Essex Fells station - Bailey, c. 1907
Essex Fells’s story
125 years in pictures
Census counts: 442 in 1910, 2,244 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1907 and 8 maps from 1888 on.
- 1901Essex Fells is settled
Photo: NAB1997 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
2,235
2025 Census estimate · −0.6% since 2020
Typical home
$1.47M
+8.6% in a year
Household income
$250K
median
Median age
43.7
years
Jobs based here
357
A commuter town
Is Essex Fells a good place to live?
The best of Essex Fells’ subject grades are an A+ for health and an A for incomes and walkability; the weakest is a D− for cost of living. 81% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Essex Fells, above both the New Jersey town median (45%) and the median of U.S. towns (29%). Only 4 of New Jersey’s 530 towns score higher on health. Essex Fells's schools rank ahead of 86% of New Jersey towns. Essex Fells’ trail density is 1.4 miles per square mile, against 0.7 in New Jersey’s towns and 0.4 across U.S. towns. Essex Fells has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Essex Fells stand out
Where Essex Fells beats most towns.
32 measures vs. New Jersey
24 better7 too close to call1 worse
| Widest gap | Essex Fells | NJ |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 4.7% | 14.3% |
HealthA+
Healthier than 99% of U.S. towns
Less healthyHealthier
CDC PLACES 2025 estimates.
OutdoorsA+
2.0 miles of trail in 3 parks and preserves
WalkabilityA
More walkable than 91% of U.S. towns
5.6% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
A commuter town
98% of working residents leave Essex Fells for work
Where Essex Fells’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
357jobs based in Essex Fells
2%of working residents work in town
11 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Essex Fells grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within New Jersey), ordered by how far Essex Fells is from typical.
HealthAmong the healthiest U.S. towns; Hackensack Meridian Mountainside Medical 3.3 miles awayA+Open →Cost of livingTypical home $1.47M, 14.8 years of the New York metro’s $99K median household incomeD−Open →Jobs & incomeBased on what households earn, poverty and workAOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 9.7 of 20; 2.8% of households have no carAOpen →SchoolsSchools rank among the strongest comparedAOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 29% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listB+Open →SafetyBased on crimes reported per residentBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors2 miles of trailsA+Open →History1 notable person born hereCOpen →Civic life5.9 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsC+Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 633 attractions →Madison Square Garden and 545 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Essex Fells. Close and well known come first.
Big draw16 mi Stadium & arenaMadison Square Garden
Big draw11 mi Stadium & arenaMetLife Stadium
Big draw17 mi City parkCentral Park40.0M visitors a year
Big draw16 mi TheatreStudio 54
Big draw17 mi MuseumMetropolitan Museum of Art2.0M visitors a year
Big draw16 mi MuseumNational September 11 Memorial & MuseumSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Madison Square Garden: Ajay Suresh from New York, NY, USA, CC BY 2.0 · MetLife Stadium: babyknight, CC BY 2.0 · Central Park: Ed Yourdon from New York City, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Studio 54: Americasroof (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0 · Metropolitan Museum of Art: Hugo Schneider, CC BY-SA 2.0 · National September 11 Memorial & Museum: Paul Sableman, CC BY 2.0
_-_Full_(48124330357).jpg){kind=link}
_-_Central_Park,_NYC.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Essex Fells: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Essex Fells, and how to reach them.
PowerPSE&G25.0¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterEssex Fells Water DeptNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpEssex Fells Recycling CenterDrop-offTown site
SchoolsEssex Fells Borough School DistrictWest Essex Region School District2 districts serve Essex Fells; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES
Register to voteOnlineIn New Jersey you can register online until 21 days before Election Day, in person until 21 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 21 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereEssex County ClerkEssex County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Feb 2024
ZIP code0702107021 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Essex Fells.
HousingCost of living grade D−
Essex Fells stands out in New Jersey and nationally, with more of its households who own their home
Values rose 8.6% in the 12 months to September 2026. The going rate for rent for Essex Fells comes to $3,501 a month.
$1.47MZillow home value
| Essex Fells | New Jersey towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $3,501 a month | $1,778 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 96% | 77% | 73% |
Typical home value
Essex Fells$1.47M
New Jersey$575K
+8.6%
value change, 1 year
2
homes sold in September
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
SchoolsA
Essex Fells earns an A for schools
Its one school is below. The public schools here belong to the Essex Fells School District. Essex Fells’ only public school teaches 251 students.
86%of NJ districts it outscoresASchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essex Fells Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 251 | A+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within NJ on state tests and graduation
HealthA+
Compared with most of New Jersey and the rest of the country, fewer of Essex Fells’ adults smoke cigarettes
Essex Fells: 9.3% of adults say their health is fair or poor. Among 469 New Jersey towns, just 8 have a lower share of adults who get no exercise outside work than Essex Fells. Two figures for adults in the town: 12% report frequent mental distress, 8.7% report frequent physical distress. Against the New Jersey average, Essex Fells comes out ahead on 24 CDC measures out of 32, and behind on 1.
