Best suburbs of New York

We scored all 254 towns and communities of 10,000+ people in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area on what most people weigh when they pick a suburb: what homes cost compared with local pay, household income, poverty, commute times, education, homeownership and how many families with kids live there. Waldwick, Blackwells Mills and Hillsdale come out on top.

top 10 upper half lower half New York. Dot size shows population.

The top 25

#	Place	Score	Population	Median home	Home vs income	Household income	Commute	Poverty	Miles away
1	Waldwick, NJ	88	10,252	$588,500	3.3×	$177,962	26.7 min	1.4%	26
2	Blackwells Mills, NJ	86	10,301	$735,000	2.9×	$250,000+	33.9 min	1.7%	37
3	Hillsdale, NJ	84	10,214	$677,500	3.6×	$186,688	28.4 min	2.2%	24
4	West Islip, NY	82	26,865	$614,300	3.5×	$176,281	30.2 min	2.7%	34
5	Martinsville, NJ	82	11,559	$720,400	3.5×	$205,000	34.0 min	1.4%	34
6	Oakland, NJ	80	12,837	$591,300	3.6×	$162,019	29.5 min	3.1%	30
7	Bradley Gardens, NJ	78	14,165	$546,300	3.1×	$177,849	32.9 min	4.1%	39
8	Robertsville, NJ	78	12,035	$685,100	3.3×	$210,661	40.7 min	2.6%	29
9	Glen Rock, NJ	76	12,288	$856,900	4.0×	$215,096	36.8 min	1.3%	23
10	Wantagh, NY	75	18,365	$706,600	3.9×	$179,362	34.0 min	3.1%	22
11	Kinnelon, NJ	75	10,138	$706,400	3.8×	$187,438	34.3 min	2.0%	32
12	Westfield, NJ	74	32,595	$953,400	4.1×	$232,629	36.7 min	1.8%	21
13	North Bellmore, NY	74	20,689	$659,200	3.6×	$181,662	36.1 min	1.2%	21
14	Upper Montclair, NJ	73	12,457	$989,000	4.0×	$250,000+	42.2 min	1.9%	19
15	Ringwood, NJ	73	11,853	$449,800	3.0×	$152,414	32.1 min	2.5%	35
16	South Plainfield, NJ	72	24,891	$470,900	3.6×	$130,239	29.7 min	3.0%	26
17	Hillsborough, NJ	72	22,585	$435,700	3.0×	$144,112	32.0 min	2.7%	39
18	Stony Brook, NY	72	12,868	$623,300	3.6×	$174,872	29.7 min	6.5%	46
19	Kendall Park, NJ	72	10,011	$590,300	3.6×	$165,958	31.3 min	4.2%	37
20	Commack, NY	71	36,558	$678,200	4.0×	$169,792	33.1 min	4.2%	37
21	Plainview, NY	71	25,982	$796,300	4.2×	$189,906	35.3 min	2.9%	26
22	Massapequa, NY	71	21,389	$693,200	3.8×	$181,846	37.1 min	2.4%	24
23	New City, NY	70	34,458	$650,700	3.8×	$173,046	35.5 min	4.3%	34
24	Merrick, NY	70	21,744	$771,900	4.2×	$185,740	38.5 min	2.3%	20
25	Ocean Acres, NJ	70	19,204	$402,500	3.3×	$121,924	32.6 min	2.0%	66

