Ridgewood is a village in Bergen County, New Jersey, a suburban bedroom community located roughly 20 miles northwest of Midtown Manhattan. With about 26,000 residents, it is one of the county's larger and most established commuter villages, and its identity is built around a walkable downtown, a strong public school system, and direct rail access to New York City. The village developed as a railroad suburb in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and its tree-lined residential streets and period architecture still reflect that era. Downtown Ridgewood is the community's commercial and social center, a pedestrian-friendly district of independent boutiques, restaurants, and coffee shops clustered near the NJ Transit station and Van Neste Square. The village is also home to Graydon Pool, a historic natural swimming facility set within a park, and Veterans Field, which hosts recreation and community events. Valley Health System's Ridgewood campus, anchored by the Valley Hospital, makes healthcare a significant local institution and employer. The Ridgewood Public Schools district is among the largest in Bergen County, serving several thousand students through elementary, middle, and Ridgewood High School, and its reputation is a primary driver of housing demand. NJ Transit's Ridgewood Station, on the Main and Bergen County lines, offers rail service toward Hoboken and Midtown Manhattan, supplemented by bus routes into the city and across Bergen County. Housing is predominantly well-maintained single-family homes—Colonials, Tudors, and Victorians among them—on tree-lined blocks. The village combines small-town civic life with proximity to one of the world's largest employment centers. For buyers seeking a classic, transit-connected Bergen County commuter village with strong schools and a vibrant downtown, Ridgewood is a benchmark community.