Best, Worst N.J. Towns For Families: 2017 Rankings

You can probably identify the best or worst places to live in New Jersey by asking this question: Is it best for the family?

That's why the publication New Jersey Family, a resource for New Jersey parents, has announced New Jersey’s "Best Towns for Families 2017." The list ranks 511 New Jersey towns "through the lens" of how family friendly they are, from top to bottom (see list below).

Clinton in Hunterdon County tops this year’s list, according to a New Jersey Family release. At the bottom of the list is Asbury Park.

“This year, we reworked our algorithm to take a deeper dive into high school performance while also weighing things like safety, how affordable a town is, average commute time and more criteria that matters to families,” says Cindy Mironovich, New Jersey Family’s publisher and founder.

The April issue includes profiles of the top towns in 11 counties. Here is the list of top towns in each county:

• Atlantic County – Linwood City
• Bergen County – Glen Rock
• Burlington County – Moorestown
• Camden County – Haddonfield
• Cape May County – Upper Township
• Cumberland County – Hopewell
• Essex County – West Caldwell
• Gloucester County –Woolwich
• Hudson County – Secaucus
• Hunterdon County (and Best in NJ) – Clinton
• Mercer County – West Windsor
• Middlesex County – Plainsboro
• Monmouth County – Fair Haven
• Morris County – Mountain Lakes
• Ocean County – Point Pleasant
• Passaic County – Wayne
• Salem County – Alloway
• Somerset County – Montgomery
• Sussex County – Sparta
• Union County ­– Cranford
• Warren County – Hardwick

Here is the list of best-to-worst towns for families:

• 1 Clinton, Hunterdon
• 2 Montgomery Township, Somerset
• 3 Glen Rock, Bergen
• 4 West Caldwell, Essex
• 5 Bethlehem Township, Hunterdon
• 6 Haddonfield, Camden
• 7 Plainsboro, Middlesex
• 8 Oradell, Bergen
• 9 Cranford, Union
• 10 Midland Park, Bergen
• 11 Oakland, Bergen
• 12 Bernards Township, Somerset
• 13 Mountain Lakes, Morris
• 14 Wyckoff, Bergen
• 15 Chatham Borough, Morris
• 16 Tenafly, Bergen
• 17 Mountainside, Union
• 18 Cresskill, Bergen
• 19 West Windsor, Mercer
• 20 Haworth, Bergen
• 21 New Providence, Union
• 22 Ho-Ho-Kus, Bergen
• 23 Livingston, Essex
• 24 Essex Fells, Essex
• 25 North Caldwell, Essex
• 26 Hanover Township, Morris
• 27 Union Township, Hunterdon
• 28 Gibbsboro, Camden
• 29 Hillsdale, Bergen
• 30 Caldwell, Essex
• 31 Florham Park, Morris
• 32 Old Tappan, Bergen
• 33 Harrington Park, Bergen
• 34 Northvale, Bergen
• 35 Long Hill Township, Morris
• 36 Clinton Township, Hunterdon
• 37 Berkeley Heights, Union
• 38 Fanwood, Union
• 39 Verona, Essex
• 40 Franklin Township, Hunterdon
• 41 Randolph, Morris
• 42 Linwood, Atlantic
• 43 Northfield, Atlantic
• 44 Warren, Somerset
• 45 Demarest, Bergen
• 46 East Hanover Township, Morris
• 47 Bedminster, Somerset
• 48 Hopewell Township, Mercer
• 49 Mendham Township, Morris
• 50 Montvale, Bergen
• 51 Fair Haven, Monmouth
• 52 Boonton, Morris
• 53 Chatham Township, Morris
• 54 Alpine, Bergen
• 55 Ridgewood, Bergen
• 56 Readington Township, Hunterdon
• 57 Springfield Township, Union
• 58 Woodcliff Lake, Bergen
• 59 Allendale, Bergen
• 60 Cranbury, Middlesex
• 61 Norwood, Bergen
• 62 River Edge, Bergen
• 63 Bernardsville, Somerset
• 64 Peapack and Gladstone, Somerset
• 65 Waldwick, Bergen
• 66 Hillsborough, Somerset
• 67 South Brunswick, Middlesex
• 68 Upper Saddle River, Bergen
• 69 Mendham Borough, Morris
• 70 Madison, Morris
• 71 Summit, Union
• 72 Closter, Bergen
• 73 Washington Township, Morris
• 74 Millburn, Essex
• 75 Chester Township, Morris
• 76 River Vale, Bergen
• 77 Westfield, Union
• 78 Pennington, Mercer
• 79 Lebanon, Hunterdon
• 80 Flemington, Hunterdon
• 81 Mahwah, Bergen
• 82 Harding, Morris
• 83 Hopewell, Mercer
• 84 Marlboro, Monmouth
• 85 Bergenfield, Bergen
• 86 Ramsey, Bergen
• 87 Woolwich, Gloucester
• 88 Glen Ridge, Essex
• 89 Green Brook, Somerset
• 90 Rumson, Monmouth
• 91 Chester, Morris
• 92 Delaware Township, Hunterdon
• 93 Branchburg, Somerset
• 94 Fairfield, Essex
• 95 Princeton, Mercer
• 96 Sparta, Sussex
• 97 Montville, Morris
• 98 Park Ridge, Bergen
• 99 Raritan, Hunterdon
• 100 Roseland, Essex
• 101 Robbinsville, Mercer
• 102 Cherry Hill, Camden
• 103 East Amwell, Hunterdon
• 104 East Greenwich, Gloucester
• 105 Leonia, Bergen
• 106 Bridgewater Township, Somerset
• 107 Parsippany-Troy Hills, Morris
• 108 Moorestown, Burlington
• 109 Denville, Morris
• 110 Swedesboro, Gloucester
• 111 Saddle River, Bergen
• 112 Westwood, Bergen
• 113 Colts Neck, Monmouth
• 114 Dumont, Bergen
• 115 Kinnelon, Morris
• 116 Wayne, Passaic
• 117 Clark, Union
• 118 East Brunswick, Middlesex
• 119 Washington Township, Bergen
• 120 Hasbrouck Heights, Bergen
• 121 Morris Township, Morris
• 122 Tewksbury, Hunterdon
• 123 Chesterfield, Burlington
• 124 High Bridge, Hunterdon
• 125 Wharton, Morris
• 126 Lincoln Park, Morris
• 127 Upper Township, Cape May
• 128 Morris Plains, Morris
• 129 Springfield Township, Burlington
• 130 Holmdel, Monmouth
• 131 Glen Gardner, Hunterdon
• 132 Boonton, Morris
• 133 Franklin Lakes, Bergen
• 134 Roxbury, Morris
• 135 Rockaway, Morris
• 136 Voorhees, Camden
• 137 Pequannock, Morris
• 138 Rutherford, Bergen
• 139 Scotch Plains, Union
• 140 Rockaway, Morris
• 141 Emerson, Bergen
• 142 Manalapan, Monmouth
• 143 Raritan, Somerset
• 144 Little Silver, Monmouth
• 145 Hardwick, Warren
• 146 Somerville, Somerset
• 147 Harrison, Gloucester
• 148 Mantua, Gloucester
• 149 Edison, Middlesex
• 150 Jamesburg, Middlesex
• 151 Kingwood, Hunterdon
• 152 Metuchen, Middlesex
• 153 Shrewsbury, Monmouth
• 154 Fair Lawn, Bergen
• 155 Fort Lee, Bergen
• 156 Freehold Borough, Monmouth
• 157 Evesham, Burlington
• 158 Hawthorne, Passaic
• 159 South Harrison, Gloucester
• 160 Berlin, Camden
• 161 Mount Laurel, Burlington
• 162 Upper Freehold Township, Monmouth
• 163 Pompton Lakes, Passaic
• 164 West Orange, Essex
• 165 Point Pleasant Boro, Ocean
• 166 Montclair, Essex
• 167 Middletown, Monmouth
• 168 South Orange, Essex
• 169 Howell, Monmouth
• 170 New Milford, Bergen
• 171 Lawrence Township, Mercer
• 172 Medford Lakes, Burlington
• 173 Ringwood, Passaic
• 174 New Hanover, Burlington
• 175 Washington Township, Gloucester
• 176 Andover, Sussex
• 177 Cinnaminson, Burlington
• 178 North Hanover, Burlington
• 179 Sea Isle City, Cape May
• 180 Wall Township, Monmouth
• 181 Watchung, Somerset
• 182 Fredon, Sussex
• 183 Maplewood, Essex
• 184 Mansfield, Burlington
• 185 Edgewater, Bergen
• 186 Green Township, Sussex
• 187 Monroe, Middlesex
• 188 Mount Olive, Morris
• 189 Delran, Burlington
• 190 Lafayette, Sussex
• 191 West Long Branch, Monmouth
• 192 Frelinghuysen, Warren
• 193 Morristown, Morris
• 194 Medford, Burlington
• 195 Wood-Ridge, Bergen
• 196 Vernon, Sussex
• 197 Alexandria, Hunterdon
• 198 East Windsor, Mercer
• 199 Shamong, Burlington
• 200 Millstone, Monmouth
• 201 Mine Hill, Morris
• 202 Logan, Gloucester
• 203 Allentown, Monmouth
• 204 Liberty, Warren
• 205 West Amwell, Hunterdon
• 206 Oxford, Warren
• 207 Frankford, Sussex
• 208 Nutley, Essex
• 209 Milltown, Middlesex
• 210 Wenonah, Gloucester
• 211 Englishtown, Monmouth
• 212 Riverdale, Morris
• 213 Freehold Township, Monmouth
• 214 Woodland Park, Passaic
• 215 Alpha, Warren
• 216 Mount Arlington, Morris
• 217 Old Bridge Township, Middlesex
• 218 Wanaque, Passaic
• 219 Spring Lake Heights, Monmouth
• 220 Allamuchy, Warren
• 221 Brielle, Monmouth
• 222 Eastampton, Burlington
• 223 Southampton, Burlington
• 224 Holland, Hunterdon
• 225 Tabernacle, Burlington
• 226 Piscataway, Middlesex
• 227 Oceanport, Monmouth
• 228 Bordentown, Burlington
• 229 Highland Park, Middlesex
• 230 Byram, Sussex
• 231 West Deptford, Gloucester
• 232 Red Bank, Monmouth
• 233 Spotswood, Middlesex
• 234 Wantage, Sussex
• 235 Hightstown, Mercer
• 236 Somers Point, Atlantic
• 237 Westampton, Burlington
• 238 Tinton Falls, Monmouth
• 239 National Park, Gloucester
• 240 Hazlet, Monmouth
• 241 Blairstown, Warren
• 242 Barrington, Camden
• 243 Victory Gardens, Morris
• 244 Ocean Township, Ocean
• 245 Ogdensburg, Sussex
• 246 Newfield, Gloucester
• 247 Garwood, Union
• 248 Secaucus, Hudson
• 249 Lavallette, Ocean
• 250 Ocean City, Cape May
• 251 Wallington, Bergen
• 252 Haddon, Camden
• 253 Palisades Park, Bergen
• 254 Franklin Township, Warren
• 255 Hainesport, Burlington
• 256 Englewood Cliffs, Bergen
• 257 Hackettstown, Warren
• 258 Plumsted, Ocean