Show all 254 places

#	Place	Score	Population	Median home	Home vs income	Household income	Commute	Poverty	Miles away
26	Fair Lawn, NJ	69	37,128	$564,700	3.9×	$144,574	31.3 min	6.1%	21
27	Garden City, NY	69	23,043	$1,075,900	4.4×	$244,152	34.9 min	3.0%	16
28	Ridgewood, NJ	68	26,527	$891,200	4.3×	$208,211	34.6 min	4.2%	24
29	Bellmore, NY	68	15,954	$681,800	4.2×	$161,674	34.1 min	3.1%	22
30	Seaford, NY	68	15,549	$658,300	3.8×	$172,557	38.4 min	3.6%	23
31	Dix Hills, NY	67	24,773	$935,800	4.1×	$227,944	36.8 min	3.6%	33
32	North Bay Shore, NY	67	20,282	$497,600	3.5×	$141,915	26.5 min	6.8%	36
33	Massapequa Park, NY	67	16,997	$642,600	3.7×	$171,953	35.5 min	3.1%	26
34	New Providence, NJ	67	14,092	$769,900	4.8×	$161,599	31.8 min	2.1%	25
35	Fort Salonga, NY	67	10,199	$846,700	4.5×	$189,856	35.5 min	2.8%	38
36	Deer Park, NY	66	27,990	$543,500	4.0×	$137,105	29.9 min	3.4%	33
37	Metuchen, NJ	66	15,363	$604,300	3.8×	$158,052	38.3 min	3.6%	24
38	West Freehold, NJ	66	14,883	$529,000	4.0×	$130,800	30.7 min	4.0%	35
39	East Islip, NY	66	13,573	$593,200	4.0×	$147,996	30.0 min	4.4%	40
40	North Wantagh, NY	66	11,940	$624,400	4.0×	$156,738	36.1 min	3.2%	22
41	Westwood, NJ	66	11,365	$606,400	3.7×	$165,781	28.2 min	7.1%	23
42	West Hempstead, NY	65	20,648	$653,600	4.0×	$164,127	35.6 min	4.5%	15
43	Ramsey, NJ	65	14,925	$697,300	4.3×	$160,996	31.8 min	4.3%	30
44	New Cassel, NY	65	14,551	$509,100	3.3×	$155,443	23.8 min	7.6%	21
45	North Merrick, NY	65	12,366	$675,800	4.2×	$161,554	36.1 min	3.7%	20
46	East Setauket, NY	65	10,149	$637,800	4.2×	$151,603	30.2 min	4.8%	48
47	Westbury, NY	64	15,981	$626,500	4.3×	$145,185	29.1 min	3.4%	19
48	South Farmingdale, NY	64	14,676	$607,700	3.9×	$155,072	35.2 min	2.9%	26
49	Rocky Point, NY	64	13,356	$461,400	3.6×	$127,024	36.3 min	2.9%	56
50	Syosset, NY	63	18,433	$874,300	4.7×	$187,273	40.9 min	4.2%	25
51	Elwood, NY	63	11,762	$689,500	3.9×	$177,003	42.3 min	3.5%	34
52	Mount Sinai, NY	63	11,093	$661,200	4.1×	$162,188	37.3 min	1.6%	52
53	Lake Hiawatha, NJ	63	11,018	$428,600	4.1×	$104,663	25.0 min	3.3%	28
54	Harrison, NY	62	32,273	$1,010,700	6.2×	$164,250	29.2 min	4.1%	27
55	Madison, NJ	62	16,607	$943,200	5.5×	$171,471	27.6 min	3.2%	26
56	Salisbury, NY	62	12,412	$664,300	4.1×	$162,478	32.4 min	4.8%	21
57	Lincoln Park, NJ	62	10,950	$443,300	3.6×	$123,397	30.3 min	2.9%	26
58	The Hills, NJ	62	10,785	$577,000	3.7×	$154,564	36.5 min	3.8%	36
59	Lake Hopatcong, NJ	62	10,259	$424,200	3.6×	$117,625	31.9 min	4.0%	41
60	Levittown, NY	61	51,904	$590,500	4.0×	$146,068	33.5 min	4.7%	23
61	Centereach, NY	61	31,839	$514,800	3.9×	$132,240	31.9 min	5.3%	47
62	Oceanside, NY	61	31,639	$634,300	4.2×	$149,560	36.3 min	2.9%	16
