Fort Lee, New Jersey
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Fort Lee, New Jersey
Moving to Fort Lee, New Jersey puts you in a dense Bergen County borough of 40,000 residents with some of the fastest Manhattan bus access in the state, just minutes from the George Washington Bridge. Median household income is $107,274, median home value is $448,000, and median gross rent is $2,270. There is no train station, parking rules are strict, and costs run well above national averages. Schools are strong, with a 94.5% four-year graduation rate versus 91.3% statewide.
Moving to Fort Lee, New Jersey
Fort Lee is a dense Bergen County borough of roughly 40,000 people (40,191 in the 2020 Census) packed into 2.52 square miles at the foot of the George Washington Bridge. Moving to Fort Lee, New Jersey buys you some of the fastest Manhattan access in the state, but the commute is bus-based, parking rules are strict, and housing costs run well above the national average. The experience changes block by block, so you are choosing an address, not just a city. There is no local train station.
Is Fort Lee, NJ a Great Place to Live?
Yes, with caveats. You get quick access to Upper Manhattan, river and skyline views, well-regarded public schools, parks, and an unusually deep international dining and grocery scene with Korean restaurants and markets at its center.
- Pros: walkable amenities, cultural depth, strong school data, bridge access.
- Cons: housing cost, density, bridge traffic, permit parking.
Fort Lee at a Glance
| Metric | Figure | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 40,191 | 2020 Census |
| Land area | 2.52 sq mi | 2020 |
| Density | 15,961.5 per sq mi | 2020 |
| Households | 18,287 | 2020–2024 ACS |
| Median household income | $107,274 | 2020–2024, 2024 dollars |
| Bachelor’s degree or higher (25+) | 65.8% | 2020–2024 |
| Foreign-born residents | 50.1% | 2020–2024 |
| Language other than English at home | 60.5% | 2020–2024 |
| Mean travel time to work | 35 minutes | 2020–2024 |
Source: U.S. Census QuickFacts.
What Does It Cost to Live in Fort Lee?
Census benchmarks for 2020–2024: median gross rent $2,270, median owner-occupied home value $448,000, owner-occupancy 55.4%, and median monthly owner costs with a mortgage $3,579. New Jersey’s 2025 table lists Fort Lee’s general tax rate at 2.700 and effective rate at 1.839. These are multiyear estimates, not today’s asking rents. Listings swing hard on high-rise versus low-rise, parking inclusion, views, amenities, and condo fees. Budget the whole monthly number, including parking, utilities, renter’s insurance, and dues. Run it through our Cost of Living Calculator and Rent vs. Buy Calculator first.
Which Fort Lee Area Fits Your Routine?
There is no official neighborhood map here, so compare housing and mobility zones instead of informal names.
- Main Street/downtown: mixed-use and walkable, with municipal parking.
- Bridge Plaza and Hudson Terrace: best bus and bridge access, most traffic and noise, extra weekend parking restrictions.
- Palisade and Lemoine corridors: apartments and condos over retail; conditions vary by block.
- Interior blocks (Myrtle Avenue area): tree-lined streets, lower-rise homes and townhomes, local eateries, though bridge diversion traffic still reaches them.
- Cliff and river-facing high-rises: views, but check fees, elevators, move-in rules, and wind exposure.
Neighboring Bergen County boroughs like Leonia are worth comparing too.
Commuting From Fort Lee to New York City
No train station. This is a bus, car, bike, and walking town. NJ Transit routes serving Fort Lee include 171, 175, 178, 181, 182, 186, and 188, most running to the George Washington Bridge Bus Station; Route 186 links Bridge Plaza to that terminal. Mean travel time to work was 35 minutes (2020–2024 ACS), an all-worker average, not a Manhattan guarantee. Ignore any “10 minutes to Manhattan” claim. Door-to-door depends on your walk to the stop, transfers, bridge incidents, and which part of Manhattan you are headed to. The bridge pathway allows pedestrians, bicycles, and qualifying e-bikes and scooters, with dismount zones at the towers (Port Authority rules, revised January 2026). Ride your actual route at 8 am and again at 6 pm before you sign.
Parking and Driving: What New Residents Get Wrong
Parking is the problem most newcomers underestimate. Residential permits are digital. Per fortleenj.org, unregistered vehicles are generally limited to two hours from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays in permit zones, while registered resident vehicles may stay up to 48 hours. Streets near Hudson Terrace carry extra weekend and holiday restrictions, and a traffic pass helps police identify residents during heavy bridge congestion. Violations can mean a summons or a tow. Meters generally run $1 per 30 minutes; municipal lots about $2 per hour for three hours, then $3, enforced around the clock. Verify current rates, then ask whether a space is assigned, garage or lot, and whether guests can park at all.
