Yet another study released this spring touts the best cities to live in New Jersey.
The study by U.S. News & World Report ranked the Top 14 cities in New Jersey that are the hottest places to live for 2025-26 based on quality of life, education, value and affordability, desirability, crime rates, job market, and migration into or out of a city. It’s essential to note that this ranking only includes cities–not towns, boroughs, or villages. Many cities on this US News list have a lively arts scene and popular entertainment options, including Atlantic City’s boardwalk. Analysts looked at data from Applied Geographic Solutions (AGS) and their own internal resources.
Clifton in Passaic County received a score of 5.4 out of 10, ranking it 1st in New Jersey and No. 431 in the country.
Of the 87,000 residents, the median age is 38.6. The median household income is $97,664, the median home value is $438,054, and the median rent is $1,392. The average commute time is 22 minutes. The unemployment rate is 5.5 percent.
Clifton Arts Center has a beautiful sculpture park, and you can teach your kids about the history of the area by taking a tour of the Hamilton-Van Wagoner House Museum or the Vanderhoef-Westervelt House.
Spend time in nature at Morris Canal Park and Jack W. Kuepfer Sr. Nature Preserve. Every spring, the LPGA uses the Upper Montclair Country Club for the Cognizant Founders Cup pro women’s golf tournament.
A visit to Clifton isn’t complete without an “Eat Heavy” portion from Tick Tock Diner, a deep-fried hot dog from Rutt’s Hut, or a Texas-style frankfurter from The Hot Grill. Sharky’s is the place to go for seafood and buffalo wings. The Barrow House is a Colonial-era farmhouse-turned-restaurant on the site of a former farm. Beer fans love the handcrafted brews at Ghost Hawk Brewing Co.
No. 2, Vineland, in Cumberland County, is No. 596 in the U.S. Of the 59,000 residents, the median age is 37.6. The median household income is $69,678, the median home value is $214,793, and the median rent is $976. The average commute time is 18 minutes. The unemployment rate is 8.24 percent.
Vineland puts a big focus on passive recreation, with 18 parks and areas that include picnic facilities, fields, courts, hiking trails, walking paths, disc golf courses, and a 28-acre soccer complex.
South Vineland Park is the place for freshwater bass fishing, while the Willow Oak Natural Area is known for its wooded areas and open fields. Nearby Parvin State Park (in Pittsgrove) has two lakes, campgrounds, cabins and wooded trails. Golfers love the area, too, playing at Eastlyn Golf Course (with the Greenview Inn) or Latona Country Club.
There are more opportunities for “play” in Vineland. Watch a show or concert at the Guaracini Center at the Cumberland Campus of Rowan College of South Jersey, or the historic Landis Theater, or pull up your car to the only drive-in movie theater in the state. Explore the “Palace of Depression,” which is one of the strangest houses in the world, since it’s made from trash, junk and other odd objects. Walk along the 1-mile Landis Avenue for shopping and eating.
Yearly events include the Greater Vineland Chamber of Commerce Dandelion Dinner Beer/Wine Tasting, Founders Day Weekend, the Cruise Down Memory Lane Car Show, the Puerto Rican Festival, A Taste of Vineland, and the holiday parade.
Jersey City, in Hudson County, placing 3rd stateside and 635th nationally, has almost 300,000 residents, with a median age of 33.5. The median household income is $98,891, the median home value is $550,485, and the median rent is $1,700. The average commute time is 33 minutes. The unemployment rate is 5.28 percent.
There are many places to explore throughout the downtown, waterfront, Heights and city areas. Kids of all ages love to explore the Liberty Science Center. Liberty State Park has beautiful views of the Statue of Liberty and NYC, plus a Nature Center, marina, a 9/11 memorial, and the top-notch Maddy Rose Restaurant at Liberty House.
Walk to the waterfront and admire the Water Souls monument, check the time on the historic Colgate Clock, or read the plaques on the monuments located along Exchange Place.
Shop at Newport Centre mall (which has a new free, indoor playspace for kids) or walk along Newark Avenue and Grove Street for lots of restaurants and small businesses. Some faves include Orale Mexican Kitchen, Razza Pizza Artigianale, Daily Provisions and Torico Ice Cream.
Outside of the downtown, race against each other via go-karts at RPM Raceway.
Another Hudson County city – Bayonne – ranks fourth in the state and No. 694 in the country. About 68,300 people live in Bayonne, and the median age is 37.9. The median household income is $81,972, the median home value is $458,032, and the median rent is $1,421. The average commute time is 30 minutes. The unemployment rate is 5.59 percent.
