Moving to Ridgewood: Pros, Cons & What to Know
Moving to Ridgewood means moving to a real, distinct Bergen County train-village suburb -- a genuinely walkable downtown historic district, a top-ranked school district, and a real, substantial property-tax bill to plan around.
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Learn moreA real, dated commuter-rail anchor
Ridgewood's first train station opened in 1848; the current 1916 California Mission Revival-style station building remains genuinely functional, running NJ Transit's Bergen County Line into Manhattan in roughly 43-56 minutes, with at least 2 trains per hour.
Budget for a genuinely high property-tax bill
Ridgewood's median annual property-tax bill runs around $16,952 -- a real, substantial cost on top of an already-expensive home-price point (Zillow average home value $1,249,746, up 8.2% year-over-year).
A real, top-ranked school system anchors the family draw
Ridgewood Public School District ranks #4 in New Jersey (Niche 2026), with Ridgewood High School at #18 statewide -- a genuine, substantial reason many families specifically target Ridgewood despite the cost.
Note the 2024 hospital relocation
The Valley Hospital, headquartered in Ridgewood for 73 years, relocated to a new facility in neighboring Paramus in April 2024 -- still close (about 2.5 miles), but a real, disclosed change worth knowing before you move.
Key takeaways
- Ridgewood's NJ Transit Bergen County Line runs to Manhattan in roughly 43-56 minutes, with 2+ trains per hour.
- The median annual property-tax bill runs around $16,952 -- budget for this alongside a genuinely high home-price point.
- Ridgewood Public School District ranks #4 in New Jersey (Niche 2026) -- a real, substantial family draw.
- Valley Hospital relocated from Ridgewood to nearby Paramus (about 2.5 miles away) in April 2024.
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