Suppose real estate is the most significant investment a majority of people make in their lifetime. In that case, it’s best to understand the places in New Jersey with best potential return on investment.
After working in real estate adjacent roles for over a decade, I had the hypothesis that the best place to buy for a return on investment would be up-and-coming cities. Smaller cities where crime might be high now, but people still move to.
To test my hypothesis, we are going to look at places in New Jersey that are growing faster than average, but where home prices are below average, and crime rates are higher than average.
In everyday terms, these might be “deals”. The best deal in New Jersey at the moment according to Saturday Night Science? That would be Avon-by-the-Sea.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Best Places To Buy A Home In New Jersey For 2026
- Avon-by-the-Sea
- Ten Mile Run
- Sussex
- Laurel Springs
- Holiday Heights
- Manahawkin
- Weston
- Princeton Junction
- Byram Center
- Essex Fells
The methodology that wen’t into this can be a bit complicated, so we’ll break it down for you in as much detail as we can below.
For more New Jersey reading:
- Best Counties To Live In New Jersey
- Best Places To Raise A Family In New Jersey
- Best Places To Retire In New Jersey
The 10 Best Cities To Buy A House In New Jersey For 2026
1. Avon-By-The-Sea
/10
Population: 2,030
Median Home Price: $1,891,687
Population Change: 12.7%
Home Price Change: 6.2%
More on Avon-By-The-Sea: Movers
2. Ten Mile Run
/10
Population: 2,492
Median Home Price: $889,955
Population Change: 8.9%
Home Price Change: 3.3%
More on Ten Mile Run: Movers
3. Sussex
/10
Population: 2,145
Median Home Price: $445,448
Population Change: 7.0%
Home Price Change: -0.6%
More on Sussex: Movers
4. Laurel Springs
/10
Population: 2,044
Median Home Price: $335,130
Population Change: 0.9%
Home Price Change: -1.7%
More on Laurel Springs: Movers
5. Holiday Heights
/10
Population: 2,121
Median Home Price: $424,677
Population Change: 0.1%
Home Price Change: 1.0%
More on Holiday Heights: Movers
6. Manahawkin
/10
Population: 2,392
Median Home Price: $585,352
Population Change: 1.4%
Home Price Change: 1.1%
More on Manahawkin: Movers
7. Weston
/10
Population: 2,105
Median Home Price: $687,704
Population Change: -0.3%
Home Price Change: -4.8%
More on Weston: Movers
8. Princeton Junction
/10
Population: 2,025
Median Home Price: $1,001,473
Population Change: 9.9%
Home Price Change: -0.3%
More on Princeton Junction: Movers
9. Byram Center
/10
Population: 2,188
Median Home Price: $459,764
Population Change: 8.4%
Home Price Change: -0.3%
More on Byram Center: Movers
10. Essex Fells
/10
Population: 2,361
Median Home Price: $1,438,414
Population Change: 1.8%
Home Price Change: 2.7%
More on Essex Fells: Crime | Movers
Methodology: How do you determine the best places to buy a home in New Jersey for 2026?
We were in real estate for almost five years and have worked on this site for another 11. Suffice it to say we’ve put a lot of thought into finding an excellent place to buy a home.
So all that thinking has come to this moment where we get to spell out how we’d approach finding an up-and-coming place to live in New Jersey. Put differently, the analysis will try to find places in New Jersey with undervalued homes relative to pent-up demand using Saturday Night Science.
To do that, we looked at the most recent American Community Survey Census data for 2020-2024 and compared it to the previous vintage. Specifically, we used the following criteria:
- Y-o-Y Change In Population (People want to live here)
- Y-o-Y Change In Median Home Prices (People are willing to pay for it)
- Home Prices Relative To The State Average (It’s still kinda cheap)
We want places that are growing, have seen home prices increase in recent years, and are still “cheap” for New Jersey with the following caveats:
- Home prices had to be within 20% of the state average (Much lower than that, and you get to some of the more dangerous places)
- Home prices increased in the last year, and
- Above 5,000 people (Bigger cities have more data points)
So of the 0 cities and towns in New Jersey, only 396 places made it through our initial filters to even be considered.
We then ranked each place from 1 to 396 for the above criteria, with 1 being the best. We averaged the rankings to create a “best place to buy” index, with the place having the lowest index being the best.
Turns out that Avon-by-the-Sea is the best potential gem in the not-so-rough in the Garden State.
Summary: The Best Places To Purchase A House In New Jersey for 2026
There’s our analysis of the best places to buy a house in New Jersey. And, to be clear, we aren’t necessarily saying these places are the best places to live, just that it looks like they might be in a couple of years based on the data.
In fact, every place in the following table meets our criteria, so even though it may not look super long, remember we started off with all 0 places in the state.
