Borough · New Jersey
Fanwood, New Jersey
Fanwood, borough, in Union County, New Jersey. Fanwood had 8,035 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 3.3% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 7,774 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 7,799 (±56). GEOID 3422860.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
8,035
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 7,774 · ACS 2020-2024: 7,799 ±56
Median household income
$195,529
±$40,950 (90% margin)
New Jersey: $103,556
Median home value
$635,200
±$38,290 (90% margin)
New Jersey: $454,400
Median gross rent
$2,446
±$736 (90% margin)
New Jersey: $1,720
Where is Fanwood and what county is it in?
Fanwood is a borough in Union County, New Jersey. It covers 1.3 square miles of land, 5,801 residents per square mile in 2020.
Fanwood is in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 22 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Fanwood, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 8,035 people lived in Fanwood on July 1, 2025, up 3.3% since 2020, faster than New Jersey (+2.8%). The 2020 Census counted 7,774 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 7,799 (±56).
| Measure | Fanwood | Union County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 7,799 ±56 | 579,290 | +139 |
| Households | 2,835 ±134 | 203,277 | +329 |
| Average household size | 2.74 ±0.13 | 2.82 | −0.27 |
| Housing units | 2,898 ±127 | 212,385 | +335 |
Fanwood's population since 2000
From 7,174 in 2000 to 8,035 in 2025: up 12.0%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Fanwood as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Fanwood?
The median resident of Fanwood is 43.4 years old; 24.0% are under 18 and 18.3% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 69.4%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 11.2%. 16.0% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Fanwood | Union County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.4 ±3.5 | 39.1 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 24.0% ±3.1 pts | 23.5% | – |
| 65 years and over | 18.3% ±2.9 pts | 15.1% | – |
| Male | 48.4% ±3.0 pts | 49.4% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 11.2% ±4.8 pts | 35.2% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 69.4% ±6.9 pts | 35.4% | −9.1 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 3.9% ±2.5 pts | 19.1% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 6.9% ±2.5 pts | 5.6% | no clear change |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.6 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.6 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 8.0% ±3.5 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.6% ±0.8 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 16.0% ±4.1 pts | 33.6% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 18.0% ±4.6 pts | 47.6% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 4.0% ±1.7 pts | 2.5% | – |
| With a disability | 8.2% ±2.5 pts | 9.1% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 1.9% ±1.5 pts | 13.0% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 96.9% ±1.6 pts | 86.3% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 73.0% ±6.2 pts | 38.9% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 28.2% ±5.7 pts | 15.8% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 93.1% ±3.5 pts | 90.5% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.9% ±0.8 pts | 1.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Fanwood earn?
Half of Fanwood's 2,835 households earn less than $195,529 a year (±$40,950), against $103,202 in Union County and $103,556 in New Jersey. In 2015-2019 it was $182,026 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart.
| Measure | Fanwood | Union County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $195,529 ±$40,950 | $103,202 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $198,434 ±$17,690 | $149,595 | – |
| Per capita income | $72,810 ±$8,067 | $52,874 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 1.0% ±0.8 pts | 9.2% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 0.8% ±1.3 pts | 11.8% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 1.7% ±1.7 pts | 8.8% | – |
| Households with a computer | 97.5% ±2.4 pts | 95.8% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 97.3% ±1.7 pts | 93.3% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Fanwood?
Owners occupy 84.9% of Fanwood's occupied homes and renters 15.1%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $635,200 by its owner (±$38,290). The median renter pays $2,446 a month including utilities, and 54.8% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Fanwood | Union County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $635,200 ±$38,290 | $529,200 | +$59,481 |
| Median gross rent | $2,446 ±$736 | $1,730 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 54.8% ±21.0 pts | 42.8% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $3,708 ±$279 | $3,203 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 84.9% ±4.2 pts | 57.4% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 15.1% ±4.2 pts | 42.6% | – |
| Housing units | 2,898 ±127 | 212,385 | +335 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±1.8 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 5.9% ±9.0 pts | 3.1% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 82.8% ±4.9 pts | 49.7% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.9% ±1.4 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.2% ±0.4 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 8.2% ±3.3 pts | 5.8% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 26.1% ±9.5 pts | 23.5% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 5.6% ±3.3 pts | 10.2% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Fanwood building?
Builders took permits for 2 new housing units in Fanwood in 2025 (2 in single-family houses), 0.2 per 1,000 residents against 2.9 across New Jersey.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Fanwood work and get to work?
61.9% of Fanwood's workers drive alone and 26.1% work from home. The average trip to work takes 41.6 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 2.7%.
| Measure | Fanwood | Union County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 70.4% ±5.5 pts | 69.3% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 2.7% ±1.6 pts | 6.5% | −4.1 pts |
| Drove alone to work | 61.9% ±6.4 pts | 60.9% | – |
| Carpooled | 0.8% ±0.8 pts | 8.9% | – |
| Public transportation | 10.2% ±3.9 pts | 9.1% | – |
| Walked | 0.8% ±0.9 pts | 2.4% | – |
| Worked from home | 26.1% ±7.1 pts | 14.2% | +16.3 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 41.6 min ±9.2 | 30.2 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Fanwood?
2 census tracts lie mostly in Fanwood (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $167,054 (Tract 387.01) to $206,771 (Tract 387.02).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 387.01Union County | 3,940 | $167,054 |
| Tract 387.02Union County | 3,859 | $206,771 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Fanwood) · Census block assignment files
How does Fanwood compare with other places in New Jersey?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Fanwood is the 3,731st-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 146th-most populous of 323 in New Jersey.
Fanwood ranks 71st of 771 places in New Jersey with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 146th | 323 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 139th | 532 |
| Residents per square mile | 116th | 787 |
| Median household income | 71st | 771 |
| Per capita income | 170th | 785 |
| Median home value | 168th | 777 |
| Median gross rent | 85th | 701 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 66th | 780 |
| Median age | 337th | 786 |
| Owner-occupied share | 294th | 777 |
| Work from home | 128th | 695 |
| Travel time to work | 28th | 787 |
Fanwood's figures with every place in New Jersey (CSV)
Every place in New Jersey, sortable · Compare Fanwood with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Fanwood?
14 of the 57 figures for Fanwood on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Fanwood are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Fanwood.