By Slava Zborovsky · Updated
By U.S. News's New Jersey high school rankings, the strongest schools among the towns Slava covers serve Tenafly (#23), Alpine (#23) and Allendale (#35). The best town for a family is the one where the school, the commute and the price all work: the table below puts all three side by side.
Every town side by side
NJ rank is the town's best U.S. News New Jersey high school rank among the schools its students attend (2026-2027 edition). The median is the past 12 months of recorded sales. Click a district for its towns and graduation rates.
- Allendale
- High school districtNorthern HighlandsNJ rank#35Median sale$900KAvg tax bill$17,912Train to NY Penn58-66 min
- Ho-Ho-Kus
- High school districtNorthern HighlandsNJ rank#35Median sale$1.27MAvg tax bill$19,834Train to NY Penn51-60 min
- Upper Saddle River
- High school districtNorthern HighlandsNJ rank#35Median sale$1.4MAvg tax bill$20,432Train to NY Penn62-70 min
- Saddle River
- High school districtNorthern HighlandsNJ rank#35Median sale$2.45MAvg tax bill$20,339Train to NY Penn55-63 min
- Ridgewood
- High school districtRidgewoodNJ rank#43Median sale$1.16MAvg tax bill$20,596Train to NY Penn47-56 min
- Old Tappan
- High school districtNorthern ValleyNJ rank#47Median sale$1.13MAvg tax bill$19,377Train to NY Penn55-69 min
- Montvale
- High school districtPascack ValleyNJ rank#71Median sale$840KAvg tax bill$14,026Train to NY Penn65-77 min
- Woodcliff Lake
- High school districtPascack ValleyNJ rank#71Median sale$1.2MAvg tax bill$20,637Train to NY Penn59-65 min
- Mahwah
- High school districtMahwahNJ rank#80Median sale$595KAvg tax bill$10,236Train to NY Penn70-77 min
- Park Ridge
- High school districtPark RidgeNJ rank#97Median sale$800KAvg tax bill$15,830Train to NY Penn62-74 min
- Emerson
- High school districtEmersonNJ rank#103Median sale$750KAvg tax bill$15,316Train to NY Penn48-63 min
- Westwood
- High school districtWestwood RegionalNJ rank#113Median sale$711KAvg tax bill$12,163Train to NY Penn51-66 min
- Washington Township
- High school districtWestwood RegionalNJ rank#113Median sale$775KAvg tax bill$13,480Train to NY Penn55-69 min
- Wyckoff
- High school districtRamapo Indian HillsNJ rank#115Median sale$1.16MAvg tax bill$16,425Train to NY Penn55-63 min
- Franklin Lakes
- High school districtRamapo Indian HillsNJ rank#115Median sale$1.72MAvg tax bill$20,718Train to NY Penn55-63 min
- Hillsdale
- High school districtPascack ValleyNJ rank#118Median sale$856KAvg tax bill$15,874Train to NY Penn55-69 min
- River Vale
- High school districtPascack ValleyNJ rank#118Median sale$943KAvg tax bill$17,198Train to NY Penn51-66 min
Sources: U.S. News Best High Schools 2026-2027; NJ Division of Taxation deed records and 2025 Average Residential Tax Statistics; NJ Transit timetables.
How regional high schools change the choice
Many of these towns run their own schools only through eighth grade, then send students to a regional high school. Saddle River, Ho-Ho-Kus, Upper Saddle River and Allendale send high schoolers to Northern Highlands (Saddle River students choose between it and Ramsey); Montvale, Woodcliff Lake, Hillsdale and River Vale share the Pascack Valley Regional district; Franklin Lakes and Wyckoff are in Ramapo Indian Hills. So two towns with very different prices can send children to the same high school. Start from the school district pages.
Weighing price against schools
Among towns whose high schools rank in New Jersey's top 50, the lowest 12-month median is Allendale at $900K (high school rank #35). Check the tax bill alongside the price with the property tax calculator.
Slava has sold homes in northern Bergen County since becoming a licensed New Jersey broker in 2007. If you are weighing towns, tell him what you need and he will walk you through the trade-offs in person.
- What are the best towns in Bergen County for families?
- Among the towns Slava covers, the highest-ranked high schools (U.S. News, New Jersey) serve Tenafly (#23), Alpine (#23), Allendale (#35), Ho-Ho-Kus (#35) and Upper Saddle River (#35). Price, commute and lot size usually decide between them.
- Which Bergen County town has the best schools and an easy commute?
- Of the towns with their own train station, the best-ranked high schools serve Allendale (#35, 58-66 minutes to New York Penn), Ho-Ho-Kus (#35, 51-60 minutes to New York Penn) and Ridgewood (#43, 47-56 minutes to New York Penn).