NJ Towns Graded, From A+ To D-: How Did Your Community Do?

This is one heck of a report card. And you may want to think twice about living in a place that was graded with a D-.

Niche has come out with its new 2017 rankings of the "Best Places to Live" in New Jersey, but it took a bit of a unique approach: The consumer rankings service assigned a grade, on an A+-to-D- scale, to almost every town in the state.

Fourteen towns received A+ grades, topped with the Heathcote section of South Brunswick and West Windsor Township in Mercer County. Three towns received D- grades: the Brookfield section of White Township; Blairstown in Warren County; and the Asbury section of Franklin Township in Warren County (not to be confused with Asbury Park, which received a C+).

To arrive at the rankings, Niche.com took several factors into consideration, such as the quality of local schools, crime rates, housing trends, employment statistics and access to amenities.

Niche created a standardized score for each factor, and after weighting each factor, an overall score was calculated, which was again given a new standardized score.

Finally, Niche.com created a numerical ranking and assigned grades for each place. Click here to read more about the methodology.

Here are the New Jersey towns, and how they were graded:

A+

1. Heathcote (section of South Brunswick)
2. West Windsor Township
3. Plainsboro
4. Princeton
5. Montgomery
6. Short Hills
7. South Brunswick
8. Ridgewood
9. Chatham
10. Edison
11. Franklin Park
12. Parsippany-Troy Hills
13. Millburn

A

1. Metuchen
2. Lawrence Township (Mercer County)
3. New Providence
4. North Caldwell
5. Clinton
6. Morris Township
7. Upper Montclair
8. Haddonfield
9. Franklin Township (Somerset County)
10. Franklin Township (Hunterdon County)
11. Somerset
12. Dayton (section of South Brunswick)
13. Kendall Park (section of South Brunswick)
14. Edgewater
15. Lawrenceville
16. Randolph
17. Green Knoll
18. Summit
19. Glen Rock
20. Upper Saddle River
21. Madison
22. River Edge
23. Morristown
24. East Brunswick
25. Bridgewater
26. Florham Park
27. Highland Park
28. Cranford
29. Moorestown
30. Bernards
31. Society Hill
32. Cherry Hill
33. Hillsborough
34. Woodbury
35. Hanover
36. Livingston
37. Tenafly
38. Piscataway
39. Teaneck
40. Westfield
41. Fanwood
42. Fair Lawn Suburb
43. Pennington
44. Ramblewood
45. Hillsdale
46. River Vale
47. Cherry Hill
48. Fords (section of Woodbridge)
49. Fort Lee
50. Mount Laurel
51. Hoboken
52. Bergenfield
53. Bedminster
54. Rocky Hill
55. North Brunswick
56. Montclair
57. Martinsville
58. Raritan
59. West Amwell Township
60. Mendham
61. Wyckoff
62. Springdale
63. Cresskill
64. Mountain Lakes
65. Annandale
66. Branchburg
67. Somerville
68. Bernardsville
69. Ocean Township
70. South Orange
71. Lambertville
72. Woodbridge
73. Surf City
74. Mahwah
75. Evesham Township
76. Westampton Township
77. Green Brook
78. Butler
79. Glen Ridge
80. Demarest
81. East Rutherford
82. Laurel Springs
83. East Hanover Township
84. Harrington Park
85. Washington Township (Morris County)

A-

1. Maplewood
2. Delran
3. Califon
4. Haworth
5. Closter
6. Iselin (section of Woodbridge)
7. Marlboro
8. Peapack and Gladstone
9. Tewksbury
10. Warren
11. East Windsor
12. Chester
13. Fairview
14. Strathmore
15. Montvale
16. Manasquan
17. Wanamassa
18. Denville Township
19. Hopewell
20. Ashland
21. Marlton
22. Berkeley Heights
23. Ramsey
24. Middletown
25. Little Silver
26. Spring Lake Heights
27. Old Tappan
28. Medford
29. Old Bridge
30. Woodcliff Lake
31. Westwood
32. Spring Lake
33. Harding Township
34. Paramus
35. Leonia
36. Sea Girt
37. Ho-Ho-Kus
38. Oakland
39. South Plainfield
40. Lincroft (section of Middletown)
41. Union Township
42. Aberdeen
43. Harvey Cedars
44. Rumson
45. Red Bank
46. Cranbury
47. Monmouth Junction (section of South Brunswick)
48. Griggstown
49. Voorhees
50. Midland Park
51. Readington Township
52. Hightstown
53. Holmdel
54. Beach Haven
55. Rutherford
56. Wayne
57. Allendale
58. Ocean City
59. Secaucus
60. Lebanon
61. Weehawken
62. Roxbury Township
63. Springfield Township (Union County)
64. Avenel (section of Woodbridge)
65. Kinnelon
66. Robertsville
67. Englewood
68. Long Beach Township
69. Dumont
70. Montville
71. Brookdale
72. Bordentown
73. Atlantic Highlands
74. Oradell
75. Allentown
76. Hainesport
77. Mount Holly
78. Ship Bottom
79. Interlaken
80. Milltown
81. Roseland
82. Laurence Harbor (section of Lacey Township)
83. Stone Harbor
84. Scotch Plains
85. Woodstown
86. Woolwich Township
87. West Orange
88. Waldwick
89. Fieldsboro
90. Brielle
91. Haddon Township
92. Haddon Heights S
93. Verona
94. Clementon
95. Lumberton Township
96. Long Hill
97. Hasbrouck Heights
98. Washington Township (Gloucester County)
99. Cape May
100. Sayreville
101. Mountainside
102. Collingswood
103. Jersey City City
104. Bethlehem Township
105. Wall
106. Shrewsbury
107. Howell
108. Lyndhurst
109. Hackensack S
110. Point Pleasant Beach
111. Wildwood Crest
112. Cliffwood Beach
113. Morris Plains

