The 10 Safest Cities In New Jersey For 2024

The safest cities in New Jersey are New Hanover and Matawan for 2024 using Saturday Night Science.

When you first think of New Jersey, Newark may come to mind. This city is best known as an airport hub rather than the safest city in the state.

But it turns out that when you get past Newark, some of the safest places to live on the East Coast are these safe places in New Jersey. In particular, we looked at the most recent FBI crime data to see which areas in the Garden State are the safest. Furthermore, our analysis ranks New Jersey as the 4th safest state in America. But what about within New Jersey? Which areas offer the most to residents in terms of safety?

These New Jersey locations offer a compelling blend of safety and lifestyle, sure to appeal to many future residents. So grab some Taylor Ham, a nice bagel, and fresh corn as we look at the safest places in New Jersey.


Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Table

Here are the 10 safest cities to live in New Jersey for 2024:

  1. New Hanover (Homes For Sale)
  2. Matawan (Homes For Sale)
  3. Vernon (Homes For Sale)
  4. Ringwood (Homes For Sale)
  5. Chesterfield (Homes For Sale)
  6. Rockaway (Homes For Sale)
  7. Emerson (Homes For Sale)
  8. Bernards (Homes For Sale)
  9. Kinnelon (Homes For Sale)
  10. Montgomery (Homes For Sale)
Safest Cities In New Jersey Map

What are the safest places to live in new jersey for 2024? Using the latest FBI crime data, the safest city in New Jersey is New Hanover for 2024.

If you're looking for a safe place to call home in the Garden State, look no further than New Hanover.

Read on to see if your city ranked in our top ten and to learn more about how we got our ranking of New Jersey's safest places.

For more reading on safe places to live in and around New Jersey, check out:

The 10 Safest Cities In New Jersey For 2024

1. New Hanover
New Hanover, NJ
Source: Wikipedia User Mr. Matt� | CC BY-SA 3.0

Population: 7,859
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 0 (11th safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 38 (safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on New Hanover: Real Estate

New Hanover takes the cake as the safest place to live in New Jersey for 2024 according to the most recent FBI data.

It's the start of what we are calling, the NJ11, the ten places in the state that had no violent crime reports in the last year. That total reduction in violent crime coupled with the safest rate of property crime was enough to get New Hanover to the top of the top.

New Hanover is located in Burlington County with median household incomes floating around $70,000 -- you don't need to commit crime when you have that much cash on hand.

Matawan, NJ
Source: Wikipedia User Jerrye & Roy Klotz, MD | CC BY-SA 4.0

Population: 9,734
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 0 (11th safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 41 (second safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on Matawan: Data | Crime | Real Estate

Overall SnackAbility
9.5
/10

Our next stop around NJ's safest places brings us to Matawan -- and we still haven't had to pump our own gas as we've made the trip.

Matawan is a great place to live in Monmouth county because it's super safe and actually somewhat affordable by New Jersey standards.

Home to the annual KiDz HuB Awards Gala and plenty of escape rooms, there's so much to do that you'd never have time to even think of committing a crime. Or you probably went to sleep before 10pm and just weren't up late enough to even bother trying to steal something from a neighbor.

3. Vernon
Vernon, NJ
Source: Wikipedia User Jared Kofsky/Placenj.com | CC BY-SA 4.0

Population: 22,623
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 0 (11th safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 154 (eighth safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on Vernon: Real Estate

Vernon, a township in Sussex County situated just an hour away from New York City, ranks as the third safest place in New Jersey. With its growing population of 22,623 due to the ski industry, the township showcases a strong safety record with 0 violent crimes reported. The minimal 35 property crime incidents further cement its status as the third safest place in New Jersey.

Ringwood, NJ
Source: Wikipedia User Daniel Case | GFDL

Population: 11,456
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 0 (11th safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 183 (tenth safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on Ringwood: Data | Crime | Real Estate

Overall SnackAbility
9
/10

Always the bridesmaid and never the bride in 2024, Ringwood ranks as the fourth safest place to live in New Jersey.

Ringwood has the 11th safest lowest violent crime rate in the state, which means you probably have a better chance of winning the lottery than getting mugged.

Oh, and we said always the bridesmaid because the city located in Passaic County finished in the top ten for safest and best this year. It's still awesome, just not quite awesome enough.

