Why Do New Jersey People Put Up With These Things?

So, exactly how smart are we at the Jersey Shore. Well, I think we're pretty smart, but that isn't exactly scientific. So what does the science say?

That is exactly the question we researched and found out that we are smarter than most people think we are, but not as smart as we think are. And if you were able to follow that last sentence, you're definitely smarter than I think I am.

We are actually just outside the top 20% of smart states based on IQ, according to Zippia. The state as a whole ranks as the 11th highest state for average IQ. That's pretty impressive.

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But it got me thinking. If we're so smart, and we apparently are, why can't we get an acceptable answer to the following 5 questions?

Why can't a group of adults with years of driving experience figure out how to negotiate a traffic circle?

Why can't we all remember that the left lane is the fast/passing lane?

Why do we willingly pay top dollar for absolutely everything?

Why can't the high IQ person in the car in front of me tell the difference between a red light and a green one?

Why do we have thousands of words in our vocabulary, but our middle finger does most of our communicating?

Actually we do kind of know the answers to some of them, especially the finger one, but you get my point. Anyway, congratulations for the #11 ranking. That is pretty impressive. I actually think we're much smarter than than ranking. Add common sense, and I think we shoot to the top.

LOOK: Here are the 25 best places to live in New Jersey

Stacker compiled a list of the best places to live in New Jersey using data from Niche. Niche ranks places to live based on a variety of factors including cost of living, schools, health care, recreation, and weather. Cities, suburbs, and towns were included. Listings and images are from realtor.com.

On the list, there's a robust mix of offerings from great schools and nightlife to high walkability and public parks. Some areas have enjoyed rapid growth thanks to new businesses moving to the area, while others offer glimpses into area history with well-preserved architecture and museums. Keep reading to see if your hometown made the list.

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LOOK: Here are the 50 best beach towns in America

Every beach town has its share of pluses and minuses, which got us thinking about what makes a beach town the best one to live in. To find out, Stacker consulted data from WalletHub, released June 17, 2020, that compares U.S. beach towns. Ratings are based on six categories: affordability, weather, safety, economy, education and health, and quality of life. The cities ranged in population from 10,000 to 150,000, but they had to have at least one local beach listed on TripAdvisor. Read the full methodology here. From those rankings, we selected the top 50. Readers who live in California and Florida will be unsurprised to learn that many of towns featured here are in one of those two states.

Keep reading to see if your favorite beach town made the cut.