Population 4,175 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Ridgewood
Household size in Ridgewood
| Period | Ridgewood | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.73 | 2.43 | 2.45 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.46 | 2.41 | 2.47 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.52 | 2.39 | 2.43 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.25 | 2.30 | 2.40 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.49 | −0.13 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
Ridgewood is a place of small households, averaging 2.25 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. That is in line with the rest of the Madison area. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.73, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Ridgewood
| Period | Ridgewood | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.4 | 37.0 | 38.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 32.4 | 37.9 | 39.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 31.1 | 38.3 | 40.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 36.5 | 38.9 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +5.1 | +1.9 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Ridgewood is 36.5 years old, a few years younger than the national median of 40.1.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Ridgewood
| Period | Ridgewood | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.8% | 8.7% | 10.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 15.6% | 8.8% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 5.7% | 8.0% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.7% | 8.2% | 9.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | −6.0 pts | −0.5 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Ridgewood: 4.7% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Ridgewood has a lower share of single-parent households than most Madison neighborhoods.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Ridgewood
Renters in Ridgewood
| Period | Ridgewood | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 44.7% | 35.1% | 30.5% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 53.8% | 38.3% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 50.6% | 38.9% | 33.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 56.2% | 39.7% | 32.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | +11.5 pts | +4.5 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Ridgewood rent: 56.2% of occupied homes are rented, far above the national share of 34.8%. Expect more apartments, and more turnover, than in owner-heavy areas. Just over a quarter of owners (26.1%) have paid off their mortgages, well below the national share of 39.8%.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Ridgewood
| Period | Ridgewood | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.7% | 8.9% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.3% | 6.3% | 10.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.4% | 5.7% | 10.1% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 3.1% | 5.5% | 9.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −5.6 pts | −3.4 pts | −1.3 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 3.1% of homes in Ridgewood are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Ridgewood has a lower vacancy rate than most Madison neighborhoods.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Ridgewood
| Period | Ridgewood | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1997 | 1976 | 1970 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1996 | 1978 | 1971 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1995 | 1979 | 1972 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1992 | 1983 | 1974 | 1980 |
| Change | −4 | +7 | +5 | +6 |
Ridgewood has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 1992, versus 1980 nationally. Ridgewood has newer homes than the great majority of Madison neighborhoods.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Ridgewood
| Period | Ridgewood | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $909 | $868 | $758 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,021 | $950 | $821 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,098 | $1,072 | $904 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,120 | $1,366 | $1,139 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$211 | +$498 | +$380 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Ridgewood costs $1,120 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. The typical renter here spends 21.6% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. No other Madison neighborhood has lower rents.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Ridgewood
Bachelor's degrees in Ridgewood
| Period | Ridgewood | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 44.4% | 41.3% | 26.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 41.7% | 43.6% | 28.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 37.3% | 46.9% | 30.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 40.7% | 50.6% | 33.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | −3.7 pts | +9.3 pts | +7.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are a bit more common in Ridgewood than nationally: 40.7% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. Still, the share is lower than in the Madison area as a whole (50.6%). Ridgewood has a lower share of college graduates than at least four in five Madison neighborhoods.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Ridgewood
| Period | Ridgewood | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 91.9% | 93.8% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 92.1% | 94.4% | 90.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 88.4% | 95.2% | 92.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.4% | 95.1% | 93.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.5 pts | +1.3 pts | +3.8 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Ridgewood: 96.4% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The Madison area as a whole looks much the same.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Ridgewood
| Period | Ridgewood | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.8% | 5.0% | 6.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.9% | 5.5% | 7.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 0.3% | 2.6% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 1.0% | 2.6% | 3.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −5.8 pts | −2.4 pts | −3.4 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Ridgewood has been strong: just 1.0% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Ridgewood has lower unemployment than the great majority of Madison neighborhoods. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Ridgewood compared with nearby neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ridgewood | 2.25 | 36.5 | 4.7% | 56.2% | 3.1% | 1992 | $1,120 | 40.7% | 96.4% | 1.0% |
| Heistand | 2.34 | 35.0 | 11.8% | 64.8% | 2.0% | 1978 | $1,278 | 32.5% | 93.0% | 0.4% |
| Bluff Acres | 1.97 | 34.1 | 6.2% | 63.5% | 4.7% | 1983 | $1,149 | 40.7% | 97.3% | 2.5% |
| McClellan Park | 2.87 | 33.5 | 11.3% | 43.1% | 4.0% | 2010 | $1,523 | 49.5% | 98.7% | 1.4% |
| Eastmorland | 1.76 | 43.4 | 5.1% | 29.2% | 4.7% | 1956 | $1,548 | 54.4% | 97.4% | 0.9% |
| Elvehjem | 2.38 | 43.3 | 7.9% | 18.2% | 4.6% | 1972 | $1,376 | 49.6% | 97.3% | 1.6% |
| Schenk-Atwood-Starkweather-Yahar | 1.82 | 39.0 | 3.4% | 47.1% | 6.4% | 1939 | $1,556 | 73.3% | 99.1% | 3.7% |
| Sherman | 2.07 | 31.7 | 18.3% | 53.0% | 7.4% | 1963 | $1,151 | 47.6% | 94.7% | 4.9% |
| Marquette | 1.88 | 32.7 | 2.1% | 68.0% | 3.6% | 1953 | $1,627 | 71.5% | 97.7% | 5.7% |
| Glendale | 2.18 | 44.5 | 10.4% | 39.8% | 4.3% | 1964 | $1,293 | 43.7% | 92.4% | 3.8% |
| Tenney-Lapham | 1.66 | 32.6 | 2.7% | 76.1% | 6.2% | 1983 | $1,533 | 72.5% | 99.9% | 3.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Southland, San Angelo, TX · Samish Hill, Bellingham, WA · Shelby Center Historic District, Shelby, OH · Silver Rock, Rockville, MD · Silver Valley Addition, Sioux Falls, SD · Skinker-Debaliviere, St. Louis, MO · Slabtown, Portland, OR · Slater Park, Charlotte, NC · South Pointe, San Bernardino, CA · South Salt Creek, Lincoln, NE
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Ridgewood. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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