Wood-Ridge is a borough in Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 10,137, an increase of 2,511 (+32.9%) from the 2010 census count of 7,626, which in turn reflected a decline of 18 (-0.2%) from the 7,644 counted in the 2000 census.Table 7. Population for the Counties and Municipalities in New Jersey: 1990, 2000 and 2010, New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, February 2011. Accessed May 1, 2023.
Wood-Ridge was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on December 6, 1894, from portions of Bergen Township, based on the results of a referendum held the previous day.Snyder, John P. The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 89. Accessed May 30, 2024. The borough was formed during the "Boroughitis" phenomenon then sweeping through Bergen County, in which 26 boroughs were formed in the county in 1894 alone.Harvey, Cornelius Burnham. Genealogical History of Hudson and Bergen Counties, New Jersey, p. 11, New Jersey Genealogical Publishing Company, 1900. Accessed September 1, 2013. "For a period of sixteen years following the passage of this act few boroughs were organized in the State, only three of them being in Bergen County.... As it was twenty-six boroughs were created in the county from January 23, 1894, to December 18, of the same year."
Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 1.12 square miles (2.89 km2), including 1.11 square miles (2.88 km2) of land and <0.01 square miles (<0.01 km2) of water (0.09%).
The borough is bordered by the Bergen County municipalities of Hasbrouck Heights and Lodi to the north, Wallington to the west, Carlstadt to the south, and Moonachie to the east, along with South Hackensack.Areas touching Wood-Ridge, MapIt. Accessed March 16, 2020.Bergen County Map of Municipalities, Bergen County, New Jersey. Accessed March 16, 2020.New Jersey Municipal Boundaries, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed November 15, 2019.
Demographics
Racial and ethnic composition +Wood-Ridge borough, New Jersey – Racial and ethnic compositionRace / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 2000Pop 2010Pop 2020% 2000% 2010% 2020White alone (NH)6,5625,8986,14185.85%77.34%60.58%Black or African American alone (NH)61953370.80%1.25%3.32%Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)5940.07%0.12%0.04%Asian alone (NH)3825381,6175.00%7.05%15.95%Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)0000.00%0.00%0.00%Other race alone (NH)415760.05%0.20%0.75%Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)74712240.97%0.93%2.21%Hispanic or Latino (any race)5561,0001,7387.27%13.11%17.15%Total7,6447,62610,137 100.00%100.00%100.00%
2020 census As of the 2020 census, Wood-Ridge had a population of 10,137. The median age was 38.9 years. 19.8% of residents were under the age of 18 and 14.0% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 95.3 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 92.2 males age 18 and over.
100.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.0% lived in rural areas.
There were 3,920 households in Wood-Ridge, of which 32.0% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 56.7% were married-couple households, 15.3% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 22.6% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 23.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 4,057 housing units, of which 3.4% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.2% and the rental vacancy rate was 3.3%.
2010 census The 2010 United States census counted 7,626 people, 2,939 households, and 2,072 families in the borough. The population density was . There were 3,051 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup was 87.23% (6,652) White, 1.43% (109) Black or African American, 0.21% (16) Native American, 7.13% (544) Asian, 0.01% (1) Pacific Islander, 2.32% (177) from other races, and 1.67% (127) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 13.11% (1,000) of the population.
Of the 2,939 households, 30.1% had children under the age of 18; 57.6% were married couples living together; 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present and 29.5% were non-families. Of all households, 25.4% were made up of individuals and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.16.
21.5% of the population were under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 31.0% from 45 to 64, and 14.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42.4 years. For every 100 females, the population had 93.3 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 89.3 males.
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $90,411 (with a margin of error of +/− $3,617) and the median family income was $95,972 (+/− $7,148). Males had a median income of $64,658 (+/− $7,287) versus $46,402 (+/− $6,549) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $35,360 (+/− $2,759). About 3.9% of families and 3.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.8% of those under age 18 and 9.6% of those age 65 or over.DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics from the 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates for Wood-Ridge borough, Bergen County, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed June 12, 2012.
Same-sex couples headed 20 households in 2010, an increase from the 10 counted in 2000.Lipman, Harvy; and Sheingold, Dave. "North Jersey sees 30% growth in same-sex couples", The Record, August 14, 2011, backed up by the Internet Archive as of February 3, 2013. Accessed November 2, 2014.
2000 census As of the 2000 United States census, there were 7,644 people, 3,024 households, and 2,137 families residing in the borough. The population density was . There were 3,087 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the borough was 91.01% White, 0.84% African American, 0.08% Native American, 5.02% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.77% from other races, and 1.27% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.27% of the population.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Wood-Ridge borough, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed March 4, 2013.DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Wood-Ridge borough, Bergen County, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed March 4, 2013.
There were 3,024 households, out of which 29.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.9% were married couples living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.3% were non-families. 25.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.07.
In the borough the population was spread out, with 21.2% under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 31.9% from 25 to 44, 24.6% from 45 to 64, and 17.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.2 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $60,949, and the median income for a family was $72,500. Males had a median income of $48,309 versus $40,025 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $29,865. About 0.8% of families and 1.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.6% of those under age 18 and 2.8% of those age 65 or over. Government
Local government Wood-Ridge is governed under the borough form of New Jersey municipal government, which is used in 218 municipalities (of the 564) statewide, making it the most common form of government in New Jersey.Inventory of Municipal Forms of Government in New Jersey , Rutgers University Center for Government Studies, July 1, 2011. Accessed June 1, 2023. The governing body is comprised of a mayor and a borough council, with all positions elected at-large on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. A mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The borough council includes six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle.2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 169. The borough form of government used by Wood-Ridge is a "weak mayor / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can veto ordinances subject to an override by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council.Cerra, Michael F. "Forms of Government: Everything You've Always Wanted to Know, But Were Afraid to Ask", New Jersey State League of Municipalities, March 2007. Accessed January 1, 2025."Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey" , p. 6. Rutgers University Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.
, the mayor of Wood-Ridge is Democrat Paul Sarlo, whose term of office ends December 31, 2027; Sarlo also represents the borough and district in the New Jersey Senate.Mayor Paul A. Sarlo, Borough of Wood-Ridge. Accessed August 2, 2022. Members of the Borough Council are Ezio I. Altamura (D, 2027), Dominick Azzolini (D, 2026), Michael Donato (D, 2028), Michele A. Mabel (D, 2028), Philip D. Romero (D, 2026) and Richard J. Wall (D, 2027).Directory, Borough of Wood-Ridge. Accessed February 4, 2026.2025 Municipal Data Sheet, Borough of Wood-Ridge. Accessed February 4, 2026.2025 County and Municipal Directory, Bergen County, New Jersey, May 2025. Accessed February 1, 2026.2025 General Election Official Results, Bergen County, New Jersey, updated November 25, 2025. Accessed January 1, 2026.2024 General Election Official Results, Bergen County, New Jersey, updated November 20, 2024. Accessed January 1, 2025.Official Statement of Vote 2023 General Election - November 7, 2023 Official Results, Bergen County, New Jersey, November 27, 2023. Accessed January 1, 2024.
In September 2012, the borough council selected Phil Romero from a list of three candidates offered by the Democratic Municipal Committee to fill the vacant seat of Cosimo "Tom" Gonnella, who had resigned from office to accept a position with the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission after serving 16 years in office, which made him the longest-serving councilmember in borough history.Clark, Susan Joy. "Councilman steps down in Wood-Ridge, replacement sworn in", Community News (Lodi edition), September 21, 2012. Accessed December 23, 2013. "Democratic Councilman Cosimo "Tom" Gonnella has resigned from the Wood-Ridge Council with two years remaining on his term. He was the longest serving councilman in Wood-Ridge history, serving for 16 years. Gonnella has been a resident of Wood-Ridge for 42 years.... Gonnella will be replaced by Philip Romero who took the oath of office as a Wood-Ridge Councilman on Sept. 18 to fill the two-year term."
Federal, state and county representation