Best places to live in New Jersey

- Overall Rank: 817
- Population: 8,313
- Median household income: $234,476
- Median home value: $1,029,700 (89% own)
- Median rent: $3,501 (11% rent)
- Top public schools: Bergen County Academies (grade A+), Northern Highlands Regional High School (grade A+), Emil A. Cavallini Middle School (grade A+)
- Top private schools: Primoris Academy (grade A+), Bergen Catholic High School (grade A+), Saddle River Day School (grade A+)

- Overall Rank: 1,879
- Population: 14,438
- Median household income: $153,236
- Median home value: $577,100 (80% own)
- Median rent: $1,939 (20% rent)
- Top public schools: Bradford Elementary School (grade A minus), Buzz Aldrin Middle School (grade A minus), The Gray Charter School (grade A minus)
- Top private schools: Newark Academy (grade A+), Pioneer Academy (grade A+), Golda Och Academy (grade A+)

- Overall Rank: 864
- Population: 15,874
- Median household income: $191,875
- Median home value: $862,400 (88% own)
- Median rent: $2,032 (12% 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: The Pingry School (grade A+), Newark Academy (grade A+), Rutgers Preparatory School (grade A+)

- Overall Rank: 2,043
- Population: 6,417
- Median household income: $157,065
- Median home value: $792,400 (87% own)
- Median rent: $2,302 (13% 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: The Pingry School (grade A+), Newark Academy (grade A+), Rutgers Preparatory School (grade A+)

- Overall Rank: 2,148
- Population: 54,143
- Median household income: $147,740
- Median home value: $565,700 (78% own)
- Median rent: $2,038 (22% rent)
- Top public schools: The Academy for Mathematics, Science & Engineering (grade A+), Bergen County Academies (grade A+), Bergen County Technical High School - Teterboro (grade A+)
- Top private schools: Pioneer Academy (grade A+), Morristown Beard School (grade A+), Montclair Kimberley Academy (grade A+)

- Overall Rank: 573
- Population: 30,839
- Median household income: $203,235
- Median home value: $890,000 (80% own)
- Median rent: $2,179 (20% 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: The Pingry School (grade A+), The Wardlaw + Hartridge School (grade A+), Kent Place School (grade A+)

- Overall Rank: 888
- Population: 11,241
- Median household income: $160,466
- Median home value: $535,900 (65% own)
- Median rent: $2,166 (35% rent)
- Top public schools: Bergen County Academies (grade A+), Bergen County Technical High School - Teterboro (grade A+), Applied Technology High School (grade A)
- Top private schools: Primoris Academy (grade A+), Bergen Catholic High School (grade A+), Saddle River Day School (grade A+)

- Overall Rank: 1,803
- Population: 6,096
- Median household income: $227,500
- Median home value: $891,300 (89% own)
- Median rent: $2,120 (11% rent)
- Top public schools: Bergen County Academies (grade A+), Bergen County Technical High School - Teterboro (grade A+), Dorchester Elementary School (grade A)
- Top private schools: Primoris Academy (grade A+), Bergen Catholic High School (grade A+), Saddle River Day School (grade A+)

- Overall Rank: 2,231
- Population: 2,775
- Median household income: $137,688
- Median home value: $413,400 (71% own)
- Median rent: $1,466 (29% rent)
- Top public schools: North Hunterdon High School (grade A), Clinton Public School (grade A minus), Clinton Township Middle School (grade A minus)
- Top private schools: The Pingry School (grade A+), Immaculata High School (grade A), Immaculate Conception School (grade A+)

- Overall Rank: 2,131
- Population: data not available
- Median household income: data not available
- Median home value: data not available (data not available own)
- Median rent: data not available (data not available rent)
- Top public schools:
- Top private schools:

- Overall Rank: 1,848
- Population: 2,430
- Median household income: $202,250
- Median home value: $749,100 (87% own)
- Median rent: $1,712 (13% rent)
- Top public schools: Hatikvah International Charter School (grade A+), The Cranbury School (grade A), Mercer County Technical School Health Sciences Academy (grade A)
- Top private schools: The Peddie School (grade A+), The Wilberforce School (grade A+), Noor-Ul-Iman School (grade A+)

