Top 10 Places to Retire in New Jersey in 2027

1. Cape May, New Jersey

Cape May ranks first for its unmatched concentration of preserved Victorian architecture, more than 600 gingerbread-trim homes, inns, and hotels packed into a National Historic Landmark district, the largest grouping of its kind in the country. Sitting at the southern tip of the Jersey Shore, it offers beach access, a working harbor, and the Cape May-Lewes Ferry running seasonal car service across Delaware Bay to Delaware.

It suits retirees who want walkable, human-scale streets and a town that empties out once Labor Day passes, trading big-city amenities for a quiet off-season pace most of the year. Winters are noticeably slower and services thinner than in Princeton, ranked below it here, and the peninsula location means the nearest full-service hospital and the closest commercial airport are both a real drive away, not a short local hop.

2. Princeton, New Jersey

Princeton ranks second because it pairs a walkable downtown with the intellectual and cultural infrastructure of a major university, Princeton University, founded in 1746, anchoring Nassau Street with museums, a concert hall, and lecture series open to the public. NJ Transit's Dinky shuttle connects the town to Princeton Junction on the Northeast Corridor line, putting Manhattan and Philadelphia both under roughly an hour away by train.

It fits retirees who want ongoing access to lectures, libraries, and healthcare tied to a large institution rather than beach-town isolation and a shorter medical drive. Housing costs run noticeably higher than in Cape May, ranked above it, and the town lacks any coastline, but the train access and university-town density of cultural amenities are hard to match anywhere else on this list.

3. Spring Lake, New Jersey

Spring Lake ranks third for its two-mile boardwalk and a compact, roughly three-square-mile footprint that keeps everything within walking distance, a rarity on a shoreline otherwise dominated by car-dependent towns. Nicknamed the Irish Riviera for its longtime summer draw from Irish-American families, it has no commercial strip of high-rises, just Victorian-era homes and a freshwater lake running through the middle of town.

It suits retirees prioritizing a quiet, low-density beach town over nightlife or a college-town social calendar like Princeton's, ranked above it here. There is no train station within town limits, so a car or a drive to a neighboring NJ Transit station is required for any regional trip, and summer rental crowds swell the population well beyond its small year-round base.

4. Lambertville, New Jersey

Lambertville ranks fourth for its position directly on the Delaware River, connected by a pedestrian-friendly bridge to New Hope, Pennsylvania, doubling its walkable downtown across two states without needing a car. The town is known for antique shops, art galleries, and restored 19th-century rowhouses along streets that slope down to the riverbank, giving it a denser, more urban feel than most Jersey Shore towns.

It fits retirees who want river views and antiquing culture over beach access, unlike Spring Lake, ranked above it on this list. It has no direct rail line of its own, so trips to Philadelphia or New York require driving to a station in a neighboring town, and its small size means fewer healthcare options are available locally without traveling out of town.

5. Ocean Grove, New Jersey

Ocean Grove ranks fifth for its unusual origin as a Methodist camp-meeting community founded in 1869, still centered on the Great Auditorium and a historic tent city where roughly 114 canvas tents are pitched each summer against permanent wood cabins. The oceanfront boardwalk and beach sit a short walk from nearly every house in town, and the town was legally dry for over a century before easing alcohol rules.

It suits retirees drawn to a close-knit, tradition-bound community with a strong religious and architectural identity, more insular than Lambertville's river-town crowd, ranked just above it here. The historic-district rules restrict exterior renovations on most homes, and the tent-city season brings a seasonal population swing that quiets considerably once autumn arrives and the summer tent residents pack up their canvas for the year.

6. Montclair, New Jersey

Montclair ranks sixth for its direct commuter rail access into Manhattan, with NJ Transit's Montclair-Boonton Line running express trains to New York Penn Station, paired with a walkable downtown, the Montclair Art Museum, and a long-running film festival. Its housing stock spans large Victorian and Craftsman homes on tree-lined streets, giving it more architectural variety than the shore towns ranked above it.

It fits retirees who want to stay closely tied to New York culture and family still working in the city, trading beach access for a fast rail commute instead. Property taxes run among the highest in the state, and the town is denser and more suburban in daily feel than Ocean Grove's small camp-meeting footprint, ranked just above it on this list.

7. Haddonfield, New Jersey

Haddonfield ranks seventh because its PATCO Speedline station sits in the center of town, running direct trains into Philadelphia in about 20 minutes, a commute link comparable to Montclair's above it but oriented toward Philadelphia rather than New York. The historic district includes colonial-era homes and the Indian King Tavern, a state historic site dating to the 1750s, along a compact, walkable Main Street shopping strip.

