2021 Best Places to Raise a Family in Monmouth County

Fair Haven

• Suburb in New Jersey
• Rating 4.83 out of 5  6 reviews

Current Resident: Great family environment and absolutely great for kids. Kids can ride their bikes to school and into town and there are dozens of parks and baseball fields and basketball courts.Read 6 Reviews

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• 5,873 Population

Little Silver

• Suburb in New Jersey
• Rating 3.93 out of 5  14 reviews

Current Resident: A beautiful, for the most part very friendly upscale town with a quaint little downtown area. Equidistant from Red Bank, the Shore, and lots of shopping and dining options. The parkway is under 10 minutes but feels quite distant in a good way. K-8 schools are among best in the state, and the high school is up and coming. Think Rumson-Fair Haven but the people are a bit more grounded and normal. Amazing town where you should never let a few bad apples ruin it for the vast majority (mainly because they are unhappy in their lives and need to express it)...Read 14 Reviews

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• 5,844 Population

Rumson

• Suburb in New Jersey
• Rating 4.26 out of 5  19 reviews

Current Resident: Growing up in Rumson has been an amazing experience... It had its pros- My life long friendships that I have built because of how small the community is. The memories I have made while on class trips, especially overnight ones. And how close it is to Sea bright. It is nice to be able to go there when I need a breath/break to myself. But the cons are- it is not very diverse and for somethings close minded. Also, people tend to be in others business sometimes, also for how small the town is. But that is really the only problems I have ever had. I am sooo grateful to live here. It is a safe, loving, close knitted, family friendly, pet friendly, quaint town that is full of bright and amazing people. I don't think you can find anything better than that!...Read 19 Reviews

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• 6,792 Population

Robertsville

• Suburb in New Jersey
• Rating 3.85 out of 5  13 reviews

Niche User: We encounter normal, mostly non violent crimes here.Read 13 Reviews

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• 11,874 Population

Morganville

• Suburb in New Jersey
• Rating 4.45 out of 5  20 reviews

Current Resident: Extremely safe. I spent my childhood into early adulthood here. It is pretty quiet and not a lot to do, but my friendships and education while living here will definitely last me a lifetime. I would like to see a better downtown area maybe, the closest areas like that are red bank or freehold, but I could see myself raising my kids here. Great public schools! Taxes are extremely expensive...Read 20 Reviews

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• 5,088 Population

Holmdel Township

• Suburb in New Jersey
• Rating 3.8 out of 5  61 reviews

Current Resident: It is pronounced Home-del for a reason; it is more than just a place to live. Families share a common goal of maintaining a safe, engaged community and a top-rated school system. It is a welcoming town appreciative of different cultures, too. Residents here can take advantage of Holmdel Park, a beautiful spot for people of all ages. Because PNC Arts Center is in our backyard, we have access to great entertainment and diverse, fun festivals. With the recent addition of Bell Works as a community hub, Holmdel now has an unofficial town center. A place where people can gather, play, dine, shop, and work, the space allows for the best of the town to come together. Given its quick access to New York City, Holmdel offers it all...Read 61 Reviews

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• 16,609 Population

Brielle

• Suburb in New Jersey
• Rating 4.21 out of 5  38 reviews

Current Resident: I have lived and grown up in Brielle my entire life. It's a cute little beach town that has close connections to all of the other areas. As much as being small has its pros, sometimes the town feels suffocating because everyone and their parent, and grandparent has grown up here. It's a bit cliquey. Otherwise, the town is great (always celebrates Brielle Day) and has a community feel...Read 38 Reviews

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• 4,697 Population

Allentown

Former Resident: Lived in Allentown during my youth. Never had to lock your car or house. Beautiful place and great people. Old country feel with many historical houses. Very little crime. Good schools and restaurants in town!...Read 17 Reviews

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• 1,892 Population

Spring Lake

• Suburb in New Jersey
• Rating 4.2 out of 5  10 reviews

Visitor: I loved the quaint little town and how people said hello to you when you walked by. The trees were lush and green and beautiful. It seemed that everyone's lawn looked like something out of a picture. There were so many awesome little shops and restaurants at which you could eat. Store owners welcomed us inside to browse and offered discounts on really neat items. There were a few delis and a pharmacy in which people spoke to you like neighbors. ...The wind from the water felt great against my skin as I road my bike along the boardwalk. There was a large, beautiful church with a ceiling that would make you gasp! My trip was so relaxing and fulfilling. Please go visit Spring Lake if you can. There are lovely Victorian Inns with comfy rooms and kind staff...Read 10 Reviews

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• grade A

• 2,927 Population

Lincroft

• Suburb in New Jersey
• Rating 4.18 out of 5  17 reviews

Current Resident: An incredible place to raise a family. I didn’t want to move here from Princeton (also five stars). We wanted to go back to the city but made a stop here. So glad we did. It has the feeling of a Hallmark movie that doesn’t really leave. Sensible and helpful community, with amenities and great schools. People here aren’t political and tend to be down to earth and level headed. I must be getting old if this is something so value. Property taxes are very high but you get what you pay for here...Read 17 Reviews

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• 6,405 Population

Matawan

• Suburb in New Jersey
• Rating 3.76 out of 5  46 reviews

Current Resident: My husband+I are young professionals who moved from Manhattan and bought a house in downtown Matawan 5+ years ago. The area is still "up and coming" meaning Main Street is undergoing a long-awaited transformation of housing+new business. There's a general expectation the area will explode in the next few years. A few things we really like about living here:...-Home prices are relatively affordable compared to other shore towns and surrounding areas like Red Bank, Middletown, Holmdel, etc. -Close to everything! We're both NYC commuters and love being walking distance from the train and a short drive to the ferry. Bell Works is 15 mins, the shore is 20 mins, and all the amenities of Monmouth County are nearby. Rts 36, 35, 34 and the parkway are a few minutes away...-Great community feel and super walkable downtown. We walk to the pub, library, post office, train, lake, etc. We know our neighbors and council people. Really active historical society and tons of local historic attractions...Read 46 Reviews

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• 8,747 Population

Strathmore

• Suburb in New Jersey
• Rating 3.38 out of 5  24 reviews

Niche User: I always see the police when I am out and about. They'll drive through neighborhoods regularly and be there when you need them. Hardly is there any crime, I'd believe if anything that the police of my area would be bored with all the inactivity of crime!...Read 24 Reviews

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• 7,816 Population

Shrewsbury

• Suburb in New Jersey
• Rating 4.21 out of 5  19 reviews

Current Resident: Shrewsbury is a wonderful small town. Everyone knows each other. Most residents have grown up here and chose to stay and start their families. Our Boro may be small, but we have many community activites such as sports, food truck "Shrewsbury Day" and Santa on the fire truck events. Great town to grow up...Read 19 Reviews

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• 4,086 Population

Monmouth Beach

• Suburb in New Jersey
• Rating 4.44 out of 5  16 reviews

Current Resident: Very safe town to raise children “Mayberry” is the term often used. The school is very good, and the residents are very friendly. Summer on the beach and at the town beach club is fantastic!Read 16 Reviews

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• 3,212 Population

Manasquan

• Suburb in New Jersey
• Rating 4.73 out of 5  22 reviews

Current Resident: It is a lovely small beach town, with everything you need within a 10 minute bike ride. Manasquan is the perfect place to grow up and succeed. There is always something to do as well! Festivals, flea markets, the fairs, and the beach days are wonderful things to attended through out the year. Everyone is so kind and welcoming, and the school spirit and pride is out of this world. Don't forget to watch the beautiful sunset over the Manasquan Inlet!...Read 22 Reviews

