Are you sick of being a city slicker?
Do you long for life in suburban New Jersey? Where you can drive an overly-large vehicle to the store for groceries and schlep the kids around to practices and appointments without worrying about a parking space.
We do, too.
If you wanted to move out to the suburbs of Trenton, where would you go? And how would you decide on the ranking factors to help you pick which New Jersey suburb was best?
No worries. We got it all figured out here using Saturday Night Science.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
These are the 10 best suburbs in the Garden State
Hillsdale is the place to be when it comes to being a soccer mom in suburban New Jersey.
So if you’re thinking of packing up your mini van and making a move to a quiet place to live in New Jersey, we’ve got you covered.
Keep on reading for a detailed methodology. Or, check out the best places to live in New Jersey and the best places to raise a family in New Jersey.
Best Suburbs In New Jersey For 2024
/10
Population: 10,125
Median Income: $175,802
Average Home Price: $698,480
More on Hillsdale: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Hillsdale is located 10 miles west of Yonkers.
/10
Population: 9,098
Median Income: $164,241
Average Home Price: $706,489
More on Park Ridge: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Park Ridge is located 11 miles west of Yonkers.
/10
Population: 6,221
Median Income: $229,643
Average Home Price: $1,262,730
More on Fair Haven: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Fair Haven is located 21 miles south of New York.
/10
Population: 6,104
Median Income: $216,974
Average Home Price: $936,174
More on Little Silver: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Little Silver is located 23 miles south of New York.
/10
Population: 5,863
Median Income: $195,833
Average Home Price: $993,658
More on Old Tappan: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Old Tappan is located 8 miles west of Yonkers.
/10
Population: 10,068
Median Income: $150,861
Average Home Price: $600,598
More on Waldwick: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Waldwick is located 14 miles west of Yonkers.
/10
Population: 12,790
Median Income: $141,620
Average Home Price: $852,042
More on Florham Park: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Florham Park is located 12 miles west of Newark.
/10
Population: 9,105
Median Income: $162,430
Average Home Price: $824,668
More on Cresskill: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Cresskill is located 4 miles west of Yonkers.
/10
Population: 13,595
Median Income: $167,188
Average Home Price: $806,187
More on New Providence: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
New Providence is located 12 miles west of Newark.
/10
Population: 30,839
Median Income: $203,235
Average Home Price: $1,040,776
More on Westfield: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Westfield is located 10 miles west of Newark.
Methodology:How we crunched the suburb numbers for the Garden State
We have to use Saturday Night Science and look at several metrics to give you the best suburbs in New Jersey. We want to measure the type of place around major cities that people arguing at a bar would say makes it the “best suburb.”
First, we had to define a suburb. Using U.S. Census data produced for the state of New Jersey, we looked at every town with at least 5,000 residents, and within 30 miles of a city that’s over 200,000 people.
In other words, suburbs.
We paid particular attention to the following criteria:
- Median Home Values
- Median Income
- Population Density (Higher is Better)
- Unemployment Rates
- Commute Time
- Education Levels
- Health Insurance Coverage
- Poverty Rates
We ranked each suburb in New Jersey across these criteria from one to 157, with one being the best.
We then took the average rank across all criteria, with the town posting the lowest overall score being crowned the winner of the title “Best Suburb To Live In New Jersey.”
The result is some of the safest, quietest, and ideal places to live in New Jersey.
Read on to see why Hillsdale is the ‘burb with the most, while Camden is probably not the best place to live in New Jersey.
Summary: There You Have It – The Best Suburbs In New Jersey
If you’re measuring the locations in New Jersey where there are lots to do, and everyone wants to live, this is an accurate list.
The best suburbs in New Jersey are Hillsdale, Park Ridge, Fair Haven, Little Silver, Old Tappan, Waldwick, Florham Park, Cresskill, New Providence, and Westfield.
