Is Glen Ridge, NJ a Good Place to Live?
Glen Ridge is a small town of 7,797 in New Jersey, with a median household income of $246,429 and a 6.2% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 112 (US average = 100), which is 12% above the national average.
Strengths: Glen Ridge stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (A), a well-educated population.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, high home prices, longer commutes, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Glen Ridge is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Glen Ridge city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 112.5Glen Ridge's overall cost of living index is 112.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Glen Ridge costs roughly 12% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Glen Ridge, NJ | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $696,700 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,012 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 95.3% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $246,429 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeGlen Ridge's violent crime rate is 24.4 per 100,000 residents — 94% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Glen Ridge is served primarily by Glen Ridge Public School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12.0:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Glen Ridge, NJ | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Glen Ridge Public School District | — |
| Elementary Schools | 4 | — |
| Middle Schools | N/A | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 12.0:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 82.0% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 99.4% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Glen Ridge sees average highs of 38.3°F in January and 85.6°F in July, with 52.4 inches of annual precipitation and 28.2 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Glen Ridge, NJ |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 38.3°F |
| Average High — July | 85.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 52.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 28.2" |
Demographics
| Metric | Glen Ridge, NJ | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 7,797 | — |
| Median Age | 41.1 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.2% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 37.4 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 78.4% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 2.7% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 8.6% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 5.4% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 29.8% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 12.2% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Glen Ridge
Glen Ridge, NJ is covered by 1 ZIP code: