Manalapan 32nd Safest Town in New Jersey, FBI Data Shows

Manalapan, NJ - Sure, Manalapan Township has its share of hot dog cart thefts, unlocked car break-ins and residential burglaries, but overall the township has been ranked the 32nd safest place to live in New Jersey, according to a new survey by Creditdonkey.com.

Monroe Township came in even safer, at #15 on the list.

The survey only focused on New Jersey towns with with a population of 10,000 residents or more. They evaluated 2014 FBI Crime Report data, and the four key indicators they used were: Number of violent crimes per 1,000 residents; number of robberies per 1,000 residents; number of property crimes per 1,000 residents and the number of burglaries per 1,000 residents.

Manalapan Township, #32:

• Violent crime per 1,000 residents: 0.4
• Robbery per 1,000 residents: 0.2
• Property crime per 1,000 residents: 5.9
• Burglary per 1,000 residents: 1.3

CreditDonkey: Manalapan Township is another fast-growing community, with a population that tops 40,000 and growing. The rarity of crime is one of the things that draws in new residents, who mostly fall within a higher-earning crowd. The U.S. Census Bureau puts the median household income at nearly $111,000 annually.

Monroe Township, #15: With more than 42,000 residents, Monroe Township is the largest city to make our rankings, but that’s not the only thing that sets it apart. As of 2014, nearly 35% of the population was over the age of 65, giving it one of the highest concentrations of retirees on our list. That may be a contributing factor to its lower crime rate. In terms of per capita crime, it ranks among the best cities in Middlesex County.

But what’s the #1 safest town? That would go to Washington Township in Morris County, with the lowest property crime rate of any city in the study. Only 33 property crimes were reported there in 2014. To compare, Manalapan had 237 property crimes that year. Property crimes include burglary and larceny, but also shoplifting, car break-ins and vandalism.

Photo: Bairdsville, NJ, an unincorporated community on the border of Manalapan and Millstone townships. Wikimedia Commons