Cardinal Point Athlete Advisors recently released a lifestyle ranking of all NHL cities, and the New Jersey Devils came in near the bottom, ranked 29th out of 32 teams.
The rankings were based on seven equally weighted factors, where a score of “1” indicates the best relative ranking among NHL cities. The top-ranked city was home to the Montreal Canadiens, while the Devils landed closer to the bottom.
The only teams ranked below New Jersey were the Seattle Kraken (30th), the Washington Capitals (31st), and the New York Rangers (32nd).
The Devils currently play at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, a location that ranked as the fourth-worst NHL arena location in this report.
What Was the Ranking Based On?
The overall score was based on seven key factors:
- Safety
- Cost of Living
- Traffic
- Climate
- Rent
- Groceries
- Restaurant Prices
Each category was scored out of 32, with the Devils’ results as follows:
- Safety: 31st
- Cost of Living: 25th
- Traffic: 29th (out of 31, as one city did not have data)
- Climate: 14th (highest category ranking)
- Rent: 23rd
- Groceries: 26th
- Restaurant Prices: 23rd
When all scores were combined, the Devils ranked 29th out of 32 teams.
Where Did the Data Come From?
The rankings were created using two reports from Numbeo.com, a global cost of living and quality-of-life database:
Cost of Living Index by City 2025 Mid-Year
Quality of Life Index by City 2025 Mid-Year
According to the data, Newark scored particularly low on safety, with a Safety Index of 23.17, categorized as “low.” Only Detroit, home of the Red Wings, scored lower in that category (32nd), although Detroit still ranked 18th overall in the lifestyle rankings.
While Newark wasn't ranked the worst NHL city, the Devils still landed in the bottom tier—primarily due to concerns around safety, high grocery costs, and poor traffic conditions.
Photo Credit: © Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images
