This article, the first in a 50-state series, ranks the best places to live in New Jersey based on three criteria: (1) median household income (adjusted for cost of living); (2) educational attainment (% of residents 25 years and over who have earned a bachelor’s degree or higher); and (3) property crime rates per 1,000 residents (burglary and automobile thefts). For purposes of these rankings, “places” are incorporated municipalities with populations greater than 2,000.
Among the twenty best places to live in New Jersey, seventeen are suburbs of New York City, two are equidistant from New York City and Philadelphia, and one is a suburb of Philadelphia. By county, six of the best places to live in New Jersey are located in Bergen County, six in Morris County, three in Somerset County, and one each in Camden County, Essex County, Hunterdon County, Middlesex County, and Monmouth County.
After reading “Best Places to Live in New Jersey (2012),” return to this link to read “Largest Cities in New Jersey (2012).” A collection of similar articles for the remaining 49 states can be found at these links: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
For the culmination of the 50-state series, read “Best Places to Live in America (2012).”
This article may be updated as new data becomes available.
1. Best Places to Live in New Jersey (2012) – Mountain Lakes, NJ (Morris County)
Population: 4,272
Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $145,784
Bachelor’s degree or higher (25 years and over): 80.8%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 0.47
Distance to Familiar Cities:
New York, NY – 30 miles ESE
Princeton, NJ – 49 miles SSW
Philadelphia, PA – 93 miles SW
New Haven, CT — 104 miles NE
Atlantic City, NJ — 132 miles SSE
2. Best Places to Live in New Jersey (2012) – Mendham Township, NJ (Morris County)
Population: 5,516
Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $152,444
Bachelor’s degree or higher (25 years and over): 71.2%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 0.36
Distance to Familiar Cities:
New York, NY – 39 miles ESE
Princeton, NJ – 38 miles S
Philadelphia, PA – 82 miles SW
New Haven, CT — 114 miles NE
Atlantic City, NJ — 132 miles SSE
3. Best Places to Live in New Jersey (2012) – Essex Fells, NJ (Essex County)
Population: 2,050
Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $135,879
Bachelor’s degree or higher (25 years and over): 71.3%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 0.95
Distance to Familiar Cities:
New York, NY – 22 miles ESE
Princeton, NJ – 51 miles SSW
Philadelphia, PA – 97 miles SW
New Haven, CT — 100 miles NE
Atlantic City, NJ — 122 miles S
4. Best Places to Live in New Jersey (2012) – Harding Township, NJ (Morris County)
Population: 3,302
Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $143,485
Bachelor’s degree or higher (25 years and over): 63.5%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 0.60
Distance to Familiar Cities:
New York, NY – 31 miles E
Princeton, NJ – 36 miles SSW
Philadelphia, PA – 79 miles SW
New Haven, CT — 111 miles NE
Atlantic City, NJ — 129 miles SSE
5. Best Places to Live in New Jersey (2012) – Montgomery Township, NJ (Somerset County)
Population: 22,785
Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $118,366
Bachelor’s degree or higher (25 years and over): 75.2%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 1.66
Distance to Familiar Cities:
New York, NY – 50 miles NE
Princeton, NJ – 8 miles S
Philadelphia, PA – 52 miles SW
New Haven, CT — 133 miles NE
Atlantic City, NJ — 92 miles SSE
6. Best Places to Live in New Jersey (2012) – Alpine, NJ (Bergen County)
Population: 2,008
Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $120,891
Bachelor’s degree or higher (25 years and over): 70.4%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 0.8
Distance to Familiar Cities:
New York, NY – 21 miles
Princeton, NJ – 64 miles
Philadelphia, PA – 110 miles
New Haven, CT — 77 miles NE
Atlantic City, NJ — 134 miles SSW
7. Best Places to Live in New Jersey (2012) – Chester Township, NJ (Morris County)
Population: 7,741
Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $135,727
Bachelor’s degree or higher (25 years and over): 62.7%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 1.02
Distance to Familiar Cities:
New York, NY – 45 miles ESE
Princeton, NJ – 34 miles S
Philadelphia, PA – 78 miles SW
New Haven, CT — 125 miles NE
Atlantic City, NJ — 121 miles SSE
8. Best Places to Live in New Jersey (2012) – Upper Saddle River, NJ (Bergen County)
Population: 8,386
Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $122,962
Bachelor’s degree or higher (25 years and over): 66.1%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 0.94
Distance to Familiar Cities:
New York, NY – 30 miles SSE
Princeton, NJ – 68 miles SSW
Philadelphia, PA – 116 miles SW
New Haven, CT — 78 miles NE
Atlantic City, NJ — 139 miles SSE
9. Best Places to Live in New Jersey (2012) – Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ (Bergen County)
Population: 4,010
Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $123,362
Bachelor’s degree or higher (25 years and over): 66.7%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 1.5
Distance to Familiar Cities:
New York, NY – 26 miles ESE
Princeton, NJ – 62 miles S
Philadelphia, PA – 111 miles SW
New Haven, CT — 85 miles NE
Atlantic City, NJ — 133 miles SSE
10. Best Places to Live in New Jersey (2012) – Chatham Township, NJ (Morris County)
