If you are looking to retire and you like gardening, then you should consider a move to The Garden State.
Gardening is not all that New Jersey has to offer to the 13.5% of its population that is 65 and older. New Jersey’s best places to retire are some of the safest, most affordable places in the state. Not that New Jerseyans need to worry about affordability. They are after all one of the richest and safest states in America.
How did we created a list of the best places to retire in New Jersey for 2026? We used Saturday Night Science to analyze the latest Census and FBI data on affordability and safety. We limited the analysis to the 90 New Jersey cities with more than 10,000 residents.
Additionally, to make our list, the city also had to be close to an international airport and have decent rental deals.
$1,903 median rent · $161,599 median income · #58 cheapest rent in New Jersey
Located in
Union County, New Jersey
New Providence is a borough on the northwestern edge of Union County, New Jersey, United States. It is located on the Passaic River, which forms the county boundary with Morris County. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 12,171, reflecting an increase of 264 from the 11,907 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 468 from the 11,439 counted in the 1990 Census.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$1,663 median rent · $109,679 median income · #22 cheapest rent in New Jersey
Located in
Union County, New Jersey
Roselle Park is a borough in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough’s population was 13,297, reflecting an increase of 16 from the 13,281 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 476 from the 12,805 counted in the 1990 Census.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$1,700 median rent · $123,734 median income · #29 cheapest rent in New Jersey
Located in
Bergen County, New Jersey
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$990 median rent · $77,028 median income · #1 cheapest rent in New Jersey
Located in
Gloucester County, New Jersey
Woodbury is a city in Gloucester County, New Jersey, in the United States. As of the 2010 United States Census the city’s population was 10,174, reflecting a decline of 133 from the 10,307 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn declined by 597 from the 10,904 counted in the 1990 Census. Woodbury is the county seat of Gloucester County.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$1,750 median rent · $152,414 median income · #34 cheapest rent in New Jersey
Located in
Passaic County, New Jersey
Ringwood is a borough in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough’s population was 12,228, reflecting a decrease of 168 from the 12,396 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn declined by 227 from the 12,623 counted in the 1990 Census.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$1,857 median rent · $123,397 median income · #52 cheapest rent in New Jersey
Located in
Morris County, New Jersey
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$2,430 median rent · $190,304 median income · #81 cheapest rent in New Jersey
Located in
Union County, New Jersey
Summit is a city in Union County, New Jersey, United States. At the 2010 United States Census, the city’s population was 21,457, reflecting an increase of 326 from the 21,131 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 1,374 from the 19,757 counted in the 1990 Census. Summit had the 16th-highest per capita income in the state as of the 2000 Census.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$1,383 median rent · $162,019 median income · #10 cheapest rent in New Jersey
Located in
Bergen County, New Jersey
Oakland is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough’s population was 12,754, reflecting an increase of 288 from the 12,466 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 469 from the 11,997 counted in the 1990 Census.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$1,879 median rent · $159,028 median income · #56 cheapest rent in New Jersey
Located in
Bergen County, New Jersey
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$1,764 median rent · $186,688 median income · #37 cheapest rent in New Jersey
Located in
Bergen County, New Jersey
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is New Jersey’s statewide median.
New Jersey statewide median: $103,556
New Jersey statewide median: $569,411
On the map
Where to retire in New Jersey
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How We Determined The Best Places To Retire In the Garden State for 2026
To create our ranking of the best places in New Jersey to retire, we used Saturday Night Science. We analyzed Census data to find all places in the Garden State — 543 cities and towns.
We then narrowed it down to places with at least 10,000 people that weren’t townships. This left us with 90 places from across the state.
For these 90, we looked at the following criteria taken from the Census, the FBI’s Crime Report, National Weather Service, and OpenFlights:
- Low cost of living as measured by rent
- Low crime
- Things to do (Museums, Colleges, and Libraries in town)
- Nice weather
- Distance to the closest international airport
- Other retirees (High median age)
We then ranked each of these places for each criterion from one to 90, with the lowest number being the best.
Finally, we took the average rank across these criteria. The place, in this case New Providence, with the lowest average rank, was crowned the best of the best, a place for you to start your second career.
The report has been updated for 2026. This list reflects our eleventh time ranking the best places to retire in New Jersey.
