Basking Ridge, Bernardsville Among 'Best Places' in NJ

Two of the Somerset Hills towns, Basking Ridge and Bernardsville, ranked in the top 10 percent of the Top Places to Live in NJ, as compiled in New Jersey Monthly magazine’s September issue cover story — but they all trail behind neighboring Warren Township, ranked as number one in Central Jersey and second-place in all of New Jersey.

The most attractive town for homebuyers in the Somerset Hills, according to New Jersey Monthly's list, is Bernardsville, ranked no. 27 on a list of New Jersey's 514 municipalities.

Basking Ridge — or technically, Bernards Township, is no. 47, which would still place the largest of the Somerset Hills towns in the top 10 percent.

Bedminster was just below that cut-off for top 10 percent, ranked as no. 60 in the magazine's choice of "best places to live."

A press release announcing the issue, which is now on news stands, said the ranking keyed in on eight factors: property taxes, home values, population growth, land development, employment, crime rate, school performance, and proximity to services—which are said to best represent the quality of life in New Jersey.

The borough of Peapack-Gladstone, nestled on the corner of Morris County, came in as 184th on the list. The tiny burg of Far Hills borough, boasting estates along with older in-town homes and the town that was given as the late Jackie Kennedy's New Jersey address, doesn't appear to be included on New Jersey Monthly's list.

The list of 100 Top Towns was compiled for New Jersey Monthly by the Polling Institute at Monmouth University. 
 
"Buying a home is the biggest investment most of us will make in a lifetime," says New Jersey Monthly Editor Ken Schlager. "Our Top Towns rankings are 
intended, at least in part, to help with that decision. Certainly, the towns in our Top 10 are among the most attractive in the state for any homebuyer."
 
Mendam Borough scooped the top spot, with Hillsborough Township, North Caldwell, Norwood Borough, Union Township, Woodcliff Lake, Tenafly Borough, Demarest Borough and Princeton Township rounding out the top ten.