This Is The Wealthiest Small Town In NJ

NEW JERSEY — Wealth can commonly be found in some of the nation's biggest cities, but what about in the small towns?

A new GoBankingRates study that set out to find pockets of wealth in the nation’s quieter communities found that the richest small town in New Jersey is Lyons. There, the median annual income is $245,226. That's compared to a statewide median income of $100,320 in 2023.

Lyons is a section of Bernards Township in Somerset County and is only a couple miles from neighboring town Bernardsville. According to the 2020 US Census, the population of Lyons was 5,345. The population density was 1,387.95 per square mile.

Nestled within this town is the Lyons VA Medical Center, which is a U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs hospital.

There are more than a dozen homes for sale in Lyons with price tags exceeding $1 million. Currently, the most expensive home boasts a three-car garage and is for sale is going for just under $2.5 million, according to Realtor.com.

For the study, GoBankingRates analyzed income data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. “Small town” was defined as having between 500 and 15,000 households. Data is current as of May 16, 2023. Alaska wasn’t included because it doesn’t have enough data.

The top five wealthiest small towns in the nation are:

• Orinda, California (median income $248, 984)
• Noroton, Connecticut (median income $248,125)
• Fox Chapel, Pennsylvania (median income $247,930)
• University Park, Texas ($247,045)
• Flower Hill, New York ($246,533)

The least affluent of these wealthy small towns are:

• Shelburne, Vermont (median income $96,976)
• Cassville, West Virginia (median income $105,440)
• Inniswold, Louisiana (median income $106,759)
• Hickman, Nebraska (median income $107,604)
• Helena Valley Northeast, Montana (median income $115,833)