"What's the best town to buy in?" is one of the first questions almost every buyer asks me — and it's the wrong question. New Jersey has 564 municipalities, and the best one depends entirely on what you're optimizing for: commute time, school district, property taxes, walkability, or just getting the most house for your budget.
Instead of handing you a top-10 list that ignores your situation, here's how to actually evaluate a NJ town, plus a few towns worth a look in each category depending on what matters most to you.
How to Evaluate a NJ Town Before You Buy
Before you fall in love with a town because a friend lives there or it looked nice on a Sunday drive, run it through these filters:
- Commute: If you're working in NYC or Newark, check actual door-to-door time on NJ Transit or the PATH — not just miles on a map
- Property taxes: NJ has the highest property taxes in the country, but they vary enormously by town — sometimes by thousands of dollars between towns ten minutes apart
- School district rating: Even if you don't have kids, school quality drives resale value in NJ more than almost any other factor
- Downtown / walkability: Some NJ towns have a real Main Street with restaurants and a train station in walking distance; others are entirely car-dependent
- Resale strength: Some towns hold value and sell fast in any market; others sit longer — your agent can pull this data for any specific town
Property taxes are the single biggest surprise for out-of-state buyers. A $600,000 home in one town might carry a $9,000 annual tax bill, while a similar home fifteen minutes away runs $14,000. Always ask for the actual current tax bill, not just an estimate — it changes your real monthly payment more than the interest rate does.
Best Towns for NYC Commuters
If you need to get into Manhattan or Newark on a regular basis, direct-line NJ Transit or PATH access matters more than almost anything else.
Multiple NJ Transit stations, a walkable downtown, and strong resale demand. Comes with a higher price tag and taxes to match.
Midtown Direct service, historic housing stock, and a well-known walkable village center. Popular with buyers leaving Brooklyn and Manhattan.
The shortest commute on this list, with condo and townhome options at a range of price points. Less space for the money than suburban towns.
Midtown Direct service with a more suburban, single-family feel and strong school districts. Among the higher price points on this list.
Best Towns for Top School Districts
If school quality is the priority, these towns consistently show up near the top of statewide rankings — and price accordingly.
Highly regarded K-12 district, a classic downtown, and a direct train line — one of the more well-rounded options on this list.
Consistently ranked among the top districts in the state. Among the highest price points in New Jersey.
Strong schools, a walkable downtown, and a location that splits the difference between NYC and Philadelphia commutes.
A well-regarded district close to the George Washington Bridge, popular with buyers commuting to Manhattan by car.
Best Towns for First-Time Buyers and Value
Not every buyer needs top-ranked schools or a 25-minute train ride. These towns tend to offer more house — or more affordable entry points — for the money.
A more affordable neighbor to Montclair with its own train access and a growing downtown, at a noticeably lower price point.
Direct NJ Transit service and an actively redeveloping downtown, with entry prices well below towns just a few miles north.
Good value near Trenton with train access toward Princeton and Philadelphia, and a wide range of housing stock and price points.
More space and lower taxes than North Jersey, with a longer commute if you're working toward NYC — a tradeoff worth weighing carefully.
Best Towns for a Walkable, Small-Town Feel
If lifestyle and a real Main Street matter more than shaving minutes off a commute, these towns are built around their downtowns.
A lively downtown with restaurants, shops, and a train station, plus easy access to the Jersey Shore.
Known locally as the "Brainy Borough," with a compact walkable downtown and direct train service.
A well-preserved historic downtown near Philadelphia, with PATCO train access into the city.
A riverside arts-and-antiques town on the Delaware, paired with a longer commute if you work in North Jersey or NYC.
A Word of Caution on "Best Of" Lists
Every list like this one — including this one — is a starting point, not a verdict. Towns change. A district that was underperforming five years ago might be turning around. A "hot" town might be nearing the top of its price cycle. National rankings also tend to reward the same well-known names over and over, which means some genuinely good towns never make the list at all.
The only way to really know if a town is right for you is to walk it, drive it at rush hour, sit in a coffee shop for twenty minutes, and look at actual recent sales and current tax bills — not averages from a website.
Ready to Narrow It Down?
I've sold homes across dozens of NJ towns over 30 years, and I can walk you through the real tradeoffs for your specific budget, commute, and priorities — not just what a ranking site says.