It suits retirees oriented toward Philadelphia rather than New York, with easier regional hospital access than the more remote shore towns ranked earlier on this list. It lacks a coastline entirely, and its small downtown means fewer year-round dining and entertainment options than a bigger city commute like Montclair's, ranked just above it, would otherwise support for daily errands and evenings out.

8. Moorestown, New Jersey

Moorestown ranks eighth for its Main Street historic district of colonial Quaker-era homes and a consistent presence on national best-places-to-live rankings over the years, reflecting low crime and well-regarded local schools even for residents without school-age children. It sits a short drive from Philadelphia and from Haddonfield above it on this list, but relies on car access rather than a train station in town.

It fits retirees prioritizing safety and community reputation over walkable transit access, unlike Haddonfield's PATCO-connected downtown, ranked just above it here. The absence of direct rail service means giving up the train commute that several higher-ranked towns on this list offer, trading it instead for a quieter, more car-dependent suburban daily routine built around errands, appointments, and short drives to nearby regional shopping centers.

9. Ridgewood, New Jersey

Ridgewood ranks ninth for its NJ Transit Bergen County and Pascack Valley Line service into New York, putting Manhattan roughly 40 minutes away, alongside a downtown shopping and restaurant district built up around the station itself. The village dates its downtown commercial core to the early 1900s, giving it a denser, more built-out Main Street than Moorestown's Quaker-era district above it.

It suits retirees who still want frequent rail trips into New York for family visits, theater, or medical specialists, more than the Philadelphia-oriented towns ranked just above it here. Property taxes are high relative to the shore towns higher on this list, and winters bring the traffic and congestion typical of dense, built-out Bergen County suburbs surrounding the village center.

10. Collingswood, New Jersey

Collingswood ranks tenth for its PATCO Speedline station and a revitalized downtown restaurant row along Haddon Avenue, built around a weekly farmers market that has run seasonally for over two decades. It offers Philadelphia access in about 15 minutes by train, similar to Haddonfield's link above it, but at a smaller scale and generally lower home prices within the same PATCO corridor.

It fits retirees who want Haddonfield-style transit access on a tighter housing budget, trading some of the historic-district polish for a more everyday, restaurant-driven downtown strip. It is denser and more urban-feeling than Moorestown or Ridgewood, both ranked above it here, with less green space and smaller lot sizes typical of an older streetcar suburb built around its rail line.

How we ranked these

This ranking weighted property-tax burden relative to home value, overall cost of living, proximity to hospitals and specialist care, walkability of downtown cores, violent and property crime rates per capita, distance to major airports and rail lines for visiting family, and density of age-restricted 55-plus communities. Coastal and lakeside access, four-season climate tolerance, and state tax treatment of retirement income were also folded into each town's composite score.

School district quality, nightlife density, and new-construction inventory were deliberately excluded since retirees weigh them far less than working families do. We also ignored subjective "charm" rankings from lifestyle magazines and any town lacking a full year of verifiable property-tax and crime data. Shore-town tourism traffic and short-term rental saturation were left out because they affect summer visitors more than year-round residents.

Related questions

Is New Jersey tax-friendly for retirees?

New Jersey exempts Social Security from state income tax and offers a retirement income exclusion that shields much of a couple's pension and IRA withdrawals if total income stays under roughly $150,000. Property taxes remain the highest in the nation, but towns like Cape May partially offset that with the Senior Freeze program, which caps tax increases for qualifying longtime homeowners.

What is the Senior Freeze property tax program?

New Jersey's Senior Freeze reimburses eligible seniors and disabled residents for property tax increases above their base year, provided income stays under an annually adjusted limit near $163,000. Applicants must have lived in New Jersey continuously for at least ten years and owned their current home for three years, making it a meaningful offset in high-tax retirement towns.

Are coastal New Jersey towns affordable for retirees?

Shore towns vary widely; Cape May and Ocean City carry premium home prices driven by tourism demand, while towns like Toms River and parts of Ocean County offer water access at a fraction of the cost. Flood and homeowner's insurance premiums have risen sharply along the coast since 2020, so buyers should price those recurring costs before comparing listings alone.

How does New Jersey compare to Florida for retirement?

Florida has no state income tax and lower average home prices, but New Jersey offers closer proximity to adult children in the Northeast corridor, stronger hospital systems, and milder hurricane exposure. Many New Jersey retirees stay near family and healthcare networks even while paying higher property taxes, treating the tax premium as a trade-off for convenience rather than a dealbreaker.