The full plate
Best Places To Retire In New Jersey
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Retire Score | Population | Median Income | Average Home Prices | Median Rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Providence | 25.10 | 13,727 | $161,599 | $990,084 | $1,903 |
| 2 | Roselle Park | 25.60 | 14,093 | $109,679 | $538,084 | $1,663 |
| 3 | Hasbrouck Heights | 27.10 | 12,115 | $123,734 | $709,659 | $1,700 |
| 4 | Woodbury | 27.20 | 10,042 | $77,028 | $336,567 | $990 |
| 5 | Ringwood | 28.20 | 11,657 | $152,414 | $596,571 | $1,750 |
| 6 | Lincoln Park | 30.00 | 10,957 | $123,397 | $534,178 | $1,857 |
| 7 | Summit | 31.70 | 22,705 | $190,304 | $1,372,011 | $2,430 |
| 8 | Oakland | 32.10 | 12,768 | $162,019 | $750,020 | $1,383 |
| 9 | River Edge | 32.70 | 12,091 | $159,028 | $839,655 | $1,879 |
| 10 | Hillsdale | 34.60 | 10,144 | $186,688 | $843,788 | $1,764 |
| 11 | Phillipsburg | 34.70 | 15,299 | $68,324 | $336,548 | $1,167 |
| 12 | Wanaque | 35.20 | 11,206 | $113,175 | $507,937 | $1,778 |
| 13 | Rutherford | 35.30 | 18,894 | $143,153 | $738,683 | $1,966 |
| 14 | Maywood | 35.40 | 10,093 | $117,912 | $681,177 | $1,854 |
| 15 | Kinnelon | 35.90 | 10,013 | $187,438 | $836,759 | $2,282 |
| 16 | Westfield | 36.70 | 31,111 | $232,629 | $1,269,853 | $2,357 |
| 17 | Dumont | 37.10 | 18,279 | $126,071 | $666,365 | $1,787 |
| 18 | Wood-Ridge | 37.30 | 10,218 | $136,108 | $709,508 | $1,878 |
| 19 | Rahway | 37.40 | 30,109 | $91,461 | $529,779 | $1,845 |
| 20 | Lodi | 37.90 | 26,082 | $89,305 | $619,465 | $1,714 |
| 21 | Madison | 38.80 | 16,447 | $171,471 | $990,723 | $2,253 |
| 22 | Woodland Park | 39.20 | 13,355 | $98,845 | $648,176 | $1,839 |
| 23 | South River | 39.40 | 16,124 | $96,147 | $528,552 | $1,675 |
| 24 | Haddonfield | 39.70 | 12,595 | $200,400 | $830,377 | $1,897 |
| 25 | Roselle | 39.90 | 22,646 | $92,762 | $507,576 | $1,567 |
| 26 | Hawthorne | 39.90 | 19,628 | $110,237 | $629,474 | $1,830 |
| 27 | Collingswood | 40.10 | 14,205 | $90,184 | $448,586 | $1,488 |
| 28 | Somers Point | 40.10 | 10,515 | $71,062 | $419,053 | $1,383 |
| 29 | Bergenfield | 40.20 | 28,450 | $130,045 | $629,539 | $1,752 |
| 30 | Glen Rock | 41.10 | 12,154 | $215,096 | $1,056,914 | $1,930 |
| 31 | Palisades Park | 41.30 | 20,290 | $94,743 | $987,743 | $2,009 |
| 32 | Tenafly | 41.70 | 15,319 | $208,200 | $1,262,422 | $3,501 |
| 33 | Westwood | 42.40 | 11,283 | $165,781 | $755,182 | $2,458 |
| 34 | Guttenberg | 43.10 | 11,754 | $75,683 | $416,701 | $1,677 |
| 35 | Newark | 43.20 | 310,178 | $52,060 | $478,455 | $1,392 |
| 36 | Wallington | 43.20 | 11,889 | $85,862 | $673,350 | $1,625 |
| 37 | Cliffside Park | 43.70 | 25,781 | $93,452 | $645,671 | $1,837 |
| 38 | Bellmawr | 44.10 | 11,737 | $76,654 | $310,586 | $1,257 |
| 39 | Ridgefield | 44.10 | 11,498 | $118,059 | $778,380 | $2,095 |
| 40 | Ridgefield Park | 44.30 | 13,235 | $100,718 | $580,536 | $1,731 |
| 41 | Millville | 44.40 | 27,511 | $70,275 | $252,661 | $1,261 |
| 42 | Franklin Lakes | 44.50 | 11,084 | $235,795 | $1,557,852 | $3,230 |
| 43 | Totowa | 44.70 | 10,959 | $113,563 | $659,952 | $2,072 |
| 44 | Clifton | 44.80 | 89,379 | $98,237 | $612,462 | $1,711 |
| 45 | East Orange | 44.80 | 70,090 | $60,830 | $474,293 | $1,441 |
| 46 | Metuchen | 44.90 | 15,144 | $158,052 | $683,090 | $2,078 |
| 47 | Fairview | 44.90 | 15,099 | $63,606 | $654,535 | $1,694 |
