Bergen County, NJ

The eight towns of the Northern Valley

Eight small boroughs between the Palisades and the Pascack Valley. Here is an honest look at each one so you can figure out where you fit.

Closter

The Northern Valley's retail center, a 136-acre nature preserve, and more going on than anywhere else in the eight.

Large lots, a volunteer-run nature center, and the highest average tax bill of the eight towns.

The closest of the eight to a train, with the reservoir along one edge and two country clubs inside 2.34 square miles.

Modest assessments, the second-highest tax rate of the eight, and a council that runs by petition.

The lowest effective tax rate of the eight, large lots, and a nine-hole golf course the borough owns.

One PK-8 school since 1951, more than 100 acres of preserved open space, and a mid-table tax bill.

The lowest tax bill and the lowest assessments of the eight, in 1.27 square miles on the New York line.

The smallest of the eight by a wide margin: 406 residents, about 75 houses, and no school of its own.

See all eight towns side by side: prices, schools, the train, taxes, and who runs the place.