Skip to main content
MoveScore
Home›Best Overall Cities›New Jersey

Best Overall Cities in New Jersey

8 cities ranked · Highest MoveScore composite — safest overall balance of all six livability dimensions.

Top Cities in New Jersey

  1. #1
    C

    Passaic

    Best Overall Cities score 68 · MoveScore 68

  2. #2
    C

    Toms River

    Best Overall Cities score 60 · MoveScore 60

  3. #3
    D

    Paterson

    Best Overall Cities score 56 · MoveScore 56

  4. #4
    D

    Jersey City

    Best Overall Cities score 55 · MoveScore 55

  5. #5
    D

    Camden

    Best Overall Cities score 50 · MoveScore 50

  6. #6
    F

    Hoboken

    Best Overall Cities score 48 · MoveScore 48

  7. #7
    F

    Lakewood

    Best Overall Cities score 46 · MoveScore 46

  8. #8
    F

    Newark

    Best Overall Cities score 42 · MoveScore 42

Other New Jersey Rankings

Best for Safety in New Jersey

Lowest crime rates per FBI UCR — best for families sensitive to violent and property crime.

Best for Water Quality in New Jersey

Cleanest drinking water per EPA SDWIS — fewest violations, highest safety scores.

Best for Air Quality in New Jersey

Cleanest air per EPA AQS — lowest median AQI and fewest unhealthy days.

Best for Public Schools in New Jersey

Strongest public school performance per NCES/EDFacts — highest average proficiency.

Best Fiscal Health in New Jersey

Strongest municipal fiscal health per Census ASPEP — sustainable per-capita spending.

Best for Hospital Care in New Jersey

Highest-rated hospitals per CMS HCAHPS — best patient experience scores.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which city in New Jersey ranks highest for best overall cities?

Passaic, NJ ranks #1 in New Jersey for best overall cities with a sub-score of 68/100 (MoveScore 68, grade C).

How many cities in New Jersey are compared?

8 New Jersey cities have enough federal data for this ranking. Cities need at least three of six sub-scores for inclusion.

How is this ranking calculated?

Highest MoveScore composite — safest overall balance of all six livability dimensions. Sub-scores are normalized to 0-100 and the highest scores rank first.

Sources: FBI UCR, EPA, NCES, Census ASPEP, CMS HCAHPS
Last updated:

New Jersey-specific ranking using the composite MoveScore, normalized to 0-100. Cities need at least three federal sub-scores to be included.