Best Counties in New Jersey — 2026 Rankings
21 of 21 counties scored across 12 dimensions
21
21 scored
41/100
composite score
55.3/100
25.4—55.3
lowest to highest
State Overview
Understanding County Scores in New Jersey
New Jersey Trails National Livability Median
New Jersey holds a statewide average composite score of 41.4, placing it below the national median of 50.0. While the state offers high-quality infrastructure and earnings, these benefits are weighed against some of the country's most significant cost pressures.
High Earning Potential and Strong Health Outcomes
The Garden State shines in wealth and wellness, boasting an elite income score of 91.2 and a strong health score of 76.3. Residents benefit from some of the highest median earnings in the nation alongside robust medical infrastructure.
Cost of Living and Taxes Create Friction
Financial affordability is New Jersey's primary hurdle, reflected in a tax score of 3.3 and a cost score of 4.7. Additionally, a risk score of 9.2 suggests significant exposure to environmental or infrastructure vulnerabilities that impact long-term stability.
Hunterdon, Sussex, and Morris Lead the State
Hunterdon County takes the top spot with a composite score of 55.3, driven by a near-perfect income score of 99.6. Sussex (53.4) and Morris (52.0) also outperform the national median, offering a blend of suburban stability and elite earning power.
A High-Octane Choice for High Earners
New Jersey is best suited for career-driven professionals who prioritize top-tier salaries and health services over low taxes. While expensive, the state’s northern counties provide a high-performing environment for families capable of navigating the steep cost of entry.
All County Rankings in New Jersey
Search, sort, and filter all 21 ranked counties
Showing 1–21 of 21 counties
| Rank | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hunterdon County | 55.3 | 3.1 | 2.2 | 99.6 | 84.8 | 98 | 95.3 | 21.3 | 30.5 | 55.3 | 42.8 | 47.3 | |
| 2 | Sussex County | 53.5 | 0.8 | 4.5 | 98.1 | 86.7 | 89.5 | 88.7 | 22.6 | 28.3 | 56.9 | 66.5 | 44.9 | |
| 3 | Morris County | 52 | 5.1 | 1.4 | 99.5 | 70.8 | 96.3 | 93.7 | 7.1 | 45.1 | 57.6 | 49.6 | 42.8 | |
| 4 | Somerset County | 51.4 | 4 | 1.3 | 99.5 | 69.2 | 96.2 | 89.8 | 9.1 | 59.3 | 55.4 | 46 | 49.4 | |
| 5 | Warren County | 48.8 | 0.5 | 7 | 95.2 | 62.6 | 87.1 | 84.4 | 19.2 | 64.1 | 54.8 | 65.9 | 42.9 | |
| 6 | Bergen County | 48 | 7.5 | 1.1 | 98.9 | 51 | 90.2 | 93.4 | 2.2 | 67.1 | 61.2 | 36.3 | 43.5 | |
| 7 | Ocean County | 47.4 | 5.5 | 5 | 89.8 | 60.8 | 81.2 | 85.4 | 3.8 | 63 | 63.3 | 43.1 | 60.2 | |
| 8 | Burlington County | 46.6 | 1 | 3.8 | 96.5 | 46.8 | 91.8 | 92.8 | 6.4 | 60.6 | 56.8 | 29.1 | 47 | |
| 9 | Monmouth County | 46 | 5.7 | 2 | 98.8 | 44 | 90.5 | 91.4 | 3.7 | 57.5 | 60.9 | 36.1 | 49.6 | |
| 10 | Salem County | 42.1 | 0.1 | 11.9 | 82 | 42.4 | 65.9 | 92.3 | 23.5 | 22.4 | 59.3 | 51.4 | 46.5 | |
| 11 | Middlesex County | 41.9 | 1.8 | 2 | 97.3 | 37.7 | 84.3 | 83.2 | 2.2 | 61.7 | 58.1 | 49.3 | 47.6 | |
| 12 | Gloucester County | 41.7 | 0.2 | 5.3 | 96.1 | 30.5 | 84.1 | 83.7 | 13.4 | 67.8 | 65.1 | 50.9 | 51.2 | |
| 13 | Cape May County | 38.9 | 19.9 | 8.8 | 90.9 | 13.5 | 71.1 | 78.8 | 9 | 67.5 | 67.8 | 41.6 | 54.3 | |