63	Jefferson Valley-Yorktown, NY	61	14,154	$591,800	3.8×	$157,083	38.5 min	4.0%	46
64	Franklin Lakes, NJ	61	11,180	$1,264,000	5.4×	$235,795	36.5 min	3.4%	28
65	Budd Lake, NJ	61	10,650	$456,100	4.0×	$114,154	30.4 min	4.6%	44
66	North Amityville, NY	60	21,138	$466,500	3.4×	$136,654	28.4 min	6.0%	28
67	Holtsville, NY	60	19,344	$520,600	3.9×	$133,679	32.9 min	4.1%	48
68	Roosevelt, NY	60	18,885	$477,400	3.5×	$135,069	38.1 min	3.8%	19
69	Preakness, NJ	60	18,520	$617,700	4.6×	$133,205	29.8 min	3.3%	24
70	Greenlawn, NY	60	15,210	$630,800	3.8×	$164,427	35.5 min	6.3%	33
71	Short Hills, NJ	60	14,923	$1,674,100	6.7×	$250,000+	42.6 min	2.3%	21
72	St. James, NY	60	13,244	$652,700	4.6×	$142,368	29.4 min	3.3%	44
73	River Edge, NJ	60	12,159	$660,300	4.2×	$159,028	35.3 min	4.4%	19
74	Beachwood, NJ	60	11,340	$352,600	3.3×	$106,858	31.1 min	4.5%	53
75	Scarsdale, NY	59	18,194	$1,800,700	7.2×	$250,000+	42.5 min	2.9%	24
76	Woodmere, NY	59	18,061	$975,400	5.7×	$172,537	41.5 min	2.1%	12
77	North Babylon, NY	59	17,963	$520,500	3.7×	$140,342	34.6 min	3.3%	32
78	Farmingville, NY	59	16,160	$472,100	3.7×	$127,988	32.2 min	6.2%	49
79	Sayville, NY	59	15,408	$637,200	4.3×	$147,120	29.1 min	4.9%	45
80	North New Hyde Park, NY	59	14,159	$796,700	4.6×	$172,440	38.2 min	3.1%	14
81	Nesconset, NY	59	13,833	$639,500	4.2×	$152,500	35.2 min	4.6%	43
82	Bergenfield, NJ	58	28,754	$491,500	3.8×	$130,045	32.3 min	7.1%	18
83	Summit, NJ	58	23,314	$994,500	5.2×	$190,304	33.5 min	5.5%	23
84	Tenafly, NJ	58	15,237	$1,002,600	4.8×	$208,200	39.8 min	3.5%	18
85	Pompton Lakes, NJ	58	11,246	$442,400	3.6×	$124,454	29.5 min	8.4%	30
86	Copiague, NY	57	23,424	$484,500	3.8×	$127,369	31.0 min	5.7%	29
87	East Massapequa, NY	57	20,377	$625,600	4.3×	$146,454	35.0 min	3.3%	26
88	East Northport, NY	57	19,700	$623,800	4.0×	$157,662	33.5 min	7.0%	36
89	Ronkonkoma, NY	57	18,709	$489,100	4.0×	$121,673	32.1 min	3.3%	44
90	North Massapequa, NY	57	17,877	$634,900	4.3×	$148,654	33.7 min	4.9%	25
91	Pearl River, NY	57	16,155	$608,200	4.2×	$145,063	30.0 min	7.3%	28
92	Floral Park, NY	57	16,105	$789,600	5.3×	$150,084	32.9 min	3.0%	13
93	Dobbs Ferry, NY	57	11,645	$765,500	4.6×	$165,417	32.7 min	6.6%	24
94	Hicksville, NY	56	43,780	$634,100	4.4×	$144,471	33.5 min	3.8%	23
95	Central Islip, NY	56	38,373	$436,400	3.8×	$113,707	27.3 min	9.2%	40
96	Holbrook, NY	56	26,449	$536,200	3.7×	$144,760	34.1 min	5.2%	46
97	Medford, NY	56	24,796	$476,200	3.7×	$128,192	32.3 min	7.1%	51
98	Hauppauge, NY	56	20,793	$652,900	4.6×	$141,378	29.4 min	5.2%	40
99	Rutherford, NJ	56	19,132	$603,600	4.2×	$143,153	33.8 min	5.5%	14
100	Port Washington, NY	56	18,004	$1,003,200	5.9×	$170,127	35.4 min	4.1%	18
