Fair Lawn, NJ
Census place 3422470 · pop 35,610
Home of Radburn, the landmark 1929 planned community billed as "A Town for the Motor Age" that pioneered separating cars from pedestrians.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities
$3,623/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities
31 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities
99/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities
1.77% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$564,700 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 1 days · worse than most cities
10 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities
3.5% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 964/100k · better than most cities
938 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities
40 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities
7.3% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities
+7.9% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 0.43 · better than most cities
Gini 0.40 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 12.1% · better than most cities
6.1% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 67.2% · better than most cities
78.1% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities
18.5% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 152/100k · better than most cities
44 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities
24.9% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities
13.3% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
63.3% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities
97.2% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
7.7% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities
$144,574 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
Frequently asked
- Is Fair Lawn, NJ a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Fair Lawn scores 59/100 — a D (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is median household income and its weakest is rent. New Jersey overall ranks #43 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- How safe is Fair Lawn, NJ?
- Fair Lawn reports 44 violent crimes per 100k and 938 property crimes per 100k — better than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Fair Lawn, NJ expensive to live in?
- Fair Lawn has a median home value of $564,700 and typical rent around $3,623/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Fair Lawn, NJ?
- Its weakest measured area is rent ($3,623/mo) — 4/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Fair Lawn, NJ best at?
- Its strongest measured area is median household income ($144,574) — 94/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: Home of Radburn, the landmark 1929 planned community billed as "A Town for the Motor Age" that pioneered separating cars from pedestrians.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.