Little Ferry offers a charming suburban atmosphere with a strong sense of community. Residents enjoy easy access to parks, local shops, and dining options, making it perfect for families and young professionals alike. The city's proximity to major highways and public transportation provides a convenient commute to New York City, enhancing its appeal for those seeking a balance between urban and suburban living. With its friendly neighborhoods and vibrant local culture, Little Ferry is an inviting place to call home.
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Average Sales Price
$854,883
Median Sales Price
$707,264
Population
11,082
Total Listings
36
Little Ferry NJ – Hyper-Local Block
Living in Little Ferry
Hackensack River Waterfront. 9 Miles from Manhattan. Bergen's Most Accessible Entry-Point Borough.
Everything you need to know before making Little Ferry, NJ home.
Little Ferry sits at the confluence of the Hackensack River and Overpeck Creek in the New Jersey Meadowlands — 9 miles from Manhattan, bracketed by Routes 46 and I-80, and surrounded by Hackensack, Moonachie, Ridgefield, Ridgefield Park, and South Hackensack. In 1.67 square miles, it houses more than 11,000 residents — one of Bergen County's higher population densities at this price point — with a genuine waterfront character along the Hackensack River that distinguishes it from most Meadowlands-adjacent communities. The 2024 average tax bill of $10,577 and median home sale around $550,500–$559,000 make Little Ferry Bergen County's most accessible entry-point borough for buyers who want an established residential community without the $700K+ price floor common elsewhere in the county.
The borough carries the memory and the resilience of Hurricane Sandy (2012), which severely flooded Little Ferry and prompted significant rebuilding and infrastructure investment. Flood risk remains a material buyer consideration — approximately 28% of the borough was affected — and any serious buyer should review specific property flood zone status. The community that rebuilt from Sandy is a stronger one: newer construction, flood-resilient infrastructure, and a resident base that chose to stay and invest rather than leave. With 46.7% foreign-born residents and a demographic mix of 41% White, 34.4% Hispanic, and 19.4% Asian, Little Ferry is one of Bergen County's most genuinely diverse communities — a practical, unpretentious borough that delivers the Meadowlands waterfront and Manhattan proximity at Bergen County's most accessible price point.
Hackensack River WaterfrontMeadowlands confluence · scenic asset
🛣️
Route 46 · I-80 · 9 Miles from ManhattanNJ Transit bus to Port Authority · car-primary
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9.6:1 K–8 Ratio · DFG CD2 schools · ~950 students · Ridgefield Park HS
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46.7% Foreign-Born · Deeply Diverse41% White · 34.4% Hispanic · 19.4% Asian
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Post-Sandy Rebuilt CommunitySignificant investment since 2012 · newer stock
Commute & Connectivity
Getting There From Here
Little Ferry is a car-primary Meadowlands community — Route 46 and I-80 give direct highway access, NJ Transit buses run to Port Authority, and the average commute of 29.2 minutes reflects a resident base that largely drives rather than trains.
NYC Port Authority (Bus)
NJ Transit bus · Route 46 corridor
~35–45
minutes by bus
Midtown Manhattan (Car)
Via I-95 N / GWB or Lincoln Tunnel · ~9 miles
~25–35
minutes by car (off-peak)
George Washington Bridge
Via Rt-46 E / I-95 N · ~7 miles
~15–20
minutes by car
Newark Liberty Airport
Via NJ Turnpike S · ~12 miles
~20
minutes by car
Hackensack (County Seat)
Via Main St / River Rd · ~3 miles
~8
minutes by car
Public Schools
Education That Raises Property Values
Little Ferry runs its own PreK–8 district with an outstanding 9.6:1 ratio across 2 schools and ~950 students, then sends students to Ridgefield Park High School for 9–12 — a send/receive relationship in place since 1953.