101	Suffern, NY	56	11,796	$382,100	3.7×	$104,607	28.7 min	6.1%	33
102	Lindenhurst, NY	55	27,258	$521,500	4.0×	$130,128	32.2 min	5.7%	30
103	Smithtown, NY	55	24,375	$704,700	4.7×	$150,664	33.2 min	4.1%	40
104	Somerset, NJ	55	22,720	$438,800	3.6×	$121,028	35.3 min	4.5%	31
105	Colonia, NJ	55	18,587	$493,100	4.0×	$122,713	33.0 min	7.4%	20
106	Dumont, NJ	55	18,501	$497,400	3.9×	$126,071	32.9 min	6.6%	20
107	Florham Park, NJ	55	14,456	$791,400	5.0×	$158,696	25.7 min	8.7%	25
108	Stony Point, NY	55	12,728	$506,500	4.0×	$125,667	35.2 min	4.9%	39
109	Miller Place, NY	55	11,736	$614,400	4.2×	$146,492	32.7 min	5.8%	53
110	Hawthorne, NJ	54	20,169	$533,700	4.8×	$110,237	24.6 min	4.0%	23
111	Tinton Falls, NJ	54	19,539	$478,000	4.1×	$117,308	30.3 min	6.7%	29
112	Rye, NY	54	16,614	$1,819,900	7.6×	$239,815	39.8 min	2.7%	24
113	Roselle Park, NJ	54	15,603	$443,200	4.0×	$109,679	25.8 min	6.6%	17
114	Hopatcong, NJ	54	14,824	$340,700	2.9×	$115,758	36.9 min	4.2%	43
115	Franklin Park, NJ	54	13,211	$336,600	2.9×	$114,946	31.3 min	11.0%	35
116	Fords, NJ	54	12,771	$438,000	3.8×	$115,861	30.7 min	6.4%	22
117	Wanaque, NJ	54	11,418	$400,700	3.5×	$113,175	30.2 min	5.9%	32
118	Totowa, NJ	54	11,166	$559,300	4.9×	$113,563	25.3 min	4.1%	22
119	East Franklin, NJ	54	11,070	$385,900	3.3×	$115,458	32.8 min	5.9%	30
120	Baldwin, NY	53	34,994	$593,800	4.1×	$145,472	39.5 min	6.6%	17
121	Shirley, NY	53	28,375	$424,900	3.8×	$112,788	33.2 min	6.5%	56
122	Secaucus, NJ	53	22,640	$571,900	4.1×	$139,821	32.5 min	5.8%	11
123	Huntington, NY	53	19,948	$767,000	4.6×	$168,095	36.5 min	4.4%	32
124	Melville, NY	53	19,714	$788,900	4.9×	$159,922	33.3 min	4.5%	29
125	Eastchester, NY	52	20,491	$790,100	5.0×	$157,202	34.1 min	4.8%	22
126	Point Pleasant, NJ	52	19,712	$575,300	5.0×	$115,625	29.5 min	4.5%	41
127	North Valley Stream, NY	52	17,825	$613,800	4.3×	$142,733	41.8 min	4.0%	12
128	Islip, NY	52	17,362	$542,200	4.5×	$120,909	27.9 min	5.7%	38
129	Pompton Plains, NJ	52	10,971	$539,000	4.6×	$117,959	28.2 min	5.6%	29
130	Toms River, NJ	51	94,956	$403,600	4.0×	$100,137	30.1 min	5.8%	48
131	West Babylon, NY	51	43,570	$531,900	4.1×	$129,519	31.2 min	5.8%	31
132	Franklin Square, NY	51	30,897	$657,000	4.6×	$143,263	34.6 min	5.6%	14
133	Paramus, NJ	51	26,723	$813,900	5.6×	$144,349	30.8 min	4.7%	21
134	Iselin, NJ	51	19,551	$426,800	3.9×	$109,500	34.5 min	7.9%	21
135	Somerville, NJ	51	14,665	$435,700	4.2×	$103,760	28.2 min	5.9%	36
136	Manorville, NY	51	14,233	$601,000	4.3×	$139,201	32.1 min	6.6%	62
137	Babylon, NY	51	12,281	$658,500	4.7×	$140,820	33.3 min	3.5%	32
138	Wood-Ridge, NJ	51	10,341	$566,200	4.2×	$136,108	32.8 min	6.9%	15
139	Maywood, NJ	51	10,166	$533,500	4.5×	$117,912	30.3 min	3.9%	18
