Safest Cities in New Jersey

AdvisorSmith used reported crime data from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting Dataset to find the safest cities in New Jersey. In this analysis, we calculated a proprietary crime score for each city in the state based upon the levels of reported crime in cities around the state and the mix and severity of those crimes. Our crime score assigned higher weights to more serious crimes such as rape, murder, and assault. Our analysis found that the average crime score in New Jersey cities was 30, with a range from 2 up to 1,559.

A total of 484 cities in the state of New Jersey were included in our analysis, and these cities included 37 large cities, 200 midsize cities, and 247 small cities. Cities were categorized based upon population, with large cities having over 50,000 population, midsize cities having between 10,000 and 50,000 population, and small cities having under 10,000 population. We ranked the cities within their population categories.

Safest Large Cities in New Jersey

The average crime score among the 37 large cities in New Jersey was 41, with the lowest score being 10, and the highest being 165. Large cities in New Jersey were those with over 50,000 residents.

The safest large city in New Jersey was Middletown. Located along the Atlantic Ocean and Raritan Bay, Middletown became a fast-growing suburb around the 1900s. Today, the city maintains a low-density, suburban character, with high household incomes and high-quality schools.

The large city with the highest levels of reported crime in the state was Camden. This city lies just across the Delaware River from Philadelphia in the southwest portion of the state. Camden’s economy is anchored by educational institutions and medical services. The city was formerly an industrial manufacturing powerhouse that later went into decline.

In the following table, we list all 37 large cities in the state, ranked by their crime score. Additionally, the table includes the levels of violent and property crimes in each city. 

Rank	City	Violent Crimes per 1,000 Residents	Property Crimes per 1,000 Residents	Crime Score
1	Middletown	3.0	5.4	10.3
2	Parsippany	2.2	6.3	11.5
3	Jackson	3.3	6.8	12.5
4	Old Bridge	3.6	7.3	14.0
5	Howell	4.3	7.2	15.6
6	Bloomfield	3.0	11.3	17.4
7	Piscataway	5.5	7.8	17.9
8	Franklin	3.5	9.4	18.1
9	North Bergen	6.1	6.6	21.1
10	Lakewood	5.6	9.2	22.2
11	Edison	4.1	13.7	22.3
12	Wayne	2.8	16.8	22.4
13	Brick	5.8	10.6	23.1
14	Union	3.9	15.5	23.4
15	Toms River	6.8	13.3	24.6
16	Woodbridge	4.7	14.1	24.9
17	Hoboken	5.2	12.4	25.1
18	Gloucester	5.7	13.9	25.1
19	Clifton	5.9	15.0	26.4
20	Bayonne	6.1	10.8	28.9
21	Hamilton	6.7	18.2	32.9
22	West New York	8.6	13.0	34.8
23	Cherry Hill	8.0	24.0	36.1
24	Perth Amboy	11.0	13.5	38.8
25	Union City	9.6	15.8	40.2
26	Plainfield	17.5	15.9	52.8
27	Jersey City	7.4	19.0	54.0
28	East Orange	18.9	13.9	56.3
29	New Brunswick	13.4	19.8	57.8
30	Passaic	13.8	17.4	58.1
31	Irvington	15.3	18.8	61.8
32	Vineland	20.3	28.2	68.3
33	Newark	18.5	16.4	68.4
34	Elizabeth	16.3	30.3	84.3
35	Paterson	23.7	21.6	89.4
36	Trenton	31.1	20.9	112.3
37	Camden	51.7	28.7	164.8

Safest Midsize Cities in New Jersey

Among midsize cities in New Jersey, the average crime score was 23. These cities included those with between 10,000 and 50,000 residents. The range of crime scores for midsize cities was between 3 and 130.

The safest midsize city in New Jersey was Warren. This city is located on the western outskirts of the Newark metropolitan area along I-78. The city has very high median household incomes and boasts wide open spaces, high-quality schools, and a quick commute to New York City. Chubb, the insurance company, is headquartered in Warren.

