Most people in that part of the country seem to have a very low opinion of New Jersey. Maybe I’m just hearing what New Yorkers have to say about it. I’ve never been there or anyplace near it.
Some parts of New Jersey are pretty crappy but many other parts are very nice. Lots of rural areas, early American history and nice seashore. Mountains in the northwest, great farmland and horse country in the middle of the state and vast Sandy pine lands in the south. Three of the Top 10 wealthiest counties in the US are in New Jersey and rich people don’t live in dumps.
President Donald Trump lives in New Jersey from June to September.
New Jersey has some really nice places and some really awful places.
Much of it is in the middle quality wise.
The differences can be extreme.
https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/new-jersey/surprising-pictures-of-nj/
Parts of New Jersey most outsiders don’t know exist.
Your point?
[Conceding in advance that Non-New Jerseyans are often not shy about indiscriminately using the Garden State as a punching bag. Or as the punchline to a joke, at which everyone in attendance can be counted upon to laugh (or so they think).]
https://www.morristourism.org/directory/washington-township-long-valley/
People were ragging on Oz for living in NJ for work and pushing for Mastriano only for Governor, but apparently Mastriano is from NJ too.
https://nj1015.com/whats-happening-in-pennsylvania-dr-oz-is-not-their-only-major-candidate-from-nj/
“ Most people in that part of the country seem to have a very low opinion of New Jersey.”
NJ’s motto is “The Garden State”. Outside the big cities it’s a lovely State.