140	Selden, NY	50	21,604	$462,000	4.2×	$108,952	30.3 min	6.7%	49
141	Mineola, NY	50	21,376	$651,200	4.7×	$137,739	32.1 min	5.3%	17
142	New Milford, NJ	50	17,133	$580,400	5.1×	$114,889	29.0 min	4.2%	19
143	Hasbrouck Heights, NJ	50	12,211	$552,900	4.5×	$123,734	30.4 min	6.0%	16
144	North Bellport, NY	50	11,087	$416,100	4.2×	$100,247	30.8 min	4.8%	53
145	East Meadow, NY	49	36,821	$631,800	4.7×	$133,971	35.0 min	6.4%	20
146	Woodbridge, NJ	49	20,756	$390,000	3.7×	$104,926	30.5 min	11.1%	20
147	Bethpage, NY	49	17,123	$605,900	5.0×	$122,257	32.8 min	5.6%	24
148	Princeton Meadows, NJ	49	15,561	$665,700	5.1×	$131,213	33.8 min	5.1%	40
149	Jericho, NY	48	13,759	$948,400	5.6×	$167,935	40.8 min	7.3%	23
150	Woodland Park, NJ	48	13,623	$497,600	5.0×	$98,845	22.8 min	3.8%	21
151	Oak Ridge, NJ	48	10,954	$436,100	3.6×	$121,875	41.9 min	5.8%	39
152	North Lindenhurst, NY	48	10,952	$495,300	4.0×	$123,342	33.2 min	6.8%	29
153	Huntington Station, NY	47	32,601	$578,000	4.3×	$135,477	31.2 min	7.2%	31
154	Morristown, NJ	47	20,750	$567,600	4.7×	$121,340	23.9 min	7.8%	30
155	New Hyde Park, NY	47	10,226	$722,900	5.1×	$142,927	37.9 min	3.6%	14
156	Rockville Centre, NY	46	25,770	$818,700	5.4×	$151,938	37.3 min	4.7%	16
157	Chestnut Ridge, NY	46	10,987	$720,100	6.4×	$111,725	27.0 min	8.1%	30
158	East Rockaway, NY	46	10,096	$621,300	5.0×	$124,929	38.5 min	2.6%	14
159	Sayreville, NJ	45	46,787	$444,100	4.4×	$99,979	30.8 min	6.2%	24
160	East Patchogue, NY	45	21,673	$478,700	4.4×	$108,397	29.5 min	5.9%	51
161	Lynbrook, NY	45	20,855	$611,900	4.5×	$136,696	35.2 min	7.5%	14
162	Nanuet, NY	45	19,799	$532,500	4.5×	$117,167	30.8 min	9.3%	30
163	Mastic Beach, NY	45	16,735	$357,200	3.2×	$111,493	36.8 min	21.2%	58
164	Highland Park, NJ	45	15,259	$471,700	4.5×	$104,694	27.1 min	7.5%	28
165	Middlesex, NJ	45	14,740	$446,400	4.3×	$105,000	26.1 min	11.3%	30
166	Valley Stream, NY	44	40,379	$616,100	4.6×	$133,190	40.7 min	5.5%	12
167	Uniondale, NY	44	33,148	$539,000	4.3×	$124,684	32.7 min	9.2%	18
168	Avenel, NJ	44	17,121	$401,000	3.9×	$101,670	31.6 min	7.9%	18
169	Kings Park, NY	44	16,516	$619,000	5.1×	$121,136	36.9 min	2.4%	39
170	Carteret, NJ	43	25,781	$405,800	4.2×	$96,862	31.4 min	8.2%	16
171	Mastic, NY	43	15,708	$432,500	4.6×	$94,034	33.0 min	6.6%	58
172	Bound Brook, NJ	43	13,038	$397,100	4.4×	$90,571	23.5 min	11.1%	32
173	East Rutherford, NJ	43	10,566	$458,100	4.7×	$97,993	28.3 min	7.4%	13
174	Bay Shore, NY	42	31,683	$492,200	4.7×	$105,618	26.4 min	10.2%	36
175	Manville, NJ	42	10,932	$354,300	3.8×	$93,333	27.5 min	11.7%	35
176	Airmont, NY	41	10,634	$710,700	7.5×	$94,972	27.3 min	12.5%	31
177	Old Bridge, NJ	40	28,236	$485,800	4.3×	$111,996	33.6 min	6.9%	28
