There is no single best place to live in New Jersey: the right choice depends on your budget, commute, housing needs and preferred lifestyle. Travel + Leisure’s October 19, 2025 article gathered recommendations from real estate professionals across the state. Its ten picks span an urban waterfront city, a shore town, suburban communities, a central New Jersey option and age-restricted developments. They are expert selections, not a scored ranking.
For a financial comparison, treat the list as a starting point—not a substitute for checking current sale prices, property taxes, insurance, association fees and the cost of your actual commute. The town-level price figures in the 2025 article are Zillow snapshots with differing labels and should not be compared as if they were a current, consistently calculated dataset.
How to read these New Jersey picks
The ten places below follow the order in Travel + Leisure’s article; the order is not a best-to-worst ranking. Some entries describe whole municipalities, while Woodland Park’s recommendation centers on one age-restricted development. Compare each place against your own priorities rather than treating the list as a uniform set of towns.
For context, New Jersey REALTORS’ statewide report, with data as of September 9, 2026, puts the all-property median sale price at $699,770 for September 2025 through August 2026. The report gives an overall August 2026 housing affordability index of 82, with a higher index indicating greater affordability. These are statewide—not town-level—measures; the report states a +/- 4% margin of error at 95% confidence. See the New Jersey REALTORS market data.
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Ten expert-recommended places to consider
1. Jersey City: urban living and Manhattan access
Jersey City offers walkable neighborhoods, waterfront parks, varied dining and access to Manhattan by PATH, NJ Transit bus and ferry. Leilani Chin of Corcoran Sawyer Smith Residential Brokerage said, “Your commute to Manhattan will be shorter from Downtown Jersey City than if you lived in Brooklyn.” That is an agent’s comparison, not a guaranteed travel-time advantage: commute length depends on your starting point, destination, route and schedule.
The 2025 article reported a $645,000 median home price attributed to Zillow. Because the figure is a dated snapshot, use current listings and recent comparable sales for a purchase decision.
2. Asbury Park: shore access, music and a walkable downtown
Asbury Park combines beach and boardwalk access with arts, music, restaurants and a walkable downtown. Chin described the appeal as “the balance of being in a peaceful neighborhood within walking distance of a vibrant downtown with tons of thriving small businesses, and obviously the beach!”
The article reported an average sales figure of about $662,000, attributed to Zillow; it is not a current price quote. The same article mentioned a 58.7% increase in owner-occupied households from a Point2Homes study, but did not make the study’s baseline period clear. That percentage is not a reliable basis for a current housing-market comparison.
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Montvale, in northern Bergen County, has options ranging from townhomes and modest capes or ranches to luxury new construction. Arielle Rosa of Keller Williams Valley Realty characterized it as having “a small-town feel with lots of conveniences.” The 2025 article cited Rosa’s husband’s half-hour commuter-bus trip to the city; that is one person’s experience, not a general door-to-door commute estimate.
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The article’s $915,000 average home price was attributed to Zillow and should be checked against current data using a consistent property type and geographic boundary.
4. Woodland Park: a specific 55-plus community
This recommendation is for Four Seasons at Great Notch, a gated, age-restricted active community in Woodland Park—not a description of housing throughout the borough. The development includes apartments, attached townhouses and detached homes. The article reported an average price of $625,000 for the community, a dated figure to verify with current listings.
Reported amenities include a clubhouse and pool, with access to I-80, Route 3 and Route 46. Confirm current availability, age and occupancy rules, association costs and amenities directly before comparing it with homes in other towns.
5. Woodcliff Lake: suburban amenities and express-bus access
Woodcliff Lake is a suburban Bergen County option with express buses to Manhattan, shopping, recreation and a community garden. Debbie Portnoy of the Stacy Esser Group, Keller Williams Town Life, called it “the perfect balance of convenience, community, and nature, making it an ideal place to raise a family.”
The 2025 article reported average homes at $1.22 million, attributed to Zillow. It also named public amenities including Old Mill pool, Atkins Glen, courts, festivals and summer camp. Check current prices and confirm access, schedules, fees and availability with local sources.
6. Morristown: a historic downtown and rail connection
Morristown offers a downtown-oriented mix of cultural venues, dining, parks and historic character, as well as a train line to New York City. Portnoy described it as “the perfect blend of historic charm, vibrant culture, and modern convenience.” The article reported an $870,000 average home value attributed to Zillow and noted housing ranging from entry-level condos to historic homes.
