Ridgefield Park, New Jersey
Encyclopedia
Ridgefield Park is a village in Bergen County
, New Jersey
, United States. The population was 12,729 at the 2010 United States Census. Of 566 municipalities statewide, Ridgefield Park is only one of three with a village
type of government in New Jersey, along with Loch Arbour
and Ridgewood
.
The village's Fourth of July Parade, first established in 1894, is said to be the longest continuously celebrated such event in New Jersey and one of the oldest in the country. The village eliminated its July 4th fireworks in 2009, citing the $50,000 cost in the face of the difficult economy, but committed to retain its parade.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the village has a total area of 1.9 square miles (5.0 km2), of which, 1.7 square miles (4.5 km2) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.5 km2) of it (9.90%) is water.
of 2000, there were 12,873 people, 5,012 households, and 3,242 families residing in the village. The population density
was 7,435.7 people per square mile (2,873.0/km2). There were 5,134 housing units at an average density of 1, 145.8/km2 (2,965.5/sq mi). The racial makeup of the village was 78.20% White, 4.10% African American, 0.22% Native American, 7.85% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 6.50% from other races
, and 3.09% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 22.24% of the population.
There were 5,012 households out of which 29.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.7% were married couples
living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.3% were non-families. 29.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.24.
In the village the population was spread out with 22.4% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 34.4% from 25 to 44, 23.1% from 45 to 64, and 12.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 91.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.6 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $51,825, and the median income for a family was $62,414. Males had a median income of $44,507 versus $35,217 for females. The per capita income
for the village was $24,290. About 4.7% of families and 6.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.9% of those under age 18 and 7.5% of those age 65 or over.
since 1912. The Board of Commissioners consists of five members, elected at large in non-partisan
elections to serve four-year terms on a concurrent basis. The commissioners elect one commissioner as mayor, however the mayor is only responsible for his or her departments and serves as the chair of the commission.
The members of the Ridgefield Park Board of Commissioners, whose terms of office all end in 2012, are:
In elections held on May 13, 2008, the four incumbents running for re-election — George D. Fosdick (1,210 votes), Maggie Boyd (1,142), John H. Anlian (1,063) and Hugo R. Poli (1,006) — all won new terms in office. Challenger Adam MacNeill received 1,037 votes to win the seat vacated by Joseph Storer, with Frank Scerbo (653) and Junior Hernandez (458) falling short.
based on the results of the 2010 Census. The new district is in effect for the June 2011 primary and the November 2011 general election, with the state senator and assembly members elected taking office in the new district as of January 2012.
, 1,142 (21.0% vs. 19.2% countywide) were registered as Republicans
and 2,927 (53.9% vs. 60.1% countywide) were registered as Undeclared
. There was one voter registered to another party.
serve students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. Schools in the district (with 2009-10 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics
) are three K-6 elementary schools –
Grant School (201 students),
Lincoln School (376) and
Roosevelt School (389) – and
Ridgefield Park High School
for grades 7-12 (1,197). Students from Little Ferry
attend the high school as part of a sending/receiving relationship
with the Little Ferry Public Schools
that has been in place since 1953.
bus routes 155, 157, 161, 165, 167 and 168 provide service between Ridgefield Park and the Port Authority Bus Terminal
in Midtown Manhattan
, and the 83 route provides service to Hackensack
and the Journal Square Transportation Center in Jersey City
.
Interstate 80
, Interstate 95
(the New Jersey Turnpike
), and U.S. Route 46
pass through Ridgefield Park, where a 12-screen movie theater owned by AMC
as well as numerous businesses such as Samsung
are located.