178	Hampton Bays, NY	40	15,706	$735,400	5.5×	$134,216	34.2 min	7.9%	76
179	Ridgefield, NJ	40	11,547	$646,200	5.5×	$118,059	31.6 min	5.1%	12
180	White Plains, NY	39	62,871	$620,800	5.6×	$110,763	27.4 min	11.2%	27
181	Freeport, NY	39	44,174	$505,900	4.2×	$120,625	35.8 min	7.4%	19
182	Fort Lee, NJ	39	40,345	$448,000	4.2×	$107,274	35.0 min	7.8%	13
183	Parsippany, NJ	39	21,345	$555,400	5.6×	$99,405	27.5 min	6.7%	28
184	Mamaroneck, NY	39	19,896	$717,200	6.0×	$120,000	31.3 min	10.7%	22
185	South River, NJ	39	16,262	$405,200	4.2×	$96,147	32.2 min	12.5%	28
186	Eatontown, NJ	39	13,607	$492,400	5.4×	$90,463	22.0 min	4.4%	26
187	Ridgefield Park, NJ	39	13,372	$496,700	4.9×	$100,718	27.3 min	11.9%	14
188	Clifton, NJ	38	91,127	$461,900	4.7×	$98,237	28.3 min	7.9%	18
189	Elmont, NY	38	36,518	$602,900	5.3×	$114,217	40.4 min	5.0%	12
190	Rahway, NJ	38	31,010	$386,400	4.2×	$91,461	31.9 min	9.5%	18
191	Englewood, NJ	38	30,035	$544,100	5.3×	$102,571	30.9 min	9.2%	16
192	Elmwood Park, NJ	38	21,534	$483,700	4.8×	$101,740	27.1 min	11.6%	19
193	Terryville, NY	38	10,794	$481,200	4.4×	$110,389	31.0 min	11.0%	50
194	Hoboken, NJ	37	59,027	$895,100	5.0×	$180,579	36.8 min	7.8%	7
195	Plainfield, NJ	37	57,141	$410,800	4.8×	$85,908	29.5 min	15.5%	25
196	Linden, NJ	37	45,752	$419,700	4.5×	$92,915	31.5 min	9.6%	16
197	Coram, NY	37	39,539	$452,100	4.3×	$105,220	33.7 min	7.5%	51
198	Lake Ronkonkoma, NY	37	18,221	$525,000	5.2×	$101,633	28.3 min	7.8%	45
199	North Arlington, NJ	37	16,601	$474,500	5.0×	$94,201	31.5 min	4.3%	13
200	Freehold, NJ	37	12,562	$416,800	4.9×	$85,707	22.5 min	14.3%	33
201	West Haverstraw, NY	37	11,025	$377,200	4.4×	$86,301	30.4 min	17.9%	38
202	Haverstraw, NY	36	12,791	$361,100	4.8×	$75,167	29.1 min	16.4%	36
203	Sleepy Hollow, NY	36	11,474	$746,800	7.2×	$104,313	30.3 min	8.7%	30
204	Great Neck, NY	36	11,141	$968,500	7.0×	$137,981	38.8 min	6.6%	14
205	Roselle, NJ	35	23,261	$379,900	4.1×	$92,762	33.1 min	9.5%	17
206	Mount Kisco, NY	35	10,757	$478,300	5.0×	$96,534	32.7 min	8.2%	39
207	Dover, NJ	34	18,919	$366,700	5.0×	$73,737	26.4 min	14.2%	36
208	Lake Grove, NY	34	11,168	$598,900	5.1×	$118,311	38.7 min	8.1%	45
209	Little Ferry, NJ	34	11,099	$429,300	5.0×	$85,750	29.2 min	6.3%	13
210	New Rochelle, NY	33	85,864	$702,500	6.4×	$109,167	32.5 min	10.1%	20
211	Long Beach, NY	33	34,918	$696,400	4.9×	$140,739	41.3 min	7.6%	15
212	Ossining, NY	33	27,579	$449,100	4.3×	$103,573	36.1 min	8.6%	34
213	Port Chester, NY	32	32,303	$582,600	6.3×	$92,222	26.9 min	12.9%	28
214	North Plainfield, NJ	32	22,879	$374,700	4.3×	$87,349	31.4 min	13.2%	26
215	Edgewater, NJ	32	15,499	$715,700	5.8×	$124,050	38.1 min	7.7%	11
