Most New Jersey residents happy to be there

A new survey finds some differing views about living in New Jersey.

While 63 percent of residents surveyed say the Garden State is a good place to live, Monmouth University Polling Institute director Patrick Murray said that’s the lowest positive rating in 30 years.

“We had people who lived in the same places who had vastly different views of what New Jersey’s quality of life was,” Murray said. “Older urban residents love New Jersey, think it’s great. Everything about it is great. Younger urban residents, however, think it’s horrible.”

Murray said while many residents have lost confidence in state government, 73 percent of them have a favorable view of their local town. He says fewer people now consider crime to be a serious problem than a decade ago, and their ratings of the state’s air and water quality have also improved.

The survey is intended to provide data for government leaders in making future policy decisions, Murray said.