5. Chesterfield
Chesterfield, NJ
Source: Wikipedia User | CC BY-SA 3.0

Population: 7,557
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 0 (11th safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 185 (11th safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on Chesterfield: Real Estate

Chesterfield NJ, home to the first African American winner of the Top Fuel National Hot Rod Association championship and the blacksmith who in 1797 received the first patent for a cast iron plow, can now add being the third safest place in New Jersey for 2024 according to HomeSnacks to its list of accomplishments.

We know, it's a big deal.

The town of some 7,500 people is part of the NJ11 while also ranking as having the thirteenth best property crime rate in the state. That means you have a much higher chance of running into your ex-girlfriend in the library than ever getting your purse stolen. TripAdvisor suggests stopping by Russo's Orchard Lane Farm if you're ever in town.

Rockaway, NJ
Source: Wikipedia User Zeete | CC BY-SA 4.0

Population: 6,589
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 0 (11th safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 258 (18th safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on Rockaway: Data | Crime | Real Estate

Overall SnackAbility
9
/10

Rockaway, a borough in New Jersey, carved from portions of Rockaway Township, holds the sixth position in statewide safety for New Jersey. Despite its small population of 6,589, the Morris County-based community reported negligible rates of crime in the last reporting year, with 0 violent crime instances.

Rockaway should take pride in its low rankings for violent and property crimes, being placed at 11 and 18 respectively, cementing its stature as a steadfast, safe city within New Jersey.

Emerson, NJ
Source: Wikipedia User Mitchazenia | CC BY-SA 3.0

Population: 7,900
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 0 (11th safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 278 (21st safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on Emerson: Data | Crime | Real Estate

Overall SnackAbility
10
/10

Emerson has moved around in the rankings the past several years, but still finds itself at a very respectable seventh safest in New Jersey.

As the city website mentions, it's a "Great Place To Live" as evidenced by the lack of crime amongst its residences. The city scores well on our SnackAbility score thanks to a strong economy, affordable home prices, and low poverty. All of those attributes must contribute to Choctaw's solidly better than average violent and property crime rates.

Emerson is located in Bergen County.

8. Bernards
Bernards, NJ
Source: Wikipedia User Jared Kofsky | CC BY-SA 3.0

Population: 27,682
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 3 (22nd safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 238 (16th safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on Bernards: Real Estate

Want to get from Bernards Township, New Jersey, to the middle of the action in New York City? Just jump on I-78 and drive for about hour. This makes the town a perfect bedroom community for commuters to Manhattan. It doesn't hurt that the area also represents the number 8 safest place to live in the state.

Bernards offers an idyllic suburban existence. The median income equals $103676 and the unemployment rate comes in at 6.26. But safety represents the real headline attraction. In a community of 27,682 inhabitants, Bernards Township had just 66 property crimes in a year, including 8 burglaries and 13 cars stolen.

At the same time, violence is nearly nonexistent in the town. There were 1 violent crimes in a year.

Kinnelon, NJ
Source: Flickr User Tom Hannigan | CC BY 2.0

Population: 9,983
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 0 (11th safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 310 (29th safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on Kinnelon: Data | Crime | Real Estate

Overall SnackAbility
9
/10

Kinnelon, New Jersey, exists as a kind of suburban dream. In fact, it's home to one of the oldest gated communities in the country. It also happens to be one of the safest locations in the state.

Kinnelon's high-end status is borne out in its stats. Median home prices sit at 707873 while the median income hovers at $163611. No wonder the town has become a haven for New York City commuters, with Manhattan just about an hour away.

But for resident of Kinnelon, safety remains a crucial draw. The area, with 9,983 inhabitants, experienced only 31 property crimes during a year. At the same time, it saw 0 violent crimes. These figures lead to an overall crime rate of 310/100k people.

10. Montgomery
Montgomery, NJ
Source: Wikipedia User Mr. Matt� | CC BY-SA 4.0

Population: 23,441
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 4 (23rd safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 281 (22nd safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on Montgomery: Real Estate

Montgomery, a high-income township in southern Somerset County and part of the New York Metropolitan Area, ranks as the tenth safest place in New Jersey for 2024. It has maintained its safety record with a reported 1 violent crimes and a violent crime rate of 4/100k people.

With historical ties to Lenni Lenape tribal groups and a thriving population of 23,441, it is ranked as the tenth safest place in New Jersey. The additional 66 incidents are minimal, further cementing Montgomery's reputation as a secure and affluent community within the state.

