What it's like to live in Ridgewood
Ridgewood is a small city in New Jersey with unemployment below the national average, household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, and a highly educated workforce. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Ridgewood deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, commute times longer than most cities, and cold winters.
The good
- Low unemployment
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Highly educated workforce
- Low student-teacher ratio
- Public transit that many commuters use
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Above-average commute times
- Cold winters
How Ridgewood compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Ridgewood
Based on Ridgewood's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$4,998
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $99,960 a year
- 39% of Ridgewood renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$178,240
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $89,120
- Homes cost 4.3× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 77% above US
$2,499/mo median rent
Rent is expensive here, at $2,499 a month median and well above the national average. This is the kind of city where housing costs deserve serious budgeting before committing to a move. Home prices are steep, with a median around $891,200. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $891,200 · 39% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 21% below US
3.4% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.4%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 90% below US
34 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 476/100k · Ridgewood Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 33% above US
35 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 34.6 minute average means plenty of commuters are pushing 45 to 60 minutes on a bad day. Proximity to work matters more here than it might elsewhere. 5 in 10 workers drive to work; 12% take public transit; 32% 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 & workforce▲ 122% above US
80% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a highly educated city, with over half the adult population holding a college degree. That tends to shape the job market and the broader culture, and it's a solid indicator of a strong professional scene.
Schools
10 public schools inside the boundary
There are 10 public schools inside the boundary and 4 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12:1, 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 Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park (6 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Ridgewood's strongest points are unemployment below the national average and household incomes running above 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 ($2,499/mo) equals 14% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit job seekers, anyone prioritizing low crime, and remote workers (32% of workers here already work from home). It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget and people who dread long commutes.
Other places near Ridgewood
All New Jersey guides →Moving to Glen Rock →
2 mi away · pop. 12,154
Rent $1,930/mo · Income $215,096
Compare with Ridgewood →Moving to Hawthorne →
3 mi away · pop. 19,628
Rent $1,830/mo · Income $110,237
Compare with Ridgewood →Not sure Ridgewood is the one?
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