Rank	City	Violent Crimes per 1,000 Residents	Property Crimes per 1,000 Residents	Crime Score
1	Warren Township	0.1	2.7	2.7
2	River Vale Township	0.4	2.4	2.7
3	Chatham Township	0.2	2.6	2.8
4	New Providence	0.6	2.6	3.2
5	Bernards Township	1.0	3.0	4.0
6	Sparta Township	1.4	1.7	4.2
7	Verona	0.1	3.7	4.2
8	Robbinsville Township	0.1	3.5	4.9
9	Clinton Township	1.8	2.6	5.2
10	Glen Rock	0.4	5.1	5.5
11	Vernon Township	1.3	3.7	5.7
12	Monroe Township	1.0	2.6	5.7
13	Madison	1.3	4.2	5.8
14	Hillsdale	0.7	4.3	6.0
15	Raritan Township	1.4	2.9	6.1
16	Roxbury Township	1.1	4.4	6.2
17	Dumont	1.5	3.1	6.3
18	New Milford	2.5	3.9	6.7
19	Woolwich Township	1.6	4.1	6.8
20	Westwood	0.1	6.7	6.8
21	Denville Township	0.9	3.9	6.9
22	Westfield	1.5	4.7	6.9
23	Tenafly	0.5	6.1	6.9
24	Mahwah Township	0.6	4.4	7.0
25	Waldwick	0.5	5.6	7.0
26	Montgomery Township	1.3	4.8	7.1
27	Bergenfield	1.6	2.7	7.3
28	Ringwood	1.6	3.5	7.4
29	Hawthorne	0.0	7.4	7.4
30	Morris Township	1.4	4.3	7.5
31	Berkeley Heights Township	0.5	4.7	7.7
32	Hasbrouck Heights	1.2	5.2	7.7
33	Jefferson Township	1.4	3.4	7.8
34	Randolph Township	2.3	3.9	7.9
35	Wanaque	3.0	2.9	7.9
36	West Caldwell Township	1.7	5.0	7.9
37	Middlesex Borough	1.9	4.0	8.1
38	Hopatcong	2.6	2.8	8.2
39	Lincoln Park	2.9	4.5	8.4
40	Wyckoff Township	1.8	4.8	8.5
41	Harrison Township	4.0	4.3	8.8
42	Summit	1.9	6.2	9.0
43	Franklin Lakes	1.5	5.3	9.1
44	Ridgefield	2.1	4.4	9.2
45	Cedar Grove Township	2.3	4.5	9.2
46	River Edge	1.7	6.3	9.2
47	Hopewell Township	3.0	4.1	9.3
48	Oakland	3.4	4.1	9.4
49	Montville Township	0.4	8.1	9.5
50	Marlboro Township	1.5	6.9	9.5
51	Cranford Township	0.5	8.3	9.6
52	Pequannock Township	2.6	4.9	9.8
53	Plainsboro Township	1.4	6.6	10.1
54	Branchburg Township	2.5	5.7	10.2
55	West Milford Township	2.6	4.8	10.2
56	Florham Park	0.2	9.6	10.2
57	Hillsborough Township	3.2	4.8	10.3
58	Mount Olive Township	3.4	3.9	10.4
59	Ridgewood	2.2	5.7	10.4
60	South Brunswick Township	2.8	5.5	10.5
61	Readington Township	3.0	3.9	10.6
62	Fair Lawn	2.6	7.1	10.8
63	Manchester Township	2.7	6.4	10.8
64	Princeton	1.6	7.5	10.9
65	Washington Township	2.7	4.4	11.0
66	Springfield Township, Union County	2.7	7.6	11.1
67	East Greenwich Township	2.4	9.7	12.1
68	Palisades Park	3.0	5.1	12.1
69	East Windsor Township	2.3	6.7	12.2
70	Scotch Plains Township	2.4	6.6	12.2
71	Lyndhurst Township	2.9	6.6	12.4
72	Bridgewater Township	2.2	9.8	12.7
73	Medford Township	2.5	5.8	13.0
74	Bordentown Township	3.1	5.5	13.1
75	Cliffside Park	6.0	3.9	13.5
76	Ramsey	1.8	10.7	13.6
77	Barnegat Township	5.9	5.3	13.7
78	Nutley Township	3.2	5.8	13.9
79	Pompton Lakes	4.7	5.3	14.0
80	East Hanover Township	1.2	11.5	14.0
81	Rockaway Township	2.6	9.0	14.1
82	Manalapan Township	4.9	5.7	14.1
83	Roselle Park	2.9	9.9	14.2
84	West Windsor Township	1.2	11.1	14.2
85	Rahway	3.6	5.2	14.4
86	Wall Township	3.4	6.9	14.6
87	Livingston Township	2.1	11.8	15.3
88	Ridgefield Park	3.2	9.6	15.4
89	Fort Lee	3.7	8.5	15.7
90	Rutherford	2.3	9.8	15.8
91	Haddonfield	1.6	12.0	15.8
92	Point Pleasant	5.8	6.2	16.1
93	Edgewater	2.0	12.5	16.4
94	Beachwood	6.2	7.0	16.5
95	Sayreville	5.7	7.0	16.5
96	Little Ferry	4.6	7.7	16.9
97	Moorestown Township	2.1	9.8	17.0
98	Monroe Township	1.8	11.5	17.1
99	Mantua Township	1.9	14.3	17.3
100	Saddle Brook Township	1.1	15.8	17.3
101	Stafford Township	2.6	8.4	17.4
102	Little Falls Township	4.5	6.1	17.5
103	Metuchen	2.8	11.4	18.0
104	Hanover Township	3.4	9.4	18.1
105	Lacey Township	4.2	9.1	18.1
106	Aberdeen Township	4.7	8.8	18.1
107	Tinton Falls	2.3	13.9	18.5
108	Florence Township	3.3	6.4	18.7
109	Waterford Township	6.9	5.1	18.8
110	Evesham Township	3.8	11.3	18.8
111	Bellmawr	1.9	11.8	19.5
112	Delran Township	4.2	12.9	19.5
113	Wallington	3.8	12.4	20.1
114	North Arlington	4.4	10.1	20.5
115	East Brunswick Township	6.3	11.1	20.7
116	Hammonton	3.4	8.2	20.8
117	Holmdel Township	3.8	11.7	20.8
118	Franklin Township	5.6	10.4	20.8
119	Little Egg Harbor Township	7.2	9.6	21.3
120	Clark Township	2.6	14.0	21.9
121	Berkeley Township	6.5	9.2	22.0
122	Teaneck Township	5.0	9.0	22.0
123	Voorhees Township	4.9	12.1	22.1
124	Woodland Park	3.2	13.2	22.2
125	South Orange Village	2.4	16.7	22.9
126	Somerville	7.2	11.3	23.0
127	Burlington Township	3.9	11.6	23.6
128	West Deptford Township	7.9	11.7	23.6
129	Freehold Township	4.7	14.1	24.0
130	Millburn Township	1.6	21.6	24.7
131	South River	5.7	6.4	24.8
132	Maplewood Township	2.7	17.2	25.1
133	Lodi	6.6	11.1	25.2
134	Hazlet Township	6.3	10.1	25.3
135	Red Bank	8.3	10.5	25.5
136	Lower Township	7.3	7.0	25.8
137	Montclair	5.3	12.3	26.2
138	South Plainfield	3.9	16.3	26.5
139	Fairview	6.1	10.6	26.7
140	Dover	6.4	8.8	26.8
141	Elmwood Park	7.2	13.6	27.1
142	Kearny	4.8	16.0	27.4
143	Freehold Borough	7.2	11.0	27.5
144	Galloway Township	8.4	10.2	27.6
145	Lawrence Township	4.3	15.2	27.6
146	Carteret	8.8	11.2	27.7
147	Mount Laurel Township	5.0	14.5	28.0
148	Guttenberg	9.7	6.3	28.0
149	Cinnaminson Township	1.5	21.4	28.2
150	Highland Park	5.7	16.1	28.4
151	Egg Harbor Township	6.6	15.8	28.6
152	Ewing Township	6.0	14.0	28.6
153	Totowa	6.0	15.4	28.7
154	North Brunswick Township	7.0	14.5	29.3
155	Weehawken Township	5.6	15.3	29.5
156	Bound Brook	10.8	10.9	29.9
157	West Orange	5.6	14.1	30.8
158	Washington Township	9.2	13.8	30.8
159	Winslow Township	9.0	12.8	30.9
160	Belleville	5.7	13.9	31.4
161	Morristown	10.9	8.9	31.5
162	Ocean Township	6.4	21.8	31.6
163	Lumberton Township	7.8	14.3	31.8
164	Manville	6.3	21.4	32.1
165	Hackensack	8.3	13.3	33.9
166	Englewood	8.1	12.0	34.1
167	Pleasantville	5.1	13.3	35.3
168	Ocean City	3.2	29.5	35.4
169	Somers Point	4.4	25.4	36.0
170	North Plainfield	10.9	13.1	36.9
171	Glassboro	13.3	15.1	37.1
172	Garfield	8.5	19.4	37.2
173	Middle Township	10.3	16.6	37.5
174	Harrison	5.7	18.6	38.2
175	Willingboro Township	6.8	13.2	38.3
176	Haddon Township	7.5	19.9	39.1
177	Gloucester City	4.7	25.2	39.8
178	Pennsville Township	17.4	16.0	40.7
179	Pemberton Township	11.0	16.1	40.9
180	Roselle	9.9	15.5	41.0
181	Collingswood	7.2	28.4	41.7
182	Secaucus	7.3	24.3	41.8
183	Pine Hill	15.5	13.7	44.1
184	Maple Shade Township	9.4	18.6	44.6
185	Pennsauken Township	6.9	23.9	46.8
186	Hillside Township	8.2	24.2	47.8
187	Paramus	5.7	34.7	49.1
188	Hamilton Township	11.3	30.0	51.0
189	Long Branch	12.4	20.6	52.4
190	Eatontown	14.1	22.4	52.7
191	Deptford Township	8.0	38.8	53.9
192	Phillipsburg	23.1	21.4	58.9
193	Linden	13.3	28.8	62.8
194	Orange City	12.4	20.8	66.5
195	Neptune Township	24.8	31.6	74.2
196	Millville	20.7	40.2	86.9
197	Lindenwold	24.5	28.6	92.6
198	Bridgeton	28.4	34.9	112.2
199	Atlantic City	30.5	46.2	124.0
200	Asbury Park	35.4	34.0	130.5