Bayonne is a cultural mix, with a large Latino, Indian and Filipino community – plus it’s home to a large Egyptian Coptic community.
There are lots of unique sites in the city. Bayonne’s iconic Tear Drop Memorial in honor of 9/11 is a 10-story sculpture that was an official gift from the Russian government. Broadway Avenue is filled with street art and sculptures. The Bayonne Community Museum has incredible Beaux-Arts architecture, with beautiful bronze doors and stone columns. Part of the National Register of Historic Places, you can visit during a private or public event. The NJ Teamsters FC is a pro men’s soccer club based in Bayonne, and golfing is available at the Bayonne Golf Club.
Along the waterfront are the Stephen R. Gregg Park, the Hackensack RiverWalk, and a very walkable Bayonne Bridge (the third-longest steel arch bridge in the world) that takes you into Staten Island.
Go fishing at Richard A. Rutkowski Park – though rumor has it that since The Elco Naval Division once made 400 boats for World War II, the factory is haunted because of an accident on site. Dennis P. Collins Park has a fishing pier. Book a cruise and leave from Cape Liberty Cruise Port.
The Bayonne Crossing Shopping Center has 17 stores, including six restaurants and the only nearby Walmart – and is a good choice for families because of its 3.5 percent sales tax.
Food choices include Egyptian food at A1 Grill, Café Bello Italian Ristorante, Little Food Café, Bayonne Patio Bar & Grille, and the Broadway Diner.
Elizabeth, in nearby Union County, comes in at No. 5 in NJ and No. 765 in the nation. There are about 136,000 residents, with a median age of 34.5. The median household income is $65,032, the median home value is $436,853, and the median rent is $1,348. The average commute time is 21 minutes. The unemployment rate is 5.54 percent.
Liberty Hall Museum, part of Kean University, shows off 240 years of American history through a collection of furniture, tools, toys and other items that belonged to the Livingston and Kean families. There is a firehouse museum, plus a dance festival held every year. Boxwood Hall has ties to the Revolutionary War, and you can take a free tour to learn about George Washington, Alexander Hamilton and other people your kids learn about in school.
It’s hard for a New Jerseyan to resist a mall, and The Mills at Jersey Gardens has more than 200 outlet stores with everything from Coach and Michael Kors to Pottery Barn and Primark. It’s close to Newark Liberty International Airport (which is part of both Newark and Elizabeth).
Warinanco Park, with its sports center and cafe, is quite an attraction, since it was designed by Frederick Olmstead, who designed New York’s Central Park! You can see cherry blossoms in the spring, go paddle boating or let the kids play in the splashpad during the summer, and ice skate in the winter. Chatfield Garden is especially pretty year-round.
Gaze at the architectural buildings of NY from Veterans Memorial Waterfront Park, where you can fish, boat or bike along the harbor. Where Angels Play First Responder Playground has slides, climbing walls and replicas of police cars and fire engines – poignant because it honors the victims of the Sandy Hook, Connecticut, and 9/11 tragedies. Mattano Park is a sensory-friendly park located along the river, and has baseball fields, soccer pitches, basketball courts and a skate park.
The Ritz Theatre was built in the Art Deco style. Art lovers will also appreciate a walk along the Elizabeth River Trail, or book a Street Art Mural Tour to learn about each artist’s inspiration. The Historic Heartline Midtown District Walking Tour takes you to places like the Belcher-Ogden Mansion, Bonnell House and St. John’s Episcopal Church. The Elizabeth Public Library also has historic ties, since it was the Red Lion Inn during the 18th century and survived the raid of Elizabethtown in 1780; it’s now the only Carnegie Library Building still in use.
The Snyder Academy (though temporarily closed) is one of the oldest and most historic sites in NJ; it was a church, a school and a hospital during the Revolutionary War. Today, you can tour The Old Academy School and nearby cemetery – also one of the oldest in the U.S. – at the Siloam-Hope First Presbyterian Church, which is also home to the 313+ Project Monument, dedicated to free and enslaved African Americans.
When it’s time to eat, look for authentic Brazilian, Portuguese, Colombian, Mexican and Haitian restaurants, most of which are in the Elmora Avenue, Elizabeth Avenue and Morris Avenue shopping and dining districts.
For timely fun, check the calendar for the Tour de Elizabeth, Portugal Day Parade and the annual reenactment of the Battle of Elizabethtown.
The Top 14 Best Places to Live in New Jersey for 2025-26, according to U.S. News & World Report:
- Clifton
- Vineland
- Jersey City
- Bayonne
- Elizabeth
- Passaic
- Union City
- New Brunswick
- East Orange
- Paterson
- Newark
- Trenton
- Camden
- Atlantic City
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