Space is the first thing you notice in Franklin Lakes. This borough of about 11,000 residents pairs estate-style living with one of Bergen County’s strongest public school systems. The K-8 district feeds into Ramapo High School, ranked A by Niche and #98 in New Jersey by U.S. News, and safety grades sit at A+ for violent crime. The borough’s 147-acre Franklin Lakes Nature Preserve gives residents a county-level park system within their own borders, while Becton Dickinson’s global headquarters anchors a corporate presence that supports the tax base. With a median home price around $1.35 million and homes set on wooded, generously sized lots, Franklin Lakes delivers the kind of Bergen County living where space, schools, and safety all line up.
I sell across all 70 Bergen County municipalities, and Franklin Lakes keeps coming up when buyers want land without giving up schools. Here are the five reasons why.
1. Ramapo High School and a Strong K-8 Foundation
Franklin Lakes’ K-8 district serves about 1,400 students across three schools, Colonial Road Elementary, Woodside Avenue Elementary, and Franklin Avenue Middle School, earning an overall A rating from Niche. The district consistently posts strong proficiency numbers, with math and ELA scores well above state averages.
For high school, Franklin Lakes students attend Ramapo High School, ranked A by Niche, #13 among Bergen County public high schools, and #98 in New Jersey by U.S. News. With 20 AP courses, average SAT scores of 1270, a graduation rate above 96%, and a 10:1 student-teacher ratio, Ramapo delivers college-prep academics alongside a #4 state ranking for high school athletics. The combination of a focused K-8 district and one of Bergen County’s best high schools is a major draw for families.
2. A+ Safety in a Wooded, Residential Borough
Franklin Lakes earns an A+ from CrimeGrade for violent crime, placing it in the 93rd percentile nationally. The violent crime rate sits well below one incident per 1,000 residents, a fraction of the national average of 4 per 1,000. Property crime rates are similarly low, reinforcing the borough’s reputation as one of Bergen County’s safest communities.
The borough’s zoning, predominantly single-family homes on larger lots with significant tree cover, contributes to a residential character that feels removed from the density of surrounding areas. With a homeownership rate above 90% and a median household income near $200,000, Franklin Lakes’ stability is built into its demographics.
3. The 147-Acre Franklin Lakes Nature Preserve
Franklin Lakes’ commitment to green space is anchored by the Franklin Lakes Nature Preserve: a 147-acre conservation area with hiking trails through woodlands, wetlands, and around a scenic lake. It’s the kind of municipal park that most towns would consider a county-level amenity, and it’s entirely within the borough’s borders.
Beyond the Nature Preserve, residents have access to municipal parks including Pulis Avenue Park (with ball fields and playgrounds), the Franklin Lakes Recreation Complex, and easy proximity to Ramapo Valley County Reservation, one of Bergen County’s largest parks at over 4,000 acres. The borough’s annual events, including the Franklin Lakes Day street fair and summer concert series, reinforce the community feel.
4. Corporate Headquarters and a Strong Tax Base
Franklin Lakes is home to Becton Dickinson (BD), a Fortune 500 medical technology company with its global headquarters on Franklin Lakes Road. BD’s corporate campus is a significant contributor to the borough’s commercial tax base, which helps offset residential property taxes. The presence of a global headquarters also means some residents can commute to work within their own borough.
For Manhattan commuters, Franklin Lakes is car-dependent. There’s no train station in the borough, but NJ Transit Bus Route 197 provides service to the Port Authority Bus Terminal, and the drive to the George Washington Bridge is approximately 25 minutes. Most residents drive to the Mahwah or Ramsey train stations on the Main/Bergen County Line for rail access. The commute is longer than eastern Bergen County towns, but the trade-off is significantly more space and privacy.
5. Estate-Style Homes at $1.35 Million With Room to Breathe
Franklin Lakes’ median home price sits around $1.35 million, a number built on larger lots, wooded settings, and the school pipeline. The housing stock is predominantly single-family homes, many on half-acre to one-acre-plus lots, with a mix of colonials, contemporaries, and custom-built estates. Properties move steadily, and the borough’s combination of space, schools, and safety keeps demand consistent.
Average property taxes run approximately $18,000 to $20,000 annually, reflecting the high home values and quality school district. Behind that: a median household income near $200,000, over 70% of adults with at least a bachelor’s degree, and owners who tend to stay for decades. Very few Bergen County towns offer strong schools, low crime, and genuinely wooded lots all at once. Franklin Lakes is one of them.
Where to Eat in Franklin Lakes
Franklin Lakes is a residential borough first: wooded lots, quiet streets, and not much commercial frontage. But the dining within and immediately around the borough is stronger than most people realize. Pazza on Franklin Avenue has built a loyal following with 359 Yelp reviews for its Neapolitan-style pizza. Naru Sushi is a BYOB standout with a 4.8 on TripAdvisor. Harmony Mediterranean delivers a 4.8 on OpenTable. And just minutes away, Savini in Allendale has been voted Best of Bergen for over a decade. Franklin Lakes residents live in one of the quietest boroughs in Bergen County but eat remarkably well.
Here are my five favorites, the places I recommend to every client who asks what daily life in Franklin Lakes is really like.
Pazza Restaurant
Pazza is Franklin Lakes’ most popular restaurant, a Neapolitan-inspired Italian on Franklin Avenue that has earned 359 Yelp reviews and a 4.6 on Google. The wood-fired pizza is the anchor, but the menu extends to handmade pastas, fresh seafood, and Italian entrees that go well beyond what you would expect from a neighborhood pizzeria. The outdoor patio is a draw in warmer months, and the BYOB option keeps the bill manageable for families.
