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If your family loves pizza and bagels, then you should definitely live in New Jersey. And today's your lucky day, because HomeSnacks is giving your family the ultimate life hack, we've created a list of the best places for families in New Jersey for 2021.
How did we determine New Jersey's most family friendly places? We consulted the US Census on places in The Garden State with more than 10,000 residents. We looked at several factors: crime, education, family friendly activities, and the percent of households that currently have children. We ended up with 96 family friendly New Jersey places that any family would be lucky to call home. Matter of fact, if you ask any New Jerseyite, they will tell you that New Jersey is the best and that their corner of this Mid-Atlantic State is above the rest. They will also tell you that the state is great for families because they are one of the wealthiest states in the country. New Jersey not only has one of the highest median household incomes, but they have plenty of extra money to spend on the things that matter. Like, making their neighborhoods safe, their schools competitive, and their families happy, healthy, and entertained.
Speaking of family entertainment, when New Jersey families are ready for some fun in the sun, there is plenty of family friendly fun to be had. We think the best family day in New Jersey would go something like this: first, a trip to the freshest bagel shop in Jersey City; then, a ferry ride across the Newark Bay to shop 'til you drop in Elizabeth; followed up by a slice of 'za' in Linden's Little Italy.
Want to know more? We suggest that you grab yourself a sunny spot at the Jersey Shore and read on.
The 10 Best Cities To Raise A Family In New Jersey For 2021
While New Jersey might be one of the smallest states in size, it's one of the largest in terms of population. The burning question: what is it about New Jersey that make over 9 million people--3 million families happy to call it home?
We'll tell you, point blank, it has a lot to offer. And this is especially evident in New Jersey's number one best place to raise a family for 2021, Madison.
If you want to see how New Jersey's other amazing best places to raise a family faired, take a look at the list below. And if you don't see your favorite there, head to the bottom.
Check out some more reading about New Jersey and the best places for families in the country:
- Best Places To Live In New Jersey
- Cheapest Places To Live In New Jersey
- Best Cities To Raise A Family In America
- Best States To Raise A Family In America
The 10 Best Places To Raise A Family In New Jersey For 2021
/10
Population: 16,377
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 43
Closest Major City: Newark
Households with kids: 36.6%
More on Madison: Photos | Homes For Sale | Data
/10
Population: 13,049
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 56
Closest Major City: Newark
Households with kids: 40.8%
More on New Providence: Photos | Homes For Sale | Data
/10
Population: 11,780
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 60
Closest Major City: Jersey City
Households with kids: 46.7%
More on Glen Rock: Photos | Homes For Sale | Data
/10
Population: 11,500
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 38
Closest Major City: Jersey City
Households with kids: 42.0%
More on River Edge: Photos | Homes For Sale | Data
/10
Population: 21,913
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 46
Closest Major City: Newark
Households with kids: 43.4%
More on Summit: Photos | Homes For Sale | Data
/10
Population: 10,054
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 49
Closest Major City: Newark
Households with kids: 39.6%
More on Kinnelon: Photos | Homes For Sale | Data
/10
Population: 14,632
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 55
Closest Major City: Jersey City
Households with kids: 51.1%
More on Tenafly: Photos | Homes For Sale | Data
/10
Population: 11,345
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 47
Closest Major City: Philadelphia
Households with kids: 40.6%
More on Haddonfield: Photos | Homes For Sale | Data
/10
Population: 29,877
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 49
Closest Major City: Newark
Households with kids: 41.6%
More on Westfield: Photos | Homes For Sale | Data
/10
Population: 12,972
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 58
Closest Major City: Newark
Households with kids: 42.9%
More on Oakland: Photos | Homes For Sale | Data
How do you determine which place is best for families in New Jersey anyways?
To give you the places in New Jersey which are best for families, we have to look at a handful of metrics. Of course, we want to measure the type of people who live in each city, and make some assumptions about what's family-friendly and what isn't.
So we researched the internet for a database that contains all that information.
How we crunched the family friendly numbers for the Garden State
We threw a lot of criteria at this one in order to get the best, most complete results possible. Using U.S. Census data produced for the state of New Jersey, we looked at every single city in the state. We paid particular attention to:
- Crime (Both violent and property)
- Quality of local schools
- Distance to a major city without necessarily being in it
- % of households with children
- Family-friendly amenities nearby (museums, libraries and colleges)
We then gave each city a Family Score.
The higher the score, the better the city is for families. We also limited our results to cities with populations over 10,000 people. For New Jersey, that meant a total of 96 cities. You can download the data here.
There You Have It - The Best Places To Raise A Family In New Jersey
If you're looking for a breakdown of cities in New Jersey ranked by criteria that most would agree make a place a great spot for families, this is an accurate list.
Here's a look at the best cities for singles New Jersey according to the data:
- Somers Point
- Lindenwold
- Asbury Park
For more New Jersey reading, check out:
Where Are The Best Places For Families In New Jersey?
| Rank | City | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Madison, NJ | 16,377 |
| 2 | New Providence, NJ | 13,049 |
| 3 | Glen Rock, NJ | 11,780 |
| 4 | River Edge, NJ | 11,500 |
| 5 | Summit, NJ | 21,913 |
| 6 | Kinnelon, NJ | 10,054 |
| 7 | Tenafly, NJ | 14,632 |
| 8 | Haddonfield, NJ | 11,345 |
| 9 | Westfield, NJ | 29,877 |
| 10 | Oakland, NJ | 12,972 |
Where is the search button? I’ve been clicking all over these different categories trying to find my hometown. Simple little thing: SEARCH. Right at the very top, even before the word “cities.” Try to make the website as user friendly as possible. Very frustrating.
Where is Pequannock????
What about Belle Mead?
What about Pennington?
What about Princeton?