The Town FilesFair Lawn, New Jersey
Borough in Bergen County · population 34,927 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $564,700
- Household income
- $144,574
- Jan low / Jul high
- 26° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 30 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 8
- Median age
- 39.1
Fair Lawn is a borough of 34,927 people in Bergen County, New Jersey. The median home is worth $564,700, above the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). It ranks better transit than 98% of New Jersey towns, more walkable than 87% of New Jersey towns, more of a college town than 87% of New Jersey towns.
How Fair Lawn ranks
Percentile among New Jersey towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New Jersey towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Fair Lawn is worth $564,700, above the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). Homes cost about 3.9 times the median household income of $144,574, which is more affordable than 46% of New Jersey towns. Median rent is $1,917 a month. 78.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Fair Lawn | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $564,700 | $435,600 |
| Median rent | $1,917 | $1,774 |
| Median household income | $144,574 | $111,891 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.9× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 78.1% | 80.8% |
| Median year built | 1953 | 1969 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.1% | — |
Who lives in Fair Lawn
| People | Fair Lawn | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.1 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.1% | 18.3% |
| Under 18 | 25.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 63.3% | 44.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.1% | 5.7% |
| Veterans | 3.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 31.4% | — |
| Work from home | 20.2% | 16.3% |
| Average commute | 31.3 min | 30.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 97.2% | 94.6% |
Weather in Fair Lawn
July highs average 87.0°F and January lows 25.7°F. About 46.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 29.9 inches of snow (typical New Jersey town: 24.5 in). Expect about 29 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 89 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fair Lawn since 1950, compared with 9 for the typical New Jersey town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on August 7, 1962 about 2.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on October 7, 2013.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 52 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on July 8, 2021.
Severe weather in Bergen County since 1996
Bergen County has been included in 32 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 5, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4614: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| September 2, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3573: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| December 11, 2020 | Hurricane | DR-4574: Tropical Storm Isaias |
| March 25, 2020 | Biological | DR-4488: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3451: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Bergen County
Bergen County had 438,240 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $80,639 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in Fair Lawn itself the ACS puts it at 6.2%.
Public schools in Fair Lawn
9 public schools with 5,501 students, about 11.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair Lawn High School | 9-12 | 1,644 | 13.3 |
| Thomas Jefferson Middle School | 5-8 | 1,145 | 12.2 |
| Memorial Middle School | 5-8 | 646 | 9.6 |
| Radburn Elementary School | K-4 | 422 | 12.4 |
| Westmoreland Elementary School | PK-4 | 399 | 9.7 |
| Warren Point Elementary School | K-4 | 397 | 11.3 |
| Henry B. Milnes Elementary School | K-4 | 390 | 12.6 |
| John A. Forrest Elementary School | K-4 | 261 | 10.0 |
| Lyncrest Elementary School | K-4 | 197 | 10.4 |
Towns near Fair Lawn
- Glen Rock, NJ1.7 mi · 12,133 people · home $856,900
- Elmwood Park, NJ2.2 mi · 21,422 people · home $483,700
- Saddle Brook, NJ2.6 mi · 14,294 people · home $503,400
- Hawthorne, NJ2.6 mi · 19,637 people · home $533,700
- Paramus, NJ2.6 mi · 26,698 people · home $813,900
- Paterson, NJ2.8 mi · 159,732 people · home $360,100
- Rochelle Park, NJ2.9 mi · 5,814 people · home $498,500
- Prospect Park, NJ3.0 mi · 6,372 people · home $406,800
Fair Lawn questions
Is Fair Lawn, New Jersey a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Fair Lawn scores better for retirees than 51% of New Jersey towns and quieter than 13%. 18.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.1).
How much does a house cost in Fair Lawn?
The median owner-occupied home in Fair Lawn is valued at $564,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $144,574, so homes cost about 3.9 times income. Median rent is $1,917 a month.
What is the weather like in Fair Lawn?
July highs average 87.0°F and January lows 25.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 46.3 inches of precipitation a year and 29.9 inches of snow.
Does Fair Lawn get tornadoes?
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fair Lawn since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on August 7, 1962. The typical New Jersey town has had 9.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)