Moving to New Jersey

Quick facts

New Jersey's single most distinctive, relocation-relevant tax fact is its real, substantial, and genuinely nation-leading property tax burden: Tax Foundation's 2026 figure puts New Jersey's statewide average effective property tax rate at 1.88% of owner-occupied housing value -- the highest in the nation, tied with Illinois -- set town-by-town and layered with separate school and county levies, so some North Jersey municipalities run well above even that average while others, including Newark itself, genuinely run below it. Layered on top is New Jersey's real, genuinely graduated income tax -- seven brackets from a modest 1.4% up to a well-known 10.75% top rate above $1 million (the 'millionaire's tax,' made permanent in 2020) -- a structurally different system from the flat-tax states built earlier in this project, with Newark specifically adding its own real, additional 1.00% city payroll tax. New Jersey's sales tax is comparatively simple by contrast: a single, uniform 6.625% rate with no local add-on anywhere in the state, aside from a narrow Urban Enterprise Zone carve-out. New Jersey's housing costs run genuinely, substantially above the national average -- Zillow's statewide average home value ($584,681, June 2026) ranks 5th-highest among US states -- but this real cost coexists with genuine relocation positives this record does not let the tax-and-cost story bury: New Jersey's public schools consistently rank among the strongest in the nation, its healthcare access is genuinely strong (drawing on both the New York City and Philadelphia metro healthcare markets), and its per-capita income runs substantially above the national average, driven by its NYC/Philadelphia commuter-belt wage base. New Jersey is genuinely not one market: North Jersey's dense, PATH-train-served NYC-Metro commuter corridor (Newark, Jersey City, Hoboken); Central Jersey's university-and-pharma-corridor identity (Princeton, Rutgers-New Brunswick, and real corporate anchors in Johnson & Johnson, Merck, and Bristol Myers Squibb); the Jersey Shore's distinct tourism-and-second-home economy; South Jersey's genuine orientation toward Philadelphia rather than New York City (Camden, Cherry Hill, Vineland); and the rural, ski-and-lake-adjacent Skylands region each carry real, distinct identities this record does not flatten into one shape. New Jersey's real hazard profile is genuinely two-layered: Hurricane Sandy (2012) remains the defining coastal-storm reference point, with current 2026 reporting showing escalating chronic nuisance flooding as sea-level rise has roughly doubled the number of NJ homes at frequent flood risk -- but separately, FEMA rates 13 of New Jersey's 21 counties high or very-high for INLAND flood risk, a distinct hazard reaching well past the Shore. Homeowners-insurance costs have risen a real 33% over the past five years amid this escalating flood exposure. Atlantic City carries its own real, two-sided story: a genuine, still-ongoing post-2014-casino-closures struggle alongside real current partial recovery via newer entertainment and hospitality investment. Politically, Democrat Mikie Sherrill was sworn in as governor on January 20, 2026, continuing a Democratic trifecta with the state legislature, though New Jersey's 2024 presidential margin narrowed to 5.9 points -- its closest since 1992, a real, disclosed shift this record does not omit. New Jersey carries a genuinely mixed reputation -- frequently mocked in pop culture, yet backed by real, current statistics (schools, healthcare, income) that don't fit that stereotype -- and this record discloses both the substantial, real tax-and-cost burden and the substantial, real positives side by side.

Explore New Jersey in depth

• Moving to New Jersey
• Cost of Living in New Jersey
• Housing Market in New Jersey
• Buying a Home in New Jersey
• Renting in New Jersey
• Property Taxes in New Jersey
• Income Taxes in New Jersey
• Sales Tax in New Jersey
• Homeowners Insurance in New Jersey
• Flood & Hurricane Risk in New Jersey
• Hurricane Preparedness in New Jersey
• Climate & Weather in New Jersey
• Jobs & Economy in New Jersey
• Schools in New Jersey
• Colleges & Universities in New Jersey
• Crime & Safety in New Jersey
• Healthcare in New Jersey
• Traffic & Transportation in New Jersey
• Airports & Getting Around New Jersey
• Best Places to Live in New Jersey
• Best Places to Retire in New Jersey
• A Guide to New Jersey's Regions
• Pros and Cons of Living in New Jersey
• Who Should Move to New Jersey?
• Who Should NOT Move to New Jersey?
• Retiring in New Jersey
• Retirement Communities in New Jersey
• Living in New Jersey for Families
• Living in New Jersey for Remote Workers
• New Jersey for College Students
• Snowbird Living in New Jersey
• Military Relocation to New Jersey
• Beaches & Coastal Living in New Jersey
• Utilities & Everyday Costs in New Jersey

The tradeoffs

Taxes

New Jersey's top state income tax rate is 1.40% (New Jersey Division of Taxation; ustax.tools, "New Jersey Tax Brackets 2026 -- 1.4%-10.75% Single & MFJ"; countrytaxcalc.com, "NJ Income Tax Calculator 2026 | Tax Rates & Brackets" / "New Jersey Income Tax Guide 2026: 7 Brackets, SDI, FLI Explained"; taxmath.org, "2026 New Jersey Income Tax Brackets & Rates"). The statewide average effective property tax rate is 1.88%, though this varies significantly by county -- from 1.88% to 2.23%. A reliable statewide median annual property tax bill is not yet sourced.

Insurance

New Jersey's homeowners-insurance risk profile is real and genuinely coastal-storm-driven at the Shore, layered with a separate, real inland flood-risk exposure this record does not omit -- see metrics.hazards for the fuller mechanic. Sourced 2026 average premium figures span a real, disclosed range of roughly $1,401 to $2,030/year depending on source and coverage assumptions (see noReliableSinglePremiumFigureNote), with a real, well-corroborated 33% increase over the past five years -- a genuine, current cost pressure this record attributes substantially to New Jersey's escalating coastal and inland flood exposure (see metrics.hazards) rather than treating the increase as unexplained. Flood insurance specifically (typically a separate NFIP or private policy from a standard homeowners policy) is a real, additional, and material cost for Jersey Shore and inland-flood-zone properties specifically -- confirm flood-zone status and separate flood-insurance cost directly for any specific target property rather than assuming a standard homeowners premium covers flood risk.

Regions of New Jersey

• Newark & the Gold Coast
• Bergen & Passaic Counties
• The Skylands
• Central Jersey
• The Jersey Shore
• South Jersey / Delaware Valley
• Atlantic City & the Cape May Shore

