What makes a small city a great place to live? For starters, small cities tend to have a lower cost of living than large cities. WalletHub compared more than 1,300 U.S. cities with populations between 25,000 and 100,000 across 45 key indicators of livability such as housing costs, public schools, restaurants per capita and the crime rate.
So which small cities offer the best quality of life while remaining affordable? WalletHub released its report on 2024’s Best Small Cities in America and Fair Lawn landed in the No. 12 spot. Located in Bergen County, Fair Lawn is easily accessible to New York City via public transit. It’s known for its highly-regarded public schools, its diversity and the mix of local shops and restaurants in its River Road Business District.
“Fair Lawn is honored once again to have made it to the top of the list of Best Small Cities in America,” says Mayor Gail Rottenstrich. “We believe our No. 12, 99th percentile ranking is totally appropriate and reflected in the vibrance of our community. Although we’re listed as a small city, people come to Fair Lawn because we combine the all the convenience of a close-in suburb, with a small-town feel.”
Fair Lawn also gets high marks for its recreational facilities, including community centers, the Fair Lawn Memorial Pool and its fields, such as the Dobrow Sports Complex and Vander Plaat Memorial Field. Among its most popular spots are The Dutch House Tavern and historical gems like the Cadmus House Museum, which houses artifacts of Fair Lawn ranging from Native American arrowheads to World War I and II uniforms, and Garretson Forge and Farm, one of the country’s oldest homesteads which offer a unique glimpse into the area’s history.
Located next to Ridgewood, Glen Rock, Hawthorne, Paterson and Paramus, the average home price in Fair Lawn in 2024 is $646,676, according to Zillow, making it a good value in the area. “Perhaps what we are most well-known for is our support of our small local businesses and as a result, more and more small businesses are locating in Fair Lawn and we have become the No. 1 hottest real estate market in Bergen County,” says Mayor Rottenstrich.
Here are the top 20 small cities in America, according to WalletHub.
- Carmel, IN
- Brookfield, WI
- Lexington, MA
- Fishers, IN
- Appleton, WI
- Apex, NC
- Brentwood, TN
- Lancaster, PA
- Bozeman, MT
- Westfield, IN
- Milton, MA
- Fair Lawn, NJ
- Leesburg, VA
- Noblesville, IN
- Castle Rock, CO
- Kaysville, UT
- Saratoga Springs, NY
- Downers Grove, IL
- Needham, MA
- Arlington, MA
The other two New Jersey towns that ranked highly on this list are Ridgewood (24) and Princeton (29), both of which have thriving downtowns and earned high marks for their low crime rate, access to healthcare and highly-rated public schools.
To see the full report head to wallethub.com.
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