Conducted by WRI Faculty Fellow Shauna Shames and her assistant Spencer T. Clayton, this report investigates multiple differences between counties in three New Jersey regions: North, Central, and South. The report finds striking differences in the provision of public goods across regions, with South Jersey counties on average receiving less state assistance, a smaller share of transportation infrastructure, fewer educational opportunities, and lower rates of public health and safety rates, even when controlling for population, tax rates, demographics, voter turnout, and other key possible causal variables.  The report’s accompanying slides and data-set are available as well.

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