Reframing New Jersey's Competitive Challenge

New Jersey's economy has historically performed very well. But there has been slippage, particularly since the recession and job growth tends to be in low wage sectors.

These trends are due to a variety of forces including the nature of business cycles, the national shift to a service-based economy, and the overall wealth and recent economic health of the state.

But they are also the result of larger issues not commonly associated with competitiveness: rising housing costs, persistent race, class and place disparities, and unbalanced development patterns.

This new research the Brookings Institution's Metropolitan Policy Program recommends that New Jersey deal explicitly with these issues in order to rebuild and sustain its overall economy.

Thanks to Robert Puentes