Jobs and Working In and Around Fort Lee
Treat Fort Lee as part of the NY–NJ metro job market rather than a standalone employment hub. Labor force participation was 62% for residents 16 and older (2020–2024). Local and county work clusters in health care and social assistance, education, finance and real estate, professional and technical services, retail and hospitality, and government. River views and bridge access make it a strong remote and hybrid base. Check the NJ Department of Labor dashboards for current unemployment and wages.
Fort Lee Schools: What to Verify Before You Rent or Buy
Fort Lee High School serves the district’s grades 9–12. The district also runs Schools No. 1 through 4 plus the No. 2 Annex and Lewis F. Cole Intermediate and Middle Schools. Average daily enrollment was 3,998 (2024–25 audited report). The Cohort 2024 four-year graduation rate was 94.5% against 91.3% statewide, and 2023–24 chronic absenteeism was 11.3% versus 14.9% statewide. Students took 781 AP or IB exams with 580 qualifying scores. Registration is online with an October 1 age cutoff. Confirm assignment by exact address and use NJDOE performance reports, not third-party letter grades.
Hospitals, Health Care, and Safety in Fort Lee
Regional hospital care sits close by rather than inside the borough. Bergen County’s official directory lists hospital resources in Englewood, Teaneck, and Hackensack, and Englewood Hospital operates a 24/7 emergency department at 350 Engle Street. Confirm your doctors are in network and locate the nearest urgent care and pharmacy from the actual address. On safety, you will hear plenty of secondhand opinions, so check current official municipal or NJ State Police reporting for a comparable year instead. Then look at address-level factors: crossings near the bridge approaches, winter sidewalk and hill conditions, building fire and elevator systems, lobby and garage security, and how quickly emergency vehicles reach the block when traffic backs up.
Things to Do in Fort Lee
Fort Lee was the original motion picture capital of the United States, and the Barrymore Film Center (opened 2022) carries that history with a 253-seat cinema and a 2,500-square-foot film museum, drawing more than 25,000 visitors in its first two years. Fort Lee Historic Park has bridge and Hudson River overlooks, a reconstructed Revolutionary War encampment, and a visitor center with seasonal hours. Add borough parks, community gardens, the dog park at William Birch Park, and Palisades Interstate Park trails nearby. Dining runs deep, with Korean restaurants and markets anchoring a broad international scene. Residents also organize adult co-ed rec leagues, hobby groups, and small-business networking circles.
Before You Sign: New Jersey Renter Rules to Know
General information, not legal advice. New Jersey generally caps a residential security deposit at 1.5 months’ rent, so first month plus deposit is typically a 2.5-month maximum at signing. Covered landlords must distribute the state’s Truth in Renting guide, available in English and Spanish. Since March 20, 2024, landlords must give qualifying prospective renters known and mapped flood-risk information before the lease obligates them. Certain pre-1978 rentals require lead-based paint inspections roughly every three years or at turnover, with lead-safe certificates generally valid two years. Ask about move-in deposits, elevator reservations, and who answers maintenance requests. This paperwork is exactly what a broker-owned, full-service manager handles so neither side has to guess.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Fort Lee have a train station?
No. Commuters use NJ Transit buses to the George Washington Bridge Bus Station, drive, or bike and walk the bridge pathway.
Why is Fort Lee known for its Korean restaurants and markets?
Fort Lee has a long-established Korean American community and a notable Asian community overall, which is why Korean restaurants, bakeries, and grocers are a defining part of the borough’s food scene.
How do I judge safety when comparing New Jersey towns?
Use current official municipal or state police data for a comparable reporting year rather than crowd-sourced grades. Then visit the exact block at night and at rush hour and check lighting, crossings, and building security.
Your Next Step
Run your numbers with KT Rents’ Cost of Living Calculator, Rent Calculator, and Rent vs. Buy Calculator, then browse rentals nationwide on our marketplace. Own property in Fort Lee or anywhere else? We handle tenant placement, tenant screening, rent collection, property inspections, maintenance, permits, 1099s, and court evictions without you lifting a finger. Call (800) 716-4950, text (608) 207-0657, or email info@ktrents.com. We respond within 24 hours. Broker-owned and full service since 2009, with 683 units across 34 states and $187M in assets under management as of early 2025, and a reported 98% occupancy rate. Your Rental. Your Way.