Top Towns 2026

We gathered all the data and crunched the numbers to come up with this year’s rankings of the best places to live, work and play in South Jersey.

by Staff

• Mantua is home to the world-renowned Edelman Fossil Park & Museum of Rowan University, a 66-million-year-old fossil site that has gained attention near and far. 
• The township is home to Mantua Creek, an iconic landmark of which the town’s name is derived from. The landmark is also theorized to have gotten its name from the original indigenous inhabitants of the land, who named Mantua “Manta,” which is the Lenape word for “frog.” The reason was the massive population of frogs that echoed along the river long ago.
• Mantua is located in the direct center of Gloucester County, bordering Deptford, East Greenwich, Glassboro, Harrison Township, Pitman, Washington Township, Wenonah and West Deptford. 

• Joseph Bonaparte (the former king of Spain and older brother of Napoleon Bonaparte), once fled across the ocean until he reached what is now Bordentown and settled there for over 23 years. 
• The world’s oldest operable steam locomotive engine in the world, named the “John Bull,” was first launched in Bordentown, operating on the Camden and Amboy Railroad, traveling between Bordentown and South Amboy in 1831.
• Farnsworth Avenue, which is located inside Bordentown City, is home to a slew of artsy  and independent shops wrapped in beautiful Victorian-era architecture. 

• The town gets its name from the Lenni Lenape Native American word “Senamensing,” which means “sweetwater,” and is a reference to sugar maple trees that grew along the Delaware River. 
• Dr. John Thompson Dorance was an American chemist who invented the world’s first condensed soup, which eventually contributed to the creation of the Campbell’s Soup Company. Dorrance lived in Cinnaminson from 1911 until his passing in 1930.  
• Since 1939, Cinnaminson has been home to the Burlington County Footlighters, which is one of the oldest and longest-running community theater organizations in the state. 

• Monroe was officially incorporated in 1859 and has grown steadily from rural roots into a suburban township. Its primary population center is Williamstown, which contains most of the township’s residential and commercial activity.
• The town was named after James Monroe, the fifth president of the United States.
• It is home to Scotland Run Golf Club, a well-known golf course built around reclaimed sand quarry land and natural scenery.

• The town was once home to the historic Roebling Steel Mill manufacturing complex. Today, the location serves as a museum to commemorate its historical significance. 
• In addition to supplying steel wire and cables for several iconic bridges, the Roebling Steel Mill was also responsible for creating the steel elevator cables that were made for the Empire State Building in New York.
• The village of Florence was laid out in the 19th century as a planned riverside town with a grid street pattern and compact commercial core designed to support early river transport and trade along the Delaware River.

• The town offers a nice suburban and rural blend with plenty of popular local outdoor locations, making it a perfect place for recreational activities. 
• When first founded in 1694, Waterford originally spanned from the Delaware River all the way to the Atlantic Ocean before being transformed over time into other municipalities.
• Waterford Township is also home to critically acclaimed Amalthea Cellars Winery, located in Atco.

• Washington Lake Park is the town’s major recreation area and is built around a 50-acre lake with walking paths and sports fields, and is home to numerous events throughout the year. 
• The town is home to a very large public school system serving over approximately 7,300 students across 11 different schools, ranging from elementary, middle and high school. 
• As a result of many residents moving in from Philadelphia over the years, another name locals like to call the town is “Little South Philly.”

• The township’s history is closely tied to farming and remnants of its agricultural heritage can still be seen throughout the community.
• Home to the Rancocas State Park area, Lumberton offers easy access to forests, hiking trails and wildlife habitats, making it a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts.
• Lumberton contains several historic structures and properties that reflect the township’s 19th-century origins and development.

• Roughly 1/3 of the township’s land lies within the Pinelands National Reserve and development is strongly restricted. 
• With nearly half of its land devoted to agriculture, the township is mostly forested and houses several lakes and streams that flow into the Maurice River. 
• More than 20 years ago, the township committee approved a master plan that guides development throughout the township in order to help preserve open spaces and maintain its rural character.

• Delran is the birthplace of two-time Olympic gold medal-winning soccer player Carli Lloyd, who also was a part of the FIFA Women’s World Cup winning teams in 2015 and 2019. 
• The area contains numerous Lenape archaeological sites where tools, spear points, and other artifacts have been discovered.
• The township’s official seal incorporates symbols representing Lenape heritage, local history, and civic unity.

• With the township being home to a cluster of vastly different neighborhoods, it is one of the fastest growing communities in the state.
• The township was formed in the 1600s, and the area traces its roots back to early colonial settlement in the late 17th century, making it one of the older established communities in New Jersey.
• Gloucester Township is one of only 64 towns in the state that has earned the “Silver Level Certification” from Sustainable Jersey, recognized for being highly environmentally conscious.

• West Deptford is home to over 20 different municipal parks, along with the West Deptford Scenic Trail, which is a one-mile-long wooded path that is popular with birdwatchers.
• The town is also home to the RiverWinds complex, which includes a golf course, tennis courts, a community center and a fine dining restaurant. 
• West Deptford was originally part of a much larger Deptford Township, which was later divided as populations grew and communities formed distinct identities.