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Two of the country's 'best' suburban towns are in NYC's backyard. See what's available

By Lucy Cohen Blatter  | November 4, 2015 - 11:59AM
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What makes a good suburb? According to Business Insider's ranking of the 50 best suburbs in America, it's a combination of decent commute times, low crime rates, affordable housing and good schools. We'd have to agree.

Interestingly though, there are only two New York City suburbs included on the list—and both are in New Jersey. That's right: Long Island, Connecticut and New York Times favorite Westchester were left entirely out of the list. In fact, it  is dominated by the Midwest (Ohio appears seven times, including at No. 1 for New Albany). The reason: Lower housing costs, most likely.

So the two best choices for New Yorkers looking to escape the city? Chatham and North Caldwell.

Here's what BI had to say about each one, and two current homes in each that we found available in case you want to take the plunge:

Chatham, NJ - Ranked #43. Schools score: 10

"Twenty-four miles west of New York City, Chatham offers the charm of a New England town with vast green spaces, extensive recreational programs, and a historic downtown district. It's home to top-rated schools and a direct rail to New York. The median household income is $146,083," BI reports.


A brand-new 4,000-square-foot five-bedroom, five-and-a-half bathroom house has an asking price of $1.429 million.


This updated 1907 colonial has four bedrooms, two bathrooms and an open porch and fenced-in yard. Asking price: $899,000.

North Caldwell, NJ - Ranked # 11. Schools score: 9

"North Caldwell is the fictional home of TV's Tony Soprano. Known as the 'green jewel' of Essex County, the borough has a community pool and various camps and sports venues. The median household income is $198,966, with a low 2.7% poverty rate" BI reports.


This 1970s style house has five bedrooms, three full baths and two half-baths, plus a recently remodeled kitchen. Asking price: $749,000.


A four-bedroom, four-and-a-half bath ranch house with an in-ground pool sports a price tag of $995,000.

Related:

Prospect Heights vs. Hastings-on-Hudson. So what can you get anyway?

This mid-century Westchester gem is tempting us to kiss the city goodbye

People in the suburbs: They're just like us (mostly)

Six reasons to be (sort of) jealous of your friends in the suburbs

Feeling priced out of the city? Here's what to expect in the 'burbs

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