- Overall Rank: 1,742
- Population: 9,144
- Median household income: $188,611
- Median home value: $505,300 (95% own)
- Median rent: $2,165 (5% rent)
- Top public schools: Bucks County Montessori Charter School (grade A+), Chesterfield Elementary School (grade A), Mercer County Technical School Health Sciences Academy (grade A)
- Top private schools: The Lawrenceville School (grade A+), The Peddie School (grade A+), Villa Victoria Academy (grade A+)

- Overall Rank: 1,732
- Population: 1,825
- Median household income: $137,138
- Median home value: $509,700 (77% own)
- Median rent: $1,672 (23% rent)
- Top public schools: Princeton Charter School (grade A+), Hopewell Valley Central High School (grade A+), Mercer County Technical School Stem Academy (grade A)
- Top private schools: Princeton International School of Math and Science (grade A+), The Lawrenceville School (grade A+), Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart (grade A+)

- Overall Rank: 1,666
- Population: 45,401
- Median household income: $191,715
- Median home value: $895,290 (18% own)
- Median rent: $3,217 (82% rent)
- Top public schools: Dr. Ronald E. McNair Academic High School (grade A+), High Tech High School (grade A+), MS 915 - Bridges: A school for Exploration and Equity (grade A+)
- Top private schools: Collegiate School (grade A+), Avenues The World School (grade A+), BASIS Independent Brooklyn (grade A+)

- Overall Rank: 1,647
- Population: 2,561
- Median household income: $183,125
- Median home value: $826,900 (75% own)
- Median rent: $1,832 (25% rent)
- Top public schools: Unity Charter School (grade A+), Somerset County Vocational & Technical High School (grade A), Bernards High School (grade A)
- Top private schools: The Pingry School (grade A+), Delbarton School (grade A+), Gill St. Bernard's School (grade A+)

- Overall Rank: 1,641
- Population: 5,921
- Median household income: $130,240
- Median home value: $865,600 (87% own)
- Median rent: $1,408 (13% rent)
- Top public schools: Academy of Allied Health & Science (grade A+), Communications High School (grade A+), Manasquan High School (grade A)
- Top private schools: Hillel Yeshiva School (grade A), St. Rose High School (grade A minus), Calvary Academy (grade B+)

- Overall Rank: 1,606
- Population: 49,462
- Median household income: $138,003
- Median home value: $461,600 (83% own)
- Median rent: $1,877 (17% rent)
- Top public schools: Biotechnology High School (grade A+), Middlesex County Academy for Science, Mathematics, & Engineering Technologies (grade A+), Hatikvah International Charter School (grade A+)
- Top private schools: The Peddie School (grade A+), Rutgers Preparatory School (grade A+), The Wilberforce School (grade A+)

- Overall Rank: 1,604
- Population: 18,511
- Median household income: $109,646
- Median home value: $369,700 (69% own)
- Median rent: $1,999 (31% 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: Rutgers Preparatory School (grade A+), The Wardlaw + Hartridge School (grade A+), Overlake Preparatory Academy (grade A+)

- Overall Rank: 1,555
- Population: 23,649
- Median household income: $155,925
- Median home value: $522,900 (88% own)
- Median rent: $1,897 (12% rent)
- Top public schools: Mercer County Technical School Stem Academy (grade A), Somerset County Vocational & Technical High School (grade A), North Hunterdon High School (grade A)
- Top private schools: The Pennington School (grade A+), Solebury School (grade A+), Immaculata High School (grade A)

- Overall Rank: 1,473
- Population: 3,759
- Median household income: $115,577
- Median home value: $365,300 (86% own)
- Median rent: $1,874 (14% rent)
- Top public schools: Princeton Charter School (grade A+), Bucks County Montessori Charter School (grade A+), Mercer County Technical School Stem Academy (grade A)
- Top private schools: Princeton International School of Math and Science (grade A+), The Lawrenceville School (grade A+), Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart (grade A+)

