- New Jersey's religious environment can be described as a diverse religious landscape
- West Virginia's residents' religious practices can be generally categorized as a Christian majority
Education Guide When Moving from West Virginia to New Jersey
Comparison | West Virginia | New Jersey |
---|---|---|
Where most Seniors go to college (top 3) | West Virginia University Marshall University West Virginia State University | Rutgers University Princeton University The College of New Jersey |
Top 3 Elementary Schools | North Elementary (Morgantown) Suncrest Primary School (Morgantown) Bridgeport Elementary School (Bridgeport) | Littlebrook Elementary School (Princeton) Hillside Elementary School (Montclair) Moss School (Metuchen) |
Top 3 Middle Schools | Mountaineer Middle School (Morgantown) Suncrest Middle School (Morgantown) Bridgeport Middle School (Bridgeport) | Community Middle School (Plainsboro) Thomas R. Grover Middle School (West Windsor) William R. Satz Middle School (Holmdel) |
Top 3 High School Schools | Bridgeport High School (Bridgeport) Morgantown High School (Morgantown) George Washington High School (Charleston) | Princeton High School (Princeton) Millburn High School (Millburn) Bergen County Academies (Hackensack) |
Top 3 private high schools | The Linsly School (Wheeling) Greenbrier Episcopal School (Lewisburg) Wheeling Country Day School (Wheeling) | Delbarton School (Morristown) The Pingry School (Basking Ridge) Bergen Catholic High School (Oradell) |
Top 3 private K-12 schools | Not available | Princeton Day School (Princeton) The Pennington School (Pennington) Morristown-Beard School (Morristown) |
Top 3 School Districts | Monongalia County Schools Harrison County Schools Kanawha County Schools | Princeton Public Schools Millburn Township Schools West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District |
How Much Do West Virginia to New Jersey Movers Cost?
Moving 464 miles from West Virginia to New Jersey will typically cost between $2,000 and $5,000 to hire full service movers. See the chart below for a detailed breakdown by home size.
- Expected Range: $2,000 - $5,000
- Expected Time To Complete: 3-10 days
- Most Affordable Recommended Movers: Express Haulers
HOME SIZE | MOVING COST | VOLUME OF PACKED ITEMS (FT3) | $/FT3 |
---|---|---|---|
Studio | $1,466 | 300 ft3 | $4.89 |
1 Bedroom | $2,176 | 450 ft3 | $4.84 |
2 Bedrooms | $3,589 | 750 ft3 | $4.79 |
3 Bedrooms | $5,209 | 1100 ft3 | $4.74 |
4 Bedrooms | $7,496 | 1600 ft3 | $4.69 |
5+ Bedrooms | $8,343 | 1800 ft3 | $4.64 |
Top West Virginia to New Jersey Movers
Read our in-depth analysis of the best West Virginia to New Jersey movers with detailed rankings, cost breakdowns, and reviews.

Big G Movers, INC
Best moving company overall for West Virginia to New Jersey