Safest Small Cities in New Jersey

The safest small city in New Jersey was Matawan. Located in Monmouth County, Matawan has a dense suburban feel, with a train station that offers direct access to New York City. The city has two major lakes, Lefferts and Mattawan, and is also bisected by two major highways. 

The table below lists small cities in New Jersey, along with their crime scores. Among small cities, the average crime score was 34. The range of crime scores in the state spanned from 2 up to 1,558. Small cities included those with under 10,000 residents.

Rank	City	Violent Crimes per 1,000 Residents	Property Crimes per 1,000 Residents	Crime Score
1	Matawan	0.0	2.3	2.3
2	Harrington Park	0.5	2.5	3.0
3	Kinnelon	0.7	2.2	3.8
4	Park Ridge	1.2	1.8	3.9
5	Fair Haven	0.5	2.8	4.1
6	Northvale	1.0	3.1	4.2
7	Washington Township	1.7	2.2	4.5
8	Old Tappan	0.7	4.0	4.7
9	Franklin Township	0.6	4.5	5.1
10	Upper Saddle River	0.6	3.3	5.1
11	Butler	1.1	3.4	5.1
12	Pennington	0.6	4.8	5.4
13	Montvale	1.1	3.6	5.4
14	Delaware Township	3.1	2.4	5.4
15	Chesterfield Township	0.9	1.4	5.7
16	Demarest	0.9	2.7	5.8
17	Norwood	0.6	3.6	5.8
18	Oradell	0.8	3.4	5.9
19	Mendham	1.0	4.9	5.9
20	Lebanon Township	1.1	3.1	5.9
21	Andover Township	2.8	3.2	5.9
22	Wood-Ridge	0.8	4.8	6.1
23	Allendale	0.6	5.6	6.2
24	Chester Township	0.8	5.4	6.2
25	Spring Lake Heights	1.9	3.1	6.3
26	Emerson	0.8	4.9	6.4
27	Fanwood	1.0	3.5	6.5
28	North Hanover Township	2.4	2.4	6.8
29	Mount Arlington	2.3	4.5	6.9
30	Hackettstown	2.4	3.0	7.0
31	Bogota	1.4	4.3	7.0
32	Mendham Township	0.4	4.6	7.2
33	Tewksbury Township	0.9	4.4	7.2
34	Cresskill	0.9	4.3	7.3
35	Bedminster Township	0.7	5.3	7.3
36	Bernardsville	0.5	5.6	7.4
37	Woodcliff Lake	0.9	5.0	7.5
38	Ho-Ho-Kus	1.3	6.5	7.8
39	Haworth	0.6	4.7	8.2
40	Holland Township	1.5	2.7	8.3
41	Chatham	1.0	7.2	8.3
42	Long Hill Township	0.8	5.3	8.4
43	Allentown	1.7	6.7	8.4
44	Monmouth Beach	2.4	2.7	8.5
45	Mountain Lakes	0.0	8.7	8.7
46	Roseland	0.6	6.4	8.8
47	Leonia	1.1	5.6	8.8
48	Little Silver	1.2	5.9	8.8
49	Ogdensburg	3.7	5.3	9.1
50	Independence Township	4.4	1.2	9.1
51	Spotswood	1.7	6.3	9.2
52	Colts Neck Township	0.9	5.9	9.2
53	North Haledon	1.3	5.8	9.4
54	Midland Park	2.4	5.7	9.6
55	Peapack-Gladstone	1.4	8.3	9.7
56	Highlands	5.9	1.9	9.9
57	Mine Hill Township	3.7	3.4	10.0
58	Garwood	0.9	8.0	10.1
59	Rockaway	0.9	8.4	10.1
60	Hardyston Township	6.2	3.4	10.2
61	Plumsted Township	3.0	3.7	10.2
62	Closter	1.9	5.0	10.3
63	Essex Fells	0.0	10.3	10.3
64	Rumson	1.1	9.2	10.4
65	Oxford Township	4.4	3.3	10.5
66	Brielle	2.3	4.3	10.5
67	Haddon Heights	1.7	7.2	10.9
68	South Harrison Township	1.1	7.1	11.0
69	Medford Lakes	1.5	4.9	11.0
70	Helmetta	4.1	6.9	11.0
71	Mountainside	1.5	7.5	11.2
