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Best Places To Live - The Complete Top Towns List 1-100

Chatham Township finishes first among the state's 566 municipalities. Where does your town rank?

Posted February 21, 2008

 
1 Chatham Township Morris 10,279
1.9%
$797,500
125%
$9,948
36%
96
95
94
4.5
1.4
9
Yes
2 Upper Township Cape May 11,363
-6.2%
$295,000
95%
$3,632
49%
88
85
87
16.9
2.0
3
Yes
3 Verona Township Essex 12,937
-4.4%
$420,000
100%
$8,136
19%
96
86
94
16.4
2.4
18
Yes
4 Oceanport Borough Monmouth 5,751
-1.0%
$510,000
125%
$6,622
10%
91
91
92
7.1
2.2
4
Yes
5 Lincoln Park Borough Morris 10,856
-0.7%
$350,000
115%
$6,271
28%
93
81
83
8.0
3.5
10
Yes
6 Shamong Township Burlington 6,873
6.4%
$372,500
108%
$6,664
59%
95
90
92
5.5
3.0
4
No
7 Millstone Borough Somerset 431
5.1%
$392,500
98%
$5,879
18%
91
88
92
0.0
0.0
3
Yes
8 Lavallette Borough Ocean 2,752
3.3%
$700,000
180%
$4,830
22%
79
95
94
11.6
3.0
3
Yes
9 Mahwah Township Bergen 24,560
2.1%
$425,000
93%
$5,787
48%
94
90
95
6.3
3.9
7
Yes
10 Essex Fells Township Essex 2,071
-4.2%
$1,065,000
113%
$12,705
16%
98
89
93
7.6
2.5
18
Yes
11 Secaucus Town Hudson 15,562
-2.3%
$429,000
133%
$4,709
6%
92
77
85
46.9
2.3
22
Yes
12 Roosevelt Borough Monmouth 913
-2.1%
$240,000
162%
$5,197
23%
92
85
81
4.4
4.0
2
Yes
13 Rockleigh Borough Bergen 393
0.5%
$2,400,000
242%
$10,840
39%
87
89
95
27.8
0.0
6
Yes
14 Roseland Borough Essex 5,400
1.9%
$582,500
99%
$7,087
20%
93
89
93
8.1
3.4
18
Yes
15 Alpine Borough Bergen 2,429
11.3%
$3,100,000
243%
$12,295
48%
86
96
95
3.8
2.9
7
Yes
16 Mountainside Borough Union 6,644
0.6%
$635,000
96%
$7,420
5%
96
95
96
11.0
2.5
14
Yes
17 Cedar Grove Township Essex 12,848
4.5%
$494,000
115%
$6,593
17%
93
80
90
17.2
1.2
16
Yes
18 Walpack Township Sussex 40
-2.4%
n/a
n/a
$800
>75%
96
84
94
n/a
0.0
1
No
19 Folsom Borough Atlantic 1,948
-1.2%
$202,500
182%
$2,627
8%
88
93
83
19.3
2.6
1
Yes
20 Dennis Township Cape May 5,907
-9.0%
$216,200
88%
$2,597
56%
83
85
79
23.2
4.0
1
No
21 Union Township Hunterdon 6,352
3.1%
$319,950
174%
$7,433
31%
91
89
94
6.5
3.4
2
Yes
22 Manasquan Borough Monmouth 6,199
-1.8%
$607,500
179%
$6,586
12%
92
88
91
26.9
2.4
3
Yes
23 Tabernacle Township Burlington 7,337
2.4%
$358,800
110%
$6,666
43%
92
86
92
9.9
2.2
3
No
24 Chatham Borough Morris 8,390
-0.8%
$693,000
86%
$8,780
12%
96
95
94
11.6
2.5
13
Yes
25 North Caldwell Borough Essex 7,207
-2.3%
$760,000
113%
$11,323
7%
90
89
93
7.0
3.0
16
Yes
26 Sandyston Township Sussex 1,924
5.4%
$250,000
113%
$3,794
73%
96
84
94
8.9
4.1
2
No
27 Ogdensburg Borough Sussex 2,623
-0.6%
$273,500
104%
$5,972
29%
86
78
87
2.7
3.7
2
No
28 Spring Lake Heights Borough Monmouth 5,106
-2.3%
$490,000
128%
$5,321
3%
79
92
91
6.6
3.2
4
