Is Fort Lee, NJ a Good Place to Live?
Fort Lee is a small city of 39,799 in New Jersey, with a median household income of $101,573 and a 4.8% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 112 (US average = 100), which is 12% above the national average.
Strengths: Fort Lee stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (A+), a well-educated population.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, longer commutes. Whether Fort Lee is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Fort Lee city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 112.5Fort Lee's overall cost of living index is 112.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Fort Lee costs roughly 12% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Fort Lee, NJ | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $393,200 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,159 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 58.4% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $101,573 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeFort Lee's violent crime rate is 131.0 per 100,000 residents — 66% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Fort Lee is served primarily by Fort Lee School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12.0:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Fort Lee, NJ | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Fort Lee School District | — |
| Elementary Schools | 4 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 12.0:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 62.8% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 95.3% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Fort Lee sees average highs of 39.9°F in January and 87.0°F in July, with 50.2 inches of annual precipitation and 29.8 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Fort Lee, NJ |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 39.9°F |
| Average High — July | 87.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 29.8" |
Demographics
| Metric | Fort Lee, NJ | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 39,799 | — |
| Median Age | 46.6 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.8% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 37.1 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 43.2% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 2.7% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 7.6% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 43.8% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 17.4% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 25.0% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Fort Lee
Fort Lee, NJ is covered by 1 ZIP code: