Photo: J · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Ridgewood is among the healthiest U.S. towns
Ridgewood beats New Jersey on 21 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Ridgewood. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Ridgewood
Ridgewood is an active town
Only 15.5% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 24.8% across New Jersey. Habits ↓
COPD and diabetes are less common in Ridgewood
Ridgewood runs below New Jersey on five chronic conditions, most of all COPD (3.3% vs 5.1%), diabetes (7.4% vs 10.9%) and stroke (2.2% vs 3.1%). Conditions ↓
Few Ridgewood adults smoke
6.2% of adults smoke cigarettes, vs 10.9% across New Jersey. Habits ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the New Jersey figure falls outside Ridgewood’s likely range.
What’s behind Ridgewood’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ridgewood is among the healthiest U.S. towns, #10 of 468 in New Jersey. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is physical distress (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than almost every town); the weakest is no exercise, still better than 97%.
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Ridgewood’s median household income is $208,211; among the 912 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($156K–$260K), it’s healthier than 93%, about where its income would put it.
Everyday habits, side by side with New Jersey
Share of adults, with the New Jersey figure marked.
7.5 miles of trails across 10 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Ridgewood adults…
Ridgewood runs below NJ on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Ridgewood
No hospital or community health center in Ridgewood itself. These are the nearest.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Ridgewood; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Ridgewood adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New Jersey.
How Ridgewood adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Ridgewood does better than New Jersey.
3 in 10 Ridgewood adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
2.9% of Ridgewood adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.4% across New Jersey.
Ridgewood and the towns around it
Ridgewood’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 9 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ridgewood | A+ | 22.7% | 7.4% | 6.2% | CDC place |
| Ho-Ho-Kus | A+ | 23% | 7.1% | 5.7% | CDC place |
| Paramus | A | 22.9% | 10.2% | 8% | CDC place |
| Glen Rock | A+ | 23.1% | 7.2% | 6.4% | CDC place |
| Washington Township | A+ | 24.4% | 8.3% | 7.3% | ZIP 07676 |
| Waldwick | A+ | 24.8% | 7.5% | 8% | CDC place |
| Midland Park | A+ | 25.1% | 7.9% | 8.1% | CDC place |
| Wyckoff Township | A+ | 23.8% | 7.9% | 6.7% | ZIP 07481 |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Ridgewood adults live with a disability (New Jersey 24.8%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Ridgewood
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Ridgewood is better than New Jersey on 21 and worse on 0; on the rest, the New Jersey figure falls inside Ridgewood’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Ridgewood | NJ | U.S. | vs NJ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 10.3%8.9–11.7 | 17.1% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 8.5%7.5–9.6 | 12.2% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.2%10.9–13.6 | 14.7% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 22.7%19.4–26.1 | 28.9% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 7.4%6.5–8.4 | 10.9% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 29.3%26.6–31.9 | 32.8% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 40.3%37.2–43.4 | 39.3% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 19.1%17.1–21.1 | 22.2% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 8%7.1–8.9 | 8.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.2%7.5–9 | 7.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.2%3.8–4.7 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 3.3%2.9–3.8 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.2%2–2.4 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 4.3%3.4–5.3 | 9.6% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 6.2%5.2–7.4 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 15.5%13.3–17.8 | 24.8% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 16.9%14.6–19.4 | 15.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35%31–38.9 | 37.5% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.1%4.2–6 | 11.3% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.7%77.1–82.2 | 78% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 77.7%75.2–79.9 | 65.9% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 92.4%91.3–93.3 | 89.1% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.3%73.3–79.2 | 77.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67%63.1–70.7 | 63.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.3%72.4–83.3 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 14.3%12.3–16.3 | 15.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 30.7%27.2–34.1 | 32.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.7%18.2–23.4 | 24% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 5.9%4.9–7.1 | 14.3% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 6%5–7.1 | 12.3% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 3.4%2.9–4 | 7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 3.8%3.3–4.4 | 7.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 2.9%2.3–3.5 | 8.4% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 16.7%14.6–18.9 | 24.8% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 7.1%6.2–8.2 | 11.3% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 7.5%6.6–8.5 | 11.5% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 4.4%3.9–5 | 5.7% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 2.6%2.3–2.8 | 4.7% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 4.1%3.6–4.7 | 6.6% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 1.9%1.7–2.1 | 3.3% | 3.8% | Lower |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the New Jersey figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Ridgewood
Is Ridgewood a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ridgewood is among the healthiest U.S. towns: A+ for health, #10 of 468 in New Jersey. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 93%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Ridgewood?
CDC estimates 22.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 19.4% and 26.1%, against 28.9% across New Jersey and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Ridgewood?
Valley Hospital in Paramus, 3.3 miles in a straight line from Ridgewood’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Ridgewood have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.2–6%), against 11.3% across New Jersey.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Ridgewood more than anything measured there. Even at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade stays A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Ridgewood.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The New Jersey figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.