Population 35,759 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Fair Lawn
Household size in Fair Lawn
| Period | Fair Lawn | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.74 | 2.79 | 2.77 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.84 | 2.85 | 2.82 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.93 | 2.82 | 2.78 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.98 | 2.79 | 2.76 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.24 | −0.00 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Fair Lawn are large by national standards, averaging 2.98 people against 2.65 for the U.S. That usually means more families with children at home. Household size has climbed from 2.74 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Fair Lawn
| Period | Fair Lawn | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.9 | 38.0 | 39.1 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 42.2 | 38.7 | 40.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 44.0 | 39.8 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.2 | 40.4 | 40.9 | 40.1 |
| Change | −2.8 | +2.4 | +1.8 | +2.3 |
At 40.2, the median age in Fair Lawn is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. The median age has dropped from 42.9 in 2006–10, even as the national median rose. The youngest areas are in the northwest, the oldest in the northeast.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Fair Lawn
| Period | Fair Lawn | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.4% | 13.1% | 11.6% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.2% | 12.8% | 11.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.1% | 11.4% | 10.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.1% | 11.6% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +4.8 pts | −1.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are about as common in Fair Lawn as they are nationally: 11.1%, against 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has risen 4.8 points, even as the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Fair Lawn
Renters in Fair Lawn
| Period | Fair Lawn | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.9% | 47.1% | 33.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 21.8% | 48.7% | 35.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 20.7% | 48.8% | 36.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 22.0% | 48.6% | 36.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.0 pts | +1.5 pts | +3.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Fair Lawn is largely a place of homeowners: only 22.0% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. About four in ten owners (40.7%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. The renter share is down 1.0 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Fair Lawn
| Period | Fair Lawn | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.5% | 9.1% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 4.6% | 9.0% | 9.3% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.9% | 9.1% | 9.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 4.2% | 7.9% | 6.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.3 pts | −1.2 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 4.2% of homes in Fair Lawn are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Compared with other New Jersey cities, Fair Lawn has a lower vacancy rate than most.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Fair Lawn
| Period | Fair Lawn | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1952 | 1957 | 1965 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1952 | 1958 | 1966 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1955 | 1959 | 1967 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1952 | 1962 | 1969 | 1980 |
| Change | −0 | +5 | +5 | +6 |
Fair Lawn is a place of older homes: half were built before 1952, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. Newer construction is concentrated in the northeast, while the west has the oldest housing. Only 32 of the 415 New Jersey cities with 5,000+ people have older homes.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Fair Lawn
| Period | Fair Lawn | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,426 | $1,268 | $1,246 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,444 | $1,377 | $1,324 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,719 | $1,645 | $1,522 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,093 | $2,060 | $1,896 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$667 | +$792 | +$651 | +$606 |
Rent in Fair Lawn runs $2,093 a month at the median, utilities included, well above the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $667 a month since 2006–10, up 47%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 38.0% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Rents run highest in the south and lowest in the northeast.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Fair Lawn
Bachelor's degrees in Fair Lawn
| Period | Fair Lawn | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 48.4% | 35.0% | 34.7% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 52.2% | 36.7% | 36.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 56.8% | 39.9% | 39.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 64.1% | 43.6% | 43.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +15.7 pts | +8.6 pts | +8.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fair Lawn is highly educated: nearly two-thirds of adults 25 and older (64.1%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 15.7 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the northeast and least in the northwest.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Fair Lawn
| Period | Fair Lawn | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 92.3% | 83.7% | 87.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 92.6% | 84.6% | 88.1% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 95.4% | 86.2% | 89.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.5% | 86.9% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.2 pts | +3.3 pts | +3.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Fair Lawn: 96.5% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 4.2 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Fair Lawn
| Period | Fair Lawn | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.4% | 7.9% | 7.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.1% | 9.5% | 9.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.5% | 5.7% | 5.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.6% | 6.9% | 6.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | +1.2 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little harder to find in Fair Lawn than nationally: unemployment was 6.6%, against 5.4%. Unemployment is up 1.2 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Fair Lawn compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair Lawn | 2.98 | 40.2 | 11.1% | 22.0% | 4.2% | 1952 | $2,093 | 64.1% | 96.5% | 6.6% |
| Glen Rock | 3.31 | 38.8 | 7.4% | 10.6% | 3.3% | 1948 | $1,943 | 72.1% | 97.2% | 5.4% |
| Elmwood Park | 2.92 | 41.7 | 13.9% | 42.7% | 5.3% | 1960 | $2,080 | 34.8% | 90.6% | 7.4% |
| Saddle Brook | 2.66 | 45.2 | 5.8% | 31.9% | 3.9% | 1963 | $2,091 | 35.3% | 91.4% | 4.0% |
| Hawthorne | 2.59 | 43.2 | 9.6% | 30.9% | 6.4% | 1954 | $1,876 | 47.1% | 95.7% | 4.8% |
| Rochelle Park | 2.47 | 46.6 | 10.1% | 23.4% | 2.4% | 1958 | $1,992 | 48.5% | 94.7% | 8.6% |
| Paterson | 3.32 | 34.2 | 26.9% | 73.2% | 6.5% | 1955 | $1,589 | 12.4% | 74.1% | 10.3% |
| Prospect Park | 3.12 | 40.5 | 22.9% | 57.6% | 6.7% | 1944 | $1,556 | 32.0% | 89.5% | 11.5% |
| Paramus | 2.92 | 46.9 | 6.3% | 12.8% | 3.9% | 1965 | $2,790 | 55.3% | 95.4% | 6.8% |
| Ridgewood | 2.97 | 41.9 | 8.1% | 17.3% | 5.5% | 1948 | $2,486 | 79.4% | 98.5% | 3.5% |
| Maywood | 2.64 | 45.0 | 6.7% | 30.9% | 3.3% | 1950 | $2,101 | 46.5% | 91.9% | 7.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Socorro, TX · Granite City, IL · Greeneville, TN · Greenfield, IN · Harker Heights, TX · Havertown, PA · Inman, SC · Kingston, NY · Laramie, WY · Lawndale, CA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Fair Lawn. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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