Bergen County · Radburn · Broadway · River Road · Two NJ Transit stations
Fair Lawn, New Jersey
Fair Lawn is a large, established Bergen County borough that combines residential neighborhoods, major commercial corridors, two commuter-rail stations, extensive recreation, a significant industrial and office base and one of America's best-known planned communities.
Radburn, developed beginning in 1928 as the “Town for the Motor Age,” gives Fair Lawn a place in planning history, while Broadway, River Road, Fair Lawn Avenue, Route 208 and Saddle River Road support everyday shopping, dining, services and employment.
Fair Lawn at a glance
Fair Lawn is one of Bergen County's larger suburban municipalities, with the population, school system, commerce and transit options of a regional community while retaining distinct neighborhood identities.
Explore Fair Lawn
Historic Fair Lawn
The area that became Fair Lawn was part of the much larger Saddle River Township and remained predominantly agricultural through the 19th century.
Rail service helped shift the area from farming toward residential and industrial growth.
The borough was incorporated March 6, 1924 from portions of Saddle River Township.
Clarence Stein and Henry Wright's internationally influential planned community introduced pedestrian greenways and separation of walking and vehicle traffic.
The borough's official name was changed from the one-word “Fairlawn” to the present two-word spelling.
Large areas of former farmland became residential neighborhoods, while Route 208 industrial development expanded the local employment base.
Radburn · a landmark in American planning
Radburn was conceived in 1928 as a planned community responding to the rise of the automobile while protecting pedestrian movement.
Homes, parks and walking paths were arranged so residents could move through much of the neighborhood with fewer roadway crossings.
Radburn became internationally influential as a model for planned communities and is recognized for its planning and landscape-design importance.
The neighborhood's commercial plaza and nearby Fair Lawn Avenue businesses support shopping, dining, banking and commuter needs near the rail station.
Commercial districts & local economy
A dense commercial corridor with restaurants, banks, retail, automotive uses and the Broadway NJ Transit station.
Neighborhood shopping, supermarkets, pharmacies, restaurants, personal services and apartments over storefronts.
Civic buildings, transit, neighborhood retail, dining, banking and professional services around the borough center and Radburn area.
Corporate offices, financial services, industrial properties, distribution and larger employment uses along the highway corridor.
Professional services, banking, printing, medical offices and local retail near the eastern side of the borough.
Census business data reports about $438.9 million in retail sales and $394.3 million in healthcare and social-assistance receipts/revenue.
Parks, recreation & community life
10-10 20th Street · gymnasium, fitness room, walking track, arcade, theater and year-round recreation programs for residents.
Major borough recreation complex with athletic facilities and the Joe Gambucci Street Hockey Court.
Seasonal municipal aquatic recreation with resident programs and summer activities.
Camps, sports, fitness, cultural programs, concerts, movies and seasonal events are offered through Recreation & Parks.
Fair Lawn Public Schools
The district serves PK–12 students through ten schools and reports enrollment of more than 5,600 students and more than 1,000 employees.
District high school serving the borough's secondary students.
One of Fair Lawn's two district middle schools.
District middle school serving Fair Lawn students.
The district operates multiple neighborhood elementary schools, including Radburn, Warren Point, Lyncrest, Westmoreland, Forrest and others.
Maurice M. Pine Free Public Library
Central public library serving Fair Lawn residents through BCCLS resources, collections and programs.
Library cards, events, public resources, museum passes, hotspot reservations and community services.
The library sits near Borough Hall and major Fair Lawn Avenue civic destinations.
Rail, bus & regional access
NJ Transit Bergen County Line station at Pollitt Drive and Fair Lawn Avenue with commuter parking and bike facilities.
Second Bergen County Line station located above Broadway/Route 4, giving Fair Lawn unusually strong rail coverage for a suburban borough.
Current borough transportation information identifies NJ Transit routes 144, 145, 164 and 175 among direct New York-oriented options.
Route 4, Route 208 and nearby Route 17, I-80 and the Garden State Parkway connect Fair Lawn to Bergen County and the wider region.
The borough provides a reservation-based minibus service for eligible residents and identifies county and Access Link alternatives.
The Census reports a 31.3-minute mean travel time to work for 2020–2024.
Borough government & official resources
Nearby communities
Residential Bergen County borough directly north with two rail lines and a walkable center.
Major retail and healthcare hub east of Fair Lawn across the Saddle River.
Neighboring Bergen County township along the southeast side of Fair Lawn.
Borough immediately south and west, sharing the Broadway/Route 4 corridor.
Passaic County borough northwest of Fair Lawn.
Major Passaic County city across the Passaic River to the west and southwest.
Explore Fair Lawn on NJTGO
Use the full seven-page guide for local businesses, restaurants, real estate, visitor planning, community classifieds and employment.
Advertising & Enhanced ListingsFair Lawn government, Census, school, library, recreation, transit, business and community information was reviewed in September 2026. Programs, schedules, businesses, parking rules and municipal information can change; verify time-sensitive details with the responsible organization.