2019 Best Suburbs to Raise a Family in New JerseyAbout this List

Upper Montclair

• Suburb in New Jersey
• 36

Current Resident: I have been living in Upper Montclair, New Jersey since I was born, which is eighteen years. My town is very family friendly with multiple parks where children can play and adults can walk or bike around. There are hundreds of restaurants and local grocery stores where people can buy their food or sit down with friends. Every single person, whether it is your neighbor or someone walking down the street, is very kind and sociable. We are an extremely diverse community with different ethnicities and filled with people from around the world. Upper Montclair is very eco-friendly as we reduce the amount of waste by reusing and recycling items and people contribute to the environment by planting trees and tending to their gardens. I always feel a sense of protection when walking down a street which is provided by our local police department. I genuinely enjoy living in Upper Montclair as I have made many friends in this beautiful town!
Read 36 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 11,696 Population

Short Hills

• Suburb in New Jersey
• 30

Current Resident: Postcard-perfect town with great location for commuting to NYC. Insane academic competition in high school. Downtown could use more nightlife. Lots of working families but also more than a few billionaires and multi-millionaires. Most residents seem to work in finance or law.
Read 30 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 13,092 Population

Monmouth Junction

• Suburb in New Jersey
• 6

Works Here: I grew up in--and attended public schools in--South Brunswick; and for the past 26 years I have also worked there. I have nothing but good things to say about the township, in general, and Monmouth Junction, in particular. The school system is nationally renowned, and the extra-curricular activities associated with it, stellar. It's increasingly expensive to live there; however, there are few better places to live in New Jersey--or anywhere else. I heartily recommend Monmouth Junction to anyone who can afford to live there.
Read 6 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 3,534 Population

Mountain Lakes

• Suburb in New Jersey
• 16

Current Resident: There's no place like this town! Call it Mayberry or Camelot, it's a special place to both grow up and raise children. Nine lakes, family activities, welcoming community, active volunteers, GREAT SCHOOLS, beautiful hills, trees and historic homes. You know your children's friends and parents. They have a welcoming cocktail party each year for new residents! I grew up here and raised back to raise my children here. I'd rather have my kids ride their bike to school or the beach than ride a train to Manhattan. What's your priority? This town is a gem!
Read 16 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 4,309 Population

Haworth

• Suburb in New Jersey
• 3

Current Resident: Haworth is an absolutely gorgeous and underrated community. The Haworth Public School is excellent with small class sizes and committed teachers, administrators and parents. The town has a lot of character with a quaint downtown, beautiful and unique homes, duck pond, walking trail by the reservoir and two country clubs. Every street is tree-lined. The library is amazing with a separate wing for kids and dynamic programming. There’s a 5K race, Spring Garage Sale, streets are closed for Halloween (it’s quite a celebration), and many events and things to do throughout the year. It’s a five-minute or less drive to Closter Plaza where you can shop, grab a bite, work out, go to the movies, etc. A++!
Read 3 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 3,473 Population

Ridgewood

• Suburb in New Jersey
• 34

Works Here: Ridgewood is a great town for young adults to raise their children. Ridgewood is a very tight knit community where everyone helps out and knows one another. The center of town has a good amount of shops and top rated restaurants in the county which attracts a very positive ribe throughout the town. Ridgewood residents are great supporters of the local businesses. Also, young children used the center of town as a safe haven to meet up with friends. They utilize the shops, restaurants, and movie theater; everything is within walking distance! Ridgewood has a fantastic school system that challenges students and allows for high college acceptance rates. The faulty is outstanding and does not leave anyone behind. Ridgewood's school system also offers a wide variety of afterschool activities for the children, including camps at the town pool! Overall Ridgewood is an outstanding town and a wonderful community for families to grow.
Read 34 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 25,554 Population

Allendale

• Suburb in New Jersey
• 20

Current Resident: Allendale is a great community. It is very family orientated with a lot of town programs geared toward families. It is a green town with multiple parks, lots of open spaces, one of the only bird sanctuaries around and a beautiful lake where people can join to swim all summer.
Schools are fantastic with many supplemental programs to offer to the children. Most families are very involved.
Read 20 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 6,820 Population