Yes
29 Summit City Union 21,103
-0.1%
$787,500
88%
$10,665
54%
93
86
94
11.9
2.5
16
Yes
30 West Caldwell Township Essex 10,797
-3.9%
$455,000
78%
$7,619
16%
89
84
93
10.6
3.3
17
Yes
31 Leonia Borough Bergen 8,799
-1.3%
$509,850
105%
$9,162
28%
88
79
83
9.7
2.8
15
Yes
32 Caldwell Township Essex 7,373
-2.8%
$423,650
84%
$8,977
5%
89
84
93
6.8
2.3
17
Yes
33 Clark Township Union 14,650
0.4%
$415,000
108%
$7,627
14%
92
87
81
14.7
2.1
16
Yes
34 Lower Township Cape May 20,785
-9.4%
$225,000
178%
$2,622
27%
85
72
81
24.5
8.4
1
Yes
35 Little Ferry Borough Bergen 10,715
-0.8%
$370,000
155%
$7,095
11%
86
82
82
11.1
4.6
20
Yes
36 Brigantine City Atlantic 12,886
2.3%
$400,000
196%
$4,370
>75%
91
75
58
18.2
4.3
2
Yes
37 Cranford Township Union 22,369
-0.9%
$446,250
95%
$8,119
13%
93
86
95
12.9
2.6
15
Yes
38 Nutley Township Essex 27,011
-1.3%
$409,225
141%
$8,438
8%
90
81
88
17.4
3.9
23
Yes
39 Wood-Ridge Borough Bergen 7,594
-0.7%
$413,250
124%
$6,421
1%
84
84
87
8.1
3.2
23
Yes
40 Stillwater Township Sussex 4,385
2.8%
$247,500
80%
$5,084
34%
98
84
94
6.8
1.7
1
No
41 Ho-Ho-Kus Borough Bergen 4,095
0.9%
$719,000
66%
$10,094
3%
96
90
95
3.4
0.5
10
Yes
42 Cape May Point Borough Cape May 230
-4.6%
$837,500
173%
$3,187
18%
87
72
81
122.9
0.0
1
Yes
43 Linwood City Atlantic 7,354
2.5%
$330,000
146%
$6,420
20%
96
91
91
12.7
3.7
3
Yes
44 Montville Township Morris 21,442
2.9%
$585,000
93%
$9,051
18%
94
91
94
11.2
1.9
13
Yes
45 Shrewsbury Township Monmouth 1,073
-2.3%
$231,000
173%
$4,312
4%
92
85
85
5.6
7.2
4
Yes
46 Teterboro Borough Bergen 18
0.0%
n/a
n/a
$1,599
<1%
80
69
95
n/a
0.0
21
Yes
47 New Hanover Township Burlington 9,479
-2.7%
$325,000
178%
$3,756
<1%
71
65
85
2.2
3.6
1
No
48 Haworth Borough Bergen 3,433
1.3%
$734,500
107%
$12,304
7%
96
91
95
2.3
3.8
10
Yes
49 Helmetta Borough Middlesex 2,023
10.9%
$240,000
155%
$4,502
34%
82
77
90
3.9
4.8
3
Yes
50 Medford Lakes Borough Burlington 4,161
-0.3%
$299,950
97%
$7,113
3%
94
95
92
8.4
1.9
4
No
51 Sea Bright Borough Monmouth 1,799
-1.0%
$465,000
258%
$5,650
2%
91
91
92
9.5
5.0
3
Yes
52 South Amboy City Middlesex 7,865
-0.6%
$309,450
148%
$4,458
21%
89
70
79
18.4
4.6
8
Yes
53 Millburn Township Essex 19,153
-3.1%
$985,000
95%
$14,141
16%
97
93
98
40.3
2.1
16
Yes
54 Long Hill Township Morris 8,785
0.1%
$485,000
63%
$8,923
43%
94
92
93
6.0
3.1
8
Yes
55 Stockton Borough Hunterdon 555
-0.9%
$337,500
108%
$5,617
39%
n/a
66
85
7.1
0.0
0
Yes
56 Cape May City Cape May 3,809
-5.6%
$575,000
211%
$3,301
>75%
87
72
81
77.4
7.3
1
Yes
57 Andover Township Sussex 6,552
8.6%
$320,000
167%
$6,110
17%
91
90
89
8.7
2.8
2
Yes
58 Hardwick Township Warren 1,631
11.4%
$379,500
130%
$6,628
62%
92
80
84
5.0
2.9
2
No
59 Berkeley Heights Township Union 13,575
