Best Places to Live in Bergen & Passaic Counties
This region's seven member places split between Bergen County's dense, affluent, NYC-adjacent suburbs -- each carrying its own real, distinct cultural or civic identity -- and Passaic County's genuinely different pair: historic, industrial Paterson and rural, forested Ringwood.
Exploring the idea of moving?
We can connect you with a local real estate professional who knows the area -- no pressure, just a starting point.
Learn moreFort Lee: A Real Gateway Town with a Major Korean-American Community
Fort Lee sits directly atop the Palisades at the western terminus of the George Washington Bridge (opened 1931), giving it a uniquely direct physical and commuting connection to Manhattan. It's also home to one of the largest and fastest-growing ethnic Korean communities outside Korea -- Asian-Americans, predominantly Korean-American, make up the largest single demographic group in Fort Lee (approximately 43.6%), a real, substantial community that began arriving in meaningful numbers in the 1980s and has shaped the borough's restaurants, businesses, and civic life ever since.
Teaneck: A Real, Historic Civil Rights Milestone
Teaneck carries a genuine, historically significant distinction: in 1964, its Board of Education voted 7-2 to voluntarily desegregate its public schools -- making Teaneck the first town in the nation where a white-majority community voted for school integration without a court order requiring it. That history remains a real, actively commemorated part of Teaneck's civic identity today, alongside its genuine, longstanding reputation for diversity.
Hackensack, Englewood, and Ridgewood: Bergen County's County Seat, City, and Top-Schools Suburb
Hackensack, the Bergen County seat, offers the most accessible entry point into this cluster alongside real county-government and healthcare-sector employment. Englewood offers a comparable mid-tier Bergen County option with its own historic downtown. Ridgewood is this region's clear top-schools, premium-suburb pick, commanding the highest prices in this cluster in exchange for a well-regarded public school district and a walkable, train-served downtown.
Paterson: A Real National Historical Park in an Urban Setting
Paterson carries a genuinely significant industrial history: Alexander Hamilton personally identified the 77-foot Great Falls of the Passaic River as the site for America's first planned industrial city in 1792, and Paterson later became known as 'Silk City,' producing roughly half the world's silk at its peak. The Great Falls are preserved today as Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park -- a real, significant piece of American industrial history within an urban setting, and this region's most affordable member place.
Ringwood: A Rural, Forested Outlier
Ringwood, tucked into the Ramapo Mountains along the New York border, offers a genuinely different lifestyle from the rest of this region -- rural, forested, and anchored by Ringwood State Park (including the historic Skylands Manor) -- a real, distinct pick for movers wanting lower density and outdoor access within Passaic County.
Key takeaways
- Fort Lee's direct connection to the George Washington Bridge and its major, real Korean-American community (~43.6% of residents) give it a genuinely distinct identity within Bergen County.
- Teaneck's real, historic 1964 school-desegregation vote -- the first in the nation by a white-majority community without a court order -- remains an actively commemorated part of its civic identity.
- Paterson's Great Falls National Historical Park preserves a genuinely significant piece of American industrial history (Alexander Hamilton's 1792 planned industrial city; 'Silk City') at this region's most affordable price point.
- Ridgewood is this region's clear top-schools, premium-suburb pick; Ringwood offers a genuinely rural, forested alternative within the same broader region.
Want to know what your budget actually buys here?
Tell us a bit about what you're looking for and we'll connect you with someone local who can walk you through real numbers.
Get local guidanceRead the full Bergen & Passaic Counties overview for the complete picture, including every city and town we've researched in the area.
Planning a move?
Tell us what you're looking for and we'll connect you with a local expert who can help you make it happen.
Talk to a local expert