HILLSBOROUGH: Township called ‘booming’ in survey

Three Somerset townships are at the top of suburbs in state

   A survey by a real estate firm has ranked three Somerset County towns — including Hillsborough — at the front of New Jersey’s top 10 “Booming Suburbs.”
   Bridgewater, Bernards and Hillsborough townships were named in a survey that rated 1,500 communities across the nation, and ranked in that order as the top three “Booming Suburbs” in New Jersey.
   The criteria of the survey were based on increased year-over-year levels in employment and unemployment percentages below the national norm, along with a range of attributes that include access to suburban staples (grocery stores, banks, etc.), proximity to good schools, commuting by car and community safety.
   The “Top Booming Suburbs in America” survey is the final installment of Coldwell Banker “Best Places to Live series.
   ”Somerset County offers a desirable mix of quality suburban life and ease of commute to places of business across the tri-state area,” said Hal Maxwell, president of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in New Jersey. “We see a consistent influx of buyers looking to establish a home and lifestyle in Somerset County communities.”
   Here are the top 10 “Booming Suburbs” in New Jersey, based on methodology created by Coldwell Banker and its partner in the study, Onboard Informatics:
   Bridgewater ranked first, with a score of 836.57. Second was Bernards at 833.189, and Hillsborough was third with 815.529.
   Randolph, Morris and Roxbury townships in Morris County were fourth through sixth.
   Ridgewood (Bergen), Rockaway (Morris), Fair Lawn (Bergen) and Paramus (Bergen) rounded out the top 10.
   The “score” is based on a scale from 1-1,000, with 1,000 being the No. 1 booming suburb.
   Number one in country in the survey was Cottage Lake, Wash.
   ”As America continues to bounce back from the recession, this ranking identifies suburbs that have shown strong economic growth since the recovery,” said Budge Huskey, president and chief executive officer of Coldwell Banker Real Estate. “These communities have the American ideals we love, the suburban dream intact and a population that is finding jobs at a better rate than the national average. That is the definition of a thriving community.”
   Coldwell Banker® partnered with Onboard Informatics. For each category in the Best Places to Live series, each location was assigned a score based on 15-20 attributes selected by Coldwell Banker and Onboard Informatics.
   Additional attributes include a low unemployment score, growth in employed persons and positive change over time in employment
   The list includes only those suburbs that have a population greater than or equal to 22,275.