Morris Co. Ranked Best Place To Raise A Family: Here’s Why

MORRIS COUNTY, NJ — A new ranking has listed Morris County as the number one New Jersey county to raise a family in.

According to SmartAsset, a financial technology company, Morris County is the best place to raise a family in New Jersey. The ranking is based on the area’s home values, school ratings, recreation centers, and childcare costs.

SmartAsset looked at how housing prices have changed over the last five years to determine how much home values have appreciated in each county. Morris County’s home change in value came in at 42.66 percent.

SmartAsset reviewed standardized test scores in math and reading to measure the area’s schooling proficiency. An average score was created for each district by looking at the scores for every school in that district, weighing it to account for the number of students in each school, representatives said. Every county was assigned a score of 1-10, 10 being the best, based on the average scores in each county.

Morris County’s school score came in at 9.94.

SmartAsset’s review of recreational centers was measured per 1,000 people. Morris County has .25 recreation centers per 1,000 residents, tying with Monmouth County, according to the ranking.

Finally, SmartAsset looked at the average childcare costs in each county, with Morris County’s childcare costs averaging $179 per week.

Below are the top ten best NJ counties to raise a family in, according to SmartAsset’s ranking:

1. Morris County
2. Monmouth County
3. Somerset County
4. Bergen County
5. Hunterdon County
6. Cape May County
7. Mercer County
8. Union County
9. Gloucester County
10. Burlington County

Visit SmartAsset’s website for more details on its ranking.