Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey facts for kids

Quick facts for kids

Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey

Borough

The Garden State Parkway traversing Woodcliff Lake, a verdant Bergen County borough, the North American corporate headquarters of BMW, and a bedroom suburb of New York City

Wordmark

Location of Woodcliff Lake in Bergen County highlighted in red (left). Inset map: Location of Bergen County in New Jersey highlighted in orange (right).

Census Bureau map of Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey

Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey

Location in Bergen County, New Jersey

Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey

Location in New Jersey

Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey

Location in the United States

August 31, 1894, as Woodcliff

Renamed

March 1, 1910, to Woodcliff Lake

Government

• Type

Borough

• Body

Borough Council

Area

• Total

3.55 sq mi (9.19 km²)

• Land

3.38 sq mi (8.74 km²)

• Water

0.17 sq mi (0.45 km²) 4.85%

Area rank

312th of 565 in state
22nd of 70 in county

Elevation

230 ft (70 m)

Population

(2020)

• Total

6,128

• Estimate

(2023)

6,122

• Rank

344th of 565 in state
55th of 70 in county

• Density

1,815.2/sq mi (700.9/km²)

• Density rank

307th of 565 in state
58th of 70 in county

Time zone

UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST))

• Summer (DST)

UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT))

ZIP Code

07677

Area code(s)

201

FIPS code

3400382300

GNIS feature ID

0885449

Woodcliff Lake is a small town, called a borough, located in Bergen County, New Jersey. In 2020, about 6,128 people lived here. The town is known for its quiet, green neighborhoods. Many homes have large yards.

The town is named after the Woodcliff Lake reservoir. This large body of water is mostly within the borough. A small part of it also reaches into nearby Hillsdale.

History of Woodcliff Lake
Geography and Location
Population and People
Economy and Businesses
Arts, Culture, and Fun Activities
- Parks and Recreation Spots
Emergency Services
Education in Woodcliff Lake
Transportation Options
- Roads and Highways
- Public Transportation
Community Life
Notable People from Woodcliff Lake
Images for kids
See also

History of Woodcliff Lake

Woodcliff Lake started as the Borough of Woodcliff on August 31, 1894. It was created from parts of Orvil Township and Washington Township. This happened after people voted for it. Many new boroughs were formed in Bergen County around this time. This period was even called "Boroughitis." The town's first name came from its natural features, like the woods and cliffs.

On March 1, 1910, the town's name changed to Woodcliff Lake. This change happened after the reservoir was built. The new name matched the local post office. At that time, two post offices in the same state could not have the same name. There was already a "Woodcliff" in Hudson County. Over the years, Woodcliff Lake has exchanged small pieces of land with neighboring towns like Park Ridge and Hillsdale.

Woodcliff Lake has many old houses and buildings. Some of them date back to the 1700s. The town has grown a lot in the last 50 years. Most of the land suitable for building has now been developed.

Geography and Location

Woodcliff Lake covers about 3.55 square miles (9.19 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.

The borough shares borders with several other towns in Bergen County. These include Hillsdale, Montvale, Park Ridge, River Vale, Saddle River, and a tiny bit of Upper Saddle River. Woodcliff Lake is located about 20 miles (32 km) northwest of Manhattan, New York City.

Population and People

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1900	329	—
1910	470	42.9%
1920	587	24.9%
1930	871	48.4%
1940	1,037	19.1%
1950	1,420	36.9%
1960	2,742	93.1%
1970	5,506	100.8%
1980	5,644	2.5%
1990	5,303	−6.0%
2000	5,745	8.3%
2010	5,730	−0.3%
2020	6,128	6.9%
2023 (est.)	6,122	6.8%
Population sources: 1900–1920 1900–1910 1910–1930 1900–2020 2000 2010 2020

In 2010, Woodcliff Lake had 5,730 people living in 1,916 households. About 75% of households were married couples. The average household had almost 3 people.

About 28% of the people were under 18 years old. The average age in the town was 44.8 years. Most of the residents were White, with smaller groups of Asian and Black or African American people. About 5% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

Economy and Businesses

Woodcliff Lake is home to the North American headquarters of BMW. This company moved into the property once used by Ingersoll Rand in 2004. The town also hosts the main office for Perillo Tours, a travel company.

Tice's Corner Marketplace is a shopping center in Woodcliff Lake. It has over 20 stores. Because of Bergen County's "blue laws," most retail stores are closed on Sundays. However, some restaurants at Tice's Corner are open.

Arts, Culture, and Fun Activities

The towns of Woodcliff Lake, Park Ridge, and Montvale work together for an annual Memorial Day Parade. This is a special event that brings the communities together.

