Fairview receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Fairview
New Brunswick
Opportunity
66 · Top 29%
vs49 · Bottom 35%
Growth
56 · Top 40%
vs55 · Top 42%
Climate
72 · Top 39%
vs63 · Bottom 30%
Physical resilience
47 · Bottom 37%
vs46 · Bottom 36%
Housing affordability
29 · Bottom 1%
vs42 · Bottom 5%
Schools
21 · Bottom 12%
vs20 · Bottom 11%
Access
97 · Top 22%
vs92 · Top 48%
Economic stability
57 · Bottom 43%
vs44 · Bottom 22%
Measured values
| Metric | Fairview | New Brunswick | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 15,099 | 56,345 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $63,606 | $65,810 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,969 | $25,416 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 17,890/sq mi | 10,767/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $511,400 | $353,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,694 | $1,814 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 33.2% | 21.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 5.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.5% | 0.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.3% | 23.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 20.8% | 32.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 61 | 55 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.0 | 1.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -14.1% | 41.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 85°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 28°F | 21°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 49.5" | 45.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 12 mi | 20 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 34.6 min | 25.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.6 | 24.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 3 | 13 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.12 | 10.86 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 4.3% | 3.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 26.6% | 21.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 78.6% | 90.8% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Fairview
Elevated or high exposure: coastal flooding, earthquake.
New Brunswick
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Fairview
56
Your Score
53
Area Score
New Brunswick
51
Your Score
48
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Fairview, NJ · New Brunswick, NJ · How this is calculated: methodology