The Town FilesFort Lee, New Jersey
Borough in Bergen County · population 40,191 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $448,000
- Household income
- $107,274
- Jan low / Jul high
- 26° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 30 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 46.6
Fort Lee is a borough of 40,191 people in Bergen County, New Jersey. The median home is worth $448,000, close to the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). It ranks hipper than 96% of New Jersey towns, more vibrant than 95% of New Jersey towns, better transit than 95% of New Jersey towns.
How Fort Lee 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 Fort Lee is worth $448,000, close to the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). Homes cost about 4.2 times the median household income of $107,274, which is more affordable than 36% of New Jersey towns. Median rent is $2,270 a month. 55.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Fort Lee | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $448,000 | $435,600 |
| Median rent | $2,270 | $1,774 |
| Median household income | $107,274 | $111,891 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.2× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 55.4% | 80.8% |
| Median year built | 1971 | 1969 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.2% | — |
Who lives in Fort Lee
| People | Fort Lee | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.6 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 25.1% | 18.3% |
| Under 18 | 17.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 65.8% | 44.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.8% | 5.7% |
| Veterans | 1.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 50.1% | — |
| Work from home | 21.7% | 16.3% |
| Average commute | 35.0 min | 30.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.3% | 94.6% |
Weather in Fort Lee
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 29.8 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
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fort Lee since 1950, compared with 9 for the typical New Jersey town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on July 15, 1970 about 5.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 2, 2018.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 51 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on August 15, 2008.
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 Fort Lee itself the ACS puts it at 5.8%.
Public schools in Fort Lee
58 public schools with 24,268 students, about 11.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| KIPP BRONX CHARTER SCHOOL III (charter) | K-10 | 1,237 | 6.9 |
| Lewis F. Cole Middle School | 5-8 | 1,186 | 12.2 |
| Fort Lee High School | 9-12 | 1,179 | 14.0 |
| SUCCESS ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL-BRONX 2 (charter) | K-8 | 978 | — |
| BRONX PREPARATORY CHARTER SCHOOL (charter) | 6-12 | 891 | 16.5 |
| PS/IS 218 RAFAEL HERNANDEZ DUAL LANGUAGE MAGNET SCHOOL | K-8 | 836 | 11.1 |
| PS 70 MAX SCHOENFELD | PK-5 | 768 | 10.5 |
| COMPREHENSIVE MODEL SCHOOL PROJECT MS 327 | 6-12 | 678 | 12.1 |
| PS 469-BRONX SCHOOL FOR CONTINUOUS LEARNING (THE) | K-12 | 590 | 6.9 |
| BRONX ACADEMY OF PROMISE CHARTER SCHOOL (charter) | PK-8 | 578 | — |
| URBAN ASSEMBLY SCHOOL FOR APPLIED MATH AND SCIENCE (THE) | 6-12 | 570 | 9.3 |
| School No. 1 | K-4 | 546 | 11.4 |
Towns near Fort Lee
- Leonia, NJ1.3 mi · 9,304 people · home $672,900
- Palisades Park, NJ1.4 mi · 20,292 people · home $719,600
- Edgewater, NJ1.8 mi · 14,336 people · home $715,700
- Cliffside Park, NJ2.2 mi · 25,693 people · home $588,200
- Ridgefield, NJ2.6 mi · 11,501 people · home $646,200
- Ridgefield Park, NJ2.6 mi · 13,224 people · home $496,700
- Fairview, NJ2.6 mi · 15,025 people · home $511,400
- Englewood Cliffs, NJ2.7 mi · 5,342 people · home $1,401,600
Fort Lee questions
Is Fort Lee, New Jersey a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Fort Lee scores better for retirees than 67% of New Jersey towns and quieter than 14%. 25.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 46.6).
How much does a house cost in Fort Lee?
The median owner-occupied home in Fort Lee is valued at $448,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $107,274, so homes cost about 4.2 times income. Median rent is $2,270 a month.
What is the weather like in Fort Lee?
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 29.8 inches of snow.
Does Fort Lee get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fort Lee since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on July 15, 1970. 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)