Best counties to live in New Jersey

- Overall Rank: Not ranked
- Population: 64,840
- Median household income: $73,378
- Median home value: $208,200 (71% own)
- Median rent: $1,165 (29% rent)
- Top public schools: Mannington Township School (grade A), Upper Pittsgrove School (grade A minus), Elsinboro Township School (grade B+)
- Top private schools: Ranch Hope Strang School (grade unavailable)
- Top places: Woodstown (grade B+), Mannington Township (grade B), Pilesgrove Township (grade B)

- Overall Rank: Not ranked
- Population: 519,986
- Median household income: $84,465
- Median home value: $413,500 (52% own)
- Median rent: $1,484 (48% rent)
- Top public schools: Diana C. Lobosco STEM Academy (grade A+), Wayne Hills High School (grade A), Passaic County Technical Institute (grade A)
- Top private schools: Pioneer Academy (grade A+), Hawthorne Christian Academy (grade A+), Al-Ghazaly High School (grade A)
- Top places: Wayne Township (grade A), Ringwood (grade A minus), Pompton Lakes (grade A minus)

- Overall Rank: Not ranked
- Population: 853,374
- Median household income: $73,785
- Median home value: $466,500 (45% own)
- Median rent: $1,404 (55% rent)
- Top public schools: Millburn High School (grade A+), Wyoming Elementary School (grade A+), South Mountain School (grade A+)
- Top private schools: Newark Academy (grade A+), Golda Och Academy (grade A+), Montclair Kimberley Academy (grade A+)
- Top places: Upper Montclair (grade A+), Glen Ridge (grade A+), Livingston Township (grade A+)

- Overall Rank: Not ranked
- Population: 638,691
- Median household income: $82,379
- Median home value: $343,500 (80% own)
- Median rent: $1,639 (20% rent)
- Top public schools: Marine Academy of Technology & Environmental Science (grade A+), Memorial Middle School (grade A minus), Island Heights Elementary School (grade A minus)
- Top private schools: Ocean County Christian Academy (grade A), Donovan Catholic High School (grade A), Calvary Academy (grade B+)
- Top places: Bay Head (grade A), Point Pleasant Beach (grade A), Beach Haven (grade A)

- Overall Rank: 1,323
- Population: 109,739
- Median household income: $92,620
- Median home value: $302,300 (73% own)
- Median rent: $1,292 (27% rent)
- Top public schools: Frelinghuysen Elementary School (grade A minus), Hatchery Hill Elementary School (grade A minus), Hope Township Elementary School (grade A minus)
- Top private schools: Blair Academy (grade A+), Sts. Philip & James School (grade unavailable), Busy Bees Learning Center (grade unavailable)
- Top places: Panther Valley (grade B+), Hackettstown (grade B), Beattystown (grade B)

- Overall Rank: 995
- Population: 274,339
- Median household income: $73,113
- Median home value: $254,100 (68% own)
- Median rent: $1,268 (32% rent)
- Top public schools: Mainland Regional High School (grade A), Egg Harbor Township High School (grade A), Cedar Creek High School (grade A)
- Top private schools: St. Augustine Preparatory School (grade A), Holy Spirit High School (grade A), Atlantic Christian School (grade A minus)
- Top places: Linwood (grade A), Northfield (grade A), Margate City (grade A minus)

- Overall Rank: 962
- Population: 522,581
- Median household income: $82,005
- Median home value: $241,300 (65% own)
- Median rent: $1,264 (35% rent)
- Top public schools: Haddonfield Memorial High School (grade A+), Elizabeth Haddon Elementary School (grade A), Central Elementary School (grade A)
- Top private schools: Bishop Eustace Preparatory School (grade A), The King's Christian School (grade A), Gloucester Catholic Junior Senior High School (grade A)
- Top places: Haddonfield (grade A+), Springdale (grade A+), Greentree (grade A+)

- Overall Rank: 846
- Population: 144,808
- Median household income: $111,094
- Median home value: $322,300 (85% own)
- Median rent: $1,501 (15% rent)
- Top public schools: Alpine School (grade A), Sparta High School (grade A), Valley Road School (grade A minus)
- Top private schools: Elite Preparatory Academy (grade A+), Pope John XXIII Regional High School (grade A), Veritas Christian Academy (grade B minus)
- Top places: Lake Mohawk (grade A minus), Stanhope (grade A minus), Andover Township (grade B+)

- Overall Rank: 735
- Population: 95,456
- Median household income: $83,870
- Median home value: $372,300 (78% own)
- Median rent: $1,285 (22% rent)
- Top public schools: West Cape May Elementary School (grade A+), Stone Harbor Elementary School (grade A+), Dennis Township Primary School (grade A minus)
- Top private schools: Cape Christian Academy (grade B), Wildwood Catholic Academy (grade B minus), Bishop McHugh Regional Catholic School (grade unavailable)
- Top places: Ocean City (grade A), Cape May (grade A), Avalon (grade A minus)

- Overall Rank: 606
- Population: 302,621
- Median household income: $99,668
- Median home value: $265,200 (80% own)
- Median rent: $1,435 (20% rent)
- Top public schools: Gloucester County Institute of Technology (grade A), Sewell School (grade A), Wenonah Elementary School (grade A)
- Top private schools: Our Lady of Mercy Academy (grade A), Gloucester County Christian School (grade B), Friends School Mullica Hill (grade A+)
- Top places: Turnersville (grade A), Mullica Hill (grade A), Richwood (grade A minus)

