Top 100 Towns In New Jersey: Clark Is 73rd

When it comes to identifying New Jersey’s best towns, no source is perhaps better trusted than New Jersey Monthly.

The magazine released it’s top-to bottom list of nearly every one of the state’s towns, ranking 510 of the state’s 565 municipalities based on home values, property taxes, crime rate, school performance and a lifestyle factor, according to the publication.

New Jersey Monthly’s 2015 Top 100 Towns list, compiled by researchers at Leflein Associates, an independent research firm based in Ringwood, dropped towns with a population under 1,500 because of the lack of statistically significant data.

The research team ranked each of the remaining 510 towns based on the following indicators: average residential tax bill in 2014; change in average property tax bill from 2012 to 2014; effective property tax rate for 2014; median home-sales price in 2014; change in median home-sales price from 2012 to 2014; total crime rate in 2013; student proficiency on state-mandated standardized tests for students in grades 4, 8 and 11 in 2014; and a lifestyle factor that considers the number of hospitals, restaurants and live performing-arts theaters within close proximity of the municipality’s main zip code.

Extra weighting was given to the following indicators: average tax bill; change in average tax bill; effective tax rate; and results on standardized tests for students in grades 4 and 8.

The annual crime rate and violent crime rate are based on reported crimes per 1,000 residents.

Here are the top 100:

1. FLORHAM PARK
2. HARDING TOWNSHIP
3. LAVALLETTE
4. PEQUANNOCK TOWNSHIP
5. AVON-BY-THE-SEA
6. WYCKOFF
7. ROSELAND
8. MADISON
9. MENDHAM TOWNSHIP
10. SADDLE RIVER
11. LONG HILL
12. MONTVALE
13. HANOVER
14. RIDGEWOOD
15. ALLENDALE
16. NORTH CALDWELL
17. MONMOUTH BEACH
18. CHATHAM
19. SECAUCUS
20. SPRING LAKE HEIGHTS
21. ESSEX FELLS
22. FAIRFIELD
23. SUMMIT
24. RIVERDALE
25. WALL
26. PARAMUS
27. EAST HANOVER
28. SHREWSBURY
29. MANASQUAN
30. MAHWAH
31. RIDGEFIELD
32. RAMSEY
33. WEST LONG BRANCH
34. GREEN BROOK
35. SEA ISLE CITY
36. CHATHAM
37. RARITAN
38. OCEAN CITY
39. MILLBURN
40. CLOSTER
41. UPPER SADDLE RIVER
42. HO-HO-KUS
43. WATCHUNG
44. PRINCETON
45. CALDWELL
46. PARSIPPANY-TROY HILLS
47. MOORESTOWN
48. NORWOOD
49. FRANKLIN LAKES
50. TENAFLY
51. WILDWOOD CREST
52. CRANFORD
53. PLAINSBORO
54. ALPINE
55. CRANBURY
56. BRIELLE
57. BRIDGEWATER
58. MOUNTAIN LAKES
59. CARLSTADT
60. EAST AMWELL
61. ISLAND HEIGHTS
62. WESTFIELD
63. BERNARDS
64. GLEN ROCK
65. FORT LEE
66. MENDHAM BOROUGH
67. WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP (Bergen)
68. BOONTON
69. NEW PROVIDENCE
70. MOUNTAINSIDE
71. LIVINGSTON
72. MONTVILLE
73. CLARK
74. WEST CALDWELL
75. HAINESPORT
76. CRESSKILL
77. BERKELEY HEIGHTS
78. HAWORTH
79. WESTWOOD
80. PALISADES PARK
81. WALDWICK
82. MORRIS TOWNSHIP
83. CHESTER BOROUGH
84. OCEANPORT
85. DENVILLE
86. RUTHERFORD
87. RUMSON
88. CHESTER TOWNSHIP
89. HILLSBOROUGH
90. HARRINGTON PARK
91. LEONIA
92. POINT PLEASANT BEACH
93. DEMAREST
94. PINE BEACH
95. BELMAR
96. MILLSTONE TOWNSHIP
97. DENNIS TOWNSHIP
98. HOWELL
99. SOUTH HACKENSACK

100. WOODCLIFF LAKE