What it's like to live in Fair Lawn
Fair Lawn is a small city in New Jersey with household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, a highly educated workforce, and a growing population. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Fair Lawn deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, commute times longer than most cities, and a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin.
The good
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Highly educated workforce
- Growing population
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Above-average commute times
- High rent burden for renters
- Cold winters
How Fair Lawn compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Fair Lawn
Based on Fair Lawn's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,834
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $76,680 a year
- 56% of Fair Lawn renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$112,940
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $56,470
- Homes cost 3.9× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 36% above US
$1,917/mo median rent
Rent is expensive here, at $1,917 a month median and well above the national average. This is the kind of city where housing costs deserve serious budgeting before committing to a move. Home prices are steep, with a median around $564,700. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $564,700 · 56% of renters cost-burdened
Job marketNear US average
4.4% unemployment
Unemployment here is 4.4%, close to the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 88% below US
44 violent crimes per 100k
Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.
Property crime 938/100k · Fair Lawn Police Department · 2024 data
Getting around▲ 20% above US
31 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 31.3 minute average means plenty of commuters are pushing 45 to 60 minutes on a bad day. Proximity to work matters more here than it might elsewhere. 7 in 10 workers drive to work; 10% take public transit; 20% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 85°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 28°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▲ 76% above US
63% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a highly educated city, with over half the adult population holding a college degree. That tends to shape the job market and the broader culture, and it's a solid indicator of a strong professional scene.
Schools
9 public schools inside the boundary
There are 9 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park (4 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Fair Lawn's strongest points are household incomes running above the national average and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,917/mo) equals 16% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime, remote workers (20% of workers here already work from home), and college-educated professionals. It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget.
Other places near Fair Lawn
All New Jersey guides →Moving to Glen Rock →
2 mi away · pop. 12,154
Rent $1,930/mo · Income $215,096
Compare with Fair Lawn →Moving to Elmwood Park →
2 mi away · pop. 21,412
Rent $2,074/mo · Income $101,740
Compare with Fair Lawn →Not sure Fair Lawn is the one?
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