| 48 | Ridgewood | 45.30 | 26,308 | $208,211 | $1,200,489 | $2,499 |
| 49 | Englewood | 45.60 | 29,638 | $102,571 | $617,542 | $1,977 |
| 50 | Waldwick | 45.90 | 10,164 | $177,962 | $738,299 | $3,446 |
| 51 | Fort Lee | 46.50 | 40,067 | $107,274 | $588,321 | $2,270 |
| 52 | New Milford | 46.50 | 16,995 | $114,889 | $727,507 | $1,765 |
| 53 | Dover | 46.70 | 18,563 | $73,737 | $507,729 | $1,825 |
| 54 | Hammonton | 47.50 | 14,840 | $78,087 | $373,850 | $1,611 |
| 55 | Elizabeth | 48.10 | 137,302 | $66,555 | $534,667 | $1,523 |
| 56 | Florham Park | 48.30 | 13,564 | $158,696 | $1,025,256 | $3,109 |
| 57 | Pleasantville | 48.50 | 20,712 | $53,661 | $241,645 | $1,354 |
| 58 | Hackensack | 48.90 | 46,057 | $84,277 | $465,836 | $1,911 |
| 59 | Paramus | 49.10 | 26,568 | $144,349 | $1,039,757 | $3,032 |
| 60 | Ramsey | 49.40 | 14,805 | $160,996 | $863,404 | $2,245 |
| 61 | Hopatcong | 50.00 | 14,565 | $115,758 | $447,232 | $1,777 |
| 62 | South Plainfield | 50.70 | 24,473 | $130,239 | $583,003 | $2,107 |
| 63 | Perth Amboy | 51.60 | 55,855 | $61,977 | $495,686 | $1,688 |
| 64 | West New York | 51.90 | 52,004 | $71,729 | $463,006 | $1,716 |
| 65 | Point Pleasant | 51.90 | 19,334 | $115,625 | $733,630 | $1,930 |
| 66 | Fair Lawn | 52.00 | 35,610 | $144,574 | $709,175 | $1,917 |
| 67 | Manville | 52.00 | 10,921 | $93,333 | $476,361 | $1,844 |
| 68 | Red Bank | 52.40 | 12,862 | $97,477 | $693,365 | $2,026 |
| 69 | Trenton | 53.20 | 90,338 | $52,537 | $345,376 | $1,294 |
| 70 | Garfield | 53.50 | 32,783 | $79,700 | $580,601 | $1,688 |
| 71 | Glassboro | 53.90 | 23,717 | $87,278 | $365,942 | $1,687 |
| 72 | Edgewater | 54.30 | 14,759 | $124,050 | $714,157 | $2,579 |
| 73 | Vineland | 54.60 | 61,006 | $67,860 | $304,968 | $1,233 |
| 74 | Plainfield | 54.70 | 55,236 | $85,908 | $511,835 | $1,767 |
| 75 | Highland Park | 54.90 | 15,121 | $104,694 | $585,369 | $1,873 |
| 76 | Passaic | 55.00 | 70,002 | $55,371 | $552,682 | $1,465 |
| 77 | Carteret | 55.00 | 25,496 | $96,862 | $547,897 | $2,032 |
| 78 | Pine Hill | 55.50 | 10,802 | $72,588 | $277,793 | $1,411 |
| 79 | Bridgeton | 57.80 | 27,001 | $55,781 | $253,951 | $1,340 |
| 80 | Lindenwold | 57.90 | 21,719 | $55,954 | $265,330 | $1,323 |
| 81 | Paterson | 58.10 | 158,735 | $55,997 | $528,882 | $1,548 |
| 82 | New Brunswick | 58.60 | 56,345 | $65,810 | $442,985 | $1,814 |
| 83 | Hoboken | 59.40 | 58,668 | $180,579 | $855,399 | $2,938 |
| 84 | Harrison | 59.60 | 20,369 | $93,013 | $580,130 | $2,226 |
| 85 | Beachwood | 60.20 | 11,088 | $106,858 | $462,369 | $2,335 |
| 86 | Elmwood Park | 60.50 | 21,412 | $101,740 | $616,473 | $2,074 |
| 87 | North Plainfield | 60.60 | 22,809 | $87,349 | $491,909 | $1,752 |
| 88 | Secaucus | 62.70 | 21,778 | $139,821 | $662,670 | $2,391 |
| 89 | Somerville | 62.90 | 13,410 | $103,760 | $542,519 | $1,802 |
| 90 | Long Branch | 63.60 | 32,530 | $79,653 | $795,839 | $1,876 |
Source: U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024, FBI UCR, OpenFlights. 90 cities with more than 10,000 residents.
Summary
Summary: Maybe You’re Not Ready To Retire In New Jersey Yet…
So there you have it, the best place to retire in New Jersey goes to New Providence.
The best places to retire in New Jersey are New Providence, Roselle Park, Hasbrouck Heights, Woodbury, Ringwood, Lincoln Park, Summit, Oakland, River Edge, and Hillsdale.
If you’re not ready to hang up your office apparel yet, then these places might be up your alley.