72	North Caldwell	2.0	4.0	11.2
73	Englewood Cliffs	1.5	8.9	11.4
74	Lambertville	2.1	6.9	11.4
75	Califon	0.0	11.4	11.4
76	High Bridge	1.9	8.0	11.5
77	Bloomingdale	3.2	4.0	11.7
78	Blairstown Township	3.3	3.3	11.7
79	Maywood	2.3	6.4	11.8
80	Frenchtown	3.0	8.9	11.9
81	Boonton Township	4.4	4.2	11.9
82	Island Heights	3.6	8.4	11.9
83	Ocean Township	5.3	4.2	12.0
84	Elk Township	1.8	10.2	12.1
85	Hamburg	6.8	5.5	12.3
86	East Newark	0.4	9.8	12.3
87	Bordentown City	2.0	7.5	12.4
88	Riverton	1.3	11.2	12.6
89	Pitman	4.2	6.3	12.9
90	West Long Branch	1.8	11.3	13.1
91	Green Brook Township	4.5	7.9	13.2
92	Cranbury Township	1.2	8.5	13.5
93	Mansfield Township	3.4	5.4	13.5
94	South Amboy	4.9	7.5	13.6
95	Hopewell Borough	0.0	13.6	13.6
96	Harding Township	1.4	7.0	13.7
97	Spring Lake	1.1	12.7	13.8
98	Caldwell	1.8	7.2	13.8
99	Springfield Township, Burlington County	2.9	7.4	14.4
100	Moonachie	4.8	10.2	15.0
101	South Bound Brook	4.6	9.4	15.1
102	Northfield	2.2	10.5	15.2
103	Swedesboro	1.2	14.0	15.2
104	Interlaken	0.0	15.2	15.2
105	Barrington	3.0	9.4	15.3
106	Saddle River	2.8	9.4	15.4
107	West Amwell Township	2.8	10.8	15.6
108	Mansfield Township	1.8	11.3	15.7
109	Milltown	2.4	12.0	15.8
110	Winfield Township	1.6	14.3	15.9
111	Eastampton Township	3.7	8.4	16.0
112	Tuckerton	4.2	10.7	16.3
113	Sea Girt	4.8	8.2	16.3
114	Morris Plains	2.7	12.0	16.3
115	Stanhope	4.7	9.0	16.6
116	Mullica Township	3.1	12.0	16.8
117	Washington	3.9	6.8	16.9
118	East Rutherford	2.2	12.9	17.2
119	Lower Alloways Creek Township	9.3	3.1	17.5
120	Pine Beach	2.2	12.7	17.7
121	Lopatcong Township	4.0	11.9	18.2
122	Atlantic Highlands	3.2	11.6	18.3
123	Chester	2.4	15.9	18.3
124	Gibbsboro	3.3	12.5	18.4
125	Rochelle Park Township	3.2	11.8	18.6
126	Delanco Township	3.6	11.9	18.6
127	Linwood	3.4	13.7	18.7
128	Hightstown	6.6	4.2	18.8
129	Union Beach	5.3	2.8	19.2
130	Byram Township	2.9	8.0	19.3
131	Far Hills	0.0	19.8	19.8
132	Jamesburg	6.2	3.2	19.9
133	Washington Township	4.1	10.0	20.0
134	Raritan	7.3	7.6	20.1
135	Alpine	1.8	13.9	20.3
136	Boonton	3.2	10.1	20.5
137	Englishtown	6.7	6.2	20.7
138	Carlstadt	2.6	11.8	20.9
139	Glen Ridge	3.3	14.3	21.3
140	Greenwich Township	6.5	12.1	21.6
141	Riverside Township	7.0	5.0	22.4
142	Woodstown	11.0	9.9	22.4
143	Ocean Gate	8.4	11.9	22.7
144	Clinton	5.0	6.0	22.9
145	Wharton	6.4	8.9	23.1
146	Brigantine	3.6	19.0	23.1
147	Lake Como	9.7	10.4	23.3
148	Prospect Park	3.4	14.2	23.3
149	Stratford	6.9	8.7	23.4
150	Audubon Park	9.0	7.5	24.1
151	Buena	7.6	10.9	24.1
152	Laurel Springs	3.6	13.6	24.4
153	Ship Bottom	3.5	21.0	24.5
154	Kenilworth	3.4	13.3	24.7
155	Wenonah	2.4	19.4	24.8
156	Lakehurst	8.1	7.3	25.4
157	Merchantville	4.3	16.0	25.8
158	Oceanport	6.6	7.5	26.0
159	Runnemede	4.4	17.4	26.0
