These Are NJ's Safest Cities, According To A New Report

NEW JERSEY — Safety and security are major considerations for people looking to buy or rent a home in a new town, and a new report analyzed crime rates to determine the safest places to live in the Garden State.

SafeWise, a security product review platform, looked at crime statistics for communities in the state to compile its 11th annual Safest Cities report. A total of 128 New Jersey towns met the criteria to be considered for the ranking.

Also, New Jersey residents who participated in the site's "State of Safety" survey reported year-over-year increases in property crime and package theft, SafeWise noted. The state has the seventh-highest rate of package theft nationwide, according to their report.

A number of residents worry about their safety, as just 47 percent of New Jersey residents surveyed said they feel safe in their state. Concerns about gun violence also rose from year to year, and 15 percent of those surveyed said they experienced a violent crime in the last eight months before the survey.

The report also looked at how residents protect their homes: Of those New Jerseyans surveyed, 45 percent said they have security cameras, 43 percent said they use a security system, and 25 percent said they have guard dogs.

The "Safest Cities" rankings were compiled using FBI data on violent crime and property crime rates. Cities and jurisdictions across the country voluntarily report the information through the FBI Summary Reporting System and National Incident-Based Reporting System. The most recent FBI data was released in October 2024 and accounts for crimes reported in 2023. SafeWise also used population thresholds in its reporting, according to the company.

In New Jersey, Vernon Township, Bernards Township, Sparta Township, and Jefferson Township were ranked as the top four safest communities in the state. based on that data.

Vernon Township had a violent crime rate of 0.1 and a property crime rate of 0.9 incidents per 1,000 people, according to the report. The township has a population of 22,743.

Both Bernards Township and Denville Township reported zero violent crimes in 2023, the report said; Sparta Township and West Milford Township reported zero motor vehicle thefts that year.

According to SafeWise, violent crime rates decreased in four of the towns listed in the report: Sparta Township, Hopatcong, Mount Olive Township, and Harrison Township.

SafeWise was clear that the list was not a judgement beyond any data points, and that it relied exclusively on the FBI crime data for its lists.

Here are SafeWise's top 20 safest cities in New Jersey for 2025:

1. Vernon Township
2. Bernards Township
3. Sparta Township
4. Jefferson Township
5. Hopatcong
6. Denville Township
7. Mount Olive Township
8. West Milford Township
9. New Milford
10. Madison
11. Jackson Township
12. Dumont
13. Harrison Township
14. Barnegat Township
15. Montville Township
16. Manchester Township
17. Florham Park
18. South River
19. Ridgewood
20. Hillsborough Township

This is the second year in a row that Vernon Township and Bernards Township have been listed in those top two spots. You can compare this year's ranking to last year's list here.