Fairview was formed on December 19, 1894, from portions of Ridgefield Township at the height of the "Boroughitis" phenomenon then sweeping through Bergen County, based on the results of a referendum held the previous day.
As of the census of 2000, there were 13,255 people, 4,861 households, and 3,179 families residing in the borough. The population density was 15,585.5 people per square mile (6,020.9/km²). There were 4,988 housing units at an average density of 5,865.0/sq mi (2,265.7/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 72.46% White, 1.71% African American, 0.38% Native American, 4.97% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 12.92% from other races, and 7.53% from two or more races. 37.05% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
As of the 2000 census, 4.6% of Fairview's residents identified themselves as being of Croatian ancestry. This was the 16th highest percentage in the United States and the highest percentage of people with Croatian ancestry in any place in New Jersey with 1,000 or more residents identifying their ancestry.. In the same census, 2.4% of Fairview's residents identified themselves as being of Armenian-American ancestry, the 18th highest percentage of Armenian American people in any place in the United States with 1,000 or more residents identifying their ancestry.
There were 4,861 households out of which 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.3% were married couples living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.6% were non-families. 28.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.73 and the average family size was 3.31.
In the borough the population was spread out with 21.1% under the age of 18, 11.5% from 18 to 24, 34.6% from 25 to 44, 19.0% from 45 to 64, and 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 106.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 105.7 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $40,393, and the median income for a family was $46,365. Males had a median income of $35,000 versus $29,905 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $18,835. 11.8% of the population and 9.3% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 14.2% of those under the age of 18 and 8.7% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
Today Fairview has a large Latino population. The Latino groups are very diverse. The populations consist of Mexicans, Guatemalans, El Salvadorans, and Ecuadorians.
Fairview is served by New Jersey Transit bus routes 127, 128, 154, 156, 159, 165, 166 and 168 to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan; the 181 to the George Washington Bridge Bus Terminal; the 22 and 83 to Jersey City; and local service on the 751 and 755 routes.
U.S. Route 1/9, Route 63, and County Route 501 travel through Fairview, with the southern terminus of Route 63 at Fairview.