Methodology: How we calculated the safest cities in New Jersey for 2024

Safest Cities in New Jersey Graph

While there are surveys and public polls on what cities in New Jersey are the safest, we wanted to rely on something other than speculation and opinion. Instead, we looked at the hard numbers from the FBI's most recent crime report in New Jersey.

Specifically, we used Saturday Night Science to analyze the FBI's Uniform Crime Report, which summarizes the number of property and violent crimes in each city annually. We used two criteria:

  • Violent crimes per capita (murders, assaults, rapes, armed robberies)
  • Property crimes per capita (thefts, burglaries, motor vehicle thefts)

For example, there were 3 crimes committed in New Hanover, with a reported population of 7,859. That means the number of crimes per capita is 0.0004, which translates into a 1 in 2,619 chance of being the victim of a crime.

We only looked at New Jersey cities that have populations of more than 5,000. This filter left us with 334 of the biggest cities in New Jersey to rank.

We ranked each city for each criterion from 1 to 334 where 1 in any particular category is the safest.

Next, we averaged each place's two criteria to create a Safety Index. We crowned the place with the lowest overall Safety Score, "The Safest Place In New Jersey," with any ties going to the bigger city.

The safest city in New Jersey, based on our criteria, is New Hanover. The most dangerous city in New Jersey? Atlantic City, where residents had a 1 in 10 chance of being the victim of a crime.

This article has been update for 2024. This report marks our tenth time ranking the safest places to live in New Jersey. All the data comes from the FBI's Crime In The USA 2022 report.

Best Places To Retire In New Jersey

Summary: The Safest Cities In The Garden State

Looking at the data, you can tell that New Hanover is as safe as they come in New Jersey, according to science and data.

But as most New Jersey residents would agree, almost every place here has its safe and not safe parts. So just make sure you're informed ahead of time.

The safest places in New Jersey are .

Here's a look at the most dangerous cities in New Jersey according to the data:

  1. Atlantic City
  2. Wildwood
  3. Asbury Park
For more reading, check out:

Where Are The 10 Safest Cities In New Jersey For 2024?

