Thursday, December 24, 2009

New Jersey: 49th Happiest State

"We have been asked a lot whether we expected that states like New York and California would do so badly in the happiness ranking. Having visited and lived in various parts of the US, I am only a little surprised. Many people think these states would be marvellous places to live in. The problem is that if too many individuals think that way, they move into those states, and the resulting congestion and house prices make it a non-fulfilling prophecy. In a way, it is like the stock market. If everyone thinks it would be great to buy stock X, that stock is generally already overvalued. Bargains in life are usually found outside the spotlight. It may be that exactly the same is true of the best places to live."


Top 5 Happiest:



  1. Louisiana
  2. Hawaii
  3. Florida
  4. Tennessee
  5. Arizona

Bottom 5

  1. Indiana
  2. Michigan
  3. New Jersey
  4. Connecticut
  5. New York

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

North Jersey corporate costs fifth highest

From The Record

Corporate executives looking to cut costs in the wake of the recession are more likely than ever to flee or avoid New Jersey, according to Princeton firm that specializes in helping companies relocate.

The Boyd Co. Inc. on Monday released a study that found North Jersey is the fifth most expensive place to site a corporate headquarters, costing $27.9 million a year to operate.

New York City topped the list, followed by San Francisco, Stamford, Conn. and San Jose, Calif.

John Boyd Jr., a company vice president, who compiled the report, said New Jersey’s high costs have deterred companies from expanding in the state for years. But the recession has significantly heightened the competition between states, to the detriment of those with a high cost of doing business, he said.

“The corporate headquarters arena is the next big frontier for corporate cost cutting,” said Boyd. “And that’s big news for New Jersey.”