B+

1. Franklin Lakes
2. Avalon
3. Fair Haven
4. Bay Head
5. Chesterfield Township
6. Matawan
7. Mercerville
8. Boonton
9. Turnersville
10. Watchung
11. Barnegat Light
12. Eatontown
13. Sparta Township
14. Palisades Park
15. High Bridge
16. Bloomfield
17. Riverdale
18. West Deptford
19. Delaware Township
20. Kenilworth
21. Mount Olive Township
22. Washington Township (Bergen)
23. Washington Township (Burlington)
24. Franklin Township (Hunterdon)
25. Hi-Nella
26. Northvale
27. Avon-by-the-Sea
28. Norwood
29. Allamuchy
30. Ewing Township
31. Park Ridge
32. Northfield
33. Alpine
34. Ridgefield Park
35. Manalapan
36. Hampton
37. Freehold
38. Riverton
39. Saddle River
40. New Hanover
41. Harrison Township
42. Cinnaminson
43. North Plainfield
44. Glen Gardner
45. Mantoloking
46. Belmar
47. Englishtown
48. Raritan Township
49. Flemington
50. Robbinsville
51. East Greenwich Township
52. West Cape May
53. Little Falls
54. New Milford
55. Far Hills
56. Beach Haven West (section of Stafford Township)
57. Logan Township
58. Lindenwold
59. Toms River
60. Sea Isle City
61. Mansfield Township
62. Farmingdale
63. Lake Como
64. Middle Township
65. Budd Lake
66. Hamilton Township (Mercer County)
67. East Amwell Township
68. Winfield Township
69. Galloway Township
70. Medford Lakes
71. South Bound Brook
72. Pompton Lakes
73. Point Pleasant Boro
74. Egg Harbor Township
75. Mantua Township
76. Maywood
77. Cliffside Park
78. Woodlynne
79. Essex Fells
80. Hawthorne
81. Magnolia
82. Mine Hill Township
83. Rochelle Park
84. Nutley
85. West Long Branch
86. Cedar Grove
87. Allenhurst
88. North Arlington
89. Merchantville
90. Eastampton Township
91. Upper Township
92. Manahawkin (section of Stafford Township)
93. Gibbsboro
94. Rockaway
95. Erma
96. Totowa
97. Wharton

B

1. Hackettstown
2. Saddle Brook
3. Frenchtown
4. Dunellen
5. Little Ferry
6. Clifton
7. Lower Township
8. Pennsauken
9. Tabernacle Township
10. Monroe Township (Middlesex County)
11. South Amboy
12. Audubon
13. Linwood
14. Beverly
15. Caldwell
16. Union Township
17. Lincoln Park
18. Roselle Park
19. Bradley Beach
20. Swedesboro
21. Clark
22. Sea Bright
23. Hazlet
24. Colts Neck
25. Pomona
26. Glassboro
27. Elk Township
28. Woodland Park
29. Pequannock
30. Tinton Falls
31. Middlesex
32. Colonia (section of Woodbridge)
33. Lopatcong Township
34. Mullica Hill
35. Stafford Township
36. Oaklyn
37. Burlington
38. Morganville (section of Marlboro)
39. North Cape May
40. Hammonton
41. Emerson
42. Jefferson Township
43. Delanco Township
44. Berlin
45. Spotswood
46. Mannington Township
47. Barrington
48. Margate
49. Wood-Ridge
50. Ridgefield
51. Maple Shade
52. Brownville
53. Roosevelt
54. Woodland Township
55. Highlands
56. Springfield Township (Burlington County)
57. Keyport
58. Clayton
59. Port Reading
60. South Harrison
61. Gloucester Township
62. Hamilton Township (Atlantic County)
63. Shamong Township
64. Bogota
65. Bass River Township
66. Somers Point
67. Bound Brook
68. Deptford Township
69. North Haledon
70. Liberty Township
71. Greenwich Township
72. Neptune Township
73. Kingwood
74. Byram Township
75. Franklin Township (Warren County)
76. Moonachie
77. Pine Hill
78. Oceanport
79. Jackson Township
80. Runnemede
81. Long Branch
82. Westville
83. Loch Arbour
84. Mount Arlington
85. Richwood
86. Sewaren
87. Stanhope
88. Whitesboro
89. Carlstadt
90. Carteret
91. Long Valley (section of Washington Township, Morris County)
92. Dover
93. Monmouth Beach
94. Neptune City
95. Ocean Township
96. Belle Mead
97. Linden
98. Stockton
99. Wildwood
100. Garwood
101. Pemberton
102. Yardville
103. Hamburg
104. Somerdale
105. Edgewater Park
106. Stratford

