The Town FilesFords, New Jersey
Community in Middlesex County · population 12,941 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $438,000
- Household income
- $115,861
- Jan low / Jul high
- 24° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 21 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 18
- Median age
- 39.9
Fords is a community of 12,941 people in Middlesex County, New Jersey. The median home is worth $438,000, close to the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 84% of New Jersey towns, more walkable than 83% of New Jersey towns, more of a college town than 78% of New Jersey towns.
How Fords 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 Fords is worth $438,000, close to the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). Homes cost about 3.8 times the median household income of $115,861, which is more affordable than 50% of New Jersey towns. Median rent is $1,913 a month. 71.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Fords | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $438,000 | $435,600 |
| Median rent | $1,913 | $1,774 |
| Median household income | $115,861 | $111,891 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.8× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 71.7% | 80.8% |
| Median year built | 1957 | 1969 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.2% | — |
Who lives in Fords
| People | Fords | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.9 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.9% | 18.3% |
| Under 18 | 19.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 42.0% | 44.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.4% | 5.7% |
| Veterans | 2.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 30.9% | — |
| Work from home | 12.8% | 16.3% |
| Average commute | 30.7 min | 30.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.3% | 94.6% |
Weather in Fords
July highs average 88.1°F and January lows 23.8°F. About 48.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 21.4 inches of snow (typical New Jersey town: 24.5 in). Expect about 29 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 103 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fords since 1950, compared with 9 for the typical New Jersey town. The strongest, an F1, struck on September 7, 1998 about 6.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 20, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 39 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on September 9, 2023.
Severe weather in Middlesex County since 1996
Middlesex County has been included in 30 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 |
| March 25, 2020 | Biological | DR-4488: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3451: Covid-19 |
| March 14, 2016 | Severe Storm | DR-4264: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Jobs and pay in Middlesex County
Middlesex County had 430,555 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $82,400 a year. Unemployment was 4.1% in 2023; in Fords itself the ACS puts it at 4.3%.
Public schools in Fords
3 public schools with 1,791 students, about 14.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lafayette Estates Elementary School | K-5 | 720 | 20.0 |
| Fords Middle School | 6-8 | 575 | 9.3 |
| Dual Language School | 4-8 | 496 | 19.8 |
Towns near Fords
- Hopelawn, NJ1.2 mi · 2,603 people · home $372,100
- Menlo Park Terrace, NJ1.3 mi · 2,806 people · home $427,400
- Keasbey, NJ1.5 mi · 3,027 people · home $278,800
- Woodbridge, NJ1.8 mi · 19,839 people · home $390,000
- Woodbridge, NJ2.1 mi · 103,639 people · home $433,000
- Iselin, NJ2.4 mi · 20,088 people · home $426,800
- Perth Amboy, NJ2.5 mi · 55,436 people · home $370,600
- Metuchen, NJ2.6 mi · 15,049 people · home $604,300
Fords questions
Is Fords, New Jersey a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Fords scores better for retirees than 7% of New Jersey towns and quieter than 5%. 14.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.9).
How much does a house cost in Fords?
The median owner-occupied home in Fords is valued at $438,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $115,861, so homes cost about 3.8 times income. Median rent is $1,913 a month.
What is the weather like in Fords?
July highs average 88.1°F and January lows 23.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.7 inches of precipitation a year and 21.4 inches of snow.
Does Fords get tornadoes?
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fords since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on September 7, 1998. 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)