Ridgewood, New Jersey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ridgewood, New Jersey
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Village
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Van Dien House in Ridgewood
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Location of Ridgewood in Bergen County highlighted in red (left). Inset map: Location of Bergen County in New Jersey highlighted in orange (right).
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 Ridgewood, New Jersey
Location in Bergen County, New Jersey
Ridgewood, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Ridgewood, New Jersey
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  New Jersey |
| County | Bergen |
| Incorporated | November 20, 1894 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Faulkner Act Council-Manager |
| • Body | Village Council |
| Area | |
| • Total | 5.80 sq mi (15.03 km2) |
| • Land | 5.74 sq mi (14.87 km2) |
| • Water | 0.06 sq mi (0.16 km2) 1.07% |
| Area rank | 262nd of 565 in state 8th of 70 in county |
| Elevation | 85 ft (26 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 25,979 |
| • Estimate
(2023)
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26,194 |
| • Rank | 99th of 565 in state 10th of 70 in county |
| • Density | 4,524.4/sq mi (1,746.9/km2) |
| • Density rank | 131st of 565 in state 32nd of 70 in county |
| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT)) |
| ZIP Codes |
07450–07452
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| Area code(s) | 201 |
| FIPS code | 3400363000 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0885369 |
Ridgewood is a village in Bergen County, New Jersey. It is a suburban town near New York City, about 20 miles northwest of Midtown Manhattan. In 2020, about 25,979 people lived in Ridgewood.
Ridgewood is known for being one of New Jersey's wealthier communities. It was even named one of the "Best Places to Live" by Money magazine in 2011.
Contents
History of Ridgewood
The first home in Ridgewood was built around 1700 by Johannes Van Emburgh. He bought a large piece of land in 1698.
The Village of Ridgewood was officially created on November 20, 1894. It had the same borders as Ridgewood Township. The Village became the local government, while the Township continued to manage the schools. Over the years, Ridgewood's borders changed a few times, adding and giving back land to nearby towns. The name "Ridgewood" comes from the hilly land in the area.
Historic Places to Visit
Ridgewood has several places listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These are important historical sites:
- Ackerman House (222 Doremus Avenue): Built around 1787 by Johannes and Jemima Ackerman.
- Ackerman House (252 Lincoln Avenue): A stone house built around 1810.
- David Ackerman House (415 East Saddle River Road).
- Ackerman–Van Emburgh House (789 East Glen Avenue): Built around 1785 by John Ackerman.
- Archibald–Vroom House (160 East Ridgewood Avenue).
- Beech Street School (49 Cottage Place).
- Paramus Reformed Church Historic District: The Old Paramus Reformed Church was started in 1725. The current building is from 1800. During the American Revolutionary War, the church was used by the Continental Army.
- Rathbone–Zabriskie House (570 North Maple Avenue).
- Ridgewood Station (Garber Square).
- Van Dien House (627 Grove Street).
- Vanderbeck House (249 Prospect Street).
- Westervelt–Cameron House (26 East Glen Avenue): Built around 1767 by John R. Westervelt.
Geography and Climate
Ridgewood covers about 5.80 square miles (15.03 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small amount of water.
Ridgewood is next to nine other towns. Eight of these are in Bergen County: Fair Lawn, Glen Rock, Ho-Ho-Kus, Midland Park, Wyckoff, Paramus, Waldwick, and Washington Township. One town, Hawthorne, is in Passaic County.
Ridgewood Neighborhoods
Ridgewood has several distinct areas:
- Downtown: This is the main business area, centered on East Ridgewood Avenue. It has many famous buildings.
- Scrabbletown: Located between East Glen Avenue, Franklin Turnpike, and the Ho-Ho-Kus Brook.
- The Old Country Club: Found between Goffle Road, Rock Road, Lincoln Avenue, and Godwin Avenue.
- The View: This area is on and west of Ridgewood's highest point, Crest Road. It offers great views of New York City.
- Upper Ridgewood: North of West Glen Avenue and west of the NJ Transit train tracks.
- Salem Ridge: East of Route 17.
- Floral Park: Between Grove Street, South Pleasant, East Ridgewood Avenue, and South Van Dien Street.
- Brookside
- The Lawns: A general area in southern Ridgewood around Hawes Elementary School.
Ridgewood's Climate
Ridgewood has a climate with hot summers. The weather box below shows average temperatures and rainfall.
| Climate data for Ridgewood, New Jersey | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 38 (3) |
41 (5) |
50 (10) |
62 (17) |
72 (22) |
81 (27) |
86 (30) |
84 (29) |
76 (24) |
64 (18) |
54 (12) |
43 (6) |
63 (17) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 19 (−7) |
22 (−6) |
30 (−1) |
40 (4) |
50 (10) |
60 (16) |
65 (18) |
63 (17) |
55 (13) |
42 (6) |
34 (1) |
25 (−4) |
42 (6) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 3.58 (91) |
2.86 (73) |
4.11 (104) |
4.36 (111) |
4.20 (107) |
4.42 (112) |
4.52 (115) |
3.88 (99) |
4.78 (121) |
4.32 (110) |
4.09 (104) |
4.02 (102) |
49.14 (1,249) |
Population and People
Ridgewood's population has grown over the years. Here's how it has changed:
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1890 | 1,047 | — | |
| 1900 | 2,685 | 156.4% | |
| 1910 | 5,416 | 101.7% | |
| 1920 | 7,580 | 40.0% | |
| 1930 | 12,188 | 60.8% | |
| 1940 | 14,948 | 22.6% | |
| 1950 | 17,481 | 16.9% | |
| 1960 | 25,391 | 45.2% | |
| 1970 | 27,547 | 8.5% | |
| 1980 | 25,208 | −8.5% | |
| 1990 | 24,152 | −4.2% | |
| 2000 | 24,936 | 3.2% | |
| 2010 | 24,958 | 0.1% | |
| 2020 | 25,979 | 4.1% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 26,194 | 5.0% | |
| Population sources: 1890–1920 1890–1910 1890–1930 1900–2020 2000 2010 2020 |
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Recent Population Data
In the 2020 United States census, Ridgewood had 25,979 people. This was an increase of over 1,000 people since 2010. Most households in Ridgewood own a computer. A high percentage of adults (age 25 and older) have graduated high school, and many also have a bachelor's degree.
The population is diverse, with people of various backgrounds living in the village.
Arts and Culture
Ridgewood is home to some musical talent. The indie rock band Real Estate is from Ridgewood. The rock band Senses Fail also started here in 2002.
Parks and Fun Activities
Ridgewood has many parks and places for recreation:
- Graydon Park: This park has a beach-style pool, baseball and soccer fields, and a roller rink.
- Veterans Field: Located near the library, it has baseball and softball fields. There's also a bandshell for free concerts.
- Citizens Park: Across from George Washington Middle School, this park has two baseball fields and a soccer field. It's also a popular spot for sledding in winter.
- Ridgewood Wild Duck Pond: This pond is part of Bergen's Saddle River County Park. It has a path for walking, picnic areas, a playground, and a fenced-in dog park. You can also connect to a 6-mile bike and walking path that goes through other towns. Fishing and ice skating are allowed when conditions are right, but swimming is not.
Education in Ridgewood
The Ridgewood Public Schools serve students from pre-kindergarten all the way through twelfth grade. The district has 10 schools.
Schools in Ridgewood
- Elementary Schools (Grades K-5):
- Henrietta Hawes Elementary School
- Orchard Elementary School
- Ridge Elementary School
- Irwin B. Somerville Elementary School
- Ira W. Travell Elementary School
- Willard Elementary School
- Middle Schools (Grades 6-8):
- Benjamin Franklin Middle School
- George Washington Middle School
- High School (Grades 9-12):
- Ridgewood High School
Ridgewood High School is known for being one of the top public high schools in New Jersey.
Students in Bergen County, including Ridgewood, can also apply to special technical high school programs. These include the Bergen County Academies and the Bergen Tech campus. These programs offer advanced studies and are very competitive to get into.
There are also several preschools in Ridgewood, like Bethlehem Early Learning Center and the Montessori Learning Center.
Local News and Media
Ridgewood has two weekly community newspapers: The Ridgewood News and the Ridgewood Suburban News. The main daily newspaper for the area is The Record. You can also find local news on the NorthJersey.com website and on Patch Media's Ridgewood news website.
Getting Around Ridgewood
_and_Bergen_County_Route_75_(East_Saddle_River_Road)_in_Ridgewood,_Bergen_County,_New_Jersey.jpg)
Ridgewood has many roads, including major ones like New Jersey Route 17, Franklin Turnpike, and East and West Ridgewood Avenue.
Public Transportation Options
- Train Service: The Ridgewood train station is served by NJ Transit's Main Line and Bergen County Line. Trains go south towards Hoboken Terminal, where you can transfer to trains going to Penn Station in Midtown Manhattan. Trains also go north towards Suffern and Port Jervis.
- Bus Service: NJ Transit offers several bus routes in Ridgewood. Some go to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan or the George Washington Bridge Bus Station. There are also local bus routes that connect to places like Paramus Park, Paterson, and Hackensack.
- Other Bus Services: Short Line also provides bus service along Route 17 to New York City.
Notable People from Ridgewood
Many interesting people have lived in Ridgewood. You can find a list of them at List of people from Ridgewood, New Jersey.
Points of Interest
The Warner Theater was a movie theater on East Ridgewood Avenue. It opened in 1932 but closed in January 2024.
Images for kids
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Van Dien House in Ridgewood
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Location of Ridgewood in Bergen County
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Downtown Ridgewood
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Ridgewood High School
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Route 17 northbound in Ridgewood
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Entering Ridgewood along County Route 79
See also
In Spanish: Ridgewood (Nueva Jersey) para niños