| 14 | Union County | 35.3 | 2.8 | 2.4 | 95.3 | 25.1 | 64.8 | 68.8 | 4.5 | 86 | 60.2 | 48 | 47.8 | |
| 15 | Mercer County | 35 | 0.6 | 4.4 | 94.4 | 22.9 | 74.1 | 65.9 | 4.6 | 62.3 | 57 | 42.3 | 51.9 | |
| 16 | Hudson County | 33.6 | 4.7 | 1.6 | 92 | 24.4 | 67.8 | 59.6 | 2.8 | 71.1 | 57.6 | 31.1 | 46.7 | |
| 17 | Essex County | 33.3 | 3.1 | 3.8 | 79.6 | 25.7 | 62.7 | 67.5 | 2.3 | 55.8 | 56.4 | 65.2 | 45.6 | |
| 18 | Camden County | 32.1 | 0 | 7.5 | 89.7 | 12.3 | 63.6 | 67.7 | 6.8 | 57.5 | 63.8 | 39.8 | 31.5 | |
| 19 | Atlantic County | 31.9 | 0.8 | 8.3 | 79.7 | 9.4 | 60.1 | 74.5 | 7 | 59.9 | 64.7 | 39.1 | 60.3 | |
| 20 | Passaic County | 28.9 | 1.6 | 3.2 | 90.2 | 18.4 | 48.6 | 60.3 | 4.2 | 52.8 | 57.8 | 53.9 | 42.9 | |
| 21 | Cumberland County | 25.4 | 1 | 11.8 | 52.1 | 11.3 | 35.2 | 61.7 | 17.4 | 30.4 | 61.3 | 47.9 | 53.4 |
Hunterdon County
Sussex County
Morris County
Somerset County
Warren County
Bergen County
Ocean County
Burlington County
Monmouth County
Salem County
Middlesex County
Gloucester County
Cape May County
Union County
Mercer County
Hudson County
Essex County
Camden County
Atlantic County
Passaic County
Cumberland County
Frequently Asked Questions about Counties in New Jersey
Common questions about county rankings and scores in New Jersey.
What is the best county in New Jersey?
Hunterdon County is the top-ranked county in New Jersey with a CountyScore of 55.3/100. It leads the state across the available scoring dimensions, which include Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, Water Quality, Weather & Climate, Soil Quality, Lawn Care, Farmers Markets.
How many counties are ranked in New Jersey?
New Jersey has 21 counties in total. Of those, 21 have been ranked with a composite score based on available data dimensions. The remaining 0 counties do not yet have enough data for a full score.
What factors determine a county's score?
Each county is scored 0–100 across up to eight data dimensions: Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, and Water Quality. The composite score is a weighted average of whichever dimensions have data. Currently available dimensions are: Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, Water Quality, Weather & Climate, Soil Quality, Lawn Care, Farmers Markets. Higher scores are always better — a score of 100 represents the best possible performance for that dimension.
What is the average county score in New Jersey?
The average composite CountyScore across all ranked counties in New Jersey is 41/100. The national average is 50/100, so New Jersey counties score 9 points below the national average.
How does New Jersey compare to other states?
New Jersey's average county score of 41/100 is 9 points below the national average of 50/100. You can compare New Jersey counties to counties in any other state using the county detail pages or the CountyScore compare tool.
Explore County Data by Category
Dive deeper into specific dimensions for counties in New Jersey.
Best counties in other states
Data: U.S. Census Bureau ACS, FBI UCR, CDC, FEMA NRI, NCES, EPA SDWIS, 2019–2023 ACS — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.