What it's like to live in Ridgefield Park
Ridgefield Park is a small city in New Jersey with household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, schools with smaller class sizes than the national average, and public transit that many commuters actually use. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Ridgefield Park deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, and cold winters.
The good
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Low student-teacher ratio
- Public transit that many commuters use
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Cold winters
How Ridgefield Park compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Ridgefield Park
Based on Ridgefield Park's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,462
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $69,240 a year
- 46% of Ridgefield Park renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$99,340
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $49,670
- Homes cost 4.9× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 23% above US
$1,731/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,731 a month median. Whether that premium makes sense usually comes down to the local job market and what it pays. Home prices are steep, with a median around $496,700. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $496,700 · 46% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
4.3% county unemployment
Unemployment in Bergen County is 4.3%, close to the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Bergen County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 89% below US
37 violent crimes per 100k
Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.
Property crime 566/100k · Ridgefield Park Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
27 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 27.3 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 7 in 10 workers drive to work; 12% take public transit; 13% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 85°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 28°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforceNear US average
35% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 35% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.
Schools
4 public schools inside the boundary
There are 4 public schools inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is General Grant National Memorial (4 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Ridgefield Park's strongest points are household incomes running above the national average and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,731/mo) equals 21% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime and people who would rather not drive.
See all the data for Ridgefield Park →·All New Jersey cities →
Other places near Ridgefield Park
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