What towns have the most active-adult communities?

Monroe Township, Manchester Township, and Whiting host some of the state's largest concentrations of age-restricted 55-plus developments, including Rossmoor, Concordia, and Renaissance at Manchester. These communities bundle clubhouse amenities, lawn care, and social programming into HOA fees, appealing to retirees who want built-in community without maintaining a large single-family property.

Is public transit access important for retiring in New Jersey?

Towns along NJ Transit rail lines, such as Princeton Junction, Metuchen, and Westfield, let retirees reach Philadelphia or New York City for specialists, family visits, or culture without driving. As night driving becomes less appealing with age, walkable downtowns near a train station tend to hold home values better than car-dependent suburbs further away.

What healthcare systems serve New Jersey retirees best?

Hackensack Meridian Health, RWJBarnabas Health, and Cooper University Health Care operate the state's largest hospital networks, with flagship and satellite campuses across North, Central, and South Jersey. Retirees settling near Morristown, New Brunswick, or Camden gain faster access to specialists and emergency care than those in rural western counties with fewer nearby facilities.

FAQ

What is the average property tax bill in New Jersey?

New Jersey's average property tax bill exceeded $9,800 in 2024, the highest in the country, though it varies enormously by county. Rural and southern counties like Cumberland and Salem often bill under $6,000 annually, while affluent northern suburbs can exceed $15,000, so retirees should compare specific towns rather than relying on statewide averages.

Does New Jersey tax Social Security benefits?

No, New Jersey fully exempts Social Security income from state taxation regardless of a retiree's total income level. This puts it in line with most states and makes Social Security-heavy retirement budgets stretch further than the state's property-tax reputation might suggest, even though pensions and account withdrawals face separate rules.

What is the retirement income exclusion in New Jersey?

Married couples filing jointly with total income under $150,000 can exclude up to $100,000 of pension, annuity, and IRA income from state tax, with lower thresholds for single filers. Income above that ceiling loses the exclusion entirely, so some retirees near the cutoff time withdrawals across tax years to stay qualified.

Are there Medicaid-friendly retirement communities in New Jersey?

Many assisted-living and continuing-care communities in New Jersey accept Medicaid after a private-pay period, particularly in Bergen, Essex, and Camden counties where facility density is highest. Families should confirm a specific facility's Medicaid bed availability directly, since acceptance and waitlists change frequently even at communities that advertise Medicaid options.

How cold are New Jersey winters compared to the mid-Atlantic?

North Jersey winters average lows in the low-20s Fahrenheit with regular snowfall, while South Jersey and shore towns run several degrees milder due to Atlantic moderation. Retirees sensitive to snow and ice tend to prefer Cape May, Ocean, or Atlantic county towns over northern or western New Jersey, which see more elevation-driven snow.

Is Cape May a good retirement town?

Cape May offers walkable Victorian architecture, a small year-round population, and strong healthcare access via Cape Regional Medical Center, appealing to retirees who want a slower coastal lifestyle. Winters are quiet since tourism drops sharply after Labor Day, though summer traffic and seasonal price surges are worth planning around for daily errands.

What is the cost of living like in Princeton-area towns?

Princeton and neighboring towns like Pennington and Hopewell carry home prices well above the state median, reflecting proximity to the university, Princeton Junction rail access, and top-rated hospitals. Retirees drawn to the area's cultural amenities should budget for property taxes and home prices meaningfully higher than shore or South Jersey comparables.

Do New Jersey retirees need a car?

Outside a handful of transit-connected downtowns like Metuchen, Westfield, or Montclair, most New Jersey towns are car-dependent for groceries, medical appointments, and social activities. Retirees planning to eventually stop driving should prioritize towns with walkable centers, senior transportation services, or NJ Transit rail access rather than assuming a car will always be available.

How does South Jersey compare to North Jersey for retirees?

South Jersey generally offers lower property taxes, cheaper home prices, and milder winters, but fewer high-end hospital systems and longer drives to major airports than North Jersey. North Jersey trades a higher cost of living for faster access to Newark Liberty International Airport, Manhattan-based family visits, and denser specialist medical networks around Hackensack and Morristown.

Sources

• https://www.nj.gov/treasury/taxation/ptr/index.shtml
• https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/NJ
• https://www.usnews.com/places
• https://www.aarp.org/retirement/
• https://www.njtransit.com/
• https://www.hackensackmeridianhealth.org/
• https://www.rwjbh.org/
• https://smartasset.com/retirement/new-jersey-retirement-taxes

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