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• 5,829 Population

Colts Neck Township

• Suburb in New Jersey
• Rating 4.24 out of 5  29 reviews

Current Resident: Colts Neck is beautiful, peaceful, and affluent located in desirable Monmouth County, this town has so much to offer! Breathtaking scenery of the open space and lovely horse farms. Colts Neck has a fantastic school system with amazing teachers. Friendly neighbors and gorgeous sprawling homes. Within minutes to Jersey shore finest beaches. Also, an easy commute into the city. Within close driving distance to great shopping, restaurants, nightlife, recreational parks, and upscale golf courses. A truly amazing one of a kind place to live and raise a family in. Highly recommend moving here...Read 29 Reviews

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• 9,895 Population

Upper Freehold Township

Niche User: This area may be far from a lot of places, but it is still one that has many amenities in the general vicinity. The privacy here is unbeatable and is something residents and visitors alike would enjoy...Read 15 Reviews

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• 6,940 Population

Sea Girt

• Suburb in New Jersey
• Rating 4 out of 5  2 reviews

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• grade A

• 1,655 Population

Sea Bright

• Suburb in New Jersey
• Rating 4.33 out of 5  3 reviews

Current Resident: Walk to great restaurants and bars. The Ocean and river are only steps away from any point in town. Living here is like being on vacation.Read 3 Reviews

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• grade A

• 1,337 Population

Avon-by-the-Sea

• Suburb in New Jersey
• Rating 4 out of 5  7 reviews

Niche User: I would love to live in this area for a majority of my life. I do plan to move out west for the warm weather during the winter, but with out a doubt I will have a summer home here!Read 7 Reviews

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• 1,789 Population

Oakhurst

• Suburb in New Jersey
• Rating 4.33 out of 5  3 reviews

Current Resident: Oakhurst is overall a great community as it really focuses on the unity of its people and the safety of its environment. As a resident, the school district is academically excelling and a great location for families to live. The community is very tight knit and accepting of others, and the people implement kindness and being courteous to others all around...Read 3 Reviews

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• grade A

• 3,804 Population

West Freehold

• Suburb in New Jersey
• Rating 4 out of 5  7 reviews

Niche User: This area is very safe. Many police live in this neighborhood, and they park their cruisers in their driveways. It helps me and my family feel safe to see the presence of the very friendly police frequently. There is very little crime and we have a great sense of safety...Read 7 Reviews

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• 13,680 Population

Atlantic Highlands

• Suburb in New Jersey
• Rating 4.37 out of 5  19 reviews

Current Resident: Atlantic Highlands is an extremely safe neighborhood with a ton of family life. The little town holds a variety of restaurants, as well as an adorable coffee shop on their main street named First Avenue. While venturing throughout this town you can visit the waterfront and their marina which holds many boats as well as the seastreak to New York. At night you can see the glowing lights of the city, and to wrap it all up you can grab an amazing scoop of ice cream from Nicholas Creamery! Although the town is little, is offers so much and remains a safe, happy community even in the roughest times. You will always feel welcome when visiting this town due to the warm people that reside in it. Atlantic Highlands is the beginning of the Jersey Shore and is only 10 minutes away from the coast line. Living here is a dream. The variety in weather makes this quaint town extravagant. Hopefully more people will visit soon!...Read 19 Reviews

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• 4,309 Population

Belford

• Suburb in New Jersey
• Rating 4.29 out of 5  7 reviews

Current Resident: I currently live here and the education is really decent. It is a moderate to right leaning area of NJ so if you don't want that then you probably just don't want to be in Monmouth CountyRead 7 Reviews

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• 2,129 Population

Lake Como

• Suburb in New Jersey
• Rating 3.75 out of 5  4 reviews

Current Resident: near the beach and nice shore towns. many bars and restaurants that make a nice nightlife. Schooling is not as good, but the vocational schools in the district (for highschool) are very good.Read 4 Reviews

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• 1,740 Population