Bergen County, New Jersey
Bergen County is the most populous county of the state of New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 905,116. The county is part of the New York City Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Hackensack...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, United States. The population was 12,729 at the 2010 United States Census. Of 566 municipalities statewide, Ridgefield Park is only one of three with a village
Village (New Jersey)
A Village in the context of New Jersey local government, refers to one of five types and one of eleven forms of municipal government.The Village Act of 1891 defined the form of government to consist of a five-member board of trustees to be elected to three-year staggered terms. One member serves...
type of government in New Jersey, along with Loch Arbour
Loch Arbour, New Jersey
Loch Arbour is a village in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the village population was 194, making it the fifth smallest municipality by population in the state of New Jersey....
and Ridgewood
Ridgewood, New Jersey
Ridgewood is a village in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the village population was 24,958. Ridgewood is an affluent suburban bedroom community of New York City, located approximately northwest of Midtown Manhattan.The Village of Ridgewood was...
.
The village's Fourth of July Parade, first established in 1894, is said to be the longest continuously celebrated such event in New Jersey and one of the oldest in the country. The village eliminated its July 4th fireworks in 2009, citing the $50,000 cost in the face of the difficult economy, but committed to retain its parade.
Geography
Ridgefield Park is located at 40.857119°N 74.024272°W (40.857119, -74.024272).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the village has a total area of 1.9 square miles (5.0 km2), of which, 1.7 square miles (4.5 km2) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.5 km2) of it (9.90%) is water.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 12,873 people, 5,012 households, and 3,242 families residing in the village. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 7,435.7 people per square mile (2,873.0/km2). There were 5,134 housing units at an average density of 1, 145.8/km2 (2,965.5/sq mi). The racial makeup of the village was 78.20% White, 4.10% African American, 0.22% Native American, 7.85% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 6.50% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 3.09% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 22.24% of the population.
There were 5,012 households out of which 29.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.7% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.3% were non-families. 29.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.24.
In the village the population was spread out with 22.4% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 34.4% from 25 to 44, 23.1% from 45 to 64, and 12.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 91.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.6 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $51,825, and the median income for a family was $62,414. Males had a median income of $44,507 versus $35,217 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the village was $24,290. About 4.7% of families and 6.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.9% of those under age 18 and 7.5% of those age 65 or over.
Local government
Ridgefield Park has been governed under the Walsh ActWalsh Act (New Jersey)
The Walsh Act is legislation in the U.S. state of New Jersey that permits municipalities to adopt a non-partisan commission form of government. The legislation was signed by Governor of New Jersey Woodrow Wilson on April 25, 1911. The commissions in Walsh Act municipalities are composed of either...
since 1912. The Board of Commissioners consists of five members, elected at large in non-partisan
Non-partisan democracy
Nonpartisan democracy is a system of representative government or organization such that universal and periodic elections take place without reference to political parties.-Overview:...
elections to serve four-year terms on a concurrent basis. The commissioners elect one commissioner as mayor, however the mayor is only responsible for his or her departments and serves as the chair of the commission.
The members of the Ridgefield Park Board of Commissioners, whose terms of office all end in 2012, are:
- George D. Fosdick - Mayor and Commissioner of Public SafetyCommissioner of Public SafetyThe Commissioner of Public Safety heads one of the departments in those local governments in New Jersey that operate under the Walsh Act form of municipal governance. This is a standalone position in Walsh Act municipalities with a five-member commission...
- John H. Anlian - Commissioner of Public AffairsCommissioner of Public AffairsThe Commissioner of Public Affairs heads one of the departments in those local governments in New Jersey that operate under the Walsh Act form of municipal governance. This is a standalone position in Walsh Act municipalities with a five-member commission...
- Maggie Boyd - Commissioner of Revenue and FinanceCommissioner of Revenue and FinanceThe Commissioner of Revenue and Finance heads one of the departments in those local governments in New Jersey that operate under the Walsh Act form of municipal governance...
- Hugo R. Poli - Commissioner of Public WorksCommissioner of Public WorksThe Commissioner of Public Works heads one of the departments in those local governments in New Jersey that operate under the Walsh Act form of municipal governance. This is a standalone position in Walsh Act municipalities with a five-member commission...
- Adam MacNeill - Commissioner of Parks and Public PropertyCommissioner of Parks and Public PropertyThe Commissioner of Parks and Public Property heads one of the departments in those local governments in New Jersey that operate under the Walsh Act form of municipal governance. This is a standalone position in Walsh Act municipalities with a three-member commission...
In elections held on May 13, 2008, the four incumbents running for re-election — George D. Fosdick (1,210 votes), Maggie Boyd (1,142), John H. Anlian (1,063) and Hugo R. Poli (1,006) — all won new terms in office. Challenger Adam MacNeill received 1,037 votes to win the seat vacated by Joseph Storer, with Frank Scerbo (653) and Junior Hernandez (458) falling short.
Federal, state and county representation
Ridgefield Park is in the Ninth Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 37th state legislative district. The village was relocated to the 36th state legislative district by the New Jersey Apportionment CommissionNew Jersey Apportionment Commission
The New Jersey Apportionment Commission is a constitutionally-created ten-member commission responsible for apportioning the forty districts of the New Jersey Legislature. The commission is convened after each decennial U.S. Census, and the districts are to be in use for the legislative elections...
based on the results of the 2010 Census. The new district is in effect for the June 2011 primary and the November 2011 general election, with the state senator and assembly members elected taking office in the new district as of January 2012.
Politics
Out of a 2004 Census estimated population of 11,005 in Ridgefield Park, there were 5,434 registered voters (49.4% of the population, vs. 55.4% in all of Bergen County). Of registered voters, 1,364 (25.1% vs. 20.7% countywide) were registered as DemocratsDemocratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, 1,142 (21.0% vs. 19.2% countywide) were registered as Republicans
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
and 2,927 (53.9% vs. 60.1% countywide) were registered as Undeclared
Undeclared (New Jersey)
Unaffiliated is a status for registered voters in New Jersey. Those voters who do not specify a political party affiliation when they register to vote are listed as unaffiliated....
. There was one voter registered to another party.
Education
The Ridgefield Park Public SchoolsRidgefield Park Public Schools
The Ridgefield Park Public Schools is a comprehensive community public school district that serves students in kindergarten through twelfth grade from the Village of Ridgefield Park, in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States....
serve students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. Schools in the district (with 2009-10 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics
National Center for Education Statistics
The National Center for Education Statistics is the part of the United States Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on education and public school district finance information in the United States...
) are three K-6 elementary schools –
Grant School (201 students),
Lincoln School (376) and
Roosevelt School (389) – and
Ridgefield Park High School
Ridgefield Park High School
Ridgefield Park High School is a six-year comprehensive public high school that serves students in seventh through twelfth grade from Ridgefield Park, in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Ridgefield Park Public Schools...
for grades 7-12 (1,197). Students from Little Ferry
Little Ferry, New Jersey
Little Ferry is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 10,626.-Geography:Little Ferry is located at ....
attend the high school as part of a sending/receiving relationship
Sending/receiving relationship
A sending/receiving relationship is one in which a public school district sends some or all of its students to attend the schools of another district. This is often done to achieve costs savings in smaller districts or continues after districts have grown as part of a historical relationship...
with the Little Ferry Public Schools
Little Ferry Public Schools
The Little Ferry Public Schools are a community public school district that serves kindergarten through eighth-grade students from Little Ferry in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States....
that has been in place since 1953.
Transportation
New Jersey TransitNew Jersey Transit
The New Jersey Transit Corporation is a statewide public transportation system serving the United States state of New Jersey, and New York, Orange, and Rockland counties in New York State...
bus routes 155, 157, 161, 165, 167 and 168 provide service between Ridgefield Park and the Port Authority Bus Terminal
Port Authority Bus Terminal
The Port Authority Bus Terminal is the main gateway for interstate buses into Manhattan in New York City...
in Midtown Manhattan
Midtown Manhattan
Midtown Manhattan, or simply Midtown, is an area of Manhattan, New York City home to world-famous commercial zones such as Rockefeller Center, Broadway, and Times Square...
