How old are the homes in Fords, NJ?

Name: Age of homes in Fords, NJ, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

84.6% (±9.6 points) of the homes in Fords, NJ were built before 1980 (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

12.1% were built before 1940.

2.1% were built in 2010 or later.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Built before 1980: 84.6% (±9.6 points)
Built before 1940: 12.1%
Built 2010 or later: 2.1%

When the homes in Fords were built

Housing units by year structure built, 2020–2024
Year built	Fords	Middlesex County	New Jersey	United States
2020 or later	0.4% (±0.6 points)	0.9%	1.1%	2.0%
2010 to 2019	1.7% (±1.2 points)	6.6%	6.2%	9.4%
2000 to 2009	5.9% (±3.1 points)	9.0%	9.2%	13.6%
1990 to 1999	3.4% (±2.1 points)	10.0%	8.9%	12.4%
1980 to 1989	4.1% (±2.4 points)	16.0%	11.8%	12.9%
1970 to 1979	11.9% (±4.8 points)	11.7%	12.3%	14.2%
1960 to 1969	13.6% (±4.1 points)	14.9%	12.8%	9.9%
1950 to 1959	30.9% (±5.7 points)	15.2%	13.8%	9.5%
1940 to 1949	16.1% (±3.4 points)	5.2%	6.5%	4.4%
1939 or earlier	12.1% (±2.9 points)	10.4%	17.4%	11.7%

In Fords, the share of homes built before 1980 is higher than in Middlesex County (57.4%).

It is also higher than in New Jersey (62.8%).

It is higher than the national figure (49.7%).

In Middlesex County, Fords ranks 2 of 32 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest share of homes built before 1980.

Statewide, it ranks 32 of 252.

Rankings use the estimates alone; where margins of error overlap, neighboring ranks may not truly differ.

Why the age of a home matters: lead-based paint

Federal law treats housing built before 1978 as likely to contain lead-based paint.

Before a lease or sale of most pre-1978 housing, the landlord or seller must disclose any known lead-based paint and hazards and give the tenant or buyer the EPA pamphlet (42 U.S.C. § 4852d; 40 CFR part 745, subpart F; 24 CFR part 35, subpart A).

A contractor paid to renovate, repair or paint a pre-1978 home must be a certified firm, use a certified renovator and follow lead-safe work practices under the Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule (40 CFR part 745, subpart E) whenever the job disturbs more than 6 square feet of painted surface in a room or more than 20 square feet outside; window replacement and demolition always count (40 CFR 745.83).

Certification comes from EPA, or from the state where EPA has authorized the state to run the program.

The Census Bureau groups construction by decade, so the share built before 1978 lies between the share built before 1970 (72.7%) and the share built before 1980 (84.6%).

Homes built before 1980 in places near Fords

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Fords
Place	Distance	Homes built before 1980	Compared with this place
Fords	—	84.6% (±9.6 points)	—
Hopelawn	1.2 mi	66.6% (±23.1 points)	Not measurably different
Menlo Park Terrace	1.3 mi	93.8% (±13.3 points)	Not measurably different
Keasbey	1.5 mi	56.0% (±23.4 points)	Lower
Woodbridge	1.8 mi	60.0% (±6.2 points)	Lower
Iselin	2.4 mi	74.3% (±9.9 points)	Not measurably different
Perth Amboy	2.5 mi	70.4% (±5.8 points)	Lower
Metuchen Borough	2.6 mi	72.1% (±6.8 points)	Lower
Edison Township	2.9 mi	55.7% (±2.7 points)	Lower

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Keasbey, NJ (56.0%), Woodbridge, NJ (60.0%), Perth Amboy, NJ (70.4%).

Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.

Homes built before 1980 across Middlesex County, place by place

Rank	Place	Homes built before 1980
1	Menlo Park Terrace	93.8% (±13.3 points)
2	Fords	84.6% (±9.6 points)
3	Madison Park	82.7% (±15.6 points)
4	Colonia	80.2% (±6.9 points)
5	Port Reading	78.4% (±13.4 points)
6	Rossmoor	77.2% (±15.6 points)
7	Iselin	74.3% (±9.9 points)
8	Rutgers University-Busch Campus	74.0% (±93.7 points)

Showing 8 of 32 places in Middlesex County, ranked from highest to lowest.

Fords is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for statistics, with no municipal government of its own.

It lies inside Woodbridge Township, whose figures include it.

Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates).

Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.

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Questions about Fords

How old are most homes in Fords?

84.6% of homes in Fords, NJ were built before 1980 (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

Do homes in Fords need a lead paint disclosure?

A home built before 1978 does, before it is rented or sold, unless an exemption applies (42 U.S.C. § 4852d); between 72.7% and 84.6% of homes in Fords were built before then.

Does a contractor need lead certification to work on older homes in Fords?

Yes, when the job disturbs more than 6 square feet of paint in a room or 20 square feet outside, or replaces a window: the firm must be certified and a certified renovator must direct the work under the Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule (40 CFR part 745, subpart E).

Sources

Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Fords CDP, New Jersey

To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for Fords CDP, New Jersey (place:24030, in state:34).

Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP04_0017PE, DP04_0017PM, DP04_0018PE, DP04_0018PM, DP04_0019PE, DP04_0019PM, DP04_0020PE, DP04_0020PM, DP04_0021PE, DP04_0021PM, DP04_0022PE, DP04_0022PM, DP04_0023PE, DP04_0023PM, DP04_0024PE, DP04_0024PM, DP04_0025PE, DP04_0025PM, DP04_0026PE, DP04_0026PM

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.