Major cities we've researched in New Jersey

• Newark -- Best fits movers who specifically want genuine urban, rail-transit-accessible city living within the New York metropolitan region, who value proximity to Newark Liberty International Airport and Newark Penn Station's real, substantial rail access, who are drawn to a real, distinct Portuguese/Brazilian cultural identity in the Ironbound or the university-anchored energy near Rutgers-Newark and NJIT, and who take Newark's real, disclosed income, poverty, and crime-reputation considerations seriously -- researching a specific target neighborhood directly given the real, wide variation across North Ironbound, Forest Hill, Weequahic, downtown, and the city's other distinct neighborhoods.
• Jersey City -- Best fits movers who specifically want a genuinely fast, direct Manhattan commute without a Manhattan-scale price tag or a Manhattan lease, particularly young professionals in finance and other Exchange Place-anchored industries, and luxury/high-rise-condo buyers drawn to Jersey City's real, still-ongoing skyline boom across the Exchange Place/Downtown and Journal Square clusters specifically. Movers who want genuine, distinct urban neighborhood character -- walkable Downtown/Paulus Hook, the newer Journal Square high-rise cluster, or the more residential Heights -- rather than a single uniform commuter-suburb identity should research a specific target neighborhood directly given the real, wide variation in price, transit access, and character documented throughout this record's topic pages.
• Trenton -- Best fits movers prioritizing genuine housing affordability relative to New Jersey's own statewide average, state-government employees and contractors, commuters who value direct rail access to both New York City and Philadelphia from a single transit hub, first-time homebuyers seeking real, substantial cost-of-entry savings within New Jersey specifically, and anyone specifically drawn to Trenton's own nationally significant Revolutionary War heritage.
• Atlantic City -- Best fits movers specifically drawn to a genuinely affordable entry point into Jersey Shore coastal living, who want proximity to a real, currently-recovering casino/hospitality/tourism economy and a genuinely walkable boardwalk-and-downtown core, and who take the city's real, disclosed property-tax structure, coastal-flood exposure, and citywide economic-disparity figures seriously -- confirming a specific property's own FEMA flood zone and current flood-insurance quote directly rather than budgeting from a statewide average, and researching current, address-specific school and crime data directly rather than relying on citywide figures alone.
• Hoboken -- Best fits young professionals and remote/hybrid workers who prioritize a genuinely fast, direct Manhattan commute and a walkable, car-optional lifestyle over house size or a strong local public school system; buyers with the income to clear Hoboken's genuinely high price point who specifically want an urban, high-density lifestyle distinct from a suburban one; and anyone drawn to the real, tight-knit Sinatra-heritage, waterfront-park character of a small, dense city rather than a sprawling suburb.
• Princeton -- Best fits luxury and move-up buyers specifically drawn to Princeton's genuinely unmatched university-town identity and prestige, who have budgeted realistically for both the town's real, elevated housing costs and its above-statewide-average property-tax rate; families prioritizing Princeton Public Schools' strong reputation; and retirees drawn to the town's cultural and healthcare access who are similarly prepared for its genuinely high cost of living.
• Paterson -- Best fits buyers specifically drawn to Paterson's genuine industrial-heritage identity and Great Falls National Historical Park, urban-living seekers prioritizing New Jersey's third-largest-city scale and healthcare-hub economy, and affordability-focused buyers who have independently confirmed current, address-specific housing costs given this record's disclosed wide cross-source spread -- while budgeting honestly for the city's real, elevated crime and property-tax picture.
• Elizabeth -- Best fits movers with a specific career connection to the Port Authority, Port Newark-Elizabeth Marine Terminal, or Newark Liberty International Airport's own direct logistics and aviation employment base, given Elizabeth's genuinely unmatched proximity to both; urban-living seekers prioritizing New Jersey's fourth-largest-city scale and real, substantial NJ Transit access; and history-interested movers drawn to Elizabeth's genuine status as New Jersey's first capital and Boxwood Hall's Revolutionary War-era heritage.
• New Brunswick -- Best fits movers with a specific career connection to Rutgers University, Johnson & Johnson, or the Robert Wood Johnson healthcare/academic-medicine system, given New Brunswick's genuinely unmatched dual identity; young professionals and students drawn to the city's real, current downtown arts district and ongoing revitalization; and affordability-focused buyers who have independently confirmed current, address-specific housing costs given this record's disclosed wide cross-source spread.
• Edison -- Best fits professionals and families with a specific career tie to Edison's real pharmaceutical-and-logistics-corridor economy, or anyone whose daily commute runs through New York Penn Station via Metropark's genuine direct rail access; families and individuals specifically drawn to Edison's large, established South Asian community and its real cultural amenities; and remote workers who weight Newark Liberty International Airport's proximity and NYC rail access highly, while budgeting realistically for Edison's real, severely elevated property-tax rate.