1.3%
$550,000
76%
$8,525
7%
95
91
96
6.7
2.2
11
Yes
60 Sea Girt Borough Monmouth 2,044
-4.8%
$1,425,000
157%
$9,597
n/a
98
99
91
19.3
2.1
3
Yes
61 Ridgewood Village Bergen 24,639
-1.2%
$679,500
84%
$11,276
6%
97
94
96
10.0
2.8
11
Yes
62 Spring Lake Borough Monmouth 3,475
-2.6%
$1,417,500
124%
$8,539
22%
98
95
91
22.8
4.7
3
Yes
63 Interlaken Borough Monmouth 881
-2.1%
$620,000
131%
$6,403
24%
n/a
n/a
n/a
3.4
4.3
3
Yes
64 Plainsboro Township Middlesex 21,213
5.0%
$326,250
124%
$7,725
10%
94
93
96
10.5
2.5
4
Yes
65 Tenafly Borough Bergen 14,390
4.2%
$755,000
105%
$12,402
31%
97
94
95
7.5
3.7
11
Yes
66 Kenilworth Borough Union 7,741
0.9%
$375,000
129%
$5,606
22%
86
76
83
18.7
4.8
17
Yes
67 Monmouth Beach Borough Monmouth 3,574
-0.6%
$549,900
142%
$5,810
3%
97
92
92
9.7
4.1
3
Yes
68 Maurice River Township Cumberland 8,083
9.6%
$154,500
149%
$3,140
52%
74
81
57
6.7
4.2
2
Yes
69 Fort Lee Borough Bergen 37,008
4.5%
$510,000
105%
$7,189
26%
87
81
88
10.1
3.0
13
Yes
70 Manchester Township Ocean 41,813
7.8%
$192,750
132%
$2,952
47%
85
75
89
8.0
6.5
3
No
71 Lyndhurst Township Bergen 19,732
1.8%
$405,000
125%
$6,115
14%
83
80
81
17.3
5.2
25
Yes
72 Park Ridge Borough Bergen 8,945
2.7%
$536,500
88%
$8,267
4%
96
85
96
5.7
1.6
8
Yes
73 Howell Township Monmouth 50,548
3.4%
$340,000
120%
$6,571
15%
94
86
92
10.6
3.8
7
Yes
74 Kearny Town Hudson 38,008
-6.2%
$380,000
138%
$7,448
10%
82
72
81
28.1
5.5
23
Yes
75 Downe Township Cumberland 1,675
2.8%
$110,000
158%
$2,448
70%
77
76
53
20.9
5.3
2
Yes
76 Ridgefield Park Village Bergen 12,665
-1.6%
$384,000
126%
$7,879
11%
97
73
82
16.1
4.2
17
Yes
77 Ringwood Borough Passaic 12,814
3.4%
$382,500
97%
$7,843
69%
85
87
87
5.5
3.8
3
Yes
78 Closter Borough Bergen 8,730
4.1%
$756,500
140%
$11,010
4%
91
92
95
8.4
2.1
8
Yes
79 Medford Township Burlington 23,399
5.1%
$375,000
93%
$7,590
19%
93
94
92
10.6
2.4
7
Yes
80 Belleville Township Essex 34,444
-4.1%
$345,000
161%
$6,773
9%
74
59
68
29.1
5.5
25
Yes
81 Hopewell Borough Mercer 2,022
-0.6%
$379,250
102%
$8,391
5%
92
92
94
5.9
1.0
1
Yes
82 Westwood Borough Bergen 10,934
-0.6%
$465,000
96%
$7,796
6%
95
84
92
13.2
2.2
10
Yes
83 Allentown Borough Monmouth 1,847
-1.9%
$315,000
102%
$6,196
25%
87
89
85
12.9
3.7
3
No
84 Hampton Township Sussex 5,213
5.8%
$276,000
139%
$4,935
25%
91
84
94
13.8
3.5
2
No
85 Maplewood Township Essex 22,759
-4.6%
$475,000
129%
$10,689
21%
85
75
84
25.9
4.2
19
Yes
86 Harrington Park Borough Bergen 4,916
3.7%
$561,000
65%
$10,787
9%
96
94
95
2.2
2.7
7
Yes
87 Waldwick Borough Bergen 9,621
0.0%
$450,000
96%
$8,414
5%
96
83
89
9.4
2.0
10
Yes
88 Bloomfield Township Essex 45,372
-4.8%
$370,000
139%
$7,772
6%
84
64
65
32.0
4.6
26
Yes
89 Mountain Lakes Borough Morris 4,343
2.0%
