Population 6,500 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Riverdale
Household size in Riverdale
| Period | Riverdale | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.30 | 2.79 | 2.77 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.06 | 2.85 | 2.82 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.19 | 2.82 | 2.78 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.01 | 2.79 | 2.76 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.29 | −0.00 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Riverdale are small: just 2.01 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.30, a much bigger shift than nationally. Of the 415 New Jersey cities with 5,000+ people, only eight have smaller households.
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 Riverdale
| Period | Riverdale | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 46.7 | 38.0 | 39.1 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 47.5 | 38.7 | 40.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 50.3 | 39.8 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 60.7 | 40.4 | 40.9 | 40.1 |
| Change | +14.0 | +2.4 | +1.8 | +2.3 |
Riverdale skews older: half of its residents are older than 60.7, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 46.7, a much bigger shift than nationally. Of the 415 New Jersey cities with 5,000+ people, only three are older.
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 Riverdale
| Period | Riverdale | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.8% | 13.1% | 11.6% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 2.1% | 12.8% | 11.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.5% | 11.4% | 10.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.0% | 11.6% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.2 pts | −1.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 4.0% of households in Riverdale, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is up 1.2 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell. Riverdale has a lower share of single-parent households than at least four in five New Jersey cities.
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 Riverdale
Renters in Riverdale
| Period | Riverdale | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.5% | 47.1% | 33.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 24.3% | 48.7% | 35.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 30.1% | 48.8% | 36.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 36.0% | 48.6% | 36.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | +19.5 pts | +1.5 pts | +3.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in Riverdale is about as common as it is nationally: 36.0% of households rent, against 34.8%. Renters make up a smaller share here than in the wider New York area (48.6%). Among homeowners, 61.4% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 19.5 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Riverdale
| Period | Riverdale | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.0% | 9.1% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 4.9% | 9.0% | 9.3% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.0% | 9.1% | 9.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.1% | 7.9% | 6.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.0 pts | −1.2 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Riverdale than nationally: 7.1%, against 9.6% for the U.S. That is in line with the rest of the New York area. Vacancy has edged down 1.0 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Riverdale
| Period | Riverdale | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1987 | 1957 | 1965 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1993 | 1958 | 1966 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1989 | 1959 | 1967 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1986 | 1962 | 1969 | 1980 |
| Change | −1 | +5 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Riverdale is younger than the country's: half of it was built after 1986, against 1980 nationally. Newer construction is concentrated in the west, while the southeast has the oldest housing. Riverdale has newer homes than the great majority of New Jersey cities.
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 Riverdale
| Period | Riverdale | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,677 | $1,268 | $1,246 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,929 | $1,377 | $1,324 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $2,132 | $1,645 | $1,522 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,675 | $2,060 | $1,896 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$998 | +$792 | +$651 | +$606 |
The median renter in Riverdale pays $2,675 a month for rent and utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $998 a month since 2006–10, up 60%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 36.4% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the northwest; the highest are in the southwest.
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 Riverdale
Bachelor's degrees in Riverdale
| Period | Riverdale | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.3% | 35.0% | 34.7% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 46.0% | 36.7% | 36.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 47.9% | 39.9% | 39.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 51.2% | 43.6% | 43.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +14.9 pts | +8.6 pts | +8.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
Riverdale is highly educated: about half of adults 25 and older (51.2%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 14.9 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Riverdale
| Period | Riverdale | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 93.6% | 83.7% | 87.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 93.8% | 84.6% | 88.1% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 95.5% | 86.2% | 89.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 97.1% | 86.9% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.5 pts | +3.3 pts | +3.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Riverdale: 97.1% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 3.5 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Riverdale has a higher share of high school graduates than at least four in five New Jersey cities.
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 Riverdale
| Period | Riverdale | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.8% | 7.9% | 7.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.0% | 9.5% | 9.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.2% | 5.7% | 5.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 0.8% | 6.9% | 6.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | −5.0 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Riverdale has been low: just 0.8% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Only one other New Jersey city with 5,000+ people has lower unemployment. Unemployment has fallen 5.0 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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).
Riverdale 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riverdale | 2.01 | 60.7 | 4.0% | 36.0% | 7.1% | 1986 | $2,675 | 51.2% | 97.1% | 0.8% |
| Butler | 2.32 | 43.3 | 6.8% | 31.1% | 2.1% | 1965 | $1,652 | 42.4% | 95.5% | 4.4% |
| Pompton Lakes | 2.69 | 42.0 | 5.9% | 19.6% | 2.5% | 1963 | $1,968 | 44.1% | 95.3% | 3.2% |
| Pompton Plains | 2.73 | 44.9 | 5.4% | 7.1% | 4.5% | 1961 | $2,038 | 53.8% | 95.9% | 4.0% |
| Bloomingdale | 2.68 | 42.8 | 6.5% | 28.4% | 4.8% | 1958 | $1,923 | 37.3% | 92.6% | 3.0% |
| Pequannock | 2.96 | 39.2 | 4.8% | 9.8% | 3.2% | 1961 | $1,553 | 53.8% | 95.3% | 4.7% |
| Kinnelon | 3.04 | 43.2 | 3.3% | 7.2% | 3.4% | 1974 | $2,604 | 64.4% | 96.7% | 7.6% |
| Wanaque | 2.54 | 45.9 | 8.6% | 21.2% | 2.2% | 1960 | $1,781 | 42.5% | 95.3% | 3.4% |
| Wayne | 2.95 | 44.1 | 5.5% | 21.2% | 3.9% | 1969 | $2,426 | 56.5% | 96.0% | 5.2% |
| Lincoln Park | 2.59 | 48.1 | 4.5% | 22.0% | 2.8% | 1974 | $2,014 | 44.4% | 91.7% | 10.2% |
| Towaco | 2.76 | 49.7 | 2.6% | 5.9% | 4.3% | 1973 | $2,537 | 71.4% | 97.3% | 3.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Nettleton, MS · New Tripoli, PA · New Providence, PA · New Market, MD · New London, NC · New Hope, AL · New Hempstead, NY · New Hartford, CT · New Egypt, NJ · New Columbia, PA
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 Riverdale. 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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