- Overall Rank: 1,250
- Population: 17,521
- Median household income: $178,631
- Median home value: $530,700 (87% own)
- Median rent: $1,987 (13% rent)
- Top public schools: Princeton Charter School (grade A+), J. Witherspoon Middle School (grade A+), Hopewell Valley Central High School (grade A+)
- Top private schools: Princeton International School of Math and Science (grade A+), The Lawrenceville School (grade A+), Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart (grade A+)

- Overall Rank: 1,139
- Population: 43,007
- Median household income: $152,818
- Median home value: $504,200 (83% own)
- Median rent: $2,191 (17% rent)
- Top public schools: Princeton Charter School (grade A+), Somerset County Vocational & Technical High School (grade A), Village Elementary School (grade A)
- Top private schools: Princeton International School of Math and Science (grade A+), The Pingry School (grade A+), Rutgers Preparatory School (grade A+)

- Overall Rank: 1,025
- Population: 2,836
- Median household income: $169,327
- Median home value: $430,100 (77% own)
- Median rent: $1,622 (23% rent)
- Top public schools: Robbinsville High School (grade A), Sharon Elementary School (grade A), Pond Road Middle School (grade A)
- Top private schools: The Lawrenceville School (grade A+), The Peddie School (grade A+), Villa Victoria Academy (grade A+)

- Overall Rank: 980
- Population: 15,585
- Median household income: $120,758
- Median home value: $584,500 (41% own)
- Median rent: $1,847 (59% rent)
- Top public schools: West Windsor-Plainsboro High School South (grade A+), West Windsor-Plainsboro High School North (grade A+), Princeton Charter 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+)

- Overall Rank: 886
- Population: 5,867
- Median household income: $203,942
- Median home value: $673,300 (64% own)
- Median rent: $2,559 (36% rent)
- Top public schools: Princeton Charter School (grade A+), Montgomery High School (grade A+), Somerset County Vocational & Technical High School (grade A)
- Top private schools: Princeton International School of Math and Science (grade A+), Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart (grade A+), Princeton Day School (grade A+)

- Overall Rank: 847
- Population: 2,780
- Median household income: $166,957
- Median home value: $563,000 (81% own)
- Median rent: $1,862 (19% rent)
- Top public schools: Princeton Charter School (grade A+), Hopewell Valley Central High School (grade A+), Mercer County Technical School Stem Academy (grade A)
- Top private schools: Princeton International School of Math and Science (grade A+), The Lawrenceville School (grade A+), Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart (grade A+)

- Overall Rank: 761
- Population: 2,766
- Median household income: $112,629
- Median home value: $461,200 (32% own)
- Median rent: $1,839 (68% rent)
- Top public schools: West Windsor-Plainsboro High School North (grade A+), Princeton Charter School (grade A+), Town Center Elementary School at Plainsboro (grade A+)
- Top private schools: Princeton International School of Math and Science (grade A+), The Lawrenceville School (grade A+), The Peddie School (grade A+)

- Overall Rank: 370
- Population: 23,558
- Median household income: $224,185
- Median home value: $700,800 (85% own)
- Median rent: $1,984 (15% rent)
- Top public schools: Littlebrook Elementary School (grade A+), Princeton Charter School (grade A+), Montgomery High School (grade A+)
- Top private schools: Princeton International School of Math and Science (grade A+), The Lawrenceville School (grade A+), Rutgers Preparatory School (grade A+)

- Overall Rank: 64
- Population: 2,022
- Median household income: $209,554
- Median home value: $633,700 (79% own)
- Median rent: $1,286 (21% rent)
- Top public schools: West Windsor-Plainsboro High School South (grade A+), West Windsor-Plainsboro High School North (grade A+), Princeton Charter 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+)

- Overall Rank: 39
- Population: 30,450
- Median household income: $176,695
- Median home value: $971,200 (59% own)
- Median rent: $2,320 (41% 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+)

This story features data reporting and writing by Elena Cox and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 42 states.