I get to knock NJ cause I live there. The property taxes and auto insurance ARE surreal. The corruption and sprawl ARE legendary. But...
I live 30 mins from Center City Philly, 1 hour from some decent beaches (close enough to day-trip), 2 hrs from Baltimore and NYC, 3 hrs from the monuments in DC. The traffic and drivers are not as bad as many other places I've been. Personally, I liked traffic circles. A test of nerves, psychology, and skill.
There's lots of hospitals, schools, and arts and leisure activites to choose from. You're never too far from a drug store, pizza shop, dry cleaner etc. Lots of sports teams. Sometimes they try to win.
The climate is not too harsh, no earthquakes, tornados or mudslides. The air and water have been getting cleaner. Somebody pumps my gas even on the coldest days and it still costs less than anywhere else I ever go. Go figure.
Oh yeah. Lots of jobs and money. So if you're gainfully employed, you can make a pretty decent life. Just gotta put up with some obnoxious BS.
Good post. I'm a NNJ guy, but I like south Jersey too. You are so right about our location. Just in the past few months, I've gone to NYC for a concert. I've gone to Philly. I've gone to DC to attend a funeral at Arlington. And it was all a simple day trip.