| Ridgefield Park, New Jersey | |
|---|---|
| — Village — | |
| Map highlighting Ridgefield Park's location within Bergen County. Inset: Bergen County's location within New Jersey. | |
| Census Bureau map of Ridgefield Park, New Jersey | |
| Coordinates: | |
| Country | United States |
| State | New Jersey |
| County | Bergen |
| Settled | 1685 |
| Incorporated | 1892 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Walsh Act (New Jersey) |
| • Mayor | George D. Fosdick (2012)[1] |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.9 sq mi (5.0 km2) |
| • Land | 1.7 sq mi (4.5 km2) |
| • Water | 0.2 sq mi (0.5 km2) |
| Elevation[2] | 59 ft (18 m) |
| Population (2010 Census)[3] | |
| • Total | 12,729 |
| • Density | 6,699.5/sq mi (2,545.8/km2) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 07660 |
| Area code(s) | 201 |
| FIPS code | 34-62940[4][5] |
| GNIS feature ID | 0885368[6] |
| Website | http://www.ridgefieldpark.org |
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.[7] 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.[8]
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Ridgefield Park is located at (40.857119, -74.024272).[9]
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.
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1900 | 1,987 |
|
|
| 1910 | 4,512 | 127.1% | |
| 1920 | 8,575 | 90.0% | |
| 1930 | 10,764 | 25.5% | |
| 1940 | 11,277 | 4.8% | |
| 1950 | 11,993 | 6.3% | |
| 1960 | 12,701 | 5.9% | |
| 1970 | 13,990 | 10.1% | |
| 1980 | 12,738 | −8.9% | |
| 1990 | 12,454 | −2.2% | |
| 2000 | 12,873 | 3.4% | |
| 2010 | 12,729 | −1.1% | |
| Population 1930 - 1990.[10][11][12][3] | |||
As of the census[4] 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.[12]
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.[12]
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.[12]
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.[12]
Ridgefield Park has been governed under the Walsh Act since 1912.[13] 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.[14]
The members of the Ridgefield Park Board of Commissioners, whose terms of office all end in 2012, are:[15]
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.[16]
Ridgefield Park is in the Ninth Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 37th state legislative district.[17] The village was relocated to the 36th state legislative district by the New Jersey Apportionment Commission based on the results of the 2010 Census.[3] 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.[17]
New Jersey's Ninth Congressional District is represented by Steve Rothman (D, Fair Lawn). New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Bob Menendez (D, Hoboken).
37th Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature, which is represented in the New Jersey Senate by Loretta Weinberg (D, Teaneck) and in the New Jersey General Assembly by Valerie Huttle (D, Englewood) and Gordon M. Johnson (D, Englewood).[18] The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham).[19] The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).[20]
Bergen County's County Executive is Kathleen Donovan (R, Rutherford; term ends December 31, 2014).[21] The Board of Chosen Freeholders is the county's legislative body and its seven members are elected at-large on a staggered basis, with two or three seats coming up for election each year.[22] As of 2011, Bergen County's Freeholders are Chairman John Driscoll, Jr. (R, 2012; Paramus),[23] Vice-Chairwoman Maura DeNicola (R, 2013; Franklin Lakes),[24] Chair Pro Tempore John D. Mitchell (R, 2013; Cliffside Park)[25] John A. Felice (R, 2013; River Edge),[26] David L. Ganz (D, 2011; Fair Lawn),[27] Robert G. Hermansen (R, 2012; Mahwah)[28] and Bernadette P. McPherson (D, 2011; Rutherford).[29][30] Other countywide constitutional officials are Sheriff Michael Saudino (R), Surrogate Michael R. Dressler (D, Cresskill) and County Clerk Elizabeth Randall (R, Westwood).[31]
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 Democrats, 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.[32]
The Ridgefield Park Public Schools serve students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. Schools in the district (with 2009-10 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics[33]) 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.[34][35]
New Jersey Transit 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.[36]
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.
Notable current and former residents of Ridgefield Park include: