Fort Lee vs Union City
Fort Lee, New Jersey versus Union City, New Jersey: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Fort Lee and Union City score about the same overall (44 vs 44 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Fort Lee | Union City |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $102k | $60k |
| Cost of Living | $94k | $94k |
| Home Value | $393k | $448k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $3k | $3k |
| Property Tax Rate | 2.15% | 2.23% |
| Income Tax | 10.70% | 10.70% |
| Sales Tax | 6.60% | 6.60% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 21.22% | 29.56% |
| Unemployment | 4.8% | 7.8% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 34°F | 34°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 78°F | 78°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.3 in | 49.5 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 29.8 in | 29.8 in |
| Sunny Days | 233 days | 233 days |
| Summer Humidity | 63°F | 63°F |
| Comfortable Days | 82 days | 83 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 37.8 | 34.4 |
| Air Quality | 48 AQI | 45 AQI |
| School Quality | 95.8 | 100.0 |
| Violent Crime | 855/100k | 747/100k |
| Property Crime | 1357/100k | 2141/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 39,799 | 67,258 |
| Median Age | 46.6 | 36.6 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.62 | 0.72 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.95 | 0.95 |
| Political Leaning | D+75 | D+75 |
| White (%) | 38.0% | 11.6% |
| Black (%) | 2.2% | 2.9% |
| Hispanic (%) | 12.9% | 81.3% |
| Asian (%) | 43.6% | 2.8% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.3% | 1.4% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 37 min | 33 min |
| Walkability | 15.3/20 | 15.3/20 |
| Airport Distance | 7 mi | 8 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 92.9% | 84.5% |
| Amenities Nearby | 532.43 | 1065.75 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Fort Lee or Union City more affordable?
- Union City has the lower cost of living: its index is $94k, compared with Fort Lee's $94k and Union City's $94k. Median rent is $2k in Fort Lee versus $1k in Union City.
- Is Fort Lee or Union City safer?
- Union City has the lower violent crime rate. Fort Lee reports 855/100k and Union City reports 747/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Fort Lee or Union City?
- The median home value is $393k in Fort Lee and $448k in Union City, so homes are more affordable in Fort Lee.