Here’s a look at the worst suburbs in New Jersey according to the data:
- Camden
- Burlington
- Plainfield
For more New Jersey reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In New Jersey
- Cheapest Places To Live In New Jersey
- Most Dangerous Cities In New Jersey
- Richest Cities In New Jersey
- Safest Places In New Jersey
- Worst Places To Live In New Jersey
- Most Expensive Places To Live In New Jersey
The Best Suburbs In New Jersey
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Median Home Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hillsdale | 10,125 | $175,802 | $698,480 |
| 2 | Park Ridge | 9,098 | $164,241 | $706,489 |
| 3 | Fair Haven | 6,221 | $229,643 | $1,262,730 |
| 4 | Little Silver | 6,104 | $216,974 | $936,174 |
| 5 | Old Tappan | 5,863 | $195,833 | $993,658 |
| 6 | Waldwick | 10,068 | $150,861 | $600,598 |
| 7 | Florham Park | 12,790 | $141,620 | $852,042 |
| 8 | Cresskill | 9,105 | $162,430 | $824,668 |
| 9 | New Providence | 13,595 | $167,188 | $806,187 |
| 10 | Westfield | 30,839 | $203,235 | $1,040,776 |
| 11 | Wood-Ridge | 9,978 | $132,901 | $617,275 |
| 12 | Madison | 16,521 | $163,567 | $906,312 |
| 13 | Haddonfield | 12,456 | $178,362 | $698,505 |
| 14 | River Edge | 12,022 | $150,073 | $685,672 |
| 15 | Oradell | 8,208 | $196,023 | $793,885 |
| 16 | Westwood | 11,241 | $160,466 | $617,848 |
| 17 | Ridgewood | 26,043 | $211,224 | $978,934 |
| 18 | North Caldwell | 6,625 | $215,000 | $1,001,940 |
| 19 | Glen Rock | 12,086 | $202,586 | $857,563 |
| 20 | Matawan | 9,546 | $125,040 | $563,446 |
| 21 | Fanwood | 7,723 | $177,727 | $651,607 |
| 22 | Chatham | 9,199 | $250,001 | $1,092,337 |
| 23 | Bernardsville | 7,888 | $220,060 | $890,901 |
| 24 | Mountainside | 6,991 | $162,531 | $851,670 |
| 25 | Caldwell | 8,897 | $117,879 | $625,878 |
| 26 | Rumson | 7,285 | $250,001 | $1,812,105 |
| 27 | Allendale | 6,817 | $163,875 | $891,873 |
| 28 | Emerson | 7,281 | $141,908 | $655,975 |
| 29 | Franklin Lakes | 11,007 | $204,917 | $1,396,762 |
| 30 | Glen Ridge | 7,797 | $246,429 | $970,075 |
| 31 | Norwood | 5,657 | $156,630 | $747,730 |
| 32 | Ramsey | 14,739 | $160,589 | $705,649 |
| 33 | Roseland | 6,221 | $135,451 | $686,003 |
| 34 | New Milford | 16,888 | $107,976 | $590,506 |
| 35 | Upper Saddle River | 8,313 | $234,476 | $1,204,841 |
| 36 | Ringwood | 11,692 | $141,800 | $504,128 |
| 37 | Midland Park | 7,022 | $136,326 | $623,608 |
| 38 | Montvale | 8,413 | $175,179 | $787,501 |
| 39 | Union Beach | 5,751 | $124,828 | $437,728 |
| 40 | Hawthorne | 19,456 | $105,168 | $536,528 |
| 41 | Kinnelon | 9,986 | $170,905 | $745,748 |
| 42 | Haddon Heights | 7,484 | $117,556 | $429,614 |
| 43 | Fair Lawn | 34,948 | $141,540 | $601,965 |
| 44 | Oakland | 12,734 | $162,848 | $624,707 |
