Middletown Ranked 9th Safest Town To Raise A Child In America

MIDDLETOWN, NJ — For the second year in a row, Middletown, N.J. was named one of the top 10 safest places to raise a child in the United States by Safewise, in their newly released report The 30 Safest Cities to Raise a Child. Middletown was ranked #9 on the list, behind Greenwich, CT in the #1 spot and — surprisingly, Monroe Township, in the #7 spot. Toms River was ranked #13. Old Bridge Township got an honorable mention.

9. Middletown Township, New Jersey "This Jersey township is nestled along the Sandy Hook Bay and has a plethora of beaches that provide prime fishing opportunities, despite the city’s proximity to New York City. Middletown Township’s calendar is packed with family activities like community fossil hunts, movies in the park, and mother-daughter afternoon teas," read the report.

7. Monroe Township, Middlesex County, New Jersey "Along the outer reaches of suburban New York, this New Jersey township has become one of the fastest-growing cities in the Northeast. Residents are attracted by the fantastic educational opportunities in Monroe Township, which was voted best high school in America, Silver in 2014 by US News."

New Jersey did well on the list because overall, the state has extremely high high school graduation rates, much higher than the national average. Middletown was also singled out out for its many family-friendly activities and its low crime rate.

“Crime has dropped for the seventh consecutive year, with index crimes down 13 percent over last year and 48 percent compared to 2010,” said Middletown Township Police Chief Craig Weber. “Our officers work hard to maintain a strong, positive relationship with the community and schools.”

To compile the report, SafeWise reviewed reported sex offender concentration, state graduation rates, overall school quality ranking, and FBI violent crime data. The rankings were based on cities with more than 10,000 residents, and communities that reported complete crime numbers to the FBI. They also considered parks and recreational opportunities, as well as special programs focused on providing services for kids and families.

“We are proud that Middletown continues to be lauded as one of the top 10 safest places to raise a child in America,” said Middletown Mayor Gerry Scharfenberger. “While many communities strive to provide a safe environment for their residents, our town consistently gets top marks for the quality of our education system, the cultural arts and recreational programs we offer, and our exceptionally low crime rates.”

The Middletown police department was also recognized this year by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children for being one of only 36 law enforcement agencies nationwide to complete the Missing Kids Readiness Project, a comprehensive program designed to ensure agencies are meeting essential training and policy requirements necessary to respond to a missing child incident.

Middletown Township also boasts an award-winning parks system. There are more than 5,000 acres of public parks and open spaces that cover about 15 percent of the township’s 41 square miles. The Recreation Department offers many programs year round to keep families safe and engaged in their community. The township is also home to a state-of-the-art library and award-winning arts center.

Middletown has been voted one of the “Best Places to Live” by MONEY Magazine four times – most recently in 2014. Middletown Township was also named one of safest towns nationwide to retire in 2015 by badcredit.org, a financial awareness website.

Photo: Middletown Township in winter. Taken on January 24, 2009 Source: http://www.panoramio.com/photo/18428141 Author: Febb/Wikimedia Commons