Westfield receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Westfield
Ridgewood
Opportunity
86 · Top 3%
vs89 · Top 1%
Growth
44 · Bottom 40%
vs47 · Bottom 44%
Climate
71 · Top 48%
vs71 · Top 47%
Physical resilience
49 · Bottom 41%
vs47 · Bottom 37%
Housing affordability
88 · Top 37%
vs86 · Top 41%
Access
99 · Top 14%
vs92 · Top 48%
Economic stability
83 · Top 4%
vs78 · Top 11%
Measured values
| Metric | Westfield | Ridgewood | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 31,111 | 26,308 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $232,629 | $208,211 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $107,640 | $93,638 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,627/sq mi | 4,582/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $953,400 | $891,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,357 | $2,499 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 81.1% | 82.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 3.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.9% | 1.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 78.1% | 80.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 1.8% | 4.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 7 | 16 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.2 | 0.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 40.0% | -5.9% | 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 | 46.6" | 46.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 10 mi | 20 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 39.9 min | 37.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.7 | 41.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 19 | 1 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 11.62 | 13.18 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 4.7% | 1.6% | 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
Westfield
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Ridgewood
Elevated or high exposure: coastal flooding, earthquake.
Full profiles: Westfield, NJ · Ridgewood, NJ · How this is calculated: methodology