Pros and Cons of Living in Ridgewood
Ridgewood's core trade-off pairs a genuinely top-ranked school district, a real commuter-rail anchor, and a low crime rate against a real, substantial property-tax burden and expensive housing.
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Learn morePro: a top-ranked school district and real commuter-rail access
Ridgewood Public School District ranks #4 in New Jersey (Niche 2026), and NJ Transit's Bergen County Line runs a real, functional commute into Manhattan in roughly 43-56 minutes.
Pro: genuinely low crime and a walkable historic downtown
Ridgewood's crime rate runs roughly 70% below the national rate, and its downtown historic district -- centered on a 1916 landmark train station -- offers real, walkable village character.
Con: a real, substantial property-tax burden
The median annual property-tax bill runs around $16,952 -- among the highest documented in this dataset's New Jersey Tier B roster.
Con: genuinely expensive housing and a 2024 hospital relocation
Zillow's average home value ran $1,249,746 (up 8.2% year-over-year), and Valley Hospital -- in Ridgewood for 73 years -- relocated to nearby Paramus in April 2024.
Key takeaways
- Pro: a #4-ranked New Jersey school district and a real, functional NJ Transit commuter-rail anchor.
- Pro: a genuinely low crime rate (roughly 70% below the national rate) and a walkable historic downtown.
- Con: a real, substantial median annual property-tax bill (around $16,952).
- Con: genuinely expensive housing ($1,249,746 average value) and the real, disclosed 2024 loss of an in-village hospital.
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