• 259 Lumberton, Burlington
• 260 Franklin Township, Gloucester
• 261 South Plainfield, Middlesex
• 262 Knowlton, Warren
• 263 Haddon Heights, Camden
• 264 Egg Harbor, Atlantic
• 265 Mount Holly, Burlington
• 266 Washington Township, Warren
• 267 Point Pleasant Beach, Ocean
• 268 Middlesex Borough, Middlesex
• 269 Franklin Township, Somerset
• 270 Dunellen, Middlesex
• 271 Woodbury, Gloucester
• 272 Helmetta, Middlesex
• 273 Ridgefield, Bergen
• 274 North Arlington, Bergen
• 275 Cedar Grove, Essex
• 276 Newton, Sussex
• 277 Lakehurst, Ocean
• 278 Burlington Township, Burlington
• 279 North Brunswick, Middlesex
• 280 Manasquan, Monmouth
• 281 Woodbury Heights, Gloucester
• 282 Monmouth Beach, Monmouth
• 283 Bordentown, Burlington
• 284 Lopatcong, Warren
• 285 Laurel Springs, Camden
• 286 Woodland Township, Burlington
• 287 Jefferson, Morris
• 288 Spring Lake, Monmouth
• 289 Hampton, Sussex
• 290 Moonachie, Bergen
• 291 Westville, Gloucester
• 292 Bogota, Bergen
• 293 Sandyston, Sussex
• 294 Dennis Township, Cape May
• 295 Hamburg, Sussex
• 296 Maywood, Bergen
• 297 Dover, Morris
• 298 Stanhope, Sussex
• 299 Stillwater, Sussex
• 300 Stafford Township, Ocean
• 301 Hopatcong, Sussex
• 302 Phillipsburg, Warren
• 303 Lambertville, Hunterdon
• 304 Waterford, Camden
• 305 Lawnside, Camden
• 306 Totowa, Passaic
• 307 Woodbridge, Middlesex
• 308 Harmony, Warren
• 309 Teaneck, Bergen
• 310 Pohatcong, Warren
• 311 Pitman, Gloucester
• 312 Carlstadt, Bergen
• 313 Stratford, Camden
• 314 Greenwich Township, Warren
• 315 Little Falls, Passaic
• 316 Independence, Warren
• 317 Galloway, Atlantic
• 318 Aberdeen, Monmouth
• 319 Saddle Brook, Bergen
• 320 Avon-by-the-Sea, Monmouth
• 321 Woodlynne, Camden
• 322 Florence, Burlington
• 323 Alloway, Salem
• 324 Rochelle Park, Bergen
• 325 Washington Borough, Warren
• 326 Roselle Park, Union
• 327 Eatontown, Monmouth
• 328 Mansfield, Warren
• 329 Netcong, Morris
• 330 Ridgefield Park, Bergen
• 331 Montague, Sussex
• 332 Bloomingdale, Passaic
• 333 Englewood, Bergen
• 334 West Milford, Passaic
• 335 Hopewell, Cumberland
• 336 Upper Pittsgrove, Salem
• 337 Lake Como, Monmouth
• 338 Merchantville, Camden
• 339 Ocean Township, Monmouth
• 340 Matawan, Monmouth
• 341 Somerdale, Camden
• 342 Beachwood, Ocean
• 343 Highlands, Monmouth
• 344 South Bound Brook, Somerset
• 345 Lyndhurst, Bergen
• 346 Deerfield, Cumberland
• 347 Belvidere, Warren
• 348 Jackson, Ocean
• 349 Kenilworth, Union
• 350 Margate, Atlantic
• 351 East Rutherford, Bergen
• 352 Ocean Gate, Ocean
• 353 Sussex Borough, Sussex
• 354 Hope, Warren
• 355 Hammonton, Atlantic
• 356 Clayton, Gloucester
• 357 Riverton, Burlington
• 358 Sayreville, Middlesex
• 359 Magnolia, Camden
• 360 South Hackensack, Bergen
• 361 Union Township, Union
• 362 Bellmawr, Camden
• 363 Atlantic Highlands, Monmouth
• 364 Butler, Morris
• 365 Hackensack, Bergen
• 366 Maurice River, Cumberland
• 367 Oaklyn, Camden
• 368 Audubon, Camden
• 369 Woodstown, Salem
• 370 Winslow, Camden
• 371 North Haledon, Passaic
• 372 Egg Harbor, Atlantic
• 373 Little Ferry, Bergen
• 374 Hamilton Township, Mercer
• 375 Ventnor, Atlantic
• 376 Franklin Borough, Sussex
• 377 Island Heights, Ocean
• 378 Rahway, Union
• 379 Hamilton Township, Atlantic
• 380 Elk, Gloucester
• 381 Toms River, Ocean
• 382 Glassboro, Gloucester
• 383 Sea Girt, Monmouth
• 384 Riverside, Burlington
• 385 South Toms River, Ocean
• 386 Brigantine, Atlantic
