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Top 50 rank: 6
Population: 13,345
Home to Alcatel Lucent's U.S. headquarters, close to major pharmaceutical makers, and a 50-minute commute into New York City, Berkeley Heights offers easy access to a wide range of jobs.
The dining scene in town has flourished in the past couple of years, thanks to new additions like Strega Bistro and Nagoya Sushi. The 2,000-acre Watchung Reservation gives locals a place to picnic, canoe, and ride horses. And the community has a neighborly feel.
On the downside, there are few major retailers. Plus the housing market can be daunting, though not out of line with the area. --D.R.
Berkeley Heights, NJ | | Town stats |
| Median family income (per year) | | $164,920 |
| Job growth % (2010-2012) | | 5.69% |
| Median home price (2012) | | $474,000 |
| Reading test scores (% above/below average) | | 32.1% |
| Math test scores (% above/below average) | | 23.2% |
| Personal crime incidents (per 1,000) | | 0 |
| Property crime incidents (per 1,000) | | 5 |
Financials | |
| Median family income (per year) | | $164,920 |
| Family purchasing power (annual, cost-of-living adjusted) | | $107,412 |
| Sales tax (state) | | 6.91% |
| State income tax rate (highest bracket) | | 8.97%I |
| State income tax rate (lowest bracket) | | 1.40%I |
| Auto insurance premiums (Average price quotes, for the state) | | $1,977 |
| Job growth % (2010-2012) | | 5.69% |
Housing |
| Median home price (2012) | | $474,000 |
| Average property taxes (2011) | | $10,959 |
Education |
| Colleges, universities and professional schools (within 30 miles) | | 124 |
| Reading test scores (% above/below state average) | | 32.1% |
| Test scores math (% above/below average) | | 23.2% |
| % students attending public/private schools (located within town limits) | | 100.0/0.0 |
Quality of life |
| Air quality index* (% of days AQI ranked as good) | | 83.8% |
| Personal crime incidents (per 1,000) | | 0 |
| Property crime incidents (per 1,000) | | 5 |
| Median commute time (in minutes) | | 28.2 |
| % population with commute 45 mins. or longer | | 25.6% |
| % population walk or bike to work | | 1.9% |
Leisure and culture |
| Movie theaters (within 15 miles) | | 53 |
| Restaurants (within 15 miles) | | 6,116 |
| Bars (within 15 miles) | | 483 |
| Public golf courses (within 30 miles) | | 272 |
| Libraries (within 15 miles) | | 130 |
| Museums (accredited by AAM; within 30 miles) | | 27 |
| Ski resorts (within 100 miles) | | N.A. |
| Arts funding (Dollars per person of state funds spent on arts) | | 1.6 |
Weather |
| Annual rainfall (inches) | | 46.25 |
| % clear days in the area | | 56% |
| High temp in July ° F | | 86.6° |
| Low temp in Jan ° F | | 21.5° |
Meet the neighbors |
| Median age | | 43.0 |
| Completed at least some college (% of residents) | | 72.4% |
| Married % | | 62.7% |
| Divorced % | | 6.0% |
| Racial diversity index (100 is national average; higher numbers indicate greater diversity) | | 61.2 |
