Jobs & Working in Leonia, NJ: A Guide for Job Seekers

Leonia may occupy just over 1.5 square miles of Bergen County, but its location gives residents access to an employment market that extends far beyond the borough itself. Sitting immediately west of Fort Lee and only a few miles from the George Washington Bridge, Leonia offers something particularly valuable to job seekers: the ability to live in a relatively small New Jersey community while remaining connected to jobs throughout Bergen County and New York City.

For job seekers considering opportunities in or around Leonia, the local employment picture therefore needs to be viewed differently from that of a larger city. There are businesses and employers within the borough, but Leonia's real advantage is its proximity to major employment centers in Fort Lee, Englewood, Hackensack, Teaneck, Paramus and Manhattan.

Housing costs, commuting options, schools and access to amenities can all influence whether Leonia makes sense as a place to live while developing your career. This Jersey Hired guide looks beyond the job listings to help you understand what working, and potentially living in Leonia is really like.

Leonia at a Glance

Leonia is a borough in Bergen County with an estimated population of approximately 9,441 as of July 2025. Despite being located in one of the most densely populated parts of New Jersey, the borough covers only around 1.5 square miles, giving it the feel of a compact residential community within the much larger New York metropolitan area.

The community is also highly educated. According to U.S. Census Bureau estimates for 2020–2024, approximately 61% of Leonia residents aged 25 and older hold at least a bachelor's degree. Median household income was approximately $129,665, while the average commute for workers was approximately 30.5 minutes.

Those numbers help explain Leonia's appeal to professionals. It is fundamentally a residential community, but one positioned within reach of an enormous concentration of jobs on both sides of the Hudson River.

The Job Market in Leonia

The Leonia employment market is best understood as part of the wider Bergen County and New York metropolitan economy.

Leonia itself is relatively small, which means job seekers shouldn't restrict a search to employers physically located within the borough. Fort Lee, Englewood, Teaneck and Hackensack are all nearby, while Paramus represents another major Bergen County employment and retail center.

Healthcare is particularly important in the surrounding area. Major medical facilities in nearby communities create opportunities for nurses, physicians, medical assistants, administrators, technicians, IT professionals, facilities employees and numerous other healthcare occupations.

Fort Lee and the communities along the Hudson River provide another concentration of employers, including businesses operating in professional services, finance, technology, hospitality, retail and media. Hackensack adds healthcare, government, legal and professional employment, while Paramus is one of North Jersey's largest retail and commercial centers.

Then there is New York City.

For Leonia residents willing to commute across the Hudson, Manhattan dramatically expands the potential employment market. That makes the borough potentially attractive to households where one person works in New Jersey while another works in New York.

Major Industries for Leonia Job Seekers

Job seekers searching Leonia and the surrounding Bergen County area are likely to encounter opportunities across several major sectors, including:

• Healthcare and medical services
• Professional and business services
• Education
• Retail
• Finance and insurance
• Technology
• Hospitality and food service
• Government and public services
• Transportation and logistics
• Media and communications

There is also a significant employment market created by the dense population of eastern Bergen County. Schools, medical practices, restaurants, retailers, municipalities, professional offices, construction companies and service businesses collectively employ thousands of people throughout the surrounding communities.

For candidates, this means that searching for "jobs in Leonia" should really be the starting point rather than the boundary of a job search.

Expanding your search by even five or ten miles can open up opportunities across much of eastern Bergen County as well as New York City.

How Much Does It Cost to Live in Leonia?

Housing is an important consideration for anyone considering living in Leonia.

Like many communities in eastern Bergen County with convenient access to New York City, Leonia is not an inexpensive housing market. The borough contains a mixture of single-family homes, multifamily properties, apartments and rental housing, although availability can be more limited than in larger neighboring communities.

U.S. Census Bureau estimates for 2020–2024 put median gross rent in Leonia at approximately $2,073 per month. Actual asking rents for properties currently on the market can differ significantly from Census figures depending on the size, condition and location of the property.

Homebuyers also need to consider more than the purchase price. New Jersey property taxes can represent a substantial part of the monthly cost of homeownership, particularly in Bergen County.

For job seekers evaluating an offer in this part of North Jersey, it is therefore important to consider total compensation rather than salary alone. Housing, property taxes or rent, commuting expenses, tolls, parking and potentially New York and New Jersey tax considerations can all affect how far a salary actually goes.

The advantage is that living in Leonia can provide access to an employment market considerably larger than the borough itself.

Commuting to Leonia

Transportation is one of Leonia's most important advantages, and one of the biggest considerations for anyone deciding whether to live there.

Leonia does not have its own passenger rail station, so public transportation is primarily bus-based. However, its proximity to the George Washington Bridge gives residents relatively direct access to Manhattan.

NJ TRANSIT bus service connects Leonia with New York and other Bergen County communities. Route 166 provides service toward the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan, while Route 182 connects with the George Washington Bridge Bus Station in Upper Manhattan. Other routes provide connections toward locations including Fort Lee, Edgewater, Hackensack and Paramus.

That makes Leonia particularly interesting for job seekers who want suburban New Jersey living without completely surrendering access to New York City employment.

For drivers, the George Washington Bridge, Route 4, Interstate 95 and the New Jersey Turnpike are all nearby. That connectivity is a major advantage, but anyone familiar with North Jersey will know the trade-off: traffic.