160	Greenwich Township	2.0	23.1	26.1
161	Logan Township	3.2	17.9	26.1
162	Riverdale	1.6	22.6	26.6
163	Avon-By-The-Sea	1.2	22.2	26.6
164	Newfield	6.7	8.9	26.8
165	National Park	12.6	7.8	26.9
166	Bradley Beach	3.4	16.4	26.9
167	Woodbury Heights	7.5	18.0	27.1
168	Clayton	9.2	9.8	27.3
169	Alpha	8.8	16.4	27.4
170	Palmyra	4.1	16.8	27.6
171	Point Pleasant Beach	10.4	12.0	27.9
172	South Toms River	10.3	8.5	28.0
173	Newton	10.5	8.0	29.3
174	Manasquan	6.5	15.1	29.6
175	Fieldsboro	14.8	14.8	29.7
176	Fairfield Township	6.2	23.7	29.8
177	Bay Head	3.5	26.3	29.9
178	Berlin	6.5	16.8	30.0
179	Keyport	8.4	13.1	30.0
180	Belmar	8.1	15.5	30.7
181	Berlin Township	6.5	22.3	31.5
182	Franklin	10.0	10.2	31.7
183	Shrewsbury	3.9	21.3	32.5
184	Flemington	8.5	12.6	32.9
185	Edgewater Park Township	6.2	15.3	33.1
186	Elmer	2.3	11.5	34.6
187	Lavallette	3.3	31.7	34.9
188	Dunellen	7.0	16.8	35.2
189	Margate City	4.1	25.8	35.4
190	Allenhurst	3.1	34.1	37.2
191	Belvidere	7.2	13.6	39.6
192	Sea Bright	17.8	9.8	39.9
193	Seaside Park	15.6	14.2	40.4
194	Paulsboro	9.1	19.6	40.7
195	Barnegat Light	0.0	40.9	40.9
196	Cape May	3.5	29.9	41.1
197	Oaklyn	1.8	32.3	41.4
198	Carney'S Point Township	11.7	13.6	41.6
199	Pemberton Borough	9.1	21.2	41.6
200	Haledon	6.0	17.0	41.8
201	Keansburg	13.0	18.2	42.9
202	Absecon	9.7	28.0	42.9
203	Netcong	10.8	8.9	43.5
204	Audubon	6.4	34.4	43.7
205	Magnolia	10.8	17.9	44.0
206	Longport	14.1	20.1	44.2
207	Elsinboro Township	7.1	19.5	44.3
208	Surf City	7.2	11.5	44.5
209	Westampton Township	5.8	18.3	45.6
210	West Cape May	6.0	21.9	45.9
211	Hi-Nella	18.0	8.0	46.1
212	Mantoloking	0.0	47.6	47.6
213	Beverly	11.7	14.1	48.1
214	Neptune City	11.2	25.5	48.6
215	Mount Holly Township	11.6	19.9	48.9
216	Woodlynne	11.4	19.0	51.0
217	Mount Ephraim	9.0	39.2	53.6
218	Deal	1.9	51.9	53.8
219	Watchung	0.3	52.9	54.0
220	Burlington City	11.8	15.2	54.5
221	Ventnor City	9.2	36.5	54.9
222	North Wildwood	8.2	38.3	55.5
223	Woodbury	10.4	30.6	55.8
224	Chesilhurst	17.3	26.6	56.3
225	Lawnside	10.8	36.2	57.4
226	Clementon	17.5	26.8	57.5
227	Westville	17.4	29.1	58.4
228	South Hackensack Township	13.8	17.4	59.2
229	Wildwood Crest	13.4	20.6	64.6
230	Somerdale	6.4	47.9	65.2
231	Sea Isle City	0.0	65.6	65.6
232	Long Beach Township	5.7	34.0	70.2
233	Harvey Cedars	8.8	61.9	70.8
234	Pohatcong Township	2.5	72.3	74.8
235	Cape May Point	0.0	87.6	87.6
236	West Wildwood	21.7	32.5	90.4
237	Egg Harbor City	23.3	47.7	97.7
238	Seaside Heights	38.6	57.2	116.5
239	Penns Grove	23.8	32.4	117.6
240	Wildwood	30.0	64.1	123.4
241	Loch Arbour	0.0	134.1	134.1
242	Brooklawn	21.6	78.5	144.3
243	Beach Haven	14.1	142.1	156.2
244	Stone Harbor	6.8	143.8	164.2
245	Avalon	11.5	138.6	172.1
246	Salem	42.1	48.3	172.3
247	Teterboro	58.8	1500.0	1558.8