$811,250
83%
$15,258
35%
99
96
98
19.8
0.6
3
Yes
90 Kinnelon Borough Morris 9,681
3.4%
$655,000
77%
$10,369
38%
93
94
93
7.3
2.2
5
Yes
91 East Newark Borough Hudson 2,217
-6.7%
$417,500
133%
$5,239
1%
70
57
81
13.3
4.4
19
Yes
92 Fredon Township Sussex 3,361
17.5%
$373,000
119%
$6,654
16%
93
84
94
6.6
1.6
2
No
93 River Vale Township Bergen 9,751
3.2%
$622,000
95%
$10,484
3%
96
92
94
4.4
2.3
8
Yes
94 Riverton Borough Burlington 2,715
-1.6%
$290,000
96%
$6,358
3%
95
97
79
13.5
2.4
6
Yes
95 Glen Rock Borough Bergen 11,396
-1.3%
$591,000
79%
$11,356
8%
95
87
95
6.5
2.8
12
Yes
96 Farmingdale Borough Monmouth 1,563
-1.5%
$335,000
123%
$5,147
<1%
100
n/a
92
17.2
2.4
4
Yes
97 Bloomingdale Borough Passaic 7,604
-0.1%
$354,000
103%
$7,873
49%
84
75
77
9.8
3.1
5
Yes
98 Haddon Heights Borough Camden 7,365
-2.4%
$253,000
102%
$7,016
7%
95
91
82
19.3
3.6
9
Yes
99 Byram Township Sussex 8,656
4.0%
$345,500
111%
$6,560
39%
93
92
85
6.2
4.5
2
Yes
100 Haddonfield Borough Camden 11,515
-1.2%
$415,500
98%
$9,481
12%
96
92
95
24.2
2.9
9
Yes

Click here to see Best Places to Live 101-200

Click here to see Best Places to Live 201-300

Click here to see Best Places to Live 301-400

Click here to see Best Places to Live 401-500

Click here to see Best Places to Live 501-566

 

METHODOLOGY: In compiling New Jersey Monthly’s 2007 Top Towns list, researchers at Monmouth University’s Polling Institute considered eight categories best representing the quality of life in New Jersey’s 566 municipalities: property taxes, home values, population growth, land development, employment, crime rate, school performance, and proximity to services.

The research team selected a prototypical indicator corresponding, respectively, to each of these eight categories: median property tax (2007), median increase in home values (2000–2006), population growth rate (2000–2006), percentage of land preserved as open space (2007), unemployment rate (2006), total crime rate (2006), student proficiency on state-mandated standardized tests for students in grades 4, 8, and 11 (2006), and number of acute-care hospitals within ten miles.

To level the playing field, household income was not considered, and home values were measured by their rate of increase over five years rather than by current prices. To compare land development, towns with relatively slower growth and more open space were rated more favorably. Towns with lower unemployment and crime rates also scored higher, as did those closer to hospitals.

A statistical standardization technique was used to rank all 566 municipalities according to the eight indicators; an average of the eight numerical values for each municipality determined its final rank.