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2021 Best Places to Live in Union County

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Best Places to Live
21 results

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  1. New Providence

    • Suburb in New Jersey
    • 26 reviews
    #1 Best Places to Live in Union County

    Current Resident: New Providence is an awesome town to live in and particularly to raise a family in. There is a real sense of community here, it is safe, and most people are friendly. The only downside is the options for nightlife, there are very few. The downtown area is small and everything seems to shut down by 9pm, with only 2 or 3 restaurant/bars staying open past then. However, the benefits of living here definitely outweigh the lack of entertainment.
    Read 26 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • A+
      Public Schools
    • 13,049 Population
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  2. Summit

    • Suburb in New Jersey
    • 41 reviews
    #2 Best Places to Live in Union County

    Current Resident: Its a wonderful town. I grew up here and still live here. Its great! The schools are good. They have lots of support for people with learning disabilities now (They did not when I went through Lincoln Hubbard Elementary, 2000-2005) Summit has amazing restaurants as well.
    Read 41 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • A+
      Public Schools
    • 21,913 Population
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  3. Westfield

    • Suburb in New Jersey
    • 66 reviews
    #3 Best Places to Live in Union County

    Visitor: Westfield, New Jersey is a place like that of a television dream town. Crime is extremely low, so low that you can leave your door unlocked for many days and nights, without worrying about break-ins. I have visited my grandparents there every summer all my life, and they never lock their doors, ever! On early mornings strictly from 5:00 to 7:00 on weekends, the streets are so vacant that me and my brother sometimes wake up between the hours of 5:00 and 7:00, and we play football in the street; never worrying about cars driving by. Noise at night is rare, neighbors are very friendly, schools are very close by, and jobs pay great. The only thing I would like to see change is the cost of housing, other than that, Westfield is the place to stay.
    Read 66 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • A+
      Public Schools
    • 29,877 Population
    View Nearby Homes

  4. Berkeley Heights Township

    • Suburb in New Jersey
    • 28 reviews
    #4 Best Places to Live in Union County

    Current Resident: The Berkeley Heights Township is a small suburban town located between Central and North Jersey. Within our community, we hold one of New Jersey's best education systems. Many of our high school graduates have done successful by attending our schools. The area is family friendly and has a variety of locations to enjoy your day, like a picnic at Snyder Park or a nice cool down at one of our two pools. Berkeley Heights contains many family owned businesses and has plenty of history. Nearly less then 10 minutes away is the Watchung Reservation. The "resz" is a place were the Native Americans from years ago sheltered and lived their lives. Here in BH we have multiple restaurants such as Delicious Heights, Dominoes, Hop Hing and East, La Rosa and many more. Coming to Berkeley Heights will leave you with a positive impact!
    Read 28 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • A+
      Public Schools
    • 13,310 Population
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  5. Fanwood

    • Suburb in New Jersey
    • 12 reviews
    #5 Best Places to Live in Union County

    Current Resident: Fanwood, New Jersey is a fascinating little suburb in the middle, or central part of New Jersey. It is a nice town to live in if you are thinking of starting a family, and make a moderate or higher income. It is a good town for commuters because there is a train station in the center of the town, and many bus lines. It shares a school district with the neighboring town, Scotch Plains. There are also many nighttime, and fun activities in the neighboring towns, no more then 10 minutes away. The real estate prices are higher, and so are the taxes, but it is a very safe and suburban town and good for the price.
    Read 12 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • A+
      Public Schools
    • 7,660 Population
    View Nearby Homes

  6. Scotch Plains Township

    • Suburb in New Jersey
    • 78 reviews
    #6 Best Places to Live in Union County

    Former Resident: I moved to SP in the late 90's and raised my daughters here. Excellent school system with many great, dedicated teachers. As a former spec ed teacher myself I can account for this! Nice community which seems tight knit and good for raising a family. I loved the reservation nearby to bring my dog for walks.
    The downsides: Not very culturally diverse, an obvious difference between housing in the north and south sides which also commensurates with crime in areas. A main street that is about 3 blocks long with some shops, banks, and restaurants. Taxes are growing each year in this town, and housing costs are astronomical. Which is why I moved out if state and am now living in a college town two states away, where it's more affordable. We have reservations here too, and not the traffic associated with NJ, not the taxes. Scotch Plains us nice, but I needed more in terms of culture, shops, restaurants, museums, and so on.
    Read 78 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • A+
      Public Schools
    • 24,205 Population
    View Nearby Homes

  9. Springfield Township

    • Suburb in New Jersey
    • 21 reviews
    #7 Best Places to Live in Union County

    Current Resident: Great town! Safe, lots to do, plenty of parks to get outdoors with. Considering buying our home here. Access to NYC via bus routes and nearby towns have train stations to the city.
    Read 21 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • A
      Public Schools
    • 17,406 Population
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  10. Cranford Township

    • Suburb in New Jersey
    • 29 reviews
    #8 Best Places to Live in Union County

    Current Resident: Cranford could not be more centrally located. Great for commuters to NYC and other parts of NJ. I’m a five minute walk to the state’s highest rated downtown as well as the lovely Rahway River. The Garden State is also a five minute drive. Location, location, location!
    Read 29 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • A+
      Public Schools
    • 24,014 Population
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  11. Garwood

    • Suburb in New Jersey
    • 10 reviews
    #9 Best Places to Live in Union County

    Current Resident: I lived in Garwood for 16 years and it's a wonderful small town to live at! Its safe,quiet, and everyone is friendly.
    Read 10 Reviews

    • A minus
      Overall Niche Grade
    • B
      Public Schools
    • 4,338 Population
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  12. Mountainside

    • Suburb in New Jersey
    • 9 reviews
    #10 Best Places to Live in Union County

    Current Resident: We grew up near Mountainside and finally made the permanent move here this year. We love it. Our neighbors welcomed us with open arms. We walk everyday and take in the beauty of the mountain and tree lined streets. The homes are not built on top of one another and privacy is plenty. Rt 22 is near, along with downtown Westfield so there's plenty of dining and shopping opportunities. We love it and plan on staying here for the rest of our lives.
    Read 9 Reviews

    • A minus
      Overall Niche Grade
    • A minus
      Public Schools
    • 6,826 Population
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  13. Roselle Park

    • Suburb in New Jersey
    • 45 reviews
    #11 Best Places to Live in Union County

    Current Resident: Small town of 14,000 with neighborhood schools. Most homes are nicely kept up. Blue collar town with hardworking people. A recreation program in each season for girls and boys. An excellent library staffed with friendly knowledgeable librarians. Visible, accessible police department. Great volunteer fire department.
    Areas needing improvement: Street resurfacing, tree trimming, parks maintenance and Westfield Avenue median maintenance.
    Read 45 Reviews

    • A minus
      Overall Niche Grade
    • B
      Public Schools
    • 13,581 Population
    View Nearby Homes

  14. Clark Township

    • Suburb in New Jersey
    • 32 reviews
    #12 Best Places to Live in Union County

    Current Resident: Clark is a very safe and tight knit community in the sprawling New York Metropolitan Area. There are many cities in the metropolitan area where pollution, crime, and schools are bad but Clark is the opposite. It is a nice quiet suburb where neighbors are nice to everyone. Of course that no town in America is perfect and in Clark there is a lack of a downtown area and not a lot of sprawling development excluding home development. Surprising to hear but in New Jersey the roads are not bad at all as there are only a couple of streets where the streets are full of potholes. In the nighttime and the morning there are people jogging or walking their dogs and just makes you feel nice and comfortable.
    Read 32 Reviews

    • A minus
      Overall Niche Grade
    • B
      Public Schools
    • 15,748 Population
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  15. Union Township

    • Suburb in New Jersey
    • 138 reviews
    #13 Best Places to Live in Union County

    Current Resident: I have been a resident of Union, New Jersey ever since I was an infant. The environment here is so uplifting and positive. Union Center is the focal point of the town which features numerous shops and restaurants. This area is the perfect place to spend your weekend because there are several activities you can experience. For instance, since Union is incredibly diverse, the restaurants range from all types of foods you could think to taste. Additionally, you can go thrift shopping, go to the salon, or even see a movie at the theater! There is also a small playground with a peaceful library that one could visit if looking for some quiet time. Lastly, the people here have given me some of the greatest memories I could ask for, and have grown up with me in this beloved town.
    Read 138 Reviews

    • B+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • B
      Public Schools
    • 58,297 Population
    View Nearby Homes

  16. Kenilworth

    • Suburb in New Jersey
    • 41 reviews
    #14 Best Places to Live in Union County

    Current Resident: Kenilworth is a great town to live. It is very family orientated. Most people grew up in town, or surrounding towns, and chose to raise a family in Kenilworth. It is a safe place to live and the community is very involved for families. Sports is very important in this town so a lot of children are involved in some kind of activity. The price to live here is on the high side. High taxes for sure. Lots of nice restaurants to pick and choose for a nice family dinner.
    Read 41 Reviews

    • B+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • C+
      Public Schools
    • 8,161 Population
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  17. Winfield Township

    • Suburb in New Jersey
    • 9 reviews
    #15 Best Places to Live in Union County

    Niche User: There is virtually no crime here. I don't remember the last crime that we had. The police are always out there and can be at your house within three minutes since the town is so small.
    Read 9 Reviews

    • B+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • B minus
      Public Schools
    • 1,623 Population
    View Nearby Homes

  18. Rahway

    • Suburb in New Jersey
    • 70 reviews
    #16 Best Places to Live in Union County

    Current Resident: Very nice town. I've been living in Rahway for years. It's tight community the town is up and coming although neighboring towns tend to give us negative reviews, most of the information is false. The town is relatively very safe with decent hard working people. There are always community activities for the family. The downtown area is developing beautifully with rentals and nice shops. Property value is on the rise and the schools are decent. The high school has an impressive performing arts programs and football team. During the summer there are concerts and festivals as well as in the winter. The rec center offers all kinds of lessons from a tennis program to yarn and art classes at a fair price to residents from the town. The Rahway of today is not the same town it was 20 years ago so the neighboring more affluent towns tend to give it a bad rap. Overall you get your bang for your buck in this town if you move fast and acquire property now as prices are surging fast.
    Read 70 Reviews

    • B
      Overall Niche Grade
    • C+
      Public Schools
    • 29,543 Population
    View Nearby Homes

  19. Hillside Township

    • Suburb in New Jersey
    • 74 reviews
    #17 Best Places to Live in Union County

    Current Resident: Hillside is a small town embedded in the heart of New Jersey. Despite it being a nice town, there is quite some room for improvement, beginning with the educational system. Going to the public schools in Hillside I observed lots of potential within the students studying there. However the teachers have even greater potential to learn how to deal with them.
    Read 74 Reviews

    • B
      Overall Niche Grade
    • C
      Public Schools
    • 21,928 Population
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  22. Linden

    • Suburb in New Jersey
    • 111 reviews

    Current Resident: Linden is a lively town full of urban stores and friendly people. This town emphasizes the education of its students and ensures that every child receives the opportunity to acquire a sound education. In addition, this town overall is a peaceful and safe town to live in!
    Read 111 Reviews

    • B minus
      Overall Niche Grade
    • C+
      Public Schools
    • 42,222 Population
    View Nearby Homes

  23. Roselle

    • Suburb in New Jersey
    • 74 reviews

    Current Resident: I live here 14 out of my 14 years of living. It's pretty nice out here. Everyone is a bit quiet but thats's ok because they're friendly. Schools are easy to adapt if you start in Roselle from elementary, but it's a bit hard for new students to adapt because schools are pretty rough in Roselle, especially ACHS, the infamous high school. That is why it is always best to apply to other high schools before going to 9th grade. The best school is definately the middle school, LV Moore. Teachers and stufents are very awesome, as well as the structure of the building. It gets maintained clean and it's easy to locate yourself and find where your classes are. So to sum it up, Roselle is pretty cool.
    Read 74 Reviews

    • C+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • C minus
      Public Schools
    • 21,637 Population
    View Nearby Homes

  24. Plainfield

    • Suburb in New Jersey
    • 112 reviews

    Current Resident: I have lived in sleepy hollow section for 16 years. I take the train regularly to nyc. The town has continued to improve and for locals that are secure this is a hidden gem. People and homes are very diverse. Lots to do nearby. Great for walks whether early or late. Lately we have seen an uptick in investment and improvements by home owners, investors, government and flippers. If you are looking for a long term investment this place is it. We are surrounded by expensive towns and get to the city, beach and pa easily. I think if we can get a few more shops, restaurants and continued investment by home owners we will continue to see significant improvement. Not sure how all the apartment construction will affect the town. I hope it lowers taxes and spurs services. I think also if we can continue to get more young families that schools will gradually improve or you can use the good private schools or charter ones
    Read 112 Reviews

    • C
      Overall Niche Grade
    • D+
      Public Schools
    • 50,362 Population
    View Nearby Homes

  25. Elizabeth

    • Suburb in New Jersey
    • 314 reviews

    Current Resident: It's a good city with nice people who live in the city. Fun sometimes and nice houses. Some good parks and good place to got visit. A place where i always felt safe, comfortable, and at home. A place where diversity thrives and cultures boom. A place where everyone can belong. That's Elizabeth, NJ. Elizabeth is a beautiful city full with many opportunities. A great city to get a good start in life. I had been living in Elizabeth for almost five years if I am not wrong. Is good to live in Elizabeth NJ, is a very diverse place and the people are friendly. What I like about Elizabeth NJ is that you can find jobs near where you reside most of the time. Also, I like that you have everything near you, food fast, supermarkets, hospitals, police stations, etc. One thing that I would change is the security of the city in general and decrease the crime.
    Read 314 Reviews

    • C minus
      Overall Niche Grade
    • C+
      Public Schools
    • 128,333 Population
    View Nearby Homes
  26. Sponsored

    Stuart Hall School

    • Private School
    • STAUNTON, VA
    • 5-12
    • 66 reviews

    Parent: I am a parent of two alum and a current high school student. The teachers and academics have been instrumental in preparing my kids to excel in college. Both my graduates are in extremely challenging, highly ranked programs and both find that they have an easier time handling the college workload than their peers. Our favorite part of the school, however, has been the tightly knit community feeling that started in the lower school and continued through graduation and beyond. We are excited about the new esport program and the technological/media opportunities coming to our new downtown campus. Recent renovations in our historic buildings have also made the main campus more comfortable and compelling.
    Read 66 Reviews

    • A+
      Overall Niche Grade
    • 144 Students
    • 5:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
    View Nearby Homes
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