Fair Lawn at a glance
- Population: 35,564 (US Census Bureau, Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate), the 24th-largest of 323 places in New Jersey.
- 2020 Census base: 34,930 residents in the 2020 Census, per the US Census Bureau.
- 2020 to 2023 change: a gain of roughly 1.8% between the 2020 count and the 2023 estimate (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among New Jersey places: 24th in population of 323 places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: ahead of around 93% of New Jersey places in population terms (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 40.9358 / -74.1175, per the US Census Bureau Gazetteer.
- Nearest larger cities: Paterson, NJ (3 mi); Hackensack, NJ (5 mi); Passaic, NJ (5 mi); Clifton, NJ (6 mi); Fort Lee, NJ (10 mi); each population is a US Census Bureau estimate.
- Nearest smaller communities: Glen Rock, NJ (2 mi); Elmwood Park, NJ (2 mi); Hawthorne, NJ (3 mi) (Census populations).
What a personal loan costs in Fair Lawn
Personal loans are installment credit — one lump sum, repaid in equal monthly installments across a fixed term you agree to up front.
The number to compare is the APR, not the interest rate, because the APR folds in origination fees and other charges; our personal loan calculator will show what a given amount and term would cost.
Because interest accrues for longer, a longer term means a lower installment and a higher total cost — decide which matters more to you.
A payment that strains the budget is a warning sign; a smaller loan or a little more saving time is the safer route.
New Jersey lending rules that apply in Fair Lawn
Every figure in the table below is sourced to a publisher with a date; where a state does not publish a number, we say so rather than estimate.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| State lending regulator | New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance (DOBI); Office of Consumer Finance supervises consumer lenders Source says: "The Office of Consumer Finance regulates 16 types of businesses that provide a variety of consumer financial services." | New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance as of 2026-09-16 |
| Criminal usury limits | 30% for non-corporate borrowers; 50% for corporations Source says: "the criminal usury limitation is 50 percent for corporations and 30 percent for non-corporate borrowers" | New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | Civil usury: rates above 6% (agreement not in writing) or above 16% (written contract specifying the rate) Source says: "the civil usury rate is any interest rate greater than 6 percent for an agreement that is not in writing" | New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Unlicensed payday lending violates New Jersey's civil and criminal usury rates; payday lenders must be licensed Source says: "out-of-state or foreign entities that have not obtained the required New Jersey license and whose payment terms violate New Jersey's civil and criminal usury rates" | New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Consumer lender license required for loans of $50,000 or less for personal, family, or household purposes (N.J.S.A. 17:11C-1 et seq.) Source says: "A consumer lender license is required for the making of a loan that is to be used primarily for personal, family or household purposes" | New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Fair Lawn
Before you share your details with a lender in Fair Lawn:
- Pull your free credit reports and dispute any error — it is the cheapest way to improve the rate you are offered.
- Run your figures through the personal loan calculator on this site so you know the payment before a lender quotes one.
- Pre-qualify with at least three lenders and compare the APR, not the interest rate.
- Check that the lender is licensed in New Jersey using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.