The best cities to buy a house in New Jersey are Avon-by-the-Sea, Ten Mile Run, Sussex, Laurel Springs, Holiday Heights, Manahawkin, Weston, Princeton Junction, Byram Center, and Essex Fells.
So if we’d could rent or buy in these cities, we’d definitely buy.
For more New Jersey reading, check out:
Best Places To Buy A Home In New Jersey
| Rank | City | Population | Median Home Price | Population Change | Home Price Increase |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Avon-By-The-Sea | 2,030 | $1,891,687 | 12.7% | 6.2% |
| 2 | Ten Mile Run | 2,492 | $889,955 | 8.9% | 3.3% |
| 3 | Sussex | 2,145 | $445,448 | 7.0% | -0.6% |
| 4 | Laurel Springs | 2,044 | $335,130 | 0.9% | -1.7% |
| 5 | Holiday Heights | 2,121 | $424,677 | 0.1% | 1.0% |
| 6 | Manahawkin | 2,392 | $585,352 | 1.4% | 1.1% |
| 7 | Weston | 2,105 | $687,704 | -0.3% | -4.8% |
| 8 | Princeton Junction | 2,025 | $1,001,473 | 9.9% | -0.3% |
| 9 | Byram Center | 2,188 | $459,764 | 8.4% | -0.3% |
| 10 | Essex Fells | 2,361 | $1,438,414 | 1.8% | 2.7% |
| 11 | Alpha | 2,436 | $327,687 | 8.3% | -0.9% |
| 12 | Ogdensburg | 2,160 | $421,184 | -3.2% | 0.8% |
| 13 | New Egypt | 2,050 | $558,472 | 5.2% | 0.9% |
| 14 | North Beach Haven | 2,277 | $1,438,189 | -0.2% | 1.7% |
| 15 | Cranbury | 2,185 | $1,008,499 | -5.2% | -3.8% |
| 16 | Helmetta | 2,459 | $428,679 | 6.1% | -16.4% |
| 17 | Gibbsboro | 2,435 | $380,790 | 4.2% | -0.9% |
| 18 | Wenonah | 2,261 | $363,037 | 0.6% | 1.5% |
| 19 | Leonardo | 2,493 | $659,756 | 6.4% | 2.9% |
| 20 | Woodbine | 2,023 | $322,709 | -2.9% | -1.9% |
| 21 | Pine Beach | 2,306 | $560,327 | -3.0% | 0.5% |
| 22 | Brownville | 2,377 | $505,001 | 4.9% | 3.9% |
| 23 | Beverly | 2,514 | $281,666 | 1.0% | -0.6% |
| 24 | Vista Center | 2,133 | $688,581 | -4.6% | -9.5% |
| 25 | Whittingham | 2,480 | $525,051 | -1.4% | 2.9% |
| 26 | Waretown | 2,076 | $544,192 | 9.6% | 0.7% |
| 27 | Concordia | 2,611 | $410,392 | -4.1% | 4.2% |
| 28 | Pennington | 2,827 | $675,381 | 1.0% | 0.1% |
| 29 | West Belmar | 2,862 | $665,774 | 6.7% | 2.9% |
| 30 | Belvidere | 2,538 | $387,055 | 0.5% | -0.0% |
| 31 | Leisure Knoll | 2,668 | $393,099 | -2.1% | 12.1% |
| 32 | Peapack And Gladstone | 2,571 | $1,088,697 | 0.9% | -2.2% |
| 33 | Swedesboro | 2,733 | $476,701 | 0.5% | 1.3% |
| 34 | Whitesboro | 2,766 | $311,647 | -6.1% | -2.5% |
| 35 | Pine Ridge At Crestwood | 2,719 | $170,297 | -1.3% | -3.6% |
| 36 | East Newark | 2,497 | $589,335 | -1.3% | 60.8% |
| 37 | Pemberton Heights | 2,619 | $297,487 | -0.9% | -3.2% |
| 38 | North Middletown | 3,035 | $447,483 | -1.5% | 8.8% |
| 39 | Laurel Lake | 2,641 | $196,486 | 5.1% | 7.8% |
| 40 | Riverton | 2,770 | $461,356 | -0.0% | 1.0% |
| 41 | Clinton | 2,789 | $515,873 | 0.2% | -3.0% |
| 42 | Rossmoor | 3,350 | $243,478 | 6.8% | -0.2% |
| 43 | Lakehurst | 2,681 | $362,265 | 0.6% | -0.4% |
| 44 | Sewaren | 3,248 | $531,116 | 1.6% | 0.4% |
| 45 | Moonachie | 3,126 | $656,576 | 0.6% | 1.8% |
| 46 | Plainsboro Center | 2,773 | $605,625 | 3.4% | -3.3% |