- Overall Rank: 443
- Population: 572,079
- Median household income: $95,000
- Median home value: $458,000 (58% own)
- Median rent: $1,570 (42% rent)
- Top public schools: Union County Magnet High School (grade A+), Academy for Information Technology (grade A+), Academy for Allied Health Science (grade A+)
- Top private schools: Kent Place School (grade A+), Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child - Upper School (grade A+), Oratory Preparatory School (grade A+)
- Top places: New Providence (grade A+), Summit (grade A+), Berkeley Heights Township (grade A+)

- Overall Rank: 430
- Population: 712,029
- Median household income: $86,854
- Median home value: $486,900 (32% own)
- Median rent: $1,722 (68% rent)
- Top public schools: Dr. Ronald E. McNair Academic High School (grade A+), High Tech High School (grade A+), Explore Middle School (grade A)
- Top private schools: The Hudson School (grade A+), Saint Peter's Prep (grade A+), Rising Star Academy (grade A+)
- Top places: Hoboken (grade A+), Secaucus (grade A+), Waterfront (grade A+)

- Overall Rank: 252
- Population: 461,853
- Median household income: $102,615
- Median home value: $304,600 (76% own)
- Median rent: $1,575 (24% rent)
- Top public schools: Moorestown High School (grade A+), George C. Baker Elementary School (grade A), Moorestown Upper Elementary School (grade A)
- Top private schools: Moorestown Friends School (grade A+), Doane Academy (grade A+), Holy Cross Preparatory Academy (grade A)
- Top places: Moorestown Township (grade A+), Chesterfield Township (grade A+), Medford Township (grade A)

- Overall Rank: 130
- Population: 129,099
- Median household income: $133,534
- Median home value: $478,600 (84% own)
- Median rent: $1,627 (16% rent)
- Top public schools: Califon Public School (grade A+), Lebanon Borough School (grade A), East Amwell Township (grade A)
- Top private schools: Immaculate Conception School (grade A+), Acorn Montessori School (grade unavailable), Foundations Preschool (grade unavailable)
- Top places: Raritan Township (grade A+), Clinton (grade A), Bethlehem Township (grade A)

- Overall Rank: 122
- Population: 643,064
- Median household income: $118,527
- Median home value: $519,300 (76% own)
- Median rent: $1,683 (24% rent)
- Top public schools: High Technology High School (grade A+), Biotechnology High School (grade A+), Roosevelt Public School (grade A+)
- Top private schools: Ranney School (grade A+), Red Bank Catholic High School (grade A), Christian Brothers Academy (grade A)
- Top places: Fair Haven (grade A+), Little Silver (grade A+), Manasquan (grade A+)

- Overall Rank: 80
- Population: 383,732
- Median household income: $92,697
- Median home value: $327,600 (63% own)
- Median rent: $1,454 (37% rent)
- Top public schools: West Windsor-Plainsboro High School South (grade A+), Princeton High School (grade A+), Littlebrook Elementary School (grade A+)
- Top private schools: Princeton International School of Math and Science (grade A+), The Lawrenceville School (grade A+), The Peddie School (grade A+)
- Top places: Princeton (grade A+), Princeton Junction (grade A+), Pennington (grade A+)

- Overall Rank: 61
- Population: 508,816
- Median household income: $130,808
- Median home value: $531,800 (74% own)
- Median rent: $1,814 (26% rent)
- Top public schools: The Academy for Mathematics, Science & Engineering (grade A+), Wildwood Elementary School (grade A+), Chatham High School (grade A+)
- Top private schools: Delbarton School (grade A+), Morristown Beard School (grade A+), Gill St. Bernard's School (grade A+)
- Top places: Mountain Lakes (grade A+), Madison (grade A+), Chatham (grade A+)

- Overall Rank: 60
- Population: 953,243
- Median household income: $118,714
- Median home value: $561,500 (65% own)
- Median rent: $1,782 (35% rent)
- Top public schools: Bergen County Academies (grade A+), Bergen County Technical High School - Teterboro (grade A+), Tenafly High School (grade A+)
- Top private schools: Dwight-Englewood School (grade A+), Primoris Academy (grade A+), Bergen Catholic High School (grade A+)
- Top places: Ho-Ho-Kus (grade A+), Ridgewood (grade A+), Harrington Park (grade A+)

- Overall Rank: 58
- Population: 860,147
- Median household income: $105,206
- Median home value: $411,900 (64% own)
- Median rent: $1,739 (36% rent)
- Top public schools: West Windsor-Plainsboro High School North (grade A+), Middlesex County Academy for Science, Mathematics, & Engineering Technologies (grade A+), Hatikvah International Charter School (grade A+)
- Top private schools: The Wardlaw + Hartridge School (grade A+), The Wilberforce School (grade A+), Overlake Preparatory Academy (grade A+)
- Top places: Metuchen (grade A+), Highland Park (grade A+), Plainsboro Center (grade A+)

- Overall Rank: 31
- Population: 344,978
- Median household income: $131,948
- Median home value: $489,500 (75% own)
- Median rent: $1,846 (25% rent)
- Top public schools: Montgomery High School (grade A+), Ridge High School (grade A+), Watchung Hills Regional High School (grade A+)
- Top private schools: The Pingry School (grade A+), Rutgers Preparatory School (grade A+), Mount Saint Mary Academy (grade A+)
- Top places: Montgomery Township (grade A+), Bedminster Township (grade A+), Bernardsville (grade A+)

This story features data reporting and writing by Elena Cox and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.