Real estate website Niche.com has rated Fanwood an overall grade of A+ in its 2023 evaluation of Best Places to Live.

Fanwood finished #2 in Union County and #3 in Best Suburbs to Buy a House. Overall, Fanwood rated above many other towns including Hoboken, Short Hills, Chatham and Summit. Here’s Niche’s full report on Fanwood.

Here’s how Niche graded Fanwood in the 12 categories of its rating system:

  • Public Schools: A +
  • Housing: B
  • Good for Families: A+
  • Jobs: B+
  • Cost of Living: C+
  • Outdoor Activities: A
  • Crime & Safety: B
  • Nightlife: A-
  • Diversity: B
  • Weather: B-
  • Health & Fitness: A+
  • Commute: B+

“It is always satisfying to see Fanwood receive the public recognition as a community that I know it deserves,” remarked Mayor Colleen Mahr. “We have good transportation infrastructure, great housing stock and a high-quality education system. It also helps that we have the leadership that has created investment and economic opportunities. Fanwood has a clear sense of direction and we work hard to create a shared vision with our community. I know that our residents love thier hometown and it’s great to see it validated.”

The top 10 towns in Union County, according to Niche, are:

  1. Berkeley Heights
  2. Fanwood
  3. New Providence
  4. Summit
  5. Westfield
  6. Scotch Plains
  7. Springfield
  8. Cranford
  9. Mountainside
  10. Roselle Park

The statewide Top 10 towns, according to Niche, are:

  1. Princeton Junction
  2. Princeton
  3. Ho-Ho-Kus
  4. Ridgewood
  5. River Edge
  6. Closter
  7. Berkeley Heights
  8. Harrington Park
  9. Mountain Lakes
  10. Upper Montclair

Niche creates the annual Best Places to Live rankings using data from sources such as the U.S. Census Bureau, FBI, Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, combined with “millions of resident reviews,” the search platform announced.