Best Places to Live for Suburbanites

Suburban life is all I have ever known and I couldn’t imagine it any other way. I was born and raised in Livingston, NJ and now live in West Orange, NJ. Grass, trees and non mass transit is what I know and love. As a self admitted shopping addict there is something special about having access to suburban malls. I know every crook and cranny of The Mall at Short Hills and could complete a full fledged shopping spree with my eyes closed.

Suburban life is all I have ever known and I couldn’t imagine it any other way. I was born and raised in Livingston, NJ and now live in West Orange, NJ. Grass, trees and non mass transit is what I know and love. As a self admitted shopping addict there is something special about having access to suburban malls. I know every crook and cranny of The Mall at Short Hills and could complete a full fledged shopping spree with my eyes closed.

For those outside of the Garden State, West Orange is about thirty minutes outside of New York City. I, like so many suburbanites, often wonder if Big City Life is for me. The answer is no. While I love visiting New York City for a much needed day of retail therapy or a fun night out with friends, the hustle and bustle of city life is just not for me.

In part two of our five part Best Places to Live Series we take a look at Best Places to Live for Suburbanites. This data reveals a glimpse into life in the suburbs and the life of Americans who prefer a little more space, peace and quiet to the contrast of a fast paced city life.

Suburban communities are appealing to many because of their great access to recreational centers, schools and a feeling of community with many being only being a short distance to a city. I am sure my feelings about West Orange to NYC are the same that residents of Cherry Hills Village, CO,  #1 on the Best Places to Live for Suburbanites, feel about Denver, Clyde Hill, WA  feel about Seattle and Wolf Trap, VA feel about Washington, DC.

I wasn’t surprised to learn New Jersey is the place to be for people who love the suburbs. Three New Jersey towns, Haworth, Englewood Cliffs and Ho-Ho-Kus, topped the list for the “Top 10 Best Places to Live for Suburbanites” coming in at No. 3, No. 4 and No. 6, respectively from more than 11,000 suburbs across the United States.

Here is a look at the Top 10:

1) Cherry Hills Village, CO

2) Clyde Hill, WA

3) Haworth, NJ

4) Englewood Cliffs, NJ

5) Wolf Trap, VA

6) Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ

7) Indian Hills, KY

8) East Grand Rapids, MI

9) Rossmoor, CA

10) Huntington Woods, MI

Access to resources that make everyday life easy, for example proximity to several grocery stores, banks and shopping malls are something that make life in the suburbs attractive. I couldn’t imagine driving more than a few minutes to pick up groceries. Perhaps this is the reason homeowners in the suburbs spend approximately four times as much to prepare meals at home than going out. Check out some of the other popular areas that cater to the life of a suburbanite.

Suburbanites_Infographic

Click to Enlarge

 

As you can see above, community safety is also a major benefit of living in a suburb. Did you know that crime is 40% less likely in the suburbs than the national average? In fact, in the top 10 ranked suburbs 95% owned their homes and crime was 68% less likely.

I wouldn’t trade my suburban life for anything in the world. Backyard BBQs, relaxing nights at home and spending time at the park down the street are just a few of the things that make me appreciate the Value of my Home. The life of a social seeker or suburbanite may not be for you but not to worry, data on the Best Places to Live for adventurers, leisure lovers and culture cravers will be released soon. In the mean time take a look at the other suburbs that made the list for Best Places to Live for Suburbanites.

Join the conversation about this exciting series on Twitter using hashtag #bestplacetolive.

Read more home buying tips and resources.

Lindsay is the the Director of Media Engagement for Coldwell Banker Real Estate and manages the brand’s media and social media department. She is also a licensed real estate professional. In 2017 & 2018, she was named a top 20 social influencer in the real estate industry in the annual Swanepoel 200 power rankings.

Lindsay lives in Livingston, NJ with her college sweetheart and now husband Joe and rwelcomed another Joe into her life as she became a mom in June 2016.

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4 Comments

  1. David Marine
    September 25, 2012

    This was just featured on The Today Show this morning. Jump to 5:40 mark of this link to see: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/29054368/

    Reply
  2. kirvi
    September 25, 2012

    Lived there over 30 years before retiring to the south. I still miss being able to walk to so many places–Roses, Jersey Junction, GasLight Village and the library. Also miss listening to the marching band practice and play at the Friday night home games. It is a wonderful place to live.

    Reply
  3. The Best Suburban Places to Live | Coldwell Banker Blue Matter
    November 1, 2012

    […] the video above, we teamed up with LXTV Open House to showcase two of the top 10 towns for Suburbanites: Haworth, NJ and East Grand Rapids, MI. I’ve never been to either of these places, but as […]

    Reply
  4. Whitney
    September 7, 2017

    Interesting read, I would also add that Glassboro New Jersey is also really nice. http://www.drhorton.com/New-Jersey/New-Jersey/Marlton
    I just moved here and I love it. Great area, Safe, the communities here are welcoming and in a great location. Great job. Thanks

    Reply

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