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Suburb0
New York City

Westfield

#1 in Best Places to Live in Union County
  • A+
    Overall Grade
  • Suburb in New Jersey
  • 60 reviews
    A+
    Overall Niche Grade
    How are grades calculated?
    1. Public Schools
      A+
    2. Crime & Safety
      B+
    3. Housing
      B
    4. Nightlife
      A-
    5. Good for Families
      A+
    6. Diversity
      B
    7. Jobs
      A-
    8. Weather
      B-
    9. Cost of Living
      C
    10. Health & Fitness
      A+
    11. Outdoor Activities
      A
    12. Commute
      B
    View Full Report Card
    Westfield is a suburb of New York City with a population of 30,086. Westfield is in Union County and is one of the best places to live in New Jersey. Living in Westfield offers residents a sparse suburban feel and most residents own their homes. In Westfield there are a lot of restaurants, coffee shops, and parks. Many families live in Westfield and residents tend to have moderate political views. The public schools in Westfield are highly rated.
    About Westfield...
    Population
    30,086

    Real Estate

    Median Home Value
    $727,600
    National
    $184,700
    Median Rent
    $1,663
    National
    $949
    Area Feel
    Sparse Suburban
    Rent vs. Own
    • Rent
      17%
    • Own
      83%
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    Westfield Rankings

    Niche ranks thousands of places to live based on key statistics from the U.S. Census and and expert insights.

    Crime & Safety

    Crime & Safety
    B+
    Based on violent and property crime rates.
    Violent Crimes
    • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
    National
    • Assault
      6.7
      282.7
    • Murder
      0
      6.1
    • Rape
      0
      40.7
    • Robbery
      6.7
      135.5
    Property Crimes
    • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
    National
    • Burglary
      80
      500.1
    • Theft
      556.5
      2,042.8
    • Motor Vehicle Theft
      86.6
      284

    Residents

    Diversity
    B
    Based on ethnic and economic diversity.
    Age
    • <10 years
      14%
    • 10-17 years
      15%
    • 18-24 years
      6%
    • 25-34 years
      6%
    • 35-44 years
      14%
    • 45-54 years
      18%
    • 55-64 years
      12%
    • 65+ years
      14%
    Education Levels
    National
    • Master's degree or higher
      35%
      12%
    • Bachelor's degree
      39%
      19%
    • Some college or associate's degree
      13%
      29%
    • High school diploma or equivalent
      11%
      28%
    • Less than high school diploma
      2%
      13%

    Working in Westfield

    Jobs
    A-
    Based on employment rates, job and business growth, and cost of living.
    Median Household Income
    $168,721
    National
    $55,322
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    Westfield Reviews

    60 reviews
    All Categories
    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.
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    There’s a seamy side to WF few acknowledge. Influx of city folk w/growing families = traffic, congestion. New multi-family apts making that worse. Feels more like a city now than in past. Mayor & cops have been urging folks to lock houses/cars.

    WF attracts high-achieving, competitive people. Some are wonderful. Many are jerks, or overextended. Huge mortgages. Both parents working long hrs. Stress permeates families. Big academic, social pressure on kids. This feeds bullying, substance abuse, other risky behavior. Many parents clueless/don’t care. Others encourage it.

    School rankings high, but slipping, & mask festering issues. Enrollment has surged w/o appropriate investment, causing overcrowding, discipline, safety issues (guy arrested w/gun after entering a school recently). Average kids too often ignored. HS crowding so bad kids stand in some classes/have lunch at 10:30. Kids vape in class. Parents complain when they're disciplined. Too many kids, too little supervision.
    Westfield's main perks are physical: a beautiful downtown with tons of local shops and great food; a direct commute to NYC; proximity to many similar towns and connective highways. But its negative qualities are not as outwardly evident. There is a toxic culture that persists throughout Westfield of competition, from the status of one's income/home/career, the prestigious colleges their children attend, old money/new money rivalry, the luxurious donations one is able to make. The parents allow their children to run wild with partying and start terrible tendencies young. The school has a major gap in quality where so many students are forgotten. The new mayor is a complete buffoon and parades around with national policy opinions rather than fixing the necessary local problems. The picturesque nature of Westfield is skin deep.