216	Patchogue, NY	32	12,486	$477,600	4.5×	$107,306	32.4 min	10.6%	49
217	Middle Island, NY	32	11,027	$383,500	4.5×	$85,480	31.5 min	13.0%	54
218	Lakewood, NJ	31	69,585	$715,500	12.6×	$56,968	20.8 min	29.9%	42
219	New Brunswick, NJ	31	57,133	$353,800	5.4×	$65,810	23.3 min	32.0%	29
220	Hackensack, NJ	31	46,380	$393,700	4.7×	$84,277	28.9 min	12.1%	17
221	Spring Valley, NY	31	34,482	$381,800	6.7×	$57,196	24.2 min	27.6%	32
222	Ridge, NY	31	12,503	$424,800	5.4×	$78,528	36.3 min	4.1%	58
223	Perth Amboy, NJ	30	56,739	$370,600	6.0×	$61,977	23.5 min	20.2%	20
224	Garfield, NJ	30	33,353	$475,500	6.0×	$79,700	28.0 min	13.4%	17
225	Lodi, NJ	30	26,187	$475,000	5.3×	$89,305	25.7 min	15.4%	17
226	Paterson, NJ	29	161,793	$360,100	6.4×	$55,997	22.6 min	21.2%	21
227	Elizabeth, NJ	29	141,675	$449,300	6.8×	$66,555	26.7 min	15.7%	13
228	Riverhead, NY	29	14,936	$457,400	5.5×	$83,008	24.4 min	10.7%	69
229	Wallington, NJ	29	12,092	$528,300	6.2×	$85,862	29.4 min	12.2%	16
230	Tarrytown, NY	29	11,890	$685,300	6.4×	$107,106	34.1 min	7.9%	28
231	Hempstead, NY	28	59,819	$459,500	5.1×	$90,420	33.3 min	14.4%	17
232	Monsey, NY	28	28,160	$921,000	19.3×	$47,629	22.3 min	49.1%	32
233	Red Bank, NJ	28	12,896	$504,900	5.2×	$97,477	32.6 min	8.7%	23
234	Passaic, NJ	27	71,337	$429,900	7.8×	$55,371	25.3 min	22.9%	17
235	Palisades Park, NJ	26	20,317	$719,600	7.6×	$94,743	30.7 min	9.4%	13
236	Bayonne, NJ	25	74,744	$460,100	5.5×	$83,887	33.7 min	14.4%	9
237	Long Branch, NJ	25	33,321	$574,000	7.2×	$79,653	29.6 min	15.5%	26
238	Holiday City-Berkeley, NJ	25	12,995	$266,200	5.3×	$50,156	33.4 min	9.6%	52
239	Glen Cove, NY	24	28,190	$698,900	7.6×	$92,064	29.4 min	13.5%	22
240	Peekskill, NY	24	25,891	$395,600	4.6×	$85,954	37.2 min	11.9%	43
241	Asbury Park, NJ	24	15,632	$581,100	7.7×	$75,544	25.5 min	21.9%	31
242	Inwood, NY	24	12,235	$680,300	7.2×	$94,342	35.1 min	14.5%	10
243	Jersey City, NJ	22	302,013	$566,900	5.8×	$97,710	36.8 min	15.6%	7
244	Cliffside Park, NJ	22	26,539	$588,200	6.3×	$93,452	35.5 min	10.8%	11
245	Harrison, NJ	21	22,105	$505,800	5.4×	$93,013	40.7 min	11.8%	13
246	Fairview, NJ	21	15,509	$511,400	8.0×	$63,606	31.1 min	20.8%	11
247	Kearny, NJ	20	40,862	$459,400	5.8×	$79,154	33.0 min	12.5%	11
248	Newark, NJ	19	323,808	$373,700	7.2×	$52,060	32.6 min	23.4%	13
249	Yonkers, NY	17	212,603	$501,600	6.0×	$83,549	35.6 min	13.8%	20
250	Guttenberg, NJ	17	11,910	$379,000	5.0×	$75,683	38.7 min	19.2%	10
251	Mount Vernon, NY	15	72,304	$484,000	6.1×	$78,779	35.0 min	14.7%	18
252	East Orange, NJ	15	72,159	$365,900	6.0×	$60,830	35.4 min	16.4%	16
253	Union City, NJ	15	66,656	$471,600	7.3×	$64,310	33.1 min	23.1%	9
254	West New York, NJ	15	53,192	$465,600	6.5×	$71,729	34.5 min	19.4%	9