• Camden -- Best fits affordability-focused first-time buyers and urban-living seekers drawn to Camden's genuinely low purchase prices and real, direct Philadelphia rail access via PATCO and RiverLINE; those with a specific career tie to Camden's real, substantial employers (Subaru, Cooper University Health Care, Rutgers-Camden, Rowan); and buyers who weigh Camden's real, substantial, well-documented public-safety improvement since 2012 honestly against the city's still-elevated current crime rate rather than dismissing either fact.
• Cherry Hill -- Best fits families prioritizing a genuinely strong, top-100-statewide public school district and a favorable overall safety profile; retirees and established households drawn to Cherry Hill's real community stability, genuine Philadelphia-metro healthcare access, and its large, established Jewish community; and young professionals working in the broader Philadelphia metro job market who want a genuinely affluent, diversified South Jersey suburb distinct from Camden's own urban-core identity.
• Montclair -- Best fits high-income New York City commuters prioritizing genuine, direct rail access and a walkable downtown village character; families specifically drawn to Montclair's real, top-quartile-statewide school district; and buyers specifically seeking Montclair's real, nationally recognized arts-and-culture identity, who are prepared to budget for New Jersey's most severe property-tax and housing-cost combination documented in this project.
• Hackensack -- Best fits movers prioritizing Bergen County's NYC-commuter-suburb access without needing a single-seat Manhattan train, healthcare or county-government-sector employees drawn to the city's own dual economic anchor, and urban-living-oriented households comfortable budgeting for a real, elevated Bergen County property-tax bill on top of New Jersey's statewide tax structure.
• Asbury Park -- Best fits movers specifically drawn to Asbury Park's real, currently-active music-and-arts scene or its historically significant LGBTQ+ community, urban/walkable-downtown-oriented beach lovers who value a genuinely distinct Shore-town identity over a quieter beach-resort character, and buyers who have separately confirmed New Jersey's own comparatively favorable relative property-tax position here alongside honest budgeting for the city's real economic and crime disclosures.
• Long Branch -- Best fits beach-and-boardwalk-oriented buyers drawn specifically to Pier Village's upscale oceanfront district or Long Branch's real post-Sandy resilience story, healthcare-sector movers with a specific opportunity at Monmouth Medical Center, and buyers who have separately confirmed flood-zone status and insurance costs directly given the city's real, disclosed 43%-of-buildings flood exposure.
• Toms River -- Best fits families and affordability-focused buyers drawn to Toms River's genuinely below-New-Jersey-average housing costs and above-average-rated school district, movers seeking Ocean County government or school-district employment, and beach-access buyers specifically interested in Ortley Beach's post-Sandy, flood-resilient rebuilt housing stock who have separately confirmed current flood-zone status and insurance costs directly.
• Cape May -- Best fits beach-and-heritage-focused buyers specifically drawn to Cape May's Victorian architecture and historic-district character, second-home and luxury buyers comfortable with the city's genuinely elevated home values, retirees prioritizing a walkable, small-town coastal setting who have separately budgeted for real flood-insurance costs, and anyone connected to Training Center Cape May or the region's commercial fishing industry.
• Ocean City -- Best fits families specifically drawn to Ocean City's boardwalk-and-beach family-resort identity and its consistently highly-rated public schools; buyers who specifically value the city's dry-town, faith-heritage character; retirees and second-homeowners comfortable with the city's substantial older-skewing year-round community; and buyers who have separately budgeted for real, disclosed coastal-flood and beach-replenishment-funding risk.
• Morristown -- Best fits young professionals and families specifically drawn to a walkable, restaurant-rich North Jersey downtown with real NYC commuter-rail access; history-minded buyers interested in Morristown's singular Revolutionary War heritage; and buyers prioritizing strong regional healthcare access who have separately budgeted for the town's real, elevated property-tax rate and inland flood risk along the Whippany River.
• Vineland -- Best fits affordability-focused buyers and first-time homebuyers drawn to Vineland's genuinely low purchase prices, buyers or history enthusiasts interested in the city's real, distinctive temperance-colony founding and its direct Welch's Grape Juice connection, and anyone whose relocation involves South Jersey's real agricultural economy or Inspira Medical Center Vineland specifically.
• Union City -- Best fits movers drawn specifically to Union City's real Cuban-American and broader Latino cultural identity and Bergenline Avenue's authentic small-business corridor; commuters prioritizing genuine proximity to the Lincoln Tunnel and a dense NJ Transit bus network over a car or a direct rail line; and budget-conscious buyers seeking real relative affordability within Hudson County's broader, pricier NYC-commuter market.