Rank City Population Violent Crimes Per 100k Property Crimes Per 100k Murders Per 100k Murders
1 New Hanover, NJ 7,859 0 38 0 0
2 Matawan, NJ 9,734 0 41 0 0
3 Vernon, NJ 22,623 0 154 0 0
4 Ringwood, NJ 11,456 0 183 0 0
5 Chesterfield, NJ 7,557 0 185 0 0
6 Rockaway, NJ 6,589 0 258 0 0
7 Emerson, NJ 7,900 0 278 0 0
8 Bernards, NJ 27,682 3 238 0 0
9 Kinnelon, NJ 9,983 0 310 0 0
10 Montgomery, NJ 23,441 4 281 0 0
11 Bernardsville, NJ 7,786 0 346 0 0
12 Park Ridge, NJ 10,040 9 268 0 0
13 Tewksbury, NJ 5,918 16 67 0 0
14 Chester, NJ 7,711 0 402 0 0
15 New Milford, NJ 16,897 5 349 5 1
16 Woolwich, NJ 13,625 7 359 0 0
17 Hillsdale, NJ 10,011 9 329 0 0
18 Bedminster, NJ 8,123 0 430 0 0
19 Hillsborough, NJ 42,893 13 300 0 0
20 Jefferson, NJ 20,498 19 185 0 0
21 Robbinsville, NJ 14,628 13 307 0 0
22 Cresskill, NJ 9,069 11 352 0 0
23 Holland, NJ 5,074 19 197 0 0
24 New Providence, NJ 13,548 7 420 0 0
25 Norwood, NJ 5,565 0 467 0 0
26 Fair Haven, NJ 6,156 0 471 0 0
27 Old Tappan, NJ 5,799 0 482 0 0
28 West Milford, NJ 24,373 20 287 0 0
29 Waldwick, NJ 10,055 19 308 0 0
30 Wyckoff, NJ 17,589 17 369 0 0
31 Denville, NJ 17,119 0 549 0 0
32 Madison, NJ 18,563 10 447 0 0
33 Mountainside, NJ 6,902 0 565 0 0
34 River Vale, NJ 9,789 20 367 0 0
35 Bogota, NJ 8,342 0 587 0 0
36 Mendham, NJ 5,632 17 426 0 0
37 Randolph, NJ 26,500 26 332 0 0
38 Union Beach, NJ 5,732 34 139 0 0
39 Butler, NJ 8,203 12 487 0 0
40 Clinton, NJ 13,759 21 414 0 0
41 Independence, NJ 5,510 36 127 0 0
42 Mahwah, NJ 25,150 23 405 0 0
43 Westwood, NJ 11,495 26 374 0 0
44 Oradell, NJ 8,139 12 528 0 0
45 Lebanon, NJ 6,243 32 288 0 0
46 Little Silver, NJ 6,050 0 677 0 0
47 Wanaque, NJ 11,089 36 252 0 0
48 Berkeley Heights, NJ 13,096 15 519 0 0
49 Long Hill, NJ 8,610 11 580 0 0
50 Warren, NJ 15,747 19 501 0 0
51 North Caldwell, NJ 6,666 30 360 0 0
52 Cliffside Park, NJ 25,531 27 419 0 0
53 Sparta, NJ 20,348 24 437 0 0
54 Rumson, NJ 7,228 13 567 0 0
55 Florham Park, NJ 13,685 29 387 0 0
56 Closter, NJ 8,474 0 719 0 0
57 Plumsted, NJ 8,582 23 466 0 0
58 Andover, NJ 6,227 48 176 0 0
59 Wood-Ridge, NJ 9,489 21 505 0 0
60 Hackettstown, NJ 10,389 28 433 0 0
61 Dumont, NJ 18,533 37 334 5 1
62 Florence, NJ 12,747 54 117 7 1
63 Bridgewater, NJ 44,006 13 636 2 1
64 North Haledon, NJ 8,788 34 409 0 0
65 Bergenfield, NJ 28,082 42 316 0 0
66 West Caldwell, NJ 10,756 9 715 0 0
67 Montvale, NJ 8,436 23 545 0 0
68 Fanwood, NJ 7,732 25 504 0 0
69 Lopatcong, NJ 10,057 29 447 0 0
70 Middletown, NJ 65,170 24 547 0 0
71 North Hanover, NJ 7,443 53 228 0 0
72 Manalapan, NJ 40,897 24 550 0 0
73 Oakland, NJ 12,616 31 443 0 0
74 Byram, NJ 7,880 38 368 12 1
75 Blairstown, NJ 5,766 52 277 0 0
76 Jackson, NJ 60,762 34 432 1 1
77 Chatham, NJ 9,307 10 719 0 0
78 Upper Saddle River, NJ 8,248 12 703 0 0
79 Readington, NJ 16,348 48 330 6 1
80 Raritan, NJ 10,609 9 763 0 0
81 Allendale, NJ 6,751 14 696 0 0
82 Colts Neck, NJ 9,967 10 772 0 0
83 Glen Rock, NJ 12,017 33 474 0 0
84 Roseland, NJ 6,149 0 926 0 0
85 Cedar Grove, NJ 13,822 28 564 0 0
86 Waterford, NJ 10,393 19 692 0 0
87 Hasbrouck Heights, NJ 12,005 24 633 0 0
88 River Edge, NJ 11,950 8 836 8 1
89 Caldwell, NJ 8,734 45 423 0 0
90 Plainsboro, NJ 23,798 25 634 0 0
91 Roxbury, NJ 23,293 8 841 0 0
92 Green Brook, NJ 7,314 27 601 0 0
93 Hardyston, NJ 8,351 35 490 0 0
94 Westfield, NJ 30,628 16 760 0 0
95 Bloomingdale, NJ 7,616 65 301 0 0
96 Tenafly, NJ 15,109 26 635 0 0
97 Manchester, NJ 46,265 51 423 0 0
98 Mount Olive, NJ 28,970 44 445 0 0
99 Montville, NJ 20,982 14 781 0 0
100 Jamesburg, NJ 5,703 87 140 17 1

Breaking Down Crime In The Safest And Most Dangerous Cities In New Jersey

Safest Cities in New Jersey Breakdown

Chris Kolmar has been in the real estate business for almost ten years now. He originally worked for Movoto Real Estate as the director of marketing before founding HomeSnacks.

He believes the key to finding the right place to live comes down to looking at the data, reading about things to do, and, most importantly, checking it out yourself before you move.

If you've been looking for a place to live in the past several years, you've probably stumbled upon his writing already.

You can find out more about him on LinkedIn.

Safest Cities By State

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