School
Grades
Type
Student:Teacher
Rating
Washington Elementary School Little Ferry Public Schools · PreK–4 · ~500 students
PreK – 4
Public
9.6 : 1
B
Memorial School (Middle School) 130 Liberty St · Grades 5–8 · ~400 students
5 – 8
Public
9.6 : 1
B
Ridgefield Park High School Ridgefield Park · Send/receive since 1953 · Scarlets
9 – 12
Public
~13 : 1
B
Little Ferry Public Schools: District Factor Group CD · 2 schools · ~950 students · 9.6:1 ratio (exceptional for this price tier). 9–12 send/receive with Ridgefield Park Public Schools since 1953 (Ridgefield Park High School, Scarlets). Bergen County Academies (Hackensack, ~5 min) accessible for qualifying students.
Neighborhood Life
What Makes Little Ferry Little Ferry
Explore the Hackensack River waterfront, the Meadowlands setting, the borough's remarkable post-Sandy resilience, and the genuinely diverse Meadowlands community that makes Little Ferry Bergen County's most practical and most underpriced river town.
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Local Dining on Route 46 Corridor
Little Ferry's commercial dining is anchored by the Route 46 corridor — a mix of local restaurants, diners, and casual eateries that reflect the borough's practical, working-community character. With 34.4% Hispanic and 19.4% Asian residents, the dining options include authentic Latin American and Asian establishments that serve the borough's multinational community. This is not a curated restaurant district — it is a real neighborhood food scene.
Route 46 · Local · Latin American · Asian
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Hispanic & Latin American Dining
With 34.4% Hispanic residents — one of Bergen County's highest concentrations at this price tier — Little Ferry has authentic Latin American restaurants, bakeries, and specialty food shops that serve a community with deep roots. For buyers relocating from Latin American communities in Hudson County or New York City, Little Ferry's cultural dining infrastructure is a genuine draw alongside its price point.
34.4% Hispanic · Authentic · Community-Driven
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Hackensack & Ridgefield Park (~5 min)
Hackensack's Main Street commercial district and broader restaurant scene — and Ridgefield Park's local dining corridor — are both approximately 5 minutes from Little Ferry. The borough's position between Hackensack and Ridgefield Park means residents have immediate access to two active commercial neighbors without Little Ferry itself needing to host a major commercial district.
~5 min · Hackensack · Ridgefield Park
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International & Everyday Grocery Access
Little Ferry's Route 46 corridor and proximity to Hackensack provide solid everyday grocery access — including international markets serving the borough's diverse population. For a community of 11,000 with 46.7% foreign-born residents, the availability of international food products within a short drive is a practical quality-of-life detail that matters to the buyer profile Little Ferry attracts.
International Markets · Route 46 · Practical
🏟️
Meadowlands Sports & American Dream (~10 min)
MetLife Stadium (Giants/Jets), the Meadowlands Racetrack, and American Dream Mall — one of the largest retail and entertainment complexes in North America — are approximately 10 minutes south in East Rutherford. For families with children and sports fans, Little Ferry's Meadowlands position puts major-league sports and comprehensive entertainment within a practical drive.
~10 min · MetLife · American Dream · Meadowlands
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Manhattan Access (~25–35 min)
At 9 miles from Manhattan with I-80 and Route 46 providing direct highway access to the GWB and Lincoln Tunnel, Little Ferry's Manhattan commute is practical for car-commuters. NJ Transit bus service runs direct to Port Authority. For buyers who want Bergen County's lowest price point with usable Manhattan access by car, Little Ferry delivers.
9 Miles · I-80 · Route 46 · GWB / Lincoln Tunnel
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Hackensack River Waterfront
Little Ferry sits at the confluence of the Hackensack River and Overpeck Creek — a genuine waterfront setting that the ProMoves Bergen County guide describes as a "hidden gem along the Hackensack River with waterfront views, a diverse community, and rich history." The waterfront is one of the borough's defining geographic assets and provides scenic access to the Meadowlands wetlands ecosystem that most of Bergen County lacks entirely.
Hackensack River · Overpeck Creek · Waterfront Views
🦅
Meadowlands Wildlife & Wetlands
The New Jersey Meadowlands — one of the most significant urban wetland ecosystems in the Northeast — surrounds Little Ferry's southern and eastern borders. The Meadowlands District's remaining 8,400 acres of wetlands are accessible from Little Ferry and provide birding, kayaking, and nature access that is unique in the Bergen County context. For residents who value natural open space at an affordable price, the Meadowlands setting is a genuine amenity.
NJ Meadowlands · Wetlands · Birding · Kayaking
⚠️
Flood Risk — Critical Buyer Consideration
Hurricane Sandy (2012) severely flooded Little Ferry — the borough was one of Bergen County's most impacted communities. Flood risk remains material for a significant share of properties. Buyers must review FEMA flood maps for specific properties, obtain flood insurance quotes, and assess elevation certificates before purchasing. The post-Sandy rebuilding investment has produced newer, more flood-resilient construction, but location-specific risk varies significantly within the borough. This is a required due-diligence item, not an optional one.
HackensackUMC — Bergen County's #1 employer and top-ranked hospital system — is approximately 5 minutes north. For a borough without in-borough hospital infrastructure, HackensackUMC's proximity is exceptional — arguably the best major-hospital adjacency of any sub-$600K median community in Bergen County.
~5 min · HackensackUMC · Top-Ranked · Exceptional
📚
Little Ferry Public Library
Part of the Bergen County Cooperative Library System, serving one of Bergen County's most genuinely diverse communities — with multilingual resources reflecting the borough's Hispanic, Asian, and international resident populations. The library's programming reflects a working community that takes its children's education seriously, evidenced by the exceptional 9.6:1 student-teacher ratio in the K–8 district.
Civic · BCCLS · Multilingual · Community
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Post-Sandy Resilience
Hurricane Sandy (2012) was the defining event in modern Little Ferry history — the borough flooded severely, making national news, and then rebuilt. The community that came back from Sandy made deliberate choices: newer construction, flood-resilient infrastructure investment, and a resident base that chose to stay and reinvest rather than leave. The post-Sandy Little Ferry is meaningfully different from the pre-Sandy one — physically stronger, with a community identity shaped by having gone through something genuinely difficult together.
Sandy 2012 · Rebuilt · Resilient · Stronger
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46.7% Foreign-Born — Bergen's Most Diverse Entry Point
Little Ferry's 46.7% foreign-born population is among Bergen County's highest — reflecting decades of immigration from Latin America (particularly Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Central America) and Asia. The resulting community is multilingual, multinational, and genuinely cosmopolitan in a way that is unusual at this price point. For buyers from immigrant communities who want Bergen County's school district quality and suburban character without the $700K+ price floor, Little Ferry is the practical answer.
Little Ferry is, at its geographic core, a Meadowlands community — shaped by the Hackensack River, the Overpeck Creek confluence, and the wetlands that define the surrounding landscape. The Meadowlands identity is not suburban in the way that most Bergen County communities are suburban; it is something more specific — a river town at the edge of a major urban wetland ecosystem, 9 miles from Manhattan, with a practical working-community character that hasn't been polished away by rising prices.
Meadowlands · River Town · Authentic · Practical
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Route 46 Retail Corridor
Route 46 runs through Little Ferry's commercial spine — providing everyday retail, supermarkets, auto services, and chain stores that serve the borough's practical, working-community profile. For a community of 11,000 people, Route 46 access means a full range of major-format retail options without requiring residents to travel far. The major retail footprint is utilitarian rather than curated — which is appropriate for a community at this price point.
Route 46 · Everyday · Practical · Major Chains
🏬
Hackensack Retail (~5 min) + American Dream (~10 min)
Hackensack's Main Street and River Street commercial districts are approximately 5 minutes north — with ShopRite, restaurants, and everyday retail. American Dream Mall in East Rutherford — one of North America's largest retail and entertainment complexes, with Whole Foods, major retailers, indoor ski, Nickelodeon Universe, and NHL-size ice rink — is approximately 10 minutes south. Little Ferry's Meadowlands position gives extraordinary major retail access in both directions.
5 min Hackensack · 10 min American Dream · Both Directions
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HackensackUMC (~5 min) · BCA (~5 min)
HackensackUMC — Bergen County's #1 employer and top-ranked hospital — is approximately 5 minutes north. Bergen County Academies (BCA) — one of NJ's most selective and highest-ranked magnet high schools — is also approximately 5 minutes from Little Ferry in Hackensack. For families with academically talented students, BCA proximity is a meaningful quality-of-life advantage that offsets the Ridgefield Park HS sending arrangement.
~5 min · HackensackUMC · BCA Magnet School
By the Numbers
Little Ferry at a Glance
Municipality TypeBoroughBergen County · 1.67 sq mi · Meadowlands
Real answers about buying, selling, taxes, schools, and daily life in Little Ferry — Bergen County's most accessible entry-point borough, with a $550K–$559K median, $10,577 avg tax bill, Hackensack River waterfront, 9.6:1 K–8 ratio, 9 miles from Manhattan, and an important flood risk disclosure every buyer must review.
Little Ferry is a steady, accessible market — Bergen County's most affordable entry point for buyers who want an established residential borough with Manhattan proximity. Homes.com 12-month median sale is $550,500 (up 6% YoY); current May 2026 median is $559,000. DOM averages 35–44 days — moderate for Bergen County. DataUSA median property value is $429,300 (reflecting a housing mix that includes many lower-assessed rental units). The market is consistent rather than frenzied: demand is steady from first-time buyers, immigrant families, and investors, with inventory that moves at a practical pace. Important: flood risk varies significantly by property, and buyers should review FEMA maps for any specific address before making an offer. Talk to us about current Little Ferry market conditions →
The practical range: smaller capes, ranches, and post-Sandy rebuilt homes: $400K–$550K. Standard colonials and larger single-family homes: $550K–$700K. Multi-family (2–4 units): $829K–$899K. City-Data reports detached house average of approximately $601K. Little Ferry's housing mix — with a significant renter majority (54.3% renters vs. 45.7% owners) — means the available-for-purchase SFH inventory is more limited than total housing unit counts suggest. Multi-family properties are a meaningful investment option given the borough's strong rental demand from its diverse, working-family population. Any purchase should include property-specific flood zone verification.
This is the single most important due-diligence item for any Little Ferry purchase. Hurricane Sandy (2012) severely flooded the borough — Little Ferry was among Bergen County's most impacted communities, making national news during and after the storm. Flood risk is not uniform across the borough: some areas are at significantly higher risk than others based on elevation, proximity to the Hackensack River, and FEMA flood zone designation. Before making an offer on any Little Ferry property, buyers must: (1) review the FEMA Flood Map for that specific address at msc.fema.gov, (2) obtain flood insurance quotes — FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and private carriers, (3) request an elevation certificate from the seller or obtain one independently, and (4) assess post-Sandy rebuilding history for the property. The post-Sandy investment has produced newer, more flood-resilient construction in many areas — but location-specific risk remains material and must be assessed per property.
Little Ferry is a car-primary community — there is no in-borough train station. The primary commute options: By car via Route 46 east to I-95/GWB: approximately 25–35 minutes to Midtown Manhattan off-peak. Route 46 also connects to the Lincoln Tunnel corridor. NJ Transit bus to Port Authority Bus Terminal: approximately 35–45 minutes. The borough is 9 miles from Manhattan, and the average commute time for residents is 29.2 minutes — reflecting a resident base that primarily drives and benefits from the relatively direct Route 46/I-80 highway access. HackensackUMC is 5 minutes north — a major employer for many residents who work in the county rather than commuting to Manhattan.
Little Ferry's K–8 district has a standout characteristic at this price point: a 9.6:1 student-teacher ratio — exceptional for a DFG CD district and one of Bergen County's lowest ratios at any price tier. The district operates 2 schools (~950 students): Washington Elementary School (PreK–4, ~500 students) and Memorial School (5–8, ~400 students). For high school, students attend Ridgefield Park High School under a send/receive arrangement that has been in place since 1953. Bergen County Academies (BCA) in Hackensack — approximately 5 minutes away — is accessible for academically qualifying students through the competitive admissions process, which is a meaningful supplement for families with high-achieving students. Bergen County Technical Schools are also accessible.
Little Ferry's general tax rate is 2.505%. The official 2024 average residential tax bill is $10,577 (NJ Division of Taxation) — below the Bergen County average of $13,600 and one of the county's most accessible tax tiers. On a $500K home, expect approximately $10,000–$12,500 per year. On a $600K home, approximately $12,000–$15,000. The relatively lower tax burden, combined with the sub-$560K median sale price, makes Little Ferry the most financially accessible owner-occupied option in Bergen County for buyers working with a total monthly payment constraint. Note: flood insurance premiums add a meaningful carrying cost for properties in high-risk zones — factor this into total cost-of-ownership calculations alongside the property tax. Tax bills due quarterly.
The practical comparison at this price tier: Hackensack — Bergen's county seat, most affordable city ($387K–$465K median), 3.056% rate, BCA magnet school, NJ Transit access, most urban character. Ridgefield Park — adjacent to Little Ferry, median ~$550K–$600K, tree-lined streets, longer-established residential character, NJ Transit NEC access, send/receive HS partner for Little Ferry. Little Ferry — median $550K–$559K, 2.505% rate (lower than Hackensack), Hackensack River waterfront, 9.6:1 K–8 ratio, 9 miles from Manhattan, flood risk requires per-property disclosure. Little Ferry's rate (2.505%) is notably lower than Hackensack (3.056%) and Ridgefield Park — buyers get a lower rate in exchange for the waterfront/Meadowlands setting and the flood-risk homework. For the right buyer profile, that trade is favorable.
Yes. The 6% YoY appreciation (Homes.com) reflects steady demand from first-time buyers, immigrant families seeking Bergen County's most accessible price point, and investors attracted by the strong rental demand (54.3% renters). The borough's growing population (1.1%/yr) supports ongoing demand. Sellers of post-Sandy rebuilt or elevated properties have a meaningful advantage — flood-resilient construction and elevation certificates are genuine selling points in this market. Key selling messages: Bergen County's most accessible price point, $10,577 avg tax bill, 9.6:1 K–8 ratio, Hackensack River waterfront, 9 miles from Manhattan, HackensackUMC and BCA 5 minutes away. Sellers with flood-risk properties should be proactive about disclosure and documentation — buyers who've done their research expect transparency and respond better to it than to surprises. Get a free Little Ferry home valuation →
Homes.com reports 35-day average DOM; Movoto 43–44 days (October 2025). SFH in good condition priced at or below the $559K median moves reliably in 4–6 weeks year-round. The buyer pool is consistent — first-time buyers working with FHA financing, immigrant families from Hackensack and Hudson County communities, and investors seeking rental income — and is active in all seasons rather than concentrated in spring alone. Multi-family properties (2–4 units at $829K–$899K) move more slowly given the higher price and smaller pool. The critical preparation step for all Little Ferry sellers: gather flood documentation early — elevation certificate, flood insurance history, any FEMA claims, and post-Sandy work permits. Buyers who are ready to move will be asking for these documents. Learn how we sell homes in Little Ferry →
Little Ferry is the most practically minded borough in this guide — unpretentious, working-community in character, with a waterfront the rest of Bergen County doesn't have, a price the rest of Bergen County can't match, and a diversity (46.7% foreign-born, 34.4% Hispanic, 19.4% Asian) that most of Bergen County's more expensive communities don't approach. The 9.6:1 K–8 student-teacher ratio is better than many boroughs charging twice the price. HackensackUMC is 5 minutes north. American Dream Mall is 10 minutes south. Manhattan is 25–35 minutes by car. The Hackensack River waterfront is a real scenic asset that the ProMoves guide calls a "hidden gem." The community that rebuilt from Sandy in 2012 is a stronger one — newer construction, flood-resilient infrastructure, and residents who made a deliberate choice to invest in this particular 1.67 square miles of Bergen County. Flood risk is real and must be assessed per property before buying. Everything else about Little Ferry — the price, the location, the diversity, the K–8 ratio, the waterfront — is a genuine value proposition at Bergen County's most accessible price point.
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