B-

1. Gloucester City
2. Belford (section of Middletown)
3. Alpha
4. Ocean Grove (section of Neptune Township)
5. Oakhurst
6. Pittsgrove Township
7. Netcong Suburb
8. Mansfield Township
9. Millstone
10. Port Monmouth (section of Middletown)
11. Palmyra S
12. Rahway
13. Greenwich Township
14. Winslow Township
15. Jamesburg
16. Audubon Park
17. Vernon Township
18. Millstone
19. Lavallette
20. East Millstone
21. Phillipsburg
22. Southampton
23. Harrison
24. North Hanover Township
25. Alexandria Township
26. Pitman
27. Hampton Township
28. Voorhees
29. Maurice River Township
30. Bayonne
31. South River
32. Haledon
33. Helmetta
34. South Toms River
35. Hardyston Township
36. Gibbstown
37. Weymouth Township
38. Little Egg Harbor Township
39. Guttenberg
40. Skillman
41. Wanaque
42. Beachwood
43. Fairfield Township
44. Island Heights
45. Belleville Township
46. Fredon Township
47. Deal
48. Elmwood Park
49. Woodbine
50. White Horse
51. Lakehurst
52. National Park
53. Franklin
54. Kearny
55. Rosenhayn
56. Atlantic City
57. Branchville
58. West Belmar
59. Vineland
60. Belvidere
61. Brooklawn
62. Weston
63. Allenwood
64. New Brunswick
65. Frankford Township
66. Newfield
67. Milford
68. North Wildwood
69. Independence Township
70. Beattystown
71. Deerfield Township
72. Elmer
73. Sandyston Township
74. Browns Mills
75. Pilesgrove Township
76. Brigantine
77. New Egypt
78. Blackwood (section of Gloucester Township)
79. Manville
80. Pemberton Heights
81. Brick Township
82. Rockleigh
83. Green Township
84. Pine Beach
85. Lodi
86. East Newark
87. Delaware Park
88. Camden
89. Florence
90. Brass Castle
91. Rio Grande
92. Pennsville
93. Mountain Lake
94. Carneys Point
95. Newton
96. Plumsted Township
97. Bellmawr
98. Bloomingdale
99. Fairfield Township
100. Garfield
101. Cape May Court House
102. Columbia
103. Union Beach
104. Alloway
105. Riverside Township
106. Washington

C+

1. Wallington
2. Pleasantville
3. Paulsboro
4. Cape May Point
5. West Milford Township
6. Asbury Park
7. Mullica Township
8. Union City
9. Monroe Township
10. Mays Landing
11. Wrightstown
12. Montague Township
13. Waterford Township
14. Berkeley Township
15. Tuckerton
16. Ventnor
17. Pohatcong
18. Knowlton
19. Manchester Township
20. Millville
21. Holland Township
22. Egg Harbor City
23. Williamstown
24. Roselle
25. Highland Lakes
26. Elizabeth
27. Trenton
28. Upper Deerfield Township
29. Plainfield
30. Salem
31. Keansburg
32. Elsinboro Township
33. White Township
34. Franklin Township
35. North Bergen
36. Ogdensburg
37. Lafayette
38. Lacey
39. Seaside Park
40. Mount Ephraim
41. Chesilhurst
42. Frelinghuysen Township
43. Oldmans Township
44. Buena
45. East Orange
46. Hopatcong
47. Newark
48. Pittsgrove Township
49. Hopewell
50. Forked River (section of Lacey Township)

C

1. Absecon
2. Andover
3. Hardwick Township
4. West Wildwood
5. Pedricktown
6. Wantage Township
7. Brainards
8. Corbin City
9. Stillwater Township
10. Woodbury Heights
11. Estell Manor
12. Hillside Township
13. Lakewood
14. Strathmere
15. Longport
16. Dennis Township
17. Silver Lake
18. Folsom
19. Irvington Township
20. Villas Town
21. Commercial Township
22. Lawrence Township
23. Penns Grove
24. Shiloh
25. Port Norris
26. Bloomsbury
27. Leonardo (section of Middletown)
28. Paterson
29. Stow Creek
30. Port Republic
31. Ocean Gate
32. Bridgeton
33. Perth Amboy
34. Barnegat

C-

1. Hutchinson
2. Sussex
3. Prospect Park
4. Passaic
5. Willingboro
6. Seaside Heights
7. Pine Ridge at Crestwood
8. Waretown
9. Downe Township
10. Oxford
11. Quinton
12. Elwood
13. Greenwich Township
14. Stewartsville
15. Hope
16. Harmony

D+

1. Juliustown (section of Springfield in Burlington County)
2. Orange
3. Vernon Valley
4. Cedarville

D-

1. Brookfield (section of White Township)
2. Blairstown
3. Asbury (section of Franklin Township in Warren County)

You can find the list and the descriptions of each town by clicking here.

Patch file photo