• Bayonne -- Best fits movers drawn to Bayonne's real, current waterfront-redevelopment growth story -- especially those connected to or interested in the 1888 Studios film-and-TV production hub's job pipeline; commuters prioritizing genuine Hudson-Bergen Light Rail access to Hoboken over a bus-only commute; and buyers comfortable budgeting directly for Bayonne's real coastal-flood exposure and above-Hudson-County-average property-tax rate as the tradeoff for its waterfront character and redevelopment upside.
• Fort Lee -- Best fits retirees and empty-nesters specifically, given Fort Lee's real, substantial 65-plus population share and established senior-living infrastructure; luxury high-rise-condo buyers drawn to the borough's genuine vertical housing stock and George Washington Bridge/Manhattan-skyline views; families prioritizing Fort Lee High School's real, above-average academic performance; and movers connected to or drawn toward Fort Lee's distinctive Korean-American business community.
• Englewood -- Best fits families and movers specifically drawn to Englewood's genuine diversity and its two real institutional anchors -- Dwight-Englewood School for families prioritizing an independent college-preparatory education, and Englewood Health for households weighting in-city hospital access highly; members of Englewood's real, active Jewish community; and commuters prioritizing genuine geographic proximity to Manhattan over a direct rail line, comfortable with a bus-only commute from the Englewood Transit Center.
• Teaneck -- Best fits families and young professionals specifically drawn to Teaneck's real diversity and civil-rights legacy, genuinely favorable crime statistics, and direct NJ Transit bus access to Midtown Manhattan, who have separately budgeted for the town's elevated property-tax rate and do not require a direct commuter-rail station.
• Woodbridge -- Best fits families and value-conscious buyers specifically drawn to Woodbridge's real relative housing affordability within New Jersey, its genuine internal community diversity (Iselin, Colonia, Fords, Menlo Park, and more, each with its own character), and its real transit advantage (three NJ Transit rail stations plus Amtrak), who have separately confirmed FEMA flood-zone status for any Arthur-Kill-adjacent target property.
• Summit -- Best fits families and young professionals specifically prioritizing New Jersey's very top-ranked public schools and a genuine, no-transfer Midtown Direct rail commute, plus luxury buyers comfortable with Summit's real, substantial home-price point, who have separately budgeted for the high dollar property-tax bill and planned sump-pump backup power given Summit's documented Hurricane Sandy flooding history.
• Westfield -- Best fits families and young professionals specifically drawn to Westfield's real, historic, walkable downtown character and strong #18-in-NJ schools, who are comfortable with a Newark Penn Station transfer for most NYC-bound rail trips and have separately budgeted for the town's real, elevated property-tax bill and planned sump-pump backup power given documented Hurricane Sandy flooding history.
• Ridgewood -- Best fits families specifically prioritizing a top-ranked New Jersey school district and a genuine, functional NYC commuter-rail anchor, who have separately budgeted for Ridgewood's real, substantial property-tax burden and home-price point; buyers drawn to a real, walkable, historic downtown-village character distinct from a purely car-dependent suburb; and affluent buyers comfortable with Ridgewood's premium price point in exchange for its genuinely low crime rate and strong school system.
• Point Pleasant -- Best fits buyers who specifically want Jersey Shore boating/canal-lifestyle access at a genuinely more affordable price point (Point Pleasant Borough); families and beach-lovers specifically drawn to a real, well-known boardwalk-and-amusement identity (Point Pleasant Beach's Jenkinson's Boardwalk); retirees and second-homeowners weighing a genuine, ongoing Jersey Shore retiree draw; and buyers who have separately budgeted for real, disclosed coastal or tidal flood-insurance costs across either municipality.
• Spring Lake -- Best fits retirees and second-homeowners specifically drawn to Spring Lake's affluent, quiet, Gilded Age-preserved beach-town character and its well-documented Irish-American heritage; luxury buyers comfortable with the town's premium home-price point in exchange for a strikingly low nominal property-tax rate and genuinely low crime; and buyers who have separately budgeted for real, disclosed coastal-flood-insurance costs given the town's low elevation and FEMA-mapped flood zones.
• Wildwood -- Best fits families and beach-lovers specifically drawn to Wildwood's genuine, singular family-amusement-and-boardwalk identity (Morey's Piers, Doo Wop-era motel character, and the Jersey Shore's widest, actively growing beaches) at a genuinely more affordable Jersey Shore price point than most of this dataset's other Shore markets; buyers or renters primarily seeking a seasonal vacation property rather than a conventional year-round residence, given the town's heavily seasonal housing stock; and buyers who have weighed and accepted this record's honest, disclosed crime-rate elevation rather than a lower Jersey Shore alternative.
• Somerville -- Best fits movers prioritizing a real, walkable historic downtown with genuine dining and retail options, families and young professionals comfortable with Somerville's specific property-tax burden as the tradeoff for a real county-seat community identity, and anyone specifically valuing in-town hospital access.