, and the 83 route provides service to Hackensack
Hackensack, New Jersey
Hackensack is a city in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States and the county seat of Bergen County. Although informally called Hackensack, it was officially named New Barbadoes Township until 1921. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 43,010....
and the Journal Square Transportation Center in Jersey City
Jersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City is the seat of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States.Part of the New York metropolitan area, Jersey City lies between the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay across from Lower Manhattan and the Hackensack River and Newark Bay...
.
Interstate 80
Interstate 80 in New Jersey
Interstate 80 is a major Interstate Highway in the United States, running from the New York City Metropolitan Area westward to San Francisco, California...
, Interstate 95
Interstate 95 in New Jersey
Interstate 95 is a major Interstate Highway that traverses the full extent of the East Coast of the United States, from Florida to Maine...
(the New Jersey Turnpike
New Jersey Turnpike
The New Jersey Turnpike is a toll road in New Jersey, maintained by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority. According to the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association, the Turnpike is the nation's sixth-busiest toll road and is among one of the most heavily traveled highways in the United...
), and U.S. Route 46
U.S. Route 46
U.S. Route 46 is an east–west U.S. Highway, running for , completely within the state of New Jersey. The west end is at an interchange with Interstate 80 and Route 94 in Columbia, Warren County on the Delaware River...
pass through Ridgefield Park, where a 12-screen movie theater owned by AMC
AMC Theatres
AMC Theatres , officially known as AMC Entertainment, Inc., is the second largest movie theater chain in North America with 5,325 screens, second only to Regal Entertainment Group, and one of the United States's four national cinema chains AMC Theatres (American Multi-Cinema), officially known as...
as well as numerous businesses such as Samsung
Samsung
The Samsung Group is a South Korean multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea...
are located.
Notable residents
Notable current and former residents of Ridgefield Park include:- John HuchraJohn HuchraJohn Peter Huchra [pronounced HUCK-rah] was an American astronomer and professor. He was the Vice Provost for Research Policy at Harvard University and a Professor of Astronomy at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. He was also a former chair of the United States National Committee...
(1948–2010), astronomer. - Capt. Robert A. LewisRobert A. LewisRobert A. Lewis was a United States Army Air Forces Officer serving in the Pacific Theatre during World War II.Lewis grew up in Ridgefield Park, New Jersey and attended Ridgefield Park High School there, graduating in 1937....
(c. 1918–1983), co-pilot of the Enola GayEnola GayEnola Gay is a Boeing B-29 Superfortress bomber, named after Enola Gay Tibbets, mother of the pilot, then-Colonel Paul Tibbets. On August 6, 1945, during the final stages of World War II, it became the first aircraft to drop an atomic bomb as a weapon of war...
. - Ozzie NelsonOzzie NelsonOswald George "Ozzie" Nelson was an American entertainer and band leader who originated and starred in The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet radio and television series with his wife and two sons.-Early life:...
(1906–75), actor. - George WarringtonGeorge WarringtonGeorge David Warrington was an American transportation official, who served New Jersey Transit for 28 years, latterly in the post of executive director...
(1952–2007), served as executive directorExecutive directorExecutive director is a term sometimes applied to the chief executive officer or managing director of an organization, company, or corporation. It is widely used in North American non-profit organizations, though in recent decades many U.S. nonprofits have adopted the title "President/CEO"...
of New Jersey TransitNew Jersey TransitThe New Jersey Transit Corporation is a statewide public transportation system serving the United States state of New Jersey, and New York, Orange, and Rockland counties in New York State...
.
External links
- Ridgefield Park official website
- Ridgefield Park Public Schools
- Data for the Ridgefield Park Public Schools, National Center for Education StatisticsNational Center for Education StatisticsThe National Center for Education Statistics is the part of the United States Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on education and public school district finance information in the United States...
- Rialto Theater