Fair Lawn, NJ vs Somerville, NJ

Somerville is moderately more affordable than Fair Lawn, with a 12.3% lower cost of living index. Fair Lawn scores 141 compared to 126 for Somerville, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Fair Lawn can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in Fair Lawn is $1,908/month compared to $1,748/month in Somerville — a 9% difference. Home values follow the same pattern: Somerville is more affordable at $403,600 median vs $532,700.

Median household income in Fair Lawn is $147,952 compared to $103,869 in Somerville (+42.4%). While Fair Lawn is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Fair Lawn spend roughly 15.5% of their income on rent, less than the 20.2% in Somerville.