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These Are The 10 Hardest Working Places In New Jersey

By Chris Kolmar
Apr. 11, 2016
Last Modified and Fact Checked on: Feb. 6, 2026

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Discover the 10 Hardest Working Places in New Jersey for 2026
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New Jersey has long been celebrated as a hub of opportunity, where hard work is the pathway to a better life. This spirit of dedication and resilience is evident across the Garden State, particularly in areas that exemplify the strongest work ethic.

Among these, New Jersey boasts some of the hardest working communities in the nation, with North Caldwell leading the charge as the hardest working place in the state. Here, the commitment to hard work is so intense that the daily commute feels like a job in itself.

Curious about which other towns are clocking in long hours? Here’s a list of places where residents are putting in the extra effort to secure their promotions and provide for their families:

  1. North Caldwell
  2. Dayton
  3. Chatham
  4. Glen Ridge
  5. Greentree
  6. Glen Rock
  7. Succasunna
  8. Hoboken
  9. Bernardsville
  10. Brookdale

Attention, Holiday City-Berkeley! Take note of these hardworking communities and what you can learn from them.

For more informative reads about New Jersey, check out:

How We Ranked the Hardest Working Places in New Jersey

At Zippia, we take pride in our data-driven approach to uncovering insights. To determine the hardest working places in New Jersey, we utilized the most recent American Community Survey data.

We analyzed various criteria, including:

  • Average hours worked per week
  • Average commute time
  • Workers per household (employed labor force divided by the number of households)
  • Labor force participation rate
  • Percentage of adults with a college degree

By evaluating these factors, we aimed to highlight those communities where residents are not only educated and employed but also willing to go the extra mile in their professional lives.

After compiling data from 256 locations across New Jersey, we ranked each area from 1 to 256 based on their performance across the criteria, with 1 representing the hardest working community. North Caldwell emerged victorious as the hardest working place in New Jersey.

For a detailed breakdown of why these locations earned their rankings, refer to the table below.

1. North Caldwell

Population: 6,407 College Graduates: 68.1%
Average Hours Worked Per Week: 41.7
Workers Per Household: 1.6

2. Dayton

Population: 7,690 College Graduates: 67.3%
Average Hours Worked Per Week: 36.9
Workers Per Household: 1.8

3. Chatham

Source: Wikipedia

Population: 9,000 College Graduates: 74.1%
Average Hours Worked Per Week: 41.1
Workers Per Household: 1.5

4. Glen Ridge

Population: 7,606 College Graduates: 75.0%
Average Hours Worked Per Week: 41.3
Workers Per Household: 1.6

5. Greentree

Population: 11,529 College Graduates: 62.4%
Average Hours Worked Per Week: 39.7
Workers Per Household: 1.6

6. Glen Rock

Population: 11,784 College Graduates: 67.2%
Average Hours Worked Per Week: 39.6
Workers Per Household: 1.7

7. Succasunna

Population: 9,047 College Graduates: 51.4%
Average Hours Worked Per Week: 37.9
Workers Per Household: 1.8

8. Hoboken

Population: 51,979 College Graduates: 74.3%
Average Hours Worked Per Week: 43.8
Workers Per Household: 1.5

9. Bernardsville

Population: 7,766 College Graduates: 69.5%
Average Hours Worked Per Week: 41.4
Workers Per Household: 1.5

10. Brookdale

Population: 9,706 College Graduates: 50.6%
Average Hours Worked Per Week: 39.3
Workers Per Household: 1.6

Complete List of the Hardest Working Places in New Jersey


City Rank Population College Graduates Average Hours Worked Per Week Workers Per Household
North Caldwell 1 6,407 68.1% 41.7 1.6
Dayton 2 7,690 67.3% 36.9 1.8
Chatham 3 9,000 74.1% 41.1 1.5
Glen Ridge 4 7,606 75.0% 41.3 1.6
Greentree 5 11,529 62.4% 39.7 1.6
Glen Rock 6 11,784 67.2% 39.6 1.7
Succasunna 7 9,047 51.4% 37.9 1.8
Hoboken 8 51,979 74.3% 43.8 1.5
Bernardsville 9 7,766 69.5% 41.4 1.5
Brookdale 10 9,706 50.6% 39.3 1.6
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Author

Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.

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