The Top 100
Every two years New Jersey Monthy Magazine presents the best places to live in New Jersey. Below are the top north New Jersey towns that made their 2016 list. The research team ranked the towns based on the following indicators:
- Average residential tax bill / Change in average property tax bill / Effective property tax rate
- Median home-sales price / Change in median home-sales price
- Total crime rate combined with a score for violent-crime rate
- Student proficiency on state-mandated standardized tests for students in grades 4, 8 and 11
- Lifestyle factor that considers the number of acute-care hospitals and live performing-arts theaters within 10 miles of the municipality’s main zip code, number of full-service restaurants within two miles of the municipality’s main zip code, and average commute time for those working away from home.
- Extra weighting was given to: average tax bill; change in average tax bill; effective tax rate; and results on standardized tests for students in grades 4 and 8.
1 FLORHAM PARK (Morris County)
2 HARDING TOWNSHIP (Morris County)
3 LAVALLETTE (Ocean County)
4 PEQUANNOCK TOWNSHIP (Morris County)
5 AVON-BY-THE-SEA (Monmouth County)
6 WYCKOFF (Bergen County)
7 ROSELAND (Essex County)
8 MADISON (Morris County)
9 MENDHAM TOWNSHIP (Morris County)
10 SADDLE RIVER (Bergen County)
11 LONG HILL (Morris County)
12 MONTVALE (Bergen County)
13 HANOVER(Morris County)
14 RIDGEWOOD (Bergen County)
15 ALLENDALE (Bergen County)
16 NORTH CALDWELL (Essex County)
17 MONMOUTH BEACH (Monmouth County)
18 CHATHAM BOROUGH (Morris County)
19 SECAUCUS (Hudson County)
20 SPRING LAKE HEIGHTS (Monmouth County)
21 ESSEX FELLS (Essex County)
22 FAIRFIELD (Essex County)
23 SUMMIT (Union County)
24 RIVERDALE (Morris County)
25 WALL TOWNSHIP (Monmouth County)
26 PARAMUS (Bergen County)
27 EAST HANOVER (Morris County)
28 SHREWSBURY BOROUGH (Monmouth County)
29 MANASQUAN (Monmouth County)
30 MAHWAH (Bergen County)
31 RIDGEFIELD BOROUGH (Bergen County)
32 RAMSEY (Bergen County)
33 WEST LONG BRANCH (Monmouth County)
33 GREEN BROOK (Somerset County)
35 SEA ISLE CITY (Cape May County)
36 CHATHAM TOWNSHIP (Morris County)
37 RARITAN (Somerset County)
38 OCEAN CITY Cape May County)
39 MILLBURN (Essex County)
40 CLOSTER (Bergen County)
41 UPPER SADDLE RIVER (Bergen County)
42 HO-HO-KUS (Bergen County)
43 WATCHUNG (Somerset County)
44 PRINCETON (Mercer County)
45 CALDWELL (Essex County)
46 PARSIPPANY-TROY HILLS (Morris County)
47 MOORESTOWN Burlington
48 NORWOOD (Bergen County)
49 FRANKLIN LAKES (Bergen County)
50 TENAFLY (Bergen County)
51 WILDWOOD CREST (Cape May County)
51 CRANFORD (Union County)
53 PLAINSBORO (Middlesex County)
54 ALPINE (Bergen County)
55 CRANBURY (Middlesex County)
56 BRIELLE (Monmouth County)
57 BRIDGEWATER (Somerset County)
58 MOUNTAIN LAKES (Morris County)
59 CARLSTADT (Bergen County)
59 EAST AMWELL (Hunterdon County)
61 ISLAND HEIGHTS (Ocean County)
62 WESTFIELD (Union County)
63 BERNARDS TOWNSHIP (Somerset County)
64 GLEN ROCK (Bergen County)
65 FORT LEE (Bergen County)
66 MENDHAM BOROUGH (Morris County)
67 WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP (Bergen County)
68 BOONTON TOWNSHIP (Morris County)
69 NEW PROVIDENCE(Union County)
70 MOUNTAINSIDE (Union County)
71 LIVINGSTON (Essex County)
72 MONTVILLE (Morris County)
73 CLARK (Union County)
74 WEST CALDWELL (Essex County)
75 HAINESPORT Burlington
76 CRESSKILL (Bergen County)
77 BERKELEY HEIGHTS (Union County)
78 HAWORTH (Bergen County)
79 WESTWOOD (Bergen County)
80 PALISADES PARK (Bergen County)
81 WALDWICK (Bergen County)
82 MORRIS TOWNSHIP (Morris County)
83 CHESTER BOROUGH (Morris County)
84 (Ocean County)PORT (Monmouth County)
84 DENVILLE (Morris County)
86 RUTHERFORD (Bergen County)
87 RUMSON (Monmouth County)
88 CHESTER TOWNSHIP (Morris County)
89 HILLSBOROUGH (Somerset County)
90 HARRINGTON PARK (Bergen County)
91 LEONIA (Bergen County)
92 POINT PLEASANT BEACH (Ocean County)
93 DEMAREST (Bergen County)
94 PINE BEACH (Ocean County)
95 BELMAR (Monmouth County)
96 MILLSTONE TOWNSHIP (Monmouth County)
97 DENNIS TOWNSHIP (Cape May County)
97 HOWELL (Monmouth County)
99 SOUTH HACKENSACK (Bergen County)
100 WOODCLIFF LAKE (Bergen County)