Fair Lawn Lands Among Top 20 Small U.S. Cities in WalletHub Study

In a striking achievement, Fair Lawn, New Jersey, claimed the 20th position among 1,318 small cities across America. The WalletHub 2025 study gave this Bergen County community 68.29 points after checking five key areas.

The study focused on towns with 25,000 to 100,000 people. WalletHub's team checked 45 things that make a place good to live in: from what things cost to how safe the streets are.

The town shined brightest in schools and medical care, taking 31st place in the nation. Safety stats put Fair Lawn at 69th, while living costs ranked 117th. The town's money matters sat at 252nd, with daily life scoring 819th.

"Small-city life can be best for those who appreciate more wiggle room, fewer degrees of separation and shorter commutes, to name just a few of its advantages," said WalletHub Analyst Chip Lupo, according to NorthJersey.com.

Time has brought changes. While Fair Lawn stood at 12th in 2024 and once held a top-10 spot, its current rank still puts it in the top 2% of small cities studied.

Other New Jersey spots made waves too. Six towns broke into the top 10%: Ridgewood at 97th, Princeton taking 96th, Paramus hitting 92nd, Hoboken reaching 91st, with Bergenfield and Westfield tied at 90th.

Just ahead of Fair Lawn, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, took 17th place. The mix of old charm and fresh updates to its center caught the judges' eyes.

Americans' living choices keep shifting. The WalletHub report cited an Ipsos poll showing 47% want suburban life, while 24% pick cities and 23% choose country living.

At the very top stands Carmel, Indiana. Following close behind are Brookfield, Wisconsin, then Apex, North Carolina, Lexington, Massachusetts, and Westfield, Indiana.