Out of the fire and into the frying pan.
I grew up in the Bronx in the 50’s and N.J. was place we went to abandon cars. You need to move farther away than Jersey. I left in 1974 and have lived in cities and small towns in a dozen states. I never regretted leaving NYC and have never went back even for a visit. I live in a small Southern city that has everything I need, (art, music, fine dining, recreation). I won’t say where I live because about a hundred New York expats move here every week. New York left me in the seventies, fear destroys any quality of life. Perhaps, if you make seven figures and have to work there New Jersey is a lesser hell.