| 45 | Rutherford | 18,754 | $128,576 | $638,326 |
| 46 | Morris Plains | 6,104 | $144,540 | $620,521 |
| 47 | Closter | 8,555 | $181,652 | $917,085 |
| 48 | Tenafly | 15,299 | $207,652 | $1,066,620 |
| 49 | Hoboken | 58,754 | $168,137 | $795,620 |
| 50 | Dumont | 18,014 | $116,708 | $543,620 |
| 51 | Edgewater | 14,394 | $136,806 | $641,816 |
| 52 | Woodcliff Lake | 6,096 | $227,500 | $1,021,125 |
| 53 | Maywood | 10,040 | $119,057 | $569,144 |
| 54 | Englewood Cliffs | 5,347 | $213,261 | $1,437,753 |
| 55 | Boonton | 8,781 | $96,500 | $567,031 |
| 56 | Metuchen | 14,958 | $154,339 | $566,292 |
| 57 | Summit | 22,555 | $176,702 | $1,115,201 |
| 58 | Leonia | 9,273 | $110,679 | $726,904 |
| 59 | Butler | 8,045 | $108,378 | $474,719 |
| 60 | Bogota | 8,940 | $113,260 | $503,090 |
| 61 | Watchung | 6,417 | $157,065 | $905,582 |
| 62 | Audubon | 8,695 | $103,379 | $336,856 |
| 63 | Roselle Park | 13,964 | $97,769 | $481,750 |
| 64 | Oceanport | 6,119 | $132,723 | $795,055 |
| 65 | North Haledon | 8,801 | $128,472 | $617,950 |
| 66 | Pompton Lakes | 11,052 | $113,781 | $464,830 |
| 67 | Wanaque | 11,217 | $108,650 | $439,505 |
| 68 | Hasbrouck Heights | 12,080 | $114,219 | $603,225 |
| 69 | Jamesburg | 5,783 | $112,813 | $391,126 |
| 70 | Bergenfield | 28,223 | $121,738 | $541,010 |
| 71 | Rockaway | 6,589 | $93,750 | $488,557 |
| 72 | Somerville | 12,467 | $102,423 | $462,875 |
| 73 | Mount Arlington | 5,863 | $95,431 | $462,369 |
| 74 | Pitman | 8,805 | $91,566 | $317,191 |
| 75 | Cliffside Park | 25,546 | $96,734 | $573,933 |
| 76 | Ridgefield | 11,465 | $105,609 | $677,879 |
| 77 | Raritan | 8,301 | $99,928 | $469,041 |
| 78 | Highland Park | 14,996 | $93,927 | $488,073 |
| 79 | Tinton Falls | 19,180 | $107,959 | $530,656 |
| 80 | Paramus | 26,582 | $136,824 | $866,706 |
| 81 | Hopatcong | 14,411 | $107,670 | $381,593 |
| 82 | West Long Branch | 8,547 | $114,036 | $856,215 |
| 83 | Manville | 10,892 | $85,925 | $410,651 |
| 84 | Totowa | 10,975 | $112,097 | $558,674 |
| 85 | South Plainfield | 24,273 | $123,417 | $495,585 |
| 86 | North Arlington | 16,352 | $96,869 | $531,251 |
| 87 | Bloomingdale | 7,726 | $125,865 | $459,891 |
| 88 | Palisades Park | 20,231 | $93,250 | $844,948 |
| 89 | Kenilworth | 8,345 | $97,600 | $532,095 |
| 90 | Red Bank | 12,868 | $89,500 | $594,880 |
| 91 | Berlin | 7,489 | $98,706 | $342,726 |
| 92 | Fort Lee | 39,799 | $101,573 | $537,880 |
| 93 | Woodland Park | 13,291 | $90,323 | $546,965 |
| 94 | Lincoln Park | 10,884 | $112,056 | $465,030 |
| 95 | Haledon | 8,945 | $98,462 | $462,758 |
| 96 | Spotswood | 8,136 | $100,781 | $457,158 |
| 97 | Little Ferry | 10,954 | $72,722 | $496,208 |
| 98 | Carlstadt | 6,341 | $89,669 | $578,158 |
| 99 | Dunellen | 7,598 | $86,532 | $449,110 |
| 100 | Clifton | 89,451 | $94,179 | $510,186 |