Population 26,485 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Ridgewood
Household size in Ridgewood
| Period | Ridgewood | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.98 | 2.79 | 2.77 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 3.07 | 2.85 | 2.82 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 3.05 | 2.82 | 2.78 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.97 | 2.79 | 2.76 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.01 | −0.00 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Ridgewood is a place of big households: 2.97 people per home on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. Numbers like that usually point to plenty of families with kids. Households are largest in the southwest and smallest in the center.
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 | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.4 | 38.0 | 39.1 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 41.1 | 38.7 | 40.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 41.8 | 39.8 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 41.9 | 40.4 | 40.9 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.5 | +2.4 | +1.8 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Ridgewood is 41.9 years old, a bit older than the national median of 40.1. The median age has climbed from 40.4 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. Residents skew youngest in the center and oldest in the northeast.
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 | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.9% | 13.1% | 11.6% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 6.4% | 12.8% | 11.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.2% | 11.4% | 10.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.1% | 11.6% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.2 pts | −1.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 8.1% of households in Ridgewood, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has edged up 1.2 points since 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
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 | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.9% | 47.1% | 33.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 21.1% | 48.7% | 35.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 21.7% | 48.8% | 36.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 17.3% | 48.6% | 36.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.5 pts | +1.5 pts | +3.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Ridgewood is largely a place of homeowners: only 17.3% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Just over three in ten owners (31.3%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is down 0.5 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
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 | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.7% | 9.1% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 5.4% | 9.0% | 9.3% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.3% | 9.1% | 9.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.5% | 7.9% | 6.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | −1.2 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Empty homes are scarce in Ridgewood: just 5.5% sit vacant, compared with 9.6% nationally, a sign of a tight housing market. Vacancy is little changed from 2006–10, while the national rate fell.
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 | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1945 | 1957 | 1965 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1946 | 1958 | 1966 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1949 | 1959 | 1967 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1948 | 1962 | 1969 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +5 | +5 | +6 |
Ridgewood is a place of older homes: half were built before 1948, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The newest homes are mostly in the center, the oldest in the west. Only 14 of the 415 New Jersey cities with 5,000+ people have older homes.
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 | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,632 | $1,268 | $1,246 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,650 | $1,377 | $1,324 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $2,220 | $1,645 | $1,522 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,486 | $2,060 | $1,896 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$854 | +$792 | +$651 | +$606 |
The median renter in Ridgewood pays $2,486 a month for rent and utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $854 a month since 2006–10, up 52%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 26.5% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the southeast; the most affordable are in the northwest.
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 | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 75.3% | 35.0% | 34.7% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 75.0% | 36.7% | 36.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 75.7% | 39.9% | 39.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 79.4% | 43.6% | 43.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.1 pts | +8.6 pts | +8.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Ridgewood: 79.4% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. The share with a degree has risen 4.1 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Of the 415 New Jersey cities with 5,000+ people, only 15 have a higher share of college graduates.
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 | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 97.4% | 83.7% | 87.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 97.6% | 84.6% | 88.1% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 96.5% | 86.2% | 89.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 98.5% | 86.9% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.1 pts | +3.3 pts | +3.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Ridgewood: 98.5% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has edged up 1.1 points, a smaller shift than nationally. Only 18 of the 415 New Jersey cities with 5,000+ people have a higher share of high school graduates.
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 | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.0% | 7.9% | 7.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.9% | 9.5% | 9.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.2% | 5.7% | 5.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.5% | 6.9% | 6.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.4 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in Ridgewood than nationally: unemployment was 3.5%, against 5.4%. Unemployment has edged down 1.4 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's 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 cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ridgewood | 2.97 | 41.9 | 8.1% | 17.3% | 5.5% | 1948 | $2,486 | 79.4% | 98.5% | 3.5% |
| Ho-Ho-Kus | 3.15 | 42.8 | 5.8% | 7.5% | 10.3% | 1959 | $2,893 | 82.6% | 97.9% | 1.8% |
| Glen Rock | 3.31 | 38.8 | 7.4% | 10.6% | 3.3% | 1948 | $1,943 | 72.1% | 97.2% | 5.4% |
| Midland Park | 2.49 | 42.6 | 2.1% | 27.4% | 6.9% | 1954 | $1,872 | 58.0% | 94.7% | 7.7% |
| Waldwick | 3.03 | 40.8 | 5.2% | 11.9% | 4.4% | 1958 | $3,424 | 59.2% | 97.1% | 2.7% |
| Hawthorne | 2.59 | 43.2 | 9.6% | 30.9% | 6.4% | 1954 | $1,876 | 47.1% | 95.7% | 4.8% |
| Paramus | 2.92 | 46.9 | 6.3% | 12.8% | 3.9% | 1965 | $2,790 | 55.3% | 95.4% | 6.8% |
| Wyckoff | 2.90 | 46.5 | 4.7% | 7.6% | 7.8% | 1967 | $2,637 | 70.7% | 96.6% | 4.7% |
| Fair Lawn | 2.98 | 40.2 | 11.1% | 22.0% | 4.2% | 1952 | $2,093 | 64.1% | 96.5% | 6.6% |
| Saddle River | 2.57 | 52.1 | 5.2% | 14.5% | 9.1% | 1981 | $2,358 | 69.8% | 94.2% | 6.3% |
| Allendale | 2.71 | 44.3 | 2.9% | 18.8% | 7.3% | 1971 | $2,993 | 72.3% | 97.6% | 4.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Dana Point, CA · Villalba, PR · Verona, WI · University Park, TX · Union, KY · Dix Hills, NY · District Heights, MD · DePew, NY · Denver, NC · Del Valle, TX
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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