What it's like to live in Fairview
Fairview is a small city in New Jersey with crime rates well below the national average, schools with smaller class sizes than the national average, and public transit that many commuters actually use. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Fairview deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, household incomes below the national average, and commute times longer than most cities.
The good
- Low crime rates
- Low student-teacher ratio
- Public transit that many commuters use
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Below-average household incomes
- Above-average commute times
- High poverty rate
- High rent burden for renters
How Fairview compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Fairview
Based on Fairview's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,388
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $67,760 a year
- 53% of Fairview renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$102,280
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $51,140
- Homes cost 8.0× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 20% above US
$1,694/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,694 a month median. Whether that premium makes sense usually comes down to the local job market and what it pays. Home prices are steep, with a median around $511,400. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $511,400 · 53% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
4.3% county unemployment
Unemployment in Bergen County is 4.3%, close to the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Bergen County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 69% below US
112 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 991/100k · Fairview Police Department · 2024 data
Getting around▲ 20% above US
31 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 31.1 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; 17% take public transit; 6% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 83°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 30°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▼ 35% below US
23% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 23%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
3 public schools inside the boundary
There are 3 public schools inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14:1, 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 General Grant National Memorial (2 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Fairview's strongest points are crime rates well below the national average and public transit that many commuters actually use; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,694/mo) equals 32% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime and people who would rather not drive.
Other places near Fairview
All New Jersey guides →Moving to Cliffside Park →
1 mi away · pop. 25,781
Rent $1,837/mo · Income $93,452
Compare with Fairview →Moving to Ridgefield →
1 mi away · pop. 11,498
Rent $2,095/mo · Income $118,059
Compare with Fairview →Not sure Fairview is the one?
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