99%healthier than U.S. townsA+Health Grade
| Essex Fells | New Jersey towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 28% | 35% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 15% | 17% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 8.7% | 12% | 14% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 5.9% | 11% | 14% |
32 measures vs. New Jersey
24 better7 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Essex Fells | NJ |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 4.7% | 14.3% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 4.9% | 12.3% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 9.8% | 7.5% |
Hackensack Meridian Mountainside Medical
3.3 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A
With only 0.3 jobs per working resident, most people in Essex Fells work out of town
Essex Fells’ typical household income is $250,000. Employers in Essex Fells added 118 jobs between 2013 and 2023, to 357. The share of residents in Essex Fells who live below the poverty line: 0.9%. Among 469 New Jersey towns, just 4 have a lower share of working residents who work in town than Essex Fells.
2%work in town
| Essex Fells | New Jersey towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $250,000 | $113,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 0.9% | 6.1% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 31 minutes | 30 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 1.5% | 6.3% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Essex Fells2%
New York18%
Newark5%
Fairfield Township4%
Montclair Township3%
11 mi
median commute distance
357
jobs based in Essex Fells
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
A
Walkability grade: more walkable than 91% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B+
Top of a low hazard risk in Essex Fells: inland flooding
Paid flood insurance claims in Essex Fells since 1978: 15. Compared with 71% of U.S. communities, expected storm and flood damage locally is lower. Of the losses FEMA expects in the town, 75% come from inland flooding and 6% from heat waves. Federal aid has come to Essex Fells households in 10 declared disasters; the latest was in 2021.
29risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHeat waves
15
paid flood claims since 1978
10
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
In Essex Fells, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
A winter brings about 24 inches of snow, with January nights at 22° and July afternoons at 85°.
24″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter24–41°
Spring40–61°
Summer62–83°
Fall45–65°
Oct 24
typical first frost
Apr 18
typical last frost
+2.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
OutdoorsA+
Essex Fells has set aside 14% of its land for conservation
Trails run 2.0 miles in 3 parks and preserves.
14%conserved
14%
conserved · 126 of 900 acres
2.0 mi
of trails · 1.4 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Grover Cleveland Park | 0.7 mi | 15 |
| 2. Egan Field | 0.2 mi | 11 |
| 3. The Glen | — | 6 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
SafetyB
Essex Fells reports less crime per resident than 59% of U.S. towns
For Essex Fells, the property offense rate is 14 per 1,000 residents. The town recorded no violent offenses.
59%of U.S. towns report more crimeBSafety Grade
| Essex Fells | New Jersey towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 14 per 1,000 residents | 7.5 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0 per 1,000 residents | 0.7 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Essex Fells0
New Jersey2
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Essex Fells14
New Jersey12.7
U.S.15.5
59th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
0
violent crimes reported in 2025
31
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Essex Fells
20pages on Essex Fells
The big questions
SchoolsABeat 86% of NJ districts · 1 schoolSafetyB0 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthA+Better than NJ on 24 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingD−$1.47M typical home · up 8.6% in a yearWork & commuteA$250K median household income · 357 jobs hereNatural hazardsB+FEMA risk higher than 29% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
31 within 15 miles of the center of Essex Fells
Caldwell UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Caldwell0.4 mi$40,848 tuitionMontclair State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Montclair4.7 mi$15,912 in-state tuitionEssex County CollegeCommunity college · Public · Newark8 mi$5,415 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Essex Fells residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across New Jersey.
About Essex Fells
Borough in Essex County, New Jersey, US
Essex Fells is a borough in Essex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 2,244, an increase of 131 (+6.2%) from the 2010 census count of 2,113, which in turn had reflected a decline of 49 (−2.3%) from the 2,162 counted in the 2000 census. Essex Fells was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 31, 1902, from portions of Caldwell Township (now Fairfield Township). The community's name was derived by taking "Essex" from the name of the county and adding "Fells" from the name of John F. Fell which also means hill or down. New Jersey Family magazine ranked Essex Fells as the best town for fami…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1902
- Area
- 1.4 sq mi
- Elevation
- 505 ft
- ZIP code
- 07021
Essex Fells’s neighbors
5 towns share a border with Essex Fells.
RoselandCaldwellWest Caldwell TownshipWest Orange TownshipVerona TownshipEssex Fells
How the neighbors grade
| Town | NJ rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essex Fells | — | — | D− | B | A | A+ |
| Roseland | #96 | A | D | — | A | A+ |
| Caldwell | #54 | A | D− | A | A− | A+ |
| West Caldwell Township | #69 | A | D | A− | A− | A+ |
| West Orange Township | #256 | B | D− | B− | C+ | A |
| Verona Township | #68 | A | D | A | B+ | A+ |
Essex Fells has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Roseland reports no FBI crime data of its own. Compare Essex Fells with a neighbor →
Questions about Essex Fells
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Essex Fells, NJ expensive?
Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D−.