Population: 10,125
Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $109,521
Bachelor’s degree or higher (25 years and over): 71.4%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 0.69
Distance to Familiar Cities:
New York, NY – 26 miles E
Princeton, NJ – 44 miles SSW
Philadelphia, PA – 88 miles SW
New Haven, CT — 105 miles NE
Atlantic City, NJ — 120 miles SSE
11. Best Places to Live in New Jersey (2012) – Tewksbury Township, NJ (Hunterdon County)
Population: 6,040
Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $123,577
Bachelor’s degree or higher (25 years and over): 61.2%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 0.66
Distance to Familiar Cities:
New York, NY – 48 miles E
Princeton, NJ – 33 miles SSE
Philadelphia, PA – 70 miles SSW
New Haven, CT — 127 miles NE
Atlantic City, NJ — 127 miles SSE
12. Best Places to Live in New Jersey (2012) – Mendham Borough, NJ (Morris County)
Population: 5,077
Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $107,827
Bachelor’s degree or higher (25 years and over): 69.0%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 0.79
Distance to Familiar Cities:
New York, NY – 39 miles ESE
Princeton, NJ – 35 miles S
Philadelphia, PA – 82 miles SW
New Haven, CT — 115 miles NE
Atlantic City, NJ — 132 miles SSE
13. Best Places to Live in New Jersey (2012) – Cranbury Township, NJ (Middlesex County)
Population: 3,912
Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $109,071
Bachelor’s degree or higher (25 years and over): 66.5%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 1.0
Distance to Familiar Cities:
New York, NY – 46 miles NNE
Princeton, NJ – 9 miles WNW
Philadelphia, PA – 47 miles SW
New Haven, CT — 124 miles NE
Atlantic City, NJ — 81 miles SSE
14. Best Places to Live in New Jersey (2012) – Glen Rock, NJ (Bergen County)
Population: 11,151
Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $111,358
Bachelor’s degree or higher (25 years and over): 64.2%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 1.26
Distance to Familiar Cities:
New York, NY – 25 miles SSE
Princeton, NJ – 58 miles SSW
Philadelphia, PA – 108 miles SW
New Haven, CT — 86 miles NE
Atlantic City, NJ — 129 miles S
15. Best Places to Live in New Jersey (2012) – Bernards Township, NJ (Somerset County)
Population: 26,436
Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $97,837
Bachelor’s degree or higher (25 years and over): 68.0%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 1.35
Distance to Familiar Cities:
New York, NY – 35 miles NE
Princeton, NJ – 31 miles SSW
Philadelphia, PA – 75 miles SW
New Haven, CT — 114 miles NE
Atlantic City, NJ — 126 miles SSE
16. Best Places to Live in New Jersey (2012) – Bernardsville, NJ (Somerset County)
Population: 7,633
Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $110,412
Bachelor’s degree or higher (25 years and over): 58.9%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 0.51
Distance to Familiar Cities:
New York, NY – 40 miles E
Princeton, NJ – 30 miles SSW
Philadelphia, PA – 74 miles SW
New Haven, CT — 115 miles NE
Atlantic City, NJ — 124 miles SSE
17. Best Places to Live in New Jersey (2012) – Haddonfield, NJ (Camden County)
Population: 11,489
Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $104,354
Bachelor’s degree or higher (25 years and over): 66.1%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 2.19
Distance to Familiar Cities:
New York, NY – 90 miles NE
Princeton, NJ – 45 miles NNE
Philadelphia, PA – 10 miles NW
New Haven, CT – 168 miles NE
Atlantic City, NJ – 52 miles SE
18. Best Places to Live in New Jersey (2012) – Harrington Park, NJ (Bergen County)
Population: 4,840
Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $95,154
Bachelor’s degree or higher (25 years and over): 65.1%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 0.41
Distance to Familiar Cities:
New York, NY – 25 miles S
Princeton, NJ – 68 miles SW
Philadelphia, PA – 113 miles SW
New Haven, CT — 75 miles NE
Atlantic City, NJ — 137 miles S
19. Best Places to Live in New Jersey (2012) – Fair Haven, NJ (Monmouth County)
Population: 5,945
Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $85,570
Bachelor’s degree or higher (25 years and over): 65.4%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 0.68
Distance to Familiar Cities:
New York, NY – 49 miles N
Princeton, NJ – 47 miles W
Philadelphia, PA – 83 miles SW
New Haven, CT — 126 miles NE
Atlantic City, NJ — 86 miles SSW
20. Best Places to Live in New Jersey (2012) – Saddle River, NJ (Bergen County)
Population: 3,747
Median household income (adjusted for cost of living): $83,121
Bachelor’s degree or higher (25 years and over): 64.7%
Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (burglary and auto thefts): 1.3
Distance to Familiar Cities:
New York, NY – 28 miles SSE
Princeton, NJ – 65 miles SW
Philadelphia, PA – 114 miles SW
New Haven, CT – 80 miles NE
Atlantic City, NJ – 136 miles S
*In some cases, municipalities either do not report their crime statistics to the FBI or they contract for services with a county law enforcement agency or the state police. For those towns, crime rates are extrapolated from state, county, or contiguous municipality data.
Source(s):
“Cities: New Jersey,” City-Data.com
” American Community Survey ,” U.S. Census Bureau
” American Fact Finder ,” U.S. Census Bureau
Uniform Crime Reports – New Jersey,” Federal Bureau of Investigation