The music group The Front Bottoms was started by Brian Sella and Mathew Uychich, who are from Woodcliff Lake.

Parks and Recreation Spots

Wood Dale County Park: This large park covers 118 acres. It has a playground, a special park for dogs, walking paths, tennis courts, and sports fields. There are also picnic areas and a lake for fishing and model boating.
Old Mill Pool: This is a public swimming pool complex. It has a main pool, a water slide, a playground, and a picnic area. It's a great place to cool off in the summer.

Emergency Services

Woodcliff Lake has its own dedicated emergency services to keep residents safe.

Fire Department

The Woodcliff Lake Fire Department (WLFD) is made up of volunteers. It was started in 1932. The department has a chief, a deputy chief, captains, and lieutenants, plus over 30 members. They operate several fire trucks and rescue vehicles. The WLFD is responsible for putting out fires and performing rescues. They also cover the part of the Garden State Parkway that runs through the borough.

Ambulance Service

The Tri-Boro Volunteer Ambulance Corps serves Woodcliff Lake, Park Ridge, and Montvale. This group was founded in 1938. It is a non-profit, all-volunteer group that provides free emergency medical services to the community. Their main office is in Park Ridge.

Police Department

Woodcliff Lake has its own police department. It was founded in 1954. The police station is located next to the borough hall and the fire department.

Education in Woodcliff Lake

Students in Woodcliff Lake attend schools run by the Woodcliff Lake Public Schools district. This district serves students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade.

Dorchester Elementary School: This school is for students in Pre-K through 5th grade.
Woodcliff Middle School: This school is for students in 6th through 8th grade.

After eighth grade, students from Woodcliff Lake go to Pascack Hills High School for ninth through twelfth grades. Students from Montvale also attend this high school. Pascack Hills High School is part of the Pascack Valley Regional High School District. This district also includes Pascack Valley High School, which serves students from Hillsdale and River Vale.

Some people in Woodcliff Lake believe the town pays more than its fair share for the regional high school district. They have discussed leaving the district.

Students in Bergen County can also apply to special high school programs. These include the Bergen County Academies in Hackensack and the Bergen Tech campuses in Teterboro or Paramus. These schools offer unique programs and have a special application process.

Transportation Options

Woodcliff Lake has many roads, including local streets, county roads, and a major highway.

Roads and Highways

Garden State Parkway northbound at exit 171 in Woodcliff Lake

The Garden State Parkway and County Route 503 both pass through Woodcliff Lake.

You can get on the Garden State Parkway going south or exit it going north at Exit 171 in Woodcliff Lake. Other nearby exits, like Exit 168 in Washington Township and Exit 172 in Montvale, are also used to access the town.

Public Transportation

Train Service: Woodcliff Lake has its own train station, the Woodcliff Lake train station. It's on the Pascack Valley Line. This line goes to Hoboken Terminal, where you can connect to other trains, the PATH train to New York City, or ferry services. You can also connect to New York Penn Station from Secaucus Junction.
Bus Service: Rockland Coaches offers bus service from Woodcliff Lake to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan.

Community Life

Woodcliff Lake has changed from a farming area to a modern town.

Tice Farms was a famous farm and roadside stand in Woodcliff Lake. It started in 1808 and was known for its pumpkins, apple cider, and fresh donuts, especially in the fall. Many people would visit from New York City. Over time, the farm sold land for new buildings. The BMW North American headquarters now stands on land that once belonged to the Tice family. Tice Farms is now Tice's Corner, a shopping center.

Van Riper's Farm was another old farm known for its apple cider. It closed to make way for a supermarket.

A small reminder of the town's past is Fusco's Market. It's located near the Old Mill Pond. The Old Mill Pond was once a mill pond and became the town's swimming pool around 1950. It has been updated with a sand beach, a water slide, and other fun water activities.

Woodcliff Lake does not have its own public library. However, residents can get money back if they pay for a library membership in a nearby town that has one.

The town also has its own ZIP Code, 07677, which it regained in 2000 after a period of sharing a ZIP code with Westwood.

Notable People from Woodcliff Lake

Many interesting people have lived in or are connected to Woodcliff Lake:

Jack Antonoff (born 1984), a singer, musician, and producer known for his work with bands like Fun and Bleachers.
Kerri Green (born 1967), an actress who appeared in the movie The Goonies.
Joe Oriolo (1913–1985), a producer of the Felix the Cat cartoons and co-creator of Casper the Friendly Ghost.
Tom Papa (born 1968), a comedian, actor, and host.