| 47 | Middlebush | 2,049 | $629,184 | 1.6% | 0.2% |
| 48 | Rio Grande | 3,485 | $428,046 | 6.1% | 2.2% |
| 49 | Lawnside | 3,200 | $301,178 | 2.4% | -2.1% |
| 50 | Woodlynne | 2,920 | $196,635 | 0.7% | -4.3% |
| 51 | Seaside Heights | 2,478 | $711,846 | 24.4% | 2.8% |
| 52 | Spring Lake | 2,779 | $1,417,246 | -0.1% | 5.4% |
| 53 | Groveville | 3,100 | $508,259 | 3.1% | 10.7% |
| 54 | National Park | 3,044 | $270,494 | 0.0% | -1.0% |
| 55 | Woodbury Heights | 3,117 | $366,621 | 0.0% | 2.0% |
| 56 | Shark River Hills | 2,974 | $655,875 | -2.0% | 2.9% |
| 57 | Cliffwood Beach | 3,056 | $458,135 | 0.4% | 1.9% |
| 58 | Wildwood Crest | 3,077 | $740,459 | -0.5% | 6.5% |
| 59 | Hamburg | 3,308 | $395,522 | 0.5% | 0.4% |
| 60 | Ocean Grove | 3,092 | $990,078 | 6.0% | -1.9% |
| 61 | Netcong | 3,659 | $481,352 | 3.3% | 2.2% |
| 62 | Saddle River | 3,389 | $2,270,387 | 0.9% | 2.1% |
| 63 | Monmouth Beach | 3,207 | $1,107,169 | 0.2% | 1.8% |
| 64 | Leisuretowne | 3,564 | $303,874 | 9.9% | -2.9% |
| 65 | Stanhope | 3,552 | $438,947 | 0.0% | -0.2% |
| 66 | Turnersville | 3,136 | $464,902 | 2.1% | -0.1% |
| 67 | Tuckerton | 3,654 | $413,691 | 1.1% | 0.7% |
| 68 | Haworth | 3,363 | $1,191,256 | 1.3% | 2.9% |
| 69 | Six Mile Run | 2,882 | $602,367 | -9.5% | -7.8% |
| 70 | Wood | 3,715 | $299,742 | 0.7% | -2.0% |
| 71 | Cape May | 2,767 | $714,347 | -0.8% | 2.5% |
| 72 | High Bridge | 3,580 | $448,928 | -0.1% | 0.7% |
| 73 | Oakhurst | 3,538 | $1,007,290 | -7.2% | 3.0% |
| 74 | Gibbstown | 3,685 | $323,788 | 5.5% | -1.3% |
| 75 | Lawrenceville | 3,924 | $516,154 | -0.6% | -5.5% |
| 76 | Mullica Hill | 4,591 | $594,702 | 0.7% | 0.1% |
| 77 | Barnegat | 3,360 | $494,291 | -0.2% | 0.6% |
| 78 | Port Monmouth | 3,046 | $602,721 | -7.3% | 3.0% |
| 79 | South Toms River | 3,716 | $391,641 | 0.4% | 1.2% |
| 80 | Merchantville | 3,905 | $355,944 | 2.4% | 4.2% |
| 81 | Fairview | 3,892 | $654,535 | -1.5% | 1.2% |
| 82 | Leisure Village East | 4,247 | $291,848 | -1.4% | 4.5% |
| 83 | North Cape May | 3,731 | $492,846 | 4.3% | 15.3% |
| 84 | Leisure Village West | 3,969 | $278,941 | -2.5% | 3.7% |
| 85 | North Wildwood | 3,602 | $576,303 | -0.5% | -2.2% |
| 86 | Bordentown | 4,026 | $432,947 | 0.5% | 1.8% |
| 87 | Lambertville | 4,153 | $642,509 | 0.3% | 2.6% |
| 88 | White House Station | 3,963 | $569,411 | 5.5% | 1.2% |
| 89 | Panther Valley | 4,553 | $463,523 | -1.5% | -2.4% |
| 90 | Oaklyn | 3,947 | $342,692 | 0.3% | -2.8% |
| 91 | Medford Lakes | 4,297 | $538,426 | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| 92 | Richwood | 3,197 | $744,469 | -7.4% | -0.4% |
| 93 | Silver Lake Cdp (Essex County) | 3,917 | $561,767 | -2.9% | -12.0% |
| 94 | Port Reading | 3,511 | $544,565 | -7.0% | 0.4% |
| 95 | Holiday City South | 4,270 | $334,203 | -0.6% | 3.6% |
| 96 | Oak Valley | 4,413 | $304,003 | 0.9% | 1.9% |
| 97 | Barclay | 4,607 | $584,197 | 3.4% | 1.0% |
| 98 | Singac | 4,207 | $535,577 | 5.5% | -2.5% |
| 99 | Egg Harbor City | 4,400 | $337,184 | 0.5% | -0.5% |
| 100 | Shrewsbury | 4,179 | $942,549 | 0.4% | 3.3% |