Ridgewood Ranked No. 1 Best Place To Live In Bergen County

RIDGEWOOD, NJ — Good news, Ridgewood residents — the village of Ridgewood is ranked first among the best places to live in Bergen County, according to a recent study released by Niche.

Every year, Niche ranks places to live based on data-driven insights, and this year, Ridgewood won the title. The borough of Haworth ranked second, followed by the suburbs of Glen Rock, Ho-Ho-Kus and River Edge.

With a population of about 25,000 residents, Ridgewood offers a "sparse suburban feel," and includes a slew of restaurants, coffee shops and parks, the study found.

Ridgewood has an A+ rating overall, an A+ for its public schools and an A+ for being family friendly.

Not only that, but the village is ranked as the second-best suburb to live in all of New Jersey, and the third-best overall place to live in the state. Moreover, the village is ranked as the fifth-best suburb to raise a family in the state.

It seems, anecdotally as well, that residents enjoy life in Ridgewood, as affirmed by a large share of reviews that were featured on the site. In fact, 31 of 59 resident reviews gave the village an excellent five-star rating, and 18 others gave it four stars.

Many Ridgewood residents, it's worth noting, live together with families and tend to lean conservative, and most — that is, 81% — own their homes.

Although the village is superior in many areas, it is slightly weaker in others, with an A- rating for jobs, citing the median home value at $744,200, more than three times the national average, and the median rent at $2,062, nearly twice the national average. This rating is based on employment rates, job and business growth and cost of living.

Additionally, the village has a B rating in crime and safety, with 20 assaults per 100,000 residents and 459.3 thefts per 100,000 residents, still well below the national averages.

Ethnic and economic diversity also earns a B rating in the village, with more than 40% of people who had completed a bachelor's degree or higher and 35% with a master's degree or higher.