A commute that appears short on a map can become considerably longer during the morning or evening rush.

The Census Bureau puts Leonia's average journey to work at approximately 30.5 minutes, while around 13% of workers use public transportation to commute.

Before accepting a job, test the commute during the hours you would actually be traveling. In this part of New Jersey, five miles at 2 p.m. and five miles at 8 a.m. can be two very different journeys.

Leonia's Schools

For job seekers relocating with children, the local school system is likely to be an important part of the decision.

Leonia Public Schools serves students from Pre-K through Grade 12 and operates three schools: Anna C. Scott Elementary School for Pre-K through Grade 4, Leonia Middle School for Grades 5 through 8 and Leonia High School for Grades 9 through 12.

The district reports approximately 2,000 enrolled students, an 11:1 student-to-teacher ratio and an average graduation rate of 98%. Leonia High School also offers a range of clubs, athletics, advanced coursework, academies and dual-enrollment opportunities.

Interestingly, the school district also serves students from neighboring Edgewater at the secondary level, further connecting Leonia with the communities along the Hudson River.

Families considering moving to Leonia should always verify current enrollment requirements and school information directly with the district before choosing a property.

Shopping, Healthcare and Everyday Amenities

Leonia's small size means residents won't find the enormous commercial districts associated with communities such as Paramus. Instead, the borough has a smaller, more neighborhood-oriented commercial environment, particularly around Broad Avenue.

The trade-off is that considerably larger shopping, dining and entertainment areas are only a short drive away.

Fort Lee provides a substantial selection of restaurants, supermarkets and services, while nearby Englewood has its own downtown shopping and dining district. Paramus provides access to one of the largest concentrations of retail in the region.

Healthcare is similarly accessible. Englewood Hospital is located just a few miles away in Englewood, while Holy Name Medical Center is nearby in Teaneck.

For residents, this means Leonia can provide the atmosphere of a relatively small residential community without requiring a long journey for the services and amenities associated with a much larger population center.

What Is There to Do in Leonia?

One of Leonia's most significant recreational assets is Overpeck County Park, a large Bergen County park extending across Leonia and neighboring communities.

The park provides walking and cycling paths, athletic facilities, open green spaces and other recreational amenities, giving residents access to a substantial outdoor area despite Leonia's otherwise dense suburban surroundings.

Within the borough itself, Wood Park provides another community green space, while Highwood Hills Park offers a small protected woodland area.

Leonia also has a cultural side that might surprise people unfamiliar with the borough. The Players Guild of Leonia, founded in 1919, has a particularly long history in the community, and public art has played a visible role in the borough.

For a larger selection of restaurants, nightlife and entertainment, Fort Lee, Englewood and New York City are all within reach.

Interesting Facts About Leonia

Leonia has a surprisingly rich history for a borough covering little more than a square mile and a half.

European settlement in the area dates back to 1668, when Samuel Edsall purchased a large tract of land extending from the Hudson River toward Overpeck Creek. The wider area eventually became known as the English Neighborhood.

Leonia also played a role in the American Revolution. George Washington's retreat from Fort Lee in November 1776 passed through what is now Leonia, and the borough still contains historical markers connected to the retreat. In 1780, Continental Army troops under the Marquis de Lafayette also encamped in the area.

The arrival of the Northern Valley Railroad in 1859 helped transform Leonia from a largely agricultural community. By the late 19th and early 20th centuries, improved transportation helped attract professionals and artists, contributing to the development of an artistic community for which Leonia became known.

The Civil War Drill Hall, originally built in 1859 as an armory and mustering site, later became home to the Players Guild of Leonia. The Guild was founded in 1919 and is described by the borough as New Jersey's longest-running community theater.

Should You Live in Leonia or Commute?

For many job seekers, the answer will depend less on whether their job is actually in Leonia and more on where they need to reach each morning.

Someone working in Fort Lee, Englewood, Teaneck or another nearby Bergen County community may find Leonia extremely convenient. Manhattan commuters can also benefit from bus connections and proximity to the George Washington Bridge.

Living in Leonia provides the atmosphere of a smaller residential community while keeping a much larger employment market within reach.

The trade-off is cost and congestion.

Housing costs in eastern Bergen County can be substantial, while driving anywhere near the George Washington Bridge during peak periods requires realistic expectations about traffic.

That makes the exact location of your workplace particularly important.

Don't simply ask, "How many miles is my job from Leonia?"

Ask, "How long will those miles take at 8:00 on a Monday morning?"

In Bergen County, the distinction matters.

Is Leonia a Good Place to Work?

For many job seekers, Leonia's biggest strength isn't the number of jobs located inside its municipal boundaries. It is the extraordinary number of jobs accessible from it.

Healthcare, education, professional services, retail, technology, finance and hospitality opportunities can all be found throughout the surrounding Bergen County employment market. Add Manhattan to the equation and the potential job market becomes significantly larger.

That makes Leonia particularly interesting for professionals who want access to New York City without necessarily living there, as well as households balancing careers on both sides of the Hudson.

The biggest considerations are housing costs and commuting. A higher-paying Manhattan position can look attractive until commuting expenses and travel time are included, while a Bergen County job closer to home could potentially offer a better overall quality of life even at a somewhat lower salary.

For the right job seeker, however, Leonia offers an appealing combination: a compact residential community, access to good schools and outdoor recreation, and proximity to one of the largest employment markets in the country.

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