Study says Somerset County the best NJ county to raise a family

According to Stacker.com, the best county to raise a family in New Jersey is ... Somerset County! Stacker used Niche.com ratings (which gave Somerset County an A+), based on things like affordable homes, safe neighborhoods, the quality of the school system and the range of family activities, to name just a few.

About Somerset County, Stacker.com said, “A diverse and welcoming community, Somerset County, New Jersey, is both safe and convenient, with a manageable commute time to New York City. With a per-pupil-expenditure much higher than the national median, and top-performing schools, education is paramount in Somerset County. Outdoor activities also rate high here, with many mountains, parks, and lakes for families to enjoy.”

Sounds pretty good, doesn’t it? Stacker describes itself as a “data-driven” website, although it looks as if, for this study anyway, the data all came from Niche.com. In grading Somerset County, Niche.com gave it an A+ in public schools, health and fitness, and good for families. It got an A/A- in nightlife, diversity, and outdoor activities.

According to the Niche.com ratings, Somerset ranked as the #11 county overall in the entire USA. Also in the overall list, Middlesex, Morris, Bergen, and Mercer Counties ranked within the top 50 nationally. In case you’re wondering, Oconee County in Georgia was the #1 county for families nationally.

Last week, Niche released its 'Best Places to Live in New Jersey' list, citing Princeton as the top town.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Bill Doyle. Any opinions expressed are Bill Doyle's own.