The Town FilesRidgewood, New Jersey
Village in Bergen County · population 25,979 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $891,200
- Household income
- $208,211
- Jan low / Jul high
- 26° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 30 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 41.6
Ridgewood is a village of 25,979 people in Bergen County, New Jersey. The median home is worth $891,200, above the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). It ranks more upscale than 98% of New Jersey towns, better transit than 95% of New Jersey towns, more of a college town than 93% of New Jersey towns.
How Ridgewood ranks
Percentile among New Jersey towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New Jersey towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Ridgewood is worth $891,200, above the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). Homes cost about 4.3 times the median household income of $208,211, which is more affordable than 32% of New Jersey towns. Median rent is $2,499 a month. 82.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Ridgewood | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $891,200 | $435,600 |
| Median rent | $2,499 | $1,774 |
| Median household income | $208,211 | $111,891 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.3× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 82.5% | 80.8% |
| Median year built | 1950 | 1969 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.2% | — |
Who lives in Ridgewood
| People | Ridgewood | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.6 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.9% | 18.3% |
| Under 18 | 27.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 80.1% | 44.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.2% | 5.7% |
| Veterans | 3.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 22.3% | — |
| Work from home | 32.1% | 16.3% |
| Average commute | 34.6 min | 30.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 97.0% | 94.6% |
Weather in Ridgewood
July highs average 87.0°F and January lows 25.7°F. About 46.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 30.3 inches of snow (typical New Jersey town: 24.5 in). Expect about 29 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 89 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ridgewood since 1950, compared with 9 for the typical New Jersey town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on August 7, 1962 about 4.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on October 7, 2013.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 55 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on July 8, 2021.
Severe weather in Bergen County since 1996
Bergen County has been included in 32 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 5, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4614: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| September 2, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3573: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| December 11, 2020 | Hurricane | DR-4574: Tropical Storm Isaias |
| March 25, 2020 | Biological | DR-4488: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3451: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Bergen County
Bergen County had 438,240 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $80,639 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in Ridgewood itself the ACS puts it at 3.4%.
Public schools in Ridgewood
10 public schools with 5,487 students, about 12.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ridgewood High School | 9-12 | 1,740 | 12.7 |
| George Washington Middle School | 6-8 | 653 | 11.7 |
| Benjamin Franklin Middle School | 6-8 | 635 | 11.3 |
| Willard Elementary School | K-5 | 470 | 13.4 |
| Ridge Elementary School | K-5 | 444 | 13.5 |
| Somerville Elementary School | K-5 | 385 | 13.3 |
| Hawes Elementary School | K-5 | 373 | 12.4 |
| Orchard Elementary School | K-5 | 352 | 12.1 |
| Travell Elementary School | K-5 | 323 | 12.9 |
| Glen School | PK-PK | 112 | 9.3 |
Towns near Ridgewood
- Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ1.5 mi · 4,258 people · home $1,092,500
- Glen Rock, NJ1.6 mi · 12,133 people · home $856,900
- Midland Park, NJ1.7 mi · 7,014 people · home $607,200
- Waldwick, NJ2.3 mi · 10,058 people · home $588,500
- Washington, NJ2.6 mi · 9,285 people · home $664,000
- Hawthorne, NJ2.9 mi · 19,637 people · home $533,700
- Saddle River, NJ3.1 mi · 3,372 people · home $2,000,001
- Wyckoff, NJ3.1 mi · 16,585 people · home $925,700
Ridgewood questions
Is Ridgewood, New Jersey a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ridgewood scores better for retirees than 43% of New Jersey towns and quieter than 16%. 13.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.6).
How much does a house cost in Ridgewood?
The median owner-occupied home in Ridgewood is valued at $891,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $208,211, so homes cost about 4.3 times income. Median rent is $2,499 a month.
What is the weather like in Ridgewood?
July highs average 87.0°F and January lows 25.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 46.3 inches of precipitation a year and 30.3 inches of snow.
Does Ridgewood get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ridgewood since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on August 7, 1962. The typical New Jersey town has had 9.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)