New Jersey is no longer the “armpit of the nation.”

In fact, the Garden State ranks No. 2 among the best states to live in the US, driven by strong scores in safety, healthcare and education, according to a new WalletHub study.

The state boasts the lowest crime rate in the country, and ranks high in quality of life, health and education. It also has some of the highest-performing public school districts in the country.

New Jersey ranks as the No. 2 best state to live in. bartsadowski – stock.adobe.com Shore homes along the lake between Bradley Beach and Ocean Grove. vin – stock.adobe.com

Despite its notoriously high property taxes and cost of living, New Jersey’s high median wages; top-tier health care; and proximity to major economic hubs like New York City and Philadelphia make it a draw, per WalletHub’s evaluation of all 50 states across 51 key metrics.

Broker Lisa Poggi, who leads Douglas Elliman’s New Jersey division, told The Post the state earned its bad reputation from the two-hour drive along the I-95/Turnpike corridor past Newark Airport, industrial docks, ports and oil refineries.

“Nothing looks scenic from that vantage point,” she told The Post. “But you go 40 minutes west of the Turnpike, and don’t forget — it is called the Garden State for a reason.”

Most out-of-staters only know New Jersey from the two-hour drive along the I-95/Turnpike corridor. Bloomberg via Getty Images New Jersey offers great beaches to visit in the summer. Getty Images

New Jersey offers a rare geographic sweet spot, Poggi said, where residents don’t have to choose between the beach, the mountains or Broadway theater — they can hit all three in a single weekend while retaining “a lot more elbow room” than in New York City.

New Jersey, with its 59.41 total score, is bested only by Idaho, which notched the top spot with a score of 60.15.

The Gem State claims a low median real estate tax rate, the eighth-highest homeownership rate, and the country’s highest median income growth. It is also the third-safest state in the nation, behind Wyoming, laying claim to the lowest property crime rate. 

WalletHub

Rounding out the top five best states are Wisconsin, with a score of 59.32, thanks to its affordable housing market; Massachusetts, securing 59.28 with some of the country’s lowest homeownership rates; and New Hampshire at 58.89, which is regarded well in economy, education, health and safety.

At the other end of the spectrum, New Mexico came in dead last with a 41.42 score. It rates as the most unsafe state in the country and holds some of the lowest scores for education and healthcare, per WalletHub.