• Flemington -- Best fits movers drawn specifically to Flemington's real, distinct county-seat and historic-courthouse identity, families comfortable budgeting for the borough's genuinely elevated property-tax rate, and anyone following the ongoing Liberty Village redevelopment as a reason to buy into a genuinely transitional Main Street.
• Lambertville -- Best fits retirees and luxury buyers specifically drawn to Lambertville's real Delaware River arts-and-antiques identity and genuinely lower property-tax rate, buyers who have separately confirmed current flood-zone status and factored flood insurance into their budget given the town's real, dated flood history, and anyone prioritizing a small, walkable historic river town with a strong, close-knit arts community.
• Chester -- Best fits affluent buyers and retirees specifically drawn to Chester's real equestrian and Skylands-region rural-exurban identity, families comfortable with Chester's genuinely elevated home values and property-tax rate in exchange for a strongly rated regional high school, and retirees considering Four Seasons at Chester's dedicated 55+ community directly.
• Madison -- Best fits families and young professionals specifically drawn to Madison's real college-town character and genuine Midtown Direct rail access to New York, who value a comparatively favorable property-tax rate within an otherwise high-tax state and are prepared to pay Madison's genuinely elevated home prices as the entry cost.
• Millburn -- Best fits luxury and move-up buyers and families specifically prioritizing Millburn Township's elite, real school-district reputation and fast, no-transfer Midtown Direct rail access to New York, who have budgeted realistically for the town's -- and especially Short Hills' -- genuinely elevated housing costs and have separately confirmed flood-zone status for any downtown-Millburn or Rahway-River-adjacent property under consideration.
• Cranford -- Best fits commuters targeting a walkable, transit-oriented Raritan Valley Line suburb within reach of Newark and Midtown Manhattan, and families prioritizing Cranford's real, well-regarded Union County public schools, who have separately budgeted for Cranford's above-New-Jersey-average property tax rate and researched current Rahway River flood-zone status directly.
• Metuchen -- Best fits commuters targeting direct Northeast Corridor rail access to New York, and families or academics drawn to Metuchen's real, well-regarded school system and Rutgers-adjacent Central Jersey setting, who have separately budgeted for Metuchen's above-New-Jersey-average property tax rate.
• Red Bank -- Best fits movers drawn specifically to Red Bank's genuine downtown arts-and-culture identity and walkable Navesink riverfront setting, and commuters comfortable with a longer North Jersey Coast Line ride to New York, who have separately confirmed current listing prices given this record's disclosed housing-data volatility.
• Belmar -- Best fits beach-and-boardwalk-focused buyers drawn specifically to Belmar's energetic small-town Shore identity and nightlife scene, who have separately, directly confirmed current FEMA flood-zone status and flood-insurance costs for any specific property given this record's disclosed, real, substantial ongoing coastal-flood exposure.
• Manasquan -- Best fits families and beach-focused buyers drawn specifically to Manasquan's quieter, more affluent small-beach-town identity and Intracoastal-Waterway-inlet setting, who have separately, directly confirmed current FEMA flood-zone status and flood-insurance costs given this record's disclosed, real, and substantial flood exposure -- a hazard the borough's own emergency office states covers over 90% of the town.
• Ocean Grove -- Best fits buyers genuinely drawn to Ocean Grove's wholly distinctive historic camp-meeting identity, Victorian architecture, and quiet, alcohol-free, walkable seaside character specifically -- not merely 'a Jersey Shore beach town' generically -- alongside retirees and small-town-living buyers comfortable with the OGCMA's real, current governance rules.
• Frenchtown -- Best fits buyers genuinely drawn to Frenchtown's distinctive small-river-town arts-and-antiques identity and historic Delaware River setting, higher-income households able to absorb Hunterdon County's real, substantial property-tax burden, and buyers comfortable with a car-dependent rural lifestyle.
• Stockton -- Best fits buyers genuinely drawn to Stockton's wholly distinctive small-river-town character and Prallsville Mills heritage specifically, higher-income households able to absorb Hunterdon County's real, substantial property-tax burden, and buyers comfortable with a very small, quiet, rural community with a thin local housing market.
• Ringwood -- Best fits outdoor-recreation-minded buyers and families genuinely drawn to Ringwood State Park's mountain, lake, and historic-estate amenities specifically, higher-income households able to absorb Passaic County's real, substantial property-tax burden, and buyers comfortable with a car-dependent, wooded, exurban Skylands-region lifestyle.
• Vernon -- Best fits outdoor-recreation and mountain-lovers buyers genuinely drawn to Mountain Creek Resort's year-round skiing, snowboarding, and waterpark access specifically, remote workers seeking genuinely more affordable New Jersey housing than the statewide average, and buyers comfortable with a car-dependent, rural, four-season Skylands-region lifestyle.
• Salem -- Best fits affordability-minded buyers genuinely drawn to Salem's distinctive 1675-founding historic identity and quiet, small, rural South Jersey character specifically, and buyers connected to or seeking employment with the nearby Salem and Hope Creek nuclear generating stations.