I was born and raised in NJ (right near nyc) and while i agree it can be a nice state to live in, one can have a much better life in other parts of the country if he/she is able to obtain a decent paying job.
Property taxes and general cost of living (car insurance, food, restaurants, clothing, etc) is kinda nuts anywhere north of exit 9 on the turnpike. Also add in all the traffic and how much of your life is literally wasted in a car or commute, and the appeal of nyc goes away pretty quickly. Or at least it did for me.
And lastly, fo those of you who have traveled the world, im sure youll agree that NYC is not all that. Theres maybe 10-12 sq miles that is "nice" and the rest of nyc is nothing but filth and poverty. But beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
I would tell someone not from NJ that its a much better state than people give it credit for. But ultimately its not my cup of tea