Fort Lee receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Fort Lee
Ridgefield
Opportunity
86 · Top 2%
vs79 · Top 8%
Growth
48 · Bottom 46%
vs52 · Top 47%
Climate
71 · Top 47%
vs71 · Top 47%
Physical resilience
47 · Bottom 37%
vs47 · Bottom 37%
Housing affordability
70 · Bottom 34%
vs67 · Bottom 30%
Access
95 · Top 36%
vs97 · Top 22%
Economic stability
60 · Bottom 49%
vs78 · Top 10%
Measured values
| Metric | Fort Lee | Ridgefield | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 40,067 | 11,498 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $107,274 | $118,059 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $69,104 | $50,676 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 15,912/sq mi | 4,521/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $448,000 | $646,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,270 | $2,095 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 55.4% | 51.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.3% | 3.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.5% | 1.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 65.8% | 46.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.8% | 5.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 46 | 20 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.1 | 1.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 58.6% | 25.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 87°F | 87°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 26°F | 26°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 46.3" | 46.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 15 mi | 13 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 38.7 min | 34.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 46.6 | 39.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 4 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 11.96 | 9.70 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 24.7% | 48.0% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Fort Lee
Elevated or high exposure: coastal flooding, earthquake.
Ridgefield
Elevated or high exposure: coastal flooding, earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Fort Lee
71
Your Score
70
Area Score
Ridgefield
70
Your Score
67
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Fort Lee, NJ · Ridgefield, NJ · How this is calculated: methodology