Methodology

To find the safest cities in New Jersey, AdvisorSmith used data from the Uniform Crime Reporting Statistics database published by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Cities around the nation use Return A to report the levels of crime tabulated by cities and law enforcement agencies. This data set tracks both violent crimes and property crimes, which include rape, robbery, murder, assault, burglary, larceny, and motor vehicle theft. We used this data to compile a crime score for each city within our study.

We tagged each city in the state of New Jersey by its population size, with small cities having under 10,000 residents, midsize cities having between 10,000 and 50,000 residents, and large cities having over 50,000 residents. Cities were compared within their size cohort to provide comparisons between cities with similar characteristics.

This study used data from the FBI’s calendar year 2019 report. Cities reporting less than two months of crime data were excluded from this study. Additionally, cities that reported fewer than 12 months of data had their data scaled up proportionally to account for a full-year equivalent of crime data. 

Our analysis assigned a multiplier to more serious crimes in order to account for the severity of each crime. We multiplied the number of crimes by the crime multiplier in each city and added the product, which was adjusted for population in order to calculate a crime score for each city. Cities were ranked within their population cohorts based upon their crime scores in order to determine the safest cities in the state of New Jersey.

Sources

1. 1. Federal Bureau of Investigation, Uniform Crime Reporting, Return A, 2019