Most affordable homes

Blackwells Mills 2.9 years of income, $735,000
Hopatcong 2.9 years of income, $340,700
Franklin Park 2.9 years of income, $336,600
Ringwood 3 years of income, $449,800
Hillsborough 3 years of income, $435,700

Most families with kids

Monsey 73.9% of households
Lakewood 70.9% of households
Short Hills 61.3% of households
Scarsdale 55.8% of households
Glen Rock 51.9% of households

How the score works

For each measure we rank the 254 places from worst to best within this metro area, then combine the ranks with these weights: home value compared with household income (20%), household income (15%), poverty rate (15%), average commute (15%), share of adults with a bachelor's degree (10%), homeownership (10%), households with children (10%) and population growth since 2020 (5%). Unincorporated communities have no official growth estimate, so they get the middle value for that part. A score of 100 would mean first on every measure.

Everything comes from the Census Bureau: the American Community Survey 2020-2024 and the 2025 population estimates. We leave out crime and school ratings because comparable official data for every town does not exist; check local school district and police data for the places on your shortlist.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best suburbs of New York?

On our data-only score, Waldwick, Blackwells Mills and Hillsdale rank highest among 254 places of 10,000+ people in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area.

What is the most affordable suburb of New York?

Blackwells Mills has the lowest ratio of median home value to household income (2.9 years), with a median home of $735,000.

Which New York suburb has the shortest commute?

Lakewood, where the average commute is 20.8 minutes each way.

Back to the New York city profile, or see the best suburbs of other big cities.

Places are incorporated cities, towns and villages plus census-designated places with 10,000 or more residents, assigned to the metro area by county (OMB 2023 delineations). Distances are straight lines from the center of New York. The Census Bureau caps published medians at $250,000 for income and $2,000,000 for home values, shown with a plus sign.