With a loyal local following and consistent quality across hundreds of reviews, Pazza is the restaurant Franklin Lakes families default to at least once a week. The Neapolitan-style crust and fresh ingredients are the reason it holds up against any Italian in the Ramapo Valley.
Why locals love it: 359 Yelp reviews and a 4.6 on Google, for a neighborhood Italian in a residential borough. The wood-fired pizza is the order, the BYOB keeps it affordable, and the Franklin Avenue location makes it the go-to for Franklin Lakes families who want quality without leaving town.
Naru Sushi
Naru is Franklin Lakes’ quiet standout, a Japanese BYOB on Pulis Avenue that has earned a 4.8 on TripAdvisor and a dedicated following among sushi enthusiasts. The omakase-style specials, creative maki rolls, and fresh sashimi platters deliver a level of quality that would command premium prices in a full-service setting, but the BYOB format keeps it accessible.
The intimate space means reservations are recommended, especially on weekends. For Franklin Lakes residents who want exceptional sushi without driving to Ridgewood or Paramus, Naru delivers, and the BYOB pricing makes it one of the best values in the Ramapo Valley for Japanese cuisine.
Why locals love it: a 4.8 on TripAdvisor for a BYOB sushi restaurant in Franklin Lakes. The fish is fresh, the rolls are creative, and the intimate setting makes it feel like a genuine discovery.
Harmony Mediterranean Grill
Harmony Mediterranean Grill brings something different to Franklin Lakes, a Turkish and Mediterranean BYOB on High Mountain Road with a 4.8 on OpenTable. The menu covers grilled kebabs, lamb chops, hummus, and fresh pita alongside Mediterranean salads and seafood dishes. The quality of the grilled meats is the standout, and the BYOB format means you can pair your meal with your own wine.
With consistent high ratings across platforms and a menu that appeals to a wide range of palates, Harmony has carved out a loyal niche in a borough dominated by Italian and American options. The outdoor dining in season adds another dimension.
Why locals love it: a 4.8 on OpenTable for Mediterranean cuisine in Franklin Lakes, and it is BYOB. The grilled kebabs and lamb chops are the signatures, the hummus is made fresh, and the change of pace from Italian makes Harmony the restaurant families reach for when they want something different.
Farm & Flour
Farm and Flour is Franklin Lakes’ answer to elevated breakfast and lunch, a cafe on Franklin Avenue that focuses on locally sourced ingredients, seasonal menus, and the kind of brunch-forward cooking that draws weekend crowds. The avocado toast, farm-fresh omelets, and specialty coffee have built a following among residents who want quality morning food without driving to Ridgewood or Wyckoff.
The casual, airy atmosphere and focus on fresh, seasonal ingredients give Farm and Flour a character that fits the borough’s residential vibe. It is the neighborhood spot where Saturday morning starts.
Why locals love it: locally sourced breakfast and brunch right on Franklin Avenue. The seasonal specials, the quality coffee, and the neighborhood atmosphere make it the Saturday morning ritual for Franklin Lakes families who want to start the weekend right.
Savini Restaurant
Savini is technically in Allendale, but it is less than ten minutes from most Franklin Lakes homes, and it is the most acclaimed restaurant in the immediate area. This Northern Italian and Continental fine-dining BYOB has been voted Best of Bergen by (201) Magazine every year from 2008 through 2021, an unprecedented 13-year run. With a 4.8 on OpenTable from over 3,200 diners, housed in a converted colonial home on West Crescent Avenue, Savini is the special-occasion restaurant for the entire northern Pascack and Ramapo Valley.
The gnocchi napolitano is the house signature, and the escargot in puff pastry, truffle risotto, and filet mignon compete for the top of the menu. Complimentary valet parking and the colonial-home setting add elegance that is hard to match at any price point, and the BYOB format means you are bringing your best bottle to one of Bergen County’s best restaurants.
Why locals love it: Best of Bergen for 13 consecutive years, and just minutes from Franklin Lakes. The gnocchi napolitano alone is worth the drive, the 4.8 on OpenTable from 3,200 diners validates everything, and the BYOB pricing at this quality level is remarkable.
Franklin Lakes’ Food Scene: Quality Over Quantity
Franklin Lakes will not overwhelm you with restaurant options. This is a residential borough, not a downtown dining strip. But the restaurants that are here deliver at a level that surprises: Pazza’s 359 Yelp reviews, Naru’s 4.8 TripAdvisor rating, Harmony’s 4.8 on OpenTable, and Savini’s 13-year Best of Bergen streak just minutes away. It is a food scene built on quality, not volume, and that fits Franklin Lakes perfectly.
Ready to Make Franklin Lakes Home?
The dining is just one piece. Franklin Lakes is one of the few boroughs that offers strong schools, low crime, and genuinely wooded lots all at once. The right home here is worth waiting for. If you are thinking about a move, or comparing Bergen County’s luxury towns, let’s talk. I’ll tell you honestly what fits and what to hold out for. I’d be glad to help you turn your dreams into an address.
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Tom Lee | NJNest
Phone: 848-565-1425
Email: tom@njnest.com
Website: njnest.com
Tom Lee is a licensed real estate agent with 2Win Realty, specializing in Bergen County residential real estate. With deep local expertise and a client-first approach, Tom helps buyers and sellers across all 70 Bergen County municipalities make confident real estate decisions.