• 387 Clifton, Passaic
• 388 Prospect Park, Passaic
• 389 Woodbine, Cape May
• 390 Hardyston, Sussex
• 391 Elmwood Park, Bergen
• 392 Mount Ephraim, Camden
• 393 Pilesgrove, Salem
• 394 Gloucester Township, Camden
• 395 Lawrence Township, Cumberland
• 396 Pennsville, Salem
• 397 Buena, Atlantic
• 398 Bloomfield Essex
• 399 Weehawken, Hudson
• 400 South River, Middlesex
• 401 Haledon, Passaic
• 402 Monroe, Gloucester
• 403 Pine Beach, Ocean
• 404 Maple Shade, Burlington
• 405 Little Egg Harbor, Ocean
• 406 Greenwich Township, Gloucester
• 407 Mullica Township, Atlantic
• 408 Middle Township, Cape May
• 409 Tuckerton, Ocean
• 410 Lacey, Ocean
• 411 North Plainfield, Somerset
• 412 Pennsauken, Camden
• 413 Mannington, Salem
• 414 Manchester, Ocean
• 415 Pittsgrove, Salem
• 416 Brick, Ocean
• 417 Ewing Township, Mercer
• 418 East Newark, Hudson
• 419 Barnegat, Ocean
• 420 Gloucester City, Camden
• 421 Elizabeth, Union
• 422 Collingswood, Camden
• 423 Estell Manor, Atlantic
• 424 Hillside, Union
• 425 Fairfield, Cumberland
• 426 Weymouth, Atlantic
• 427 Folsom, Atlantic
• 428 Carteret, Middlesex
• 429 White Township, Warren
• 430 Chesilhurst, Camden
• 431 Bayonne, Hudson
• 432 Delanco, Burlington
• 433 Buena Vista, Atlantic
• 434 Vineland, Cumberland
• 435 Beverly, Burlington
• 436 Union Beach, Monmouth
• 437 Berlin, Camden
• 438 Pine Hill, Camden
• 439 Upper Deerfield, Cumberland
• 440 Atlantic City, Atlantic
• 441 Runnemede, Camden
• 442 Berkeley Township, Ocean
• 443 Lodi, Bergen
• 444 Perth Amboy, Middlesex
• 445 Lindenwold, Camden
• 446 Palmyra, Burlington
• 447 Linden, Union
• 448 Cliffside Park, Bergen
• 449 Brooklawn, Camden
• 450 South Amboy, Middlesex
• 451 Bound Brook, Somerset
• 452 Pleasantville, Atlantic
• 453 Lower Alloways Creek, Salem
• 454 Kearny, Hudson
• 455 Paramus, Bergen
• 456 Penns Grove, Salem
• 457 Trenton, Mercer
• 458 Oldmans, Salem
• 459 Hoboken, Hudson
• 460 Camden, Camden
• 461 Carneys Point, Salem
• 462 Long Beach Township, Ocean
• 463 Eagleswood, Ocean
• 464 Clementon, Camden
• 465 Belleville, Essex
• 466 Paulsboro, Gloucester
• 467 Roselle, Union
• 468 Deptford, Gloucester
• 469 Fairview, Bergen
• 470 Millville, Cumberland
• 471 Burlington City, Burlington
• 472 Garfield, Bergen
• 473 Pemberton, Burlington
• 474 Neptune City, Monmouth
• 475 New Brunswick, Middlesex
• 476 Bridgeton, Cumberland
• 477 Salem, Salem
• 478 North Bergen, Hudson
• 479 Lower Township, Cape May
• 480 Lakewood, Ocean
• 481 Quinton, Salem
• 482 Cape May, Cape May
• 483 Edgewater Park, Burlington
• 484 Paterson, Passaic
• 485 Absecon, Atlantic
• 486 Willingboro, Burlington
• 487 Newark, Essex
• 488 Seaside Heights, Ocean
• 489 Passaic, Passaic
• 490 Manville, Somerset
• 491 Union City, Hudson
• 492 Commercial Township, Cumberland
• 493 Harrison, Hudson
• 494 Jersey City, Hudson
• 495 Neptune Township, Monmouth
• 496 Keyport, Monmouth
• 497 East Orange, Essex
• 498 West New York, Hudson
• 499 Belmar, Monmouth
• 500 Guttenberg town Hudson
• 501 Keansburg, Monmouth
• 502 Downe, Cumberland
• 503 Plainfield, Union
• 504 Irvington, Essex
• 505 North Wildwood, Cape May
• 506 Wildwood, Cape May
• 507 Long Branch, Monmouth
• 508 Orange, Essex
• 509 Wildwood Crest, Cape May
• 510 Bradley Beach, Monmouth
• 511 Asbury Park, Monmouth

See the complete article by clicking here.

Photo of Clinton courtesy of New Jersey Family press release