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Westfield Receives A+ for Best Places to Live in NJ
Just last month, Safewise.com proclaimed our fair city to be the safest city in Union County. It also placed it as the sixth safest city in the entire state. A few weeks before that, WalletHub.com put us on their Best Small Cities in America list (#3 in the state). Recently, Westfield placed #7 on Niche.com’s Best Places to Live in New Jersey list. Our community received a solid A+.
Westfield Added to Another “Best Places” List
Niche.com graded 60 different New Jersey communities based on various factors. These included the cost of living, education, the public school system, diversity of the population, crime and safety, walkability, employment, health and fitness, weather, and commute time among others. Westfield’s public schools, nightlife, family-friendly lifestyle, outdoor activities, and nightlife all received an A or better grade. Crime and safety, housing, diversity, jobs, weather, and commute times received B’s.
Every one of our schools in the Westfield Public Schools system received an A, with Wilson Elementary, Jefferson Elementary, and Westfield High achieving the highest marks of all (A+). Our rate for violent crimes comes in at 98% below the national average. We also made Niche.com’s 2019 Best Suburbs to Live in New Jersey (#3) and Best Suburbs to Raise a Family in New Jersey (#9) lists.
Top 10 Best Places to Live in New Jersey – Niche.com
- Princeton Junction
- Upper Montclair
- Princeton
- Princeton Meadows
- Ridgewood
- Waterfront
- Westfield
- Short Hills
- Highland Park
- Haddonfield
Westfield Named Safest City in Union County
When searching for a place to live, security ranks somewhere near the top for most people. So, it should ease your mind to know that Westfield was named the safest city in Union County by SafeWise.com. Cranford came in second.
Westfield: A Safe Place to Live
SafeWise gathered crime statistics data for thousands of municipalities across the country. They used FBI stats from 2017 (the most recent data available) to determine rankings. New Jersey cities made up almost 1/3 of the top 100 safest cities in the nation (30 of them, to be precise). Westfield ranked #6 in the state and #1 in Union County.
SafeWise looked at the rate of violent crimes as well as property crimes per 1,000 people to determine rankings. The national average for violent crimes reported in the US in 2017 was 4.49 per 1000 people. Westfield reported 0.099 per 1,000 people. For property crimes, Westfield’s average (8.499) fell far below the national average (27.11) as well.
With the onslaught of 24/7 news coverage, it’s easy to believe that crime is on the rise. However, FBI statistics say otherwise. In fact, between 1993 and 2017, violent crime fell by 49%. Property crime decreased by 50% in that time period. Violent crime hit a slight uptick in 2015 and 2016 before falling again in 2017. But property crime hasn’t experienced any increase since 2001.
Top 10 Safest Cities in New Jersey
- Bernards Township
- Denville Township
- Pequannock Township
- Bergenfield
- Monroe Township
- Westfield
- Hawthorne
- Millford
- Cranford Township
- Readington
Keep this information in mind whenever you see a police officer out on the streets of Westfield. Then, thank them for keeping us safe. We all owe them a debt of gratitude for putting their safety before our own and allowing our families to thrive in this great community.
Westfield Makes Top 30 Best Small Cities in America List
Some people like the hustle and bustle of big city life. Others crave a small town atmosphere to raise a family. Westfield offers the benefits that the small town living provides. But it’s located close enough to Manhattan to enjoy everything a big city has to offer. Wallethub looked at over 1,200 US cities with 25,000 to 100,000 residents to come up with their Best Small Cities in America list. Westfield came in at the #30 spot for the entire country, making it one of the top three New Jersey towns on the list.
How Wallethub Determined Ranking
Wallethub ranked each of the 1268 cities they looked at by comparing statistics in five distinct categories:
- Affordability
- Economic Health
- Education & Health
- Quality of Life
- Safety
They looked at the median household income compared to the cost of living and homeownership rates. Unemployment,
Why Westfield Made the List
Out of all the cities on Wallethub’s list, Westfield tied with Holly Springs, NC for the city with the least amount of residents living below the poverty line (just 2.2%). We were also recognized for our low crime rate and great economy. From my own personal experience, I can attest that we also have some amazing restaurants with incredibly talented chefs creating mouth-watering meals for the public on a daily basis. Visit Wallethub’s Best Small Cities in America list online to read more about their methodology as well as what the experts who put the list together have to say.
Westfield Graces Cover of “Where We Live”
First, New Jersey Monthly put Westfield on its most recent “Best Places to Live in New Jersey” list. Then, Niche.com ranked it #10 on its list of “Best Places to Live in New Jersey” list earlier this year. Now, Westfield NJ graces the cover of AARP magazine’s “Where We Live”. It appears that others are discovering what residents of our fair city have known for years. Westfield offers a wonderful place to put down your roots.
Photo by @Donald Siano
Why AARP Featured Westfield on Its Cover
Download a copy of 2018’s “Where We Live” here.
“Where We Live” spotlights unique ways cities across the country have enhanced their communities. AARP chose a picture of last year’s parklet in Downtown Westfield for its cover. They found it to be a beautiful example of an innovative use of community space. AARP also noted that Westfield provides a luxurious alternative to pricier Manhattan properties. Its location to NYC trains makes it extremely appealing for daily commuters. Residents enjoy the convenience of our walkable downtown area as well.
All in all, “Where We Live” included over 100 neighborhoods around the country. The Healthy St Pete initiative incorporated into St Petersburg, FL’s everyday life. A driverless, solar-powered shuttle system in development in Columbus, OH to take workers to and from their cars parked far away from their places of employment. Several cities where smooth roundabouts replaced messy intersections. These are just a few of the examples AARP chose to highlight in their newest edition of “Where We Live”.
Download a complete copy of the 2018 “Where We Live” here. It features our very own lovely Downtown Westfield on its cover. See how our older population inspires welcome changes in our community.