Verify current prices and train schedules for your commute. For school comparisons, check the district and school assigned to the specific address and consult current performance information rather than relying on a broad town description.
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors7. Fair Lawn: community events and housing variety
Fair Lawn, a Bergen County borough, is highlighted for community events and a mix of single-family homes, townhomes and rentals. Shana Cohen of the Stacy Esser Group said the events “bring neighbors together and celebrate the town’s spirit.” The article also points to Radburn’s walking paths, interior parks and 23 acres of green space. Verify current access, boundaries and amenities with the association or municipality.
8. Tenafly: an upscale option with schools and nature access
Tenafly is presented as an upscale Bergen County choice for buyers weighing public schools, a New York commute, downtown shops and access to nature, including Tenafly Nature Center. Stacy Esser’s comments about schools and commuting are expert recommendations; they do not establish school outcomes or a particular commute duration.
The 2025 article gave an average home price of $1.24 million, attributed to Zillow. Treat it as a dated snapshot and check the school assignment and current costs for the property you are considering.
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9. Hamilton: central location and a price figure with a boundary problem
Hamilton is described as a central New Jersey option between New York and Philadelphia, with local community amenities, schools and Grounds for Sculpture. Christine Mariano of Corcoran Sawyer Smith characterized prices as “more affordable” and taxes as “reasonable”; those are her assessments, not a verified comparison across municipalities.
The article cited a $225,000 Zillow average home price, but noted that Zillow combines Hamilton with adjacent Greenwood. It is therefore not a clean Hamilton-only benchmark and should not be used to estimate what a home in Hamilton will cost.
10. Monroe: age-restricted community choices
Monroe, in Middlesex County, is especially noted for age-restricted developments, including Clearbrook, Rossmoor, Concordia, Regency, Renaissance and Venue. The article reported average home prices of $665,000, but that snapshot does not establish current prices or compare like-for-like homes across those communities.
Before considering a particular development, confirm its current age and occupancy rules, available homes, association fees and included amenities.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to compare the financial and practical fit
Build a complete housing-cost comparison
Do not base affordability on a headline home-price figure alone. Compare recent asking and sold prices for similar properties, then add recurring and ownership costs that apply to the specific address.
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- Property taxes and any changes you should expect after purchase.
- Homeowners, flood or other insurance costs where applicable.
- Association or community fees, especially for planned or age-restricted developments.
- Maintenance needs, utilities and the cost of the housing type you prefer.
- Rent and the likely cost of moving if you are not ready to buy.
The statewide median and affordability index provide context, but neither establishes that a particular town or home is affordable for your household.
Test the commute you will actually make
Start with your real destination and typical departure time. Compare door-to-door journeys—not just a station-to-station rail time—including transfers, parking, service frequency and the possibility of disruptions. Jersey City’s PATH, bus and ferry options, Morristown’s rail connection and the bus access described for Bergen County towns serve different routines; current routes and schedules should be checked with the relevant operators.
Check schools and amenities at the address level
School assignments can vary by address. Confirm the district and school serving a property, review current state performance information and decide whether the school’s offerings match your needs. Similarly, verify park access, community facilities, events and any development amenities with the municipality, association or operator; a town-wide description may not guarantee access for every resident.
Match the place to your preferred daily life
These picks serve different priorities: Jersey City emphasizes urban walkability and Manhattan connections; Asbury Park centers on shore-town life; Morristown combines downtown activity and historic character; and Montvale, Woodcliff Lake, Fair Lawn and Tenafly offer suburban settings with distinct housing and amenity profiles. Woodland Park and Monroe include age-restricted community options. Consider which trade-offs matter most before narrowing your search.
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Are these objectively New Jersey’s best places to live?
No. They are ten recommendations gathered from real estate professionals for Travel + Leisure, not a scored assessment of every New Jersey community. Another lens will produce a different list: Niche’s 2026 Best Places analysis considers crime, public schools, cost of living, job opportunities and local amenities, using sources including Census, FBI, BLS and CDC data. Its displayed rankings place communities such as Hoboken, Glen Ridge, Ridgewood and Metuchen near the top. That method answers a different question, so neither list should be treated as a universal consensus. See Niche’s New Jersey rankings and methodology.
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