Population 40,053 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Fort Lee
Household size in Fort Lee
| Period | Fort Lee | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.23 | 2.79 | 2.77 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.28 | 2.85 | 2.82 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.22 | 2.82 | 2.78 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.29 | 2.79 | 2.76 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.07 | −0.00 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Fort Lee are small: just 2.29 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has crept up from 2.23, even as the national average fell. Only 36 of the 415 New Jersey cities with 5,000+ people have smaller households.
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 Fort Lee
| Period | Fort Lee | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 44.8 | 38.0 | 39.1 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 45.6 | 38.7 | 40.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 47.4 | 39.8 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 47.0 | 40.4 | 40.9 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.2 | +2.4 | +1.8 | +2.3 |
Fort Lee skews older: half of its residents are older than 47.0, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. The median age has climbed from 44.8 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Fort Lee
| Period | Fort Lee | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.8% | 13.1% | 11.6% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.4% | 12.8% | 11.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 5.9% | 11.4% | 10.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.9% | 11.6% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.8 pts | −1.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 5.9% of households in Fort Lee, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is down 0.8 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Fort Lee
Renters in Fort Lee
| Period | Fort Lee | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.4% | 47.1% | 33.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 42.4% | 48.7% | 35.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 40.6% | 48.8% | 36.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 44.6% | 48.6% | 36.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | +7.2 pts | +1.5 pts | +3.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
More than four in ten households in Fort Lee rent their homes (44.6%), above the national share of 34.8%. Still, renters make up a smaller share here than in the wider New York area (48.6%). Among homeowners, 54.7% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has risen 7.2 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Fort Lee
| Period | Fort Lee | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.8% | 9.1% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.1% | 9.0% | 9.3% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.9% | 9.1% | 9.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.8% | 7.9% | 6.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.0 pts | −1.2 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Fort Lee than nationally: 7.8%, against 9.6% for the U.S. The picture is much the same across the New York area. Vacancy is down 2.0 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Fort Lee
| Period | Fort Lee | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1968 | 1957 | 1965 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1968 | 1958 | 1966 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1972 | 1959 | 1967 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1976 | 1962 | 1969 | 1980 |
| Change | +8 | +5 | +5 | +6 |
The typical home in Fort Lee was built around 1976, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). Homes here are newer than in the New York area as a whole, where the median home dates to 1962. The median year built has moved up from 1968 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the east, the oldest in the southwest.
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 Fort Lee
| Period | Fort Lee | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,520 | $1,268 | $1,246 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,555 | $1,377 | $1,324 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $2,014 | $1,645 | $1,522 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,404 | $2,060 | $1,896 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$883 | +$792 | +$651 | +$606 |
The median renter in Fort Lee pays $2,404 a month for rent and utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $883 a month since 2006–10, up 58%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 31.3% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the south; the most affordable are in the west.
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 Fort Lee
Bachelor's degrees in Fort Lee
| Period | Fort Lee | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 53.1% | 35.0% | 34.7% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 53.8% | 36.7% | 36.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 59.5% | 39.9% | 39.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 66.6% | 43.6% | 43.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +13.5 pts | +8.6 pts | +8.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fort Lee is highly educated: about two-thirds of adults 25 and older (66.6%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 13.5 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Fort Lee has a higher share of college graduates than the great majority of New Jersey cities.
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 Fort Lee
| Period | Fort Lee | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 92.3% | 83.7% | 87.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 92.7% | 84.6% | 88.1% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 94.5% | 86.2% | 89.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.3% | 86.9% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.0 pts | +3.3 pts | +3.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Fort Lee: 94.3% 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 2.0 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Fort Lee
| Period | Fort Lee | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.0% | 7.9% | 7.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.1% | 9.5% | 9.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.2% | 5.7% | 5.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.7% | 6.9% | 6.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.3 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.7%, unemployment in Fort Lee is close to the national rate of 5.4%. The rate is lower than in the New York area as a whole (6.9%). 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).
Fort Lee 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Lee | 2.29 | 47.0 | 5.9% | 44.6% | 7.8% | 1976 | $2,404 | 66.6% | 94.3% | 5.7% |
| Leonia | 2.80 | 45.7 | 6.7% | 29.9% | 7.9% | 1949 | $2,400 | 61.8% | 93.6% | 5.3% |
| Palisades Park | 2.75 | 43.2 | 10.8% | 64.5% | 3.1% | 1974 | $2,103 | 49.2% | 87.5% | 5.6% |
| Ridgefield | 2.89 | 40.0 | 9.1% | 48.6% | 2.2% | 1959 | $2,201 | 44.3% | 91.8% | 5.0% |
| Cliffside Park | 2.50 | 42.6 | 10.3% | 49.7% | 6.4% | 1961 | $2,007 | 41.0% | 85.4% | 4.5% |
| Edgewater | 2.05 | 43.3 | 5.6% | 58.7% | 7.7% | 1985 | $2,706 | 70.4% | 97.5% | 8.0% |
| Englewood Cliffs | 2.69 | 50.3 | 7.9% | 16.5% | 5.1% | 1972 | $3,355 | 74.1% | 95.2% | 4.6% |
| Ridgefield Park | 2.63 | 41.2 | 13.8% | 39.9% | 6.9% | 1948 | $1,756 | 34.6% | 88.8% | 9.9% |
| Fairview | 2.83 | 39.9 | 15.2% | 66.7% | 2.5% | 1959 | $1,599 | 22.5% | 72.8% | 9.4% |
| Englewood | 2.68 | 42.7 | 19.0% | 45.4% | 5.7% | 1962 | $2,069 | 45.3% | 90.9% | 7.4% |
| Bogota | 2.78 | 43.4 | 9.5% | 32.6% | 3.4% | 1944 | $1,915 | 32.0% | 88.8% | 6.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Woodlawn, MD · Security-Widefield, CO · South Salt Lake, UT · Hillsborough, NJ · South Valley, NM · Greenwich, CT · Fairborn, OH · Estero, FL · Summit, AZ · East Point, GA
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 Fort Lee. 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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