Heathcote

• Suburb in New Jersey

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 6,355 Population

Westfield

• Suburb in New Jersey
• 57

Current Resident: Great town with nice people and lots of options especially if you have a family. Lots of restaurants, walking options, interesting events, and diverse political perspectives. Schools are excellent overall; however recent changes in the administration at Jefferson School have seemed to create an unhealthy tension; teachers have worn black to protest the new principal’s behavior and policies. Stress leaves for staff are higher than any other school. At some point this will need to be addressed, as it is beginning to negatively impact parents and students.
Read 57 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 30,591 Population

Mendham Township

• Suburb in New Jersey
• 12

Current Resident: I have lived in Mendham Township for 15 years. I have raised my children and now my granddaughter is enjoying Mendham. The school system is extraordinary from full day Kindergarten to the highly ranked West Morris High School. My son said he was well prepared to face the academic demands of Engineering studies. Most of his friends also excelled in college. As for my husband and I we enjoy the outdoors every day, play paddle and tennis at Mendham Golf and Tennis, which is a relaxed informal sports club and have made good life long friends. So I can highly endorse the lifestyle offered by this area. I can also say we have the cleanest water from our well. And the air quality is without question clean.
Read 12 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 5,877 Population

Chatham

• Suburb in New Jersey
• 26

Current Resident: I love Chatham! I've lived here almost my whole life and it's such a great town to grow up in. It's safe, has amazing schools, a cute downtown, and it close to NYC. What more could you want? The taxes are pretty high, but that's for our schools. I wouldn't live in Chatham just to live here, but I think it's a great town to raise your kids.
Read 26 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 9,003 Population

Glen Ridge

• Suburb in New Jersey
• 16

Current Resident: Overall, Glen Ridge is a really solid town to live in. Growing up, I remember experiencing many amazing memories in the town. Many people from other towns would flock on Halloween night, because everyone in Glen Ridge really celebrate all holidays to the max. From block parties to great sports games through the well-run GRAA program, Glen Ridge truly offers kids a lot of opportunities to grow in a tight-knit community. The one draw back is that at times it can be too tight, as it has received the nickname "Glen Ridge Bubble".
Read 16 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 7,668 Population

Bernards Township

• Suburb in New Jersey
• 37

Current Resident: The public schools are great! Not much to do in the town, but its a great place to live. There are a few good restaurants in town, but the best are in the surrounding towns.
Read 37 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 27,032 Population

Dayton

• Suburb in New Jersey
• 29

Current Resident: I think that the education system in Dayton, NJ is definitely one of the best and is the main reason why my parents chose to settle down in Dayton. South Brunswick High School is a very intense public school, which makes it great for children because it truly prepares them for the reality of college. It is a relatively safe middle-upper middle class town, with a pretty low crime rate. Dayton is great for younger families, however it would not be fun for young adults without children. There are a lot of places to eat but there isn't much outside of that; there is no solid nightlife or fun spot for young adults. Being a current resident at 22 years of age, I find myself going to the neighboring towns/cities of New Brunswick or Princeton for a nice experiences.
Read 29 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 7,549 Population

Haddonfield

• Suburb in New Jersey
• 17

Former Resident: Historic Haddonfield is great for all ages. The downtown area is great for day trippers or locals who want to window shop, grab brunch at the Bistro, or take a walk past "Haddy" the Hadrosaurus dinosaur. Along with all of the historical homes & taverns & dinosaurs, Haddonfield holds a wonderful reputation in their school system as well as their athletics...ranked top in the state of New Jersey and nationwide!
Read 17 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 11,428 Population

New Providence

• Suburb in New Jersey
• 18

Current Resident: New Providence is a rare gem of a town - really hearkens back to the time when communities really knows (and want to know) and cares about each other. Newcomers feel welcome and most importantly safe. Though it is an affluent town, it does not have the air or reputation of cliches. The community is diverse and fosters a feeling of inclusiveness. You truly get the feeling of being home in this town, even if you did not grow up there. It's a small town that have a lot of character and amenities with the convenience of top rated schools, shopping, gym, restaurants and great community and recreational facilities. Great for commuters with two direct train stations to NYC and less than 20 mins drive to Morristown. The only major downside of New Providence is the in high property tax as Union County unfortunately shares the reputation with several other NJ counties with highest property taxes in the country.
Read 18 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 12,716 Population

Demarest

• Suburb in New Jersey
• 4

Niche User: I met some of my best friends here, had my most memorable experiences and received an amazing education in school before I left for college.
Read 4 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 5,031 Population

Chatham Township

• Suburb in New Jersey
• 10

Current Resident: Chatham is a safe, beautiful, expensive town. People are friendly and prestigious, and the town struggles with diversity. It is very child oriented, most mothers are involved in the school district in some way. Teenagers have many job opportunities. The town center does not have a nightlife, but many nearby towns do (and Uber is everywhere here). The train is a 55 minute ride to NYC for $11. The town is generally conservative but has a large liberal presence too.
Read 10 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 10,507 Population

Ho-Ho-Kus

• Suburb in New Jersey
• 7

Niche User: As a long time NJ resident we looked closely at every town in Northern NJ and HHK had the best of everything we were looking for. The schools were great, lots of well educated families, a town you could walk to, great restaurants, the ability to get really involved in the town or not at all and reasonable taxes compared to the rest of Bergen County. After 6 years of living here my wife and I agree this is the best town to live in and raise a family.
Read 7 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 4,162 Population

Tenafly

• Suburb in New Jersey
• 22

Current Resident: I like Tenafly because it is very quiet and a good place to live. The people here are nice and friendly. They are welcoming and the restaurants here are good!
Read 22 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 14,882 Population

Summit

• Suburb in New Jersey
• 25

Nearby Resident: Summit, New Jersey is filled with many great things: excellent education for the young ones, strong sport programs, plenty of greenery, and a nice downtown where you and your friends can dine at numerous restaurants, go shopping, or just spend the afternoon at an art shop. As a nearby resident, I have traveled through Summit nearly every day. I like that it is safe, clean, has easy access to transportation (has a train station and buses), and there isn't much traffic. New York City is also very accessible from Summit. It can be anywhere between a 30 minute to an hour commuting.
Read 25 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 22,155 Population

Fanwood

• Suburb in New Jersey
• 8

Current Resident: I love Fanwood!! I moved to Fanwood with my family when I was about to start Kindergarten, and have made my way through the public school system before applying and being accepted to amazing universities across the country.

From the moment we moved in, we have had an amazing relationship with our neighbors and the other people living around us. I grew up rollerblading, biking and scootering around on my street, which though off a main road, is quiet enough for young kids to play on.

There are also great local parks, YMCA's, and pools (shout out Willow Grove Swim Club) and the train station is right in down town.
Read 8 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 7,648 Population

Glen Rock

• Suburb in New Jersey
• 31

Current Resident: Glen Rock has some of the top schools in state, is on the train line to Manhattan, has excellent sports teams, virtually ZERO crime and the value of your homes will just continue to rise. It's truly an amazing place to raise a family. Has a cute downtown and is a stones throw away to ridgewood without all of the riff raff that comes in from neighboring towns. A+ for Glen Rock.
Read 31 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 11,962 Population

Livingston Township

• Suburb in New Jersey
• 78

Works Here: Livingston is a wonderful community in which to live and work. It is a suburban community with a worldly vibe. The town center is pedestrian friendly with many shops and eateries. It is an awesome ace to grab a bite with friends after work, or spend a leisurely afternoon browsing the great stores. In terms of real estate, Livingston has the perfect range of homes from small capes for the first time buyer to grand estates. There are new town homes being built for those who prefer a low maintenance lifestyle. In addition to these many amenities, Livingston boasts one of the best school systems in the state!
Read 78 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 29,955 Population

Closter

• Suburb in New Jersey
• 26

Current Resident: Closter is a very well-off town in the Northeast corner of Bergen County. While the increased wealth is visible from other towns in Bergen County, Closter attracts a lot of diversity, including large populations of Israelis, Indians, Koreans, and others, especially at younger ages like mine. There is a growing sense of community, with public and private occasions tailored for all varieties of people throughout the year. Closter brings the comforts of a small town with the variety. There are nearly ten public parks, a well-maintained nature